qubes-doc/configuration/salt.md

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doc	Management stack	/doc/salt/

Management infrastructure

Since Qubes R3.1 release we have included salt (also called SaltStack) management engine in dom0 as default with some states already configured. salt allows administrators to easily configure their systems. In this guide we will show how it is set up and how you can modify it for your own purpose.

In the current form the API is provisional and subject to change between minor releases.

Understanding salt

This document is not meant to be comprehensive salt documentation, however before writing anything it is required you have at least some understanding of basic salt-related vocabulary. For more exhaustive documentation, visit official site, though we must warn you that it is not easy to read if you just start working with salt and know nothing.

Salt has client-server architecture, where server (called master) manages its clients (called minions). In typical situation it is intended that administrator interacts only with master and keeps the configuration there. In Qubes OS we don't have master though, since we have only one minion, which resides in dom0 and manages domains from there. This is also supported by salt.

Salt is a management engine, that enforces particular state of the system, where minion runs. A state is an end effect declaratively expressed by the administrator. This is the most important concept in the whole package. All configuration (ie. the states) are written in YAML.

A pillar is a data backend declared by administrator. When states became repetitive, instead of pure YAML they can be written with help of some template engine (preferably jinja2), which can use data structures specified in pillars.

A formula is a ready to use, packaged solution that combines state and pillar, possibly with some file templates and other auxiliary files. There are many of those made by helpful people all over the Internet.

A grain is some data that is also available in templates, but its value is not directly specified by administrator. For example the distribution (like "Debian" or "Gentoo") is a value of the grain "os". It also contains other info about kernel, hardware etc.

A module is a Python extension to salt that is responsible for actually enforcing the state in a particular area. It exposes some imperative functions for administrator. For example there is system module that has system.halt function that, when issued, will immediately halt the computer. There is another function called state.highstate which will synchronize the state of the system with the administrator's will.

Salt configuration, Qubes OS layout

All salt configuration in /srv/ directory, as usual. The main directory is /srv/salt/ where all state files reside. States are contained in *.sls files. However the states that are part of standard Qubes distribution are mostly templates and the configuration is done in pillars from formulas.

The formulas are in /srv/formulas, including stock formula for domains in /srv/formulas/dom0/virtual-machines-formula/qvm, which are used by firstboot.

Because we use some code that is not found in older versions of salt, there is a tool called qubesctl that should be run instead of salt-call --local. It accepts all arguments of the vanilla tool.

Writing your own configuration

Let's start with quick example:

my new and shiny vm:
  qvm.present:
    - name: salt-test # can be omitted when same as ID
    - template: fedora-21
    - label: yellow
    - mem: 2000
    - vcpus: 4
    - flags:
      - proxy

It uses Qubes-specific qvm.present state, which ensures that domain is created. The name should be salt-test (and not my new and shiny vm), the rest are domains properties, same as in qvm-prefs. proxy flag informs salt that the domain should be a ProxyVM.

This should be put in /srv/salt/my-new-vm.sls or another .sls file. Separate *.top file should be also written:

base:
  dom0:
    - my-new-vm

The third line should contain the name of the previous file, without .sls.

Now because we use custom extension to manage top files (instead of just enabling them all) to enable the particular top file you should issue command:

qubesctl top.enable my-new-vm

To list all enabled tops:

qubesctl top.enabled

And to disable one:

qubesctl top.disable my-new-vm

To actually apply the state:

qubesctl state.highstate

All Qubes-specific states

qvm.present

As in example above, it creates domain and sets its properties.

qvm.prefs

You can set properties of existing domain:

my preferences:
  qvm.prefs:
    - name: salt-test2
    - netvm: sys-firewall

Note that name: is a matcher, ie. it says the domain which properties will be manipulated is called salt-test2. The implies that you currently cannot rename domains this way.

qvm.service

services in my domain:
  qvm.service:
    - name: salt-test3
    - enable:
      - service1
      - service2
    - disable:
      - service3
      - service4
    - default:
      - service5

This enables, disables, or sets to default, the services as in qvm-service.

qvm.running

Ensures the domain is running:

domain is running:
  qvm.running:
    - name: salt-test4

Further reading

• Salt documentation
• Qubes specific modules
• Formula for default Qubes VMs (and actual states)