Puppet Bolt is a powerful, open-source orchestration tool designed to simplify and automate the execution of tasks across a diverse set of remote systems. Unlike traditional configuration management tools, Bolt does not require a Puppet agent to be installed on the target nodes. This agentless approach makes it exceptionally flexible and easy to integrate into existing environments. Bolt is particularly well-suited for ad-hoc tasks, such as running scripts, executing commands, and deploying applications across multiple servers, whether they are on-premises or in the cloud.

One of Bolt’s key strengths is its support for a variety of transport protocols, including SSH for Unix-based systems and WinRM for Windows systems. This broad compatibility allows administrators to manage a heterogeneous mix of systems from a single tool. Additionally, Bolt can leverage existing Puppet tasks and plans, allowing users to orchestrate complex workflows and streamline repetitive processes. Its ability to integrate with other Puppet tools, like Puppet Enterprise, further enhances its utility in comprehensive automation strategies.

The command-line interface of Bolt is straightforward and user-friendly, enabling users to quickly execute commands and scripts across their infrastructure. For those who prefer a more structured approach, Bolt also supports a declarative YAML-based plan language. This allows users to define sequences of tasks and handle dependencies and conditions within their automation workflows. Such flexibility makes Bolt an ideal choice for both quick fixes and more complex orchestration scenarios.

Bolt’s capabilities extend beyond simple task execution. It is designed to facilitate collaboration between development and operations teams, aligning with DevOps practices. By automating routine tasks and providing a consistent way to manage infrastructure, Bolt helps reduce the potential for human error, increase reliability, and speed up the delivery of software and services. Moreover, Bolt’s integration with version control systems ensures that task definitions and plans can be versioned and reviewed, fostering better collaboration and accountability.

To subscribe to this product from Azure Marketplace and initiate an instance using the Azure compute service, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to Azure Marketplace and subscribe to the desired product.
2. Search for “virtual machines” and select “Virtual machines” under Services.
3. Click on “Add” in the Virtual machines page, which will lead you to the Create a virtual machine page.
4. In the Basics tab:

• • Ensure the correct subscription is chosen under Project details.
  • Opt for creating a new resource group by selecting “Create new resource group” and name it as “myResourceGroup.”

5. Under Instance details:

• • Enter “myVM” as the Virtual machine name.
  • Choose “East US” as the Region.
  • Select “Ubuntu 18.04 LTS” as the Image.
  • Leave other settings as default.

6. For Administrator account:

• • Pick “SSH public key.”
  • Provide your user name and paste your public key, ensuring no leading or trailing white spaces.

7. Under Inbound port rules > Public inbound ports:

• • Choose “Allow selected ports.”
  • Select “SSH (22)” and “HTTP (80)” from the drop-down.

8. Keep the remaining settings at their defaults and click on “Review + create” at the bottom of the page.
9. The “Create a virtual machine” page will display the details of the VM you’re about to create. Once ready, click on “Create.”
10. The deployment process will take a few minutes. Once it’s finished, proceed to the next section.

To connect to the virtual machine:

1. Access the overview page of your VM and click on “Connect.”
2. On the “Connect to virtual machine” page:

• • Keep the default options for connecting via IP address over port 22.
  • A connection command for logging in will be displayed. Click the button to copy the command. Here’s an example of what the SSH connection command looks like:
    “`
    ssh [email protected]
    “`

3. Using the same bash shell that you used to generate your SSH key pair, you can either reopen the Cloud Shell by selecting >_ again

or going to https://shell.azure.com/bash.
4. Paste the SSH connection command into the shell to initiate an SSH session.

Usage/Deployment Instructions

Anarion Technologies – Puppet Bolt

Note: Search product on Azure marketplace and click on “Get it now” 

Click on Continue 

Click on Create

Creating a Virtual Machine, enter or select appropriate values for zone, machine type, resource group and so on as per your choice.

After Process of Create Virtual Machine. You have got an Option Go to Resource Group Click Go to Resource Group

Copy the Public IP Address

SSH into Terminal and Run these commands:

Check that Puppet Bolt is installed and working by running:

$ bolt –version

Set Up Your Environment

Create a Bolt Project Directory:

Create a directory for your Bolt project:

$ mkdir ~/my_bolt_project

$ cd ~/my_bolt_project

Initialize a Bolt project in the directory:

$ bolt project init my_bolt_project

Create a file named inventory.yaml in the project directory:

Customize the Inventory File:

Modify the inventory.yaml file to include your specific targets and connection details.

Run a Command:

Use Bolt to run a command on the targets defined in your inventory file:

$ bolt command run ‘uptime’ –targets webservers

Run a Task:

Bolt can run tasks written in various scripting languages.

Example: Create a simple task:

Create a file tasks/sample_task.sh with the following content:

#!/bin/bash

echo “Hello,
Bolt!”

Make the task executable:

$ chmod +x tasks/sample_task.sh

Run the task using Bolt:

$ bolt task run sample_task –targets webservers

ThankYou!!!!