⚡️ Automating Your Server Farm – ITLDC Survival Guide
Yes, Ansible is the golden child. But sometimes you want to try other toys. Here are three tools that can throw SSH keys around, drop Docker on everything, and roll out WireGuard like a boss.
SaltStack – Ansible’s Caffeinated Cousin
Salt is fast, scalable, and works either with a central master or in “lonely wolf” mode (masterless). It’s built for big farms where servers multiply like rabbits.
Install Salt
On the control node:
sudo apt install -y salt-master salt-ssh
On each server:
echo “master: YOUR_MASTER_IP” | sudo tee -a /etc/salt/minion
sudo systemctl restart salt-minion
Approve your new minions on the master like a true mafia boss:
Deploy something
Drop SSH key:
ssh_auth.present:
– user: root
– source: salt://keys/id_rsa.pub
Install Docker:
pkg.installed:
– name: docker.io
Install WireGuard:
pkg.installed:
– name: wireguard
Run it all at once:
Docs: https://docs.saltproject.io
Puppet Bolt – Ansible Lite for Lazy Days
Bolt is agentless and feels like a trimmed-down Ansible for people who just want things done now, without babysitting agents.
Install Bolt
sudo dpkg -i puppet-tools-release-focal.deb
sudo apt update
sudo apt install puppet-bolt
Add servers
Make an inventory.yaml
:
– server1.itldc.net
– server2.itldc.net
config:
ssh:
user: root
private-key: ~/.ssh/id_rsa
Deploy something
Push SSH key:
Install Docker:
Install WireGuard:
Docs: https://puppet.com/docs/bolt/latest
Rundeck – Click Ops but Sexy
Rundeck is what you use when you’re done with cowboy-SSH at 2AM and want buttons, schedules, and a pretty web UI. It’s automation in arcade mode.
Install Rundeck
sudo apt install -y ./rundeck.deb
sudo systemctl enable rundeckd
sudo systemctl start rundeckd
Open http://your-server:4440 (default login: admin/admin
).
Add servers
Either through the web UI or via YAML:
server1:
hostname: 192.168.1.10
username: root
ssh-keypath: /root/.ssh/id_rsa
Deploy something
Jobs are just scripts with a fancy button:
Add SSH key:
Install Docker:
Install WireGuard:
Docs: https://docs.rundeck.com/docs/
So, who’s who?
- Salt – for big farms and speed freaks.
- Bolt – for quick “just run this everywhere” mornings.
- Rundeck – for teams, dashboards, and click-to-deploy magic.
👉 Pro tip: always test on one guinea pig server before you let loose on your whole fleet.
Breaking SSH across 50 nodes in one click is… let’s just say character-building.