Regenerate certificates in split installations

Regenerating certificates and security credentials—both private and public keys—created by the built-in PE certificate authority can help ensure the security of your installation in certain cases.

Important: A split installation includes any configuration where the PE infrastructure components are split across more than one node, such as the traditional split installation or a standalone PE-PostgreSQL installation. A "database node" in these instructions is your PuppetDB and/or standalone PE-PostgreSQL node. If the console runs on your master node, skip instructions for the console node, except as indicated.
The process for regenerating certificates varies depending on your goal.
If your goal is to... Do this...
Upgrade to the intermediate certificate architecture introduced in Puppet 6.0.
Complete these tasks in order:

  1. Delete and recreate the certificate authority in a split installation

  2. Regenerate compile master certificates, if applicable

  3. Regenerate agent certificates
Fix a compromised or damaged certificate authority.
Fix a compromised compile master certificate or troubleshoot SSL errors on compile masters. Regenerate compile master certificates
Fix a compromised agent certificate or troubleshoot SSL errors on agent nodes. Regenerate agent certificates
Specify a new DNS alt name or other trusted data. Regenerate infrastructure certificates in a split installation

Delete and recreate the certificate authority in a split installation

Recreate the certificate authority only if you're upgrading to the new certificate architecture introduced in Puppet 6.0, or if your certificate authority was compromised or damaged beyond repair.

CAUTION: Replacing your certificate authority invalidates all existing certificates in your environment. Complete this task only if and when you're prepared to regenerate certificates for both your infrastructure nodes and your entire agent fleet.

Perform these steps logged in as root.

  1. Back up these directories:
    Master
    • /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl/
    • /etc/puppetlabs/orchestration-services/ssl
    Note: In a standalone PE-PostgreSQL configuration, back up /etc/puppetlabs/puppetdb/ssl/ and /opt/puppetlabs/server/data/console-services/certs/ on your master.
    Database node
    • /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl/
    • /etc/puppetlabs/puppetdb/ssl/
    • /opt/puppetlabs/server/data/postgresql/9.6/data/certs/
    Console node
    • /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl/
    • /opt/puppetlabs/server/data/console-services/certs/
  2. Stop these PE services:
    Master 
    puppet resource service puppet ensure=stopped
puppet resource service pxp-agent ensure=stopped
puppet resource service pe-puppetserver ensure=stopped
puppet resource service pe-bolt-server ensure=stopped
puppet resource service pe-orchestration-services ensure=stopped
    Note: In a standalone PE-PostgreSQL configuration, stop pe-console-services and pe-puppetdb on your master.
    Database node 
    puppet resource service pe-puppetdb ensure=stopped
puppet resource service pe-postgresql ensure=stopped
    Console node 
    puppet resource service pe-console-services ensure=stopped
  3. Remove certificate files and the cached catalog, and then rebuild certificates on each infrastructure node, in the order specified:
    Master
    rm -rf /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl/*
rm -f /opt/puppetlabs/puppet/cache/client_data/catalog/<CERTNAME>.json
    puppet infrastructure configure --no-recover
    Note: In a standalone PE-PostgreSQL configuration, PuppetDB on the master fails when you run puppet infrastructure configure because the database isn't reachable on the standalone node. Accept the failure, configure the database node, and then re-run puppet infrastructure configure --no-recover on your master.  
    Database node
    rm -rf /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl/*
rm -f /opt/puppetlabs/puppet/cache/client_data/catalog/<CERTNAME>.json
    puppet infrastructure configure --no-recover
    Console node, if applicable
    rm -rf /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl/*
rm -f /opt/puppetlabs/puppet/cache/client_data/catalog/<CERTNAME>.json
    puppet infrastructure configure --no-recover
  4. Run Puppet on your master, database node, and console, as applicable: puppet agent -t

Regenerate compile master certificates

Regnerate compile master certificates to fix a compromised certificate or troubleshoot SSL errors on compile masters, or if you recreated your certificate authority.

Before you begin

Configure Puppet Server with allow-subject-alt-names in the certificate-authority section of ca.conf.

  1. If you did not recreate your certificate authority, you must log into your master of masters as root and remove the compile master certificate: puppetserver ca clean --certname <COMPILE_MASTER_HOSTNAME>
  2. Log into the compile master as root and back up the /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl/ directory: 
    cp -r /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl/ /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl_bak/
  3. Stop the Puppet agent, Puppet Server, and PXP agent services.
    puppet resource service puppet ensure=stopped
puppet resource service pe-puppetserver ensure=stopped
puppet resource service pxp-agent ensure=stopped
  4. Delete the compile master SSL directory: rm -rf /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl
  5. Remove the compile master cached catalog: rm -f /opt/puppetlabs/puppet/cache/client_data/catalog/<CERTNAME>.json
  6. Adjust DNS alt names and trusted data, as needed.
  7. Re-start the Puppet agent service: puppet resource service puppet ensure=running

    After the agent starts, it automatically generates keys and request a new certificate from the Puppet CA.

  8. Log into your master of masters as root and sign the compile master's certificate request: puppetserver ca sign --certname <COMPILE_MASTER_HOSTNAME>
  9. Log into your compile master as root and run Puppet: puppet agent -t

PE performs a full catalog run, and the compile master resumes its role in your deployment.

Regenerate agent certificates

Regenerate agent certificates to fix a compromised certificate or troubleshoot SSL errors on agents, or if you recreated your certificate authority.

As an alternative to performing these steps manually, on your master logged in as root, run puppet infrastructure run regenerate_agent_certificate agent=<AGENT_HOSTNAME> caserver=<CA_SERVER_HOSTNAME>. Your CA server is usually your master.

You can specify this optional parameter:
  • dns_alt_names – Comma-separated list of alternate DNS names to be added to the certificates generated for your agents.
    Important: To use the dns_alt_names parameter, you must configure Puppet Server with allow-subject-alt-names in the certificate-authority section of ca.conf.

The puppet infrastructure run command leverages built-in Bolt plans to automate certain management tasks. To use this command, you must be able to connect using SSH from your master to any nodes that the command modifies. You can establish an SSH connection using key forwarding, a local key file, or by specifying keys in .ssh/config on your master. For more information, see Bolt OpenSSH configuration options.

Unless otherwise indicated, perform these steps on the agent node that you're regenerating certificates for.

  1. If you did not recreate your certificate authority, you must log into your master and clear the cert for the agent node: puppetserver ca clean --certname <CERTNAME>
  2. On the agent, back up the /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl/ directory.
    If something goes wrong, you might need to restore these directories so your deployment remains functional.
  3. Stop the Puppet agent and PXP agent services. 
    puppet resource service puppet ensure=stopped
puppet resource service pxp-agent ensure=stopped
  4. Delete the agent SSL directory.
    • On *nix nodes: rm -rf /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl
    • On Windows nodes, use the Administrator confdir to delete the $confdir\ssl directory.
  5. Remove the agent's cached catalog.
    • On *nix nodes: rm -f /opt/puppetlabs/puppet/cache/client_data/catalog/<CERTNAME>.json
    • On Windows nodes, use the Administrator confdir to delete the $client_datadir\catalog\<CERTNAME>.json file.
  6. Re-start the Puppet agent service: puppet resource service puppet ensure=running
    After the agent starts, it automatically generates keys and request a new certificate from the Puppet CA.
  7. If you aren't using autosigning, sign each agent node's certificate request using the console's request manager, or from your master: 
    puppetserver ca list 
puppetserver ca sign --certname <NAME>
    Note: For more information about autosigning, see Autosigning certificate requests.
  8. From the console or command line, run Puppet on the node.

The agent performs a full catalog run, restarts the PXP agent service, and resumes its role in your PE deployment.

Regenerate infrastructure certificates in a split installation

Regenerate infrastructure certificates to specify a new DNS alt name or other trusted data.

Perform these steps logged in as root.

  1. Delete and recreate certificates on your master.
    1. Remove the cached catalog: rm -f /opt/puppetlabs/puppet/cache/client_data/catalog/<CERTNAME>.json
    2. Revoke the certificate: puppetserver ca clean --certname <CERTNAME>
    3. Delete the certificate: find /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl -name <CERTNAME>.pem -delete
    4. Stop the Puppet Server service: puppet resource service pe-puppetserver ensure=stopped
      Tip: You can skip this step on PE 2019.0.2 and later.
    5. Rebuild the certificate: puppet infrastructure configure --no-recover
  2. Delete and recreate certificates on your database node.
    1. Remove the cached catalog: rm -f /opt/puppetlabs/puppet/cache/client_data/catalog/<CERTNAME>.json
    2. Revoke the certificate: puppetserver ca clean --certname <CERTNAME>
    3. Delete the certificate: find /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl -name <CERTNAME>.pem -delete
    4. Rebuild the certificate: puppet infrastructure configure --no-recover
  3. Delete and recreate certificates on your console node, if applicable.
    1. Remove the cached catalog: rm -f /opt/puppetlabs/puppet/cache/client_data/catalog/<CERTNAME>.json
    2. Revoke the certificate: puppetserver ca clean --certname <CERTNAME>
    3. Delete the certificate: find /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/ssl -name <CERTNAME>.pem -delete
    4. Rebuild the certificate: puppet infrastructure configure --no-recover
  4. Run Puppet on your master, database node, and console, as applicable: puppet agent -t