Install PE

Use the express install to try out PE with up to 10 nodes or to manage up to 4,000 nodes.

Ensure your system capacity can manage a PE installation by reviewing the Hardware requirements for standard installations.

A standard PE installation consists of these components installed on a single node:

  • The master: the central hub of activity, where Puppet code is compiled to create agent catalogs, and where SSL certificates are verified and signed.
  • The console: the graphical web interface, which features configuration and reporting tools.
  • PuppetDB: the data store for data generated throughout your Puppet infrastructure.

First, if you haven't already, download the PE installation package appropriate for your operating system and architecture.

Note: If your organization requires that you verify the package's authenticity using GPG, follow the verification steps in Download and verify the installation package.

Install using express install

Express installation uses default settings to install PE, so you don't have to edit a pe.conf file before or during installation. The only required input from you is a new console administrator password.

Log in as a root user to perform these steps.
  1. Unpack the installation tarball: 
    tar -xf <TARBALL_FILENAME>
  2. From the installer directory, run the installer: 
    sudo ./puppet-enterprise-installer
  3. Select express install mode.
  4. Specify a password now, or later you can run: puppet infrastructure console_password --password=<MY_PASSWORD>
  5. Run Puppet using the command puppet agent -t

You must restart the shell before you can use client tool commands.

Log into the PE console

The console is a graphical interface where you can manage your infrastructure without relying on the command line.

To log in for the first time:

  1. Open the console by entering the URL <master_certname>.com into your browser, where master_certname is the trusted certificate name of your master.
    Note: You'll receive a browser warning about an untrusted certificate because you were the signing authority for the console's certificate, and your Puppet Enterprise deployment is not known to your browser as a valid signing authority. Ignore the warning and accept the certificate.
  2. On the login page for the console, log in with the user name admin and the password you created when installing. Keep track of this login as you will use it later.
Next, check the status of your PE master.

Check the status of your master

You can run a task to check the status of your master in the console.

A task is a single action that allows you to do ad-hoc things like upgrade packages and restart services on target machines. PE comes with a few tasks installed, such as package, service, and puppet_conf, and you can download more tasks from the Forge or write your own.
  1. In the console, in the Run section, click Task.
  2. In the Task field, select service because you are checking the status of the master service.
  3. Optional: In the Job description field, provide a description. The text you enter here appears on the job list and job details pages.
  4. Set parameters and values for the task. The service task has two required parameters. For action, choose status. For service, enter puppet.
  5. Under Select targets, choose Node list.
    1. In the Inventory nodes field, find the hostname of your master and select it.
  6. Click Run job.
View the task status and output in the Jobs page when it is finished running. To learn more about tasks, including how to install them from the Forge or how to write your own, visit the Installing tasks and Writing tasks sections of the docs.

Next, use the console to add nodes to your inventory.