Troubleshooting the databases

If you have issues with the databases that support the console, make sure that the PostgreSQL database is not too large or using too much memory, that you don't have port conflicts, and that puppet apply is configured correctly.

Note: If you're using your own instance of PostgreSQL for the console and PuppetDB, you must use version 9.1 or higher.

PostgreSQL is taking up too much space

The PostgreSQL autovacuum=on setting prevents the database from growing too large and unwieldy. Routine vacuuming is turned on by default.

Verify that autovacuum is set to on.

PostgreSQL buffer memory causes installation to fail

When installing PE on machines with large amounts of RAM, the PostgreSQL database might use more shared buffer memory than is available.

If this issue is present, /var/log/pe-postgresql/pgstartup.log shows the error:
FATAL: could not create shared memory segment: No space left on device
DETAIL: Failed system call was shmget(key=5432001, size=34427584512,03600).
  1. On the master, set the shmmax kernel setting to approximately 50% of the total RAM.
  2. Set the shmall kernel setting to the quotient of the new shmmax setting divided by the page size. You can confirm page size by running getconf PAGE_SIZE.
  3. Set the new kernel settings: 
    sysctl -w kernel.shmmax=<your shmmax calculation>
sysctl -w kernel.shmall=<your shmall calculation>

The default port for PuppetDB conflicts with another service

By default, PuppetDB communicates over port 8081. In some cases, this might conflict with existing services, for example McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator.

Install in text mode with a parameter in pe.conf that specifies a different port using puppet_enterprise::puppetdb_port.

puppet resource generates Ruby errors after connecting puppet apply to PuppetDB

If Puppet apply is configured incorrectly, for example by modifying puppet.conf to add the parameters storeconfigs_backend = puppetdb and storeconfigs = true in both the main and master sections, puppet resource ceases to function and displays a Ruby run error.

Modify /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/routes.yaml to correctly connect Puppet apply without affecting other functions.