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For a recent project I was challenged with the need to prove an AWS EC2 instance was a puppet server without access to the instance. Thankfully Puppet Enterprise DB API has exactly what I needed. However I found the examples in the documentation online where not good enough for my needs. more

Recently I ran into an automation situation where I needed to be able to execute a puppet agent run by an EC2 instanceID fact. Since 2015 we now have structured facts instead of a simpler flat hierarchy. Here is how you use the new structured facts with MCO commands like ping and runonce. more

Here is a short HOWTO which results in a custom Amazon AWS EC2 AMI image with the Puppet Enterprise agent installed and setup to connect to the Puppet master server. This method uses a 3rd party tool called Packer.io which greatly simplifies and automates the AMI build process in a scriptable and pragmatic way. This is a very easy way to build hypervisor OS template images with the Puppet agent pre-installed for AWS, Docker, Google Cloud, OpenStack, Parallels, QEMU, Virtualbox, or VMWare.  more

Here is an interview I did with Puppet Labs on my automation work with PhoenixNAP. With a combination of VMware, Puppet Enterprise, and a Git repo based WarDeployer system I wrote releases transformed from a heartache performance into a pull request. Roll backs are just as elegant.

[Link to video]

Automation Speeds Builds & Deployment, Enforces Compliance for PhoenixNAP with Bryan Andrews | Puppet Labs.

I’ve written and published a Puppet module to load AWS EC2 tags into puppet as facts. So now when you tag your EC2 instance the tag can be a tag usable by Puppet. AWS cli tools are automatically installed and setup. you just have to provide your key and secret with read access to the tags. An example policy is provided.  more

HOWTO build and package the Apache Tomcat Native binaries for your CentOS system.

Download: git clone git@github.com:BIAndrews/tcnative-packager.git

Build steps and example:

$ ./tcnative-packager.sh 
Ensuring CentOS dependant packages...
  - You are not root, so make sure all your dependancies are already installed like apr-devel openssl-devel apr apr-util apr-util-devel openssl wget, an OpenJDK, and fpm via gem
Detected fpm installed
OpenJDK detected. Version:
openjdk version "1.8.0_45"
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_45-b13)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.45-b02, mixed mode)
Using JDK found at /usr/lib/jvm/java-openjdk
Creating /home/example/tcnative-packager/src-26944/usr to install and package from
Running configure...
Compiling...
Installing into "/home/example/tcnative-packager/src-26944/usr"...
Setting workdir {:workdir=>"/tmp", :level=>:info}
Setting from flags: architecture=x86_64 {:level=>:info}
Setting from flags: description=The mission of the Tomcat Native Library (TCN) is to provide a free library of C data structures and routines.  This library contains additional utility interfaces for Java. {:level=>:info}
Setting from flags: epoch= {:level=>:info}
Setting from flags: iteration=0 {:level=>:info}
Setting from flags: license=Apache Software License {:level=>:info}
Setting from flags: maintainer=you@example.com {:level=>:info}
Setting from flags: name=tcnative {:level=>:info}
Setting from flags: url=tomcat.apache.org/download-native.cgi {:level=>:info}
Setting from flags: version=1.1.33 {:level=>:info}
Setting from flags: architecture=x86_64 {:level=>:info}
Converting dir to rpm {:level=>:info}
no value for epoch is set, defaulting to nil {:level=>:warn}
Reading template {:path=>"/usr/local/rvm/gems/ruby-2.2.0/gems/fpm-1.3.3/templates/rpm.erb", :level=>:info}
no value for epoch is set, defaulting to nil {:level=>:warn}
Running rpmbuild {:args=>["rpmbuild", "-bb", "--define", "buildroot /tmp/package-rpm-build20150615-27597-r98ysc/BUILD", "--define", "_topdir /tmp/package-rpm-build20150615-27597-r98ysc", "--define", "_sourcedir /tmp/package-rpm-build20150615-27597-r98ysc", "--define", "_rpmdir /tmp/package-rpm-build20150615-27597-r98ysc/RPMS", "--define", "_tmppath /tmp", "/tmp/package-rpm-build20150615-27597-r98ysc/SPECS/tcnative.spec"], :level=>:info}
Executing(%prep): /bin/sh -e /tmp/rpm-tmp.AnyiY3 {:level=>:info}
Executing(%build): /bin/sh -e /tmp/rpm-tmp.FK6xnN {:level=>:info}
Executing(%install): /bin/sh -e /tmp/rpm-tmp.Vso6Mw {:level=>:info}
Processing files: tcnative-1.1.33-0.x86_64 {:level=>:info}
Wrote: /tmp/package-rpm-build20150615-27597-r98ysc/RPMS/x86_64/tcnative-1.1.33-0.x86_64.rpm {:level=>:info}
Executing(%clean): /bin/sh -e /tmp/rpm-tmp.npuzT2 {:level=>:info}
Created package {:path=>"../tcnative-1.1.33-0.x86_64.rpm"}
Done!
Cleaning up /home/io/tcnative-packager/src-26944/usr...
########################################################

Name        : tcnative                     Relocations: / 
Version     : 1.1.33                            Vendor: io@example.com
Release     : 0                             Build Date: Mon 15 Jun 2015 09:23:19 AM MST
Install Date: (not installed)               Build Host: me.example.com
Group       : default                       Source RPM: tcnative-1.1.33-0.src.rpm
Size        : 2567110                          License: Apache Software License
Signature   : (none)
Packager    : you@example.com
URL         : tomcat.apache.org/download-native.cgi
Summary     : The mission of the Tomcat Native Library (TCN) is to provide a free library of C data structures and routines.  This library contains additional utility interfaces for Java.
Description :
The mission of the Tomcat Native Library (TCN) is to provide a free library of C data structures and routines.  This library contains additional utility interfaces for Java.
/usr/lib64/libtcnative-1.a
/usr/lib64/libtcnative-1.la
/usr/lib64/libtcnative-1.so
/usr/lib64/libtcnative-1.so.0
/usr/lib64/libtcnative-1.so.0.1.33
/usr/lib64/pkgconfig/tcnative-1.pc

Every second, Norse collects and analyzes live threat intelligence from darknets in hundreds of locations in over 40 countries. The attacks shown are based on a small subset of live flows against the Norse honeypot infrastructure, representing actual worldwide cyber attacks by bad actors. At a glance, one can see which countries are aggressors or targets at the moment, using which type of attacks (services-ports).

Hovering over the ATTACK ORIGINS, ATTACK TARGETS, or ATTACK TYPES will highlight just the attacks emanating from that country or over that service-port respectively. Hovering over any bubble on the map, will highlight only the attacks from that location and type. Press S to toggle table sizes.

Norse exposes its threat intelligence via high-performance, machine-readable APIs in a variety of forms. Norse also provides products and solutions that assist organizations in protecting and mitigating cyber attacks.

This is really neat! I’m thinking about using this idea on the SSHfail2KML project.

Link: Norse – IPViking Live.

DDR3 has reached its lowest price point in 26 months, according to PCGamer. This information stems from a report published by the DRAMeXchange. The prices of RAM have been decreasing as PCs and tablets have grown in popularity. Over the second quarter of this year, prices have fallen about 9 percent. The full price of a 4GB DDR3 SO-DIMM is around $27.50.

DDR3 RAM has Hit its Lowest Price Point in 26 Months | Digital Trends |.