Documentation

[cpjitservices]

Hi,

 

Does anyone know and this may be a big ask because I don't know of anything like this that exists... Is there a way to generate Documentation based on Linux Config files ?

 

For example: if I built a web server based on CentOS, I could download the config files from the server and Import them to something web based perhaps, from there generate something like a web page with a Contents, Index and Search. Then A new starter technician or apprentice could build a web server and the documentation is based around the config files, the files could even be viewed on page too ?

 

I'm hoping this makes sense!

 

Anyone know of anything ?

 

Thanks

Chris.

[Domino]

I don't think that'd necessarily help...it'd tell you how a box is configured, but not WHY it's configured like that.

 

I also think there's way to many package/config options for anything like that to be viable, but someone else may be able to prove me wrong...

[cpjitservices]

Yeah, its because some of our servers are setup in certain ways, and our documentation can be a nightmare, the main one is some of our public servers are setup in such a way that they have to adhere to certain standards due to the data we hold. I was thinking of a sort of way I can document how we build our servers and why they are built like that, from config files something I can generate from config or export config files too.

[pete]

Hmm,

 

Blueprint (Blueprint) will let you capture an existing server and use it as a template. You can also dump info from the template. I've used it in the past to port odd server configs onto newer hardware.

 

You could also (by comparing against the packaged versions) determine which config files have been altered from the default.

 

However, both methods lack the "Why" component - your documentation needs to say (at least briefly) why something is configured a particular way, especially for a noob technician, so you don't end up with a cargo cult mentality.

 

Does Spacewalk (which IIRC you were posting on here about?) allow you to create a webserver template down to the level of "this file should contain $foo"?

 

TLDR: It's better to automagically tell the server "you should be like this" when deploying it and document what config you're pushing and why.

 

*realises he's left the tab open too long*

[cpjitservices]

Blueprint sounds just the ticket, I was using a web server as an example, as we have a wide variety of Linux servers doing different things.

 

I'll check it out, see what Blueprint does. I don't need the rollback / track functionality but should still do the job.

 

Cheers.