Perforce Puppet Reviews

Until last year, we were using the enterprise version — Puppet 4 —; however, we recently switched to the open-source version — the community edition. We are using a product called Foreman as a front end for Puppet open source.

We used Puppet solely for Linux. At first, we had around 200 plus Linux servers that were managed by Puppet. It was like infrastructure as a code. If we had to build a new server or update a server, then we just had to commission a new server, apply Puppet control, and it would configure everything for us. That was one of our main use cases.

We also used it for compliance. We had some security products and policies that we needed to implement. This solution made sure that they're always there, that nobody was messing with them. Regarding security compliance, take CrowdStrike for example, it's supposed to be installed on every server — running and reporting properly. Puppet checks that a service is running every 15 minutes. If it's not, it starts it and if it's missing, it installs it. 

Although we started with Linux, we are moving towards adding Windows servers as well. 

We have a central code. If anyone makes any changes to the infrastructure, we'll get notified. We have around 10 people all managing the same infrastructure so there's always the chance of overstepping each other's work. When it's all centralized as a code, a single repository, it's easier to manage because everybody gets notified of what changes are being made.

Our use case is provisioning and then configuration management for on-prem servers primarily. We use it for applications as well. We were using Puppet for database configuration management. Basically,  we mainly use it for configuration management for on-prem servers of infrastructure and then use it a bit on the application side as well.

I like the way it keeps the configuration management profile simple. The programming in it is based on the stage-based coding in BYML, which is very comfortable for us to use. 

The organization of the overall product in terms of usage is very good. 

The number of modules available and the compatibility with a large number of devices makes it simple to use. It was very helpful in managing the server infrastructure on both Linux and Windows platforms, as well as on the network side on the Cisco switches. 

The versatility is great.

Puppet Enterprise is a stable solution.

Puppet Enterprise should improve the general extensibility for places where they can't install it.

Declarative nature of Puppet with its hub spoke architecture for automation using agents is the best feature.

All of the infrastructure patching and provisioning was done using Puppet.

I use Puppet Enterprise in many projects that require a full control on the Device and make it compliant with the Security regulations of the Company. Puppet Enterprise provides an  autonomous Delivery solution and  agent-server Architecture that was really helpful on our case for Internet base Device Management.

Puppet has help us to make the Linux Clients compliant with the Security requirements, independently where are located and the Operative Linux System release.

We use public configurations for all nodes. This includes configurations for integrations, networks, packages, software, etc.

Puppet Enterprise is well-organized and structured. It is stable and can be managed easily. You can manage everything and organize everything in a very good way. Automation saves time and provides consistency over all the nodes.

Puppet Enterprise has good functionalities.

Puppet Enterprise is more complex and difficult to configure.

The valuable features I found are installing packages remotely and pushing files from a centralized server. Also, we can create users and monitor services remotely.

We used to have lot of issues related to sudo rights on server. Now, we have centralized sudo file managed by puppet on a centralized linux server. So, any of user requests for addition or removal of sudo access, we make changes on puppet master for specific requested node and changes get pushed to puppet client on next cycle.