Salt configuration is very simple. The default configuration for the master will work for most installations and the only requirement for setting up a minion is to set the location of the master in the minion configuration file.
The configuration files will be installed to /etc/salt and are named after the respective components, /etc/salt/master and /etc/salt/minion.
To make a minion check into the correct master simply edit the master variable in the minion configuration file to reference the master DNS name or IPv4 address.
Start the master in the foreground (to daemonize the process, pass the -d flag):
# salt-master
Start the minion in the foreground (to daemonize the process, pass the -d flag):
# salt-minion
Having trouble?
The simplest way to troubleshoot Salt is to run the master and minion in the foreground with log level set to debug:
salt-master --log-level=debug
Run as an unprivileged (non-root) user?
To run Salt as another user, specify --user in the command line or assign user in the configuration file.
There is also a full troubleshooting guide available.
Salt manages authentication with RSA public keys. The keys are managed on the master via the salt-key command. Once a minion checks into the master the master will save a copy of the minion key. Before the master can send commands to the minion the key needs to be "accepted".
List the accepted and unaccepted Salt keys:
salt-key -L
Accept a minion key:
salt-key -a <minion id>
or accept all unaccepted minion keys:
salt-key -A
See also