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----
-layout: default
-title: Marionette Collective
-toc: false
----
-[Func]: https://fedorahosted.org/func/
-[Fabric]: http://fabfile.org/
-[Capistrano]: http://www.capify.org
-[Publish Subscribe Middleware]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publish/subscribe
-[Screencasts]: /mcollective/screencasts.html
-[Amazon EC2 based demo]: /mcollective/ec2demo.html
-[broadcast paradigm]: /mcollective/reference/basic/messageflow.html
-[UsingWithPuppet]: /mcollective/reference/integration/puppet.html
-[UsingWithChef]: /mcollective/reference/integration/chef.html
-[Facter]: http://projects.puppetlabs.com/projects/mcollective-plugins/wiki/FactsFacterYAML
-[Ohai]: http://projects.puppetlabs.com/projects/mcollective-plugins/wiki/FactsOhai
-[WritingFactsPlugins]: /mcollective/reference/plugins/facts.html
-[NodeReports]: /mcollective/reference/ui/nodereports.html
-[PluginsSite]: http://projects.puppetlabs.com/projects/mcollective-plugins/wiki
-[SimpleRPCIntroduction]: /mcollective/simplerpc/
-[SecurityOverview]: /mcollective/security.html
-[SecurityWithActiveMQ]: /mcollective/reference/integration/activemq_security.html
-[SSLSecurityPlugin]: /mcollective/reference/plugins/security_ssl.html
-[AESSecurityPlugin]: /mcollective/reference/plugins/security_aes.html
-[SimpleRPCAuthorization]: /mcollective/simplerpc/authorization.html
-[SimpleRPCAuditing]: /mcollective/simplerpc/auditing.html
-[ActiveMQClusters]: /mcollective/reference/integration/activemq_clusters.html
-[JSONSchema]: http://json-schema.org/
-[Registration]: /mcollective/reference/plugins/registration.html
-[GettingStarted]: /mcollective/reference/basic/gettingstarted.html
-[Configuration]: /mcollective/reference/basic/configuration.html
-[Terminology]: /mcollective/terminology.html
-[devco]: http://www.devco.net/archives/tag/mcollective
-[mcollective-users]: http://groups.google.com/group/mcollective-users
-[WritingAgents]: /mcollective/reference/basic/basic_agent_and_client.html
-[ActiveMQ]: /mcollective/reference/integration/activemq_security.html
-[MessageFormat]: /mcollective/reference/basic/messageformat.html
-[ChangeLog]: /mcollective/changelog.html
-[server_config]: /mcollective/configure/server.html
-
-The Marionette Collective AKA mcollective is a framework to build server
-orchestration or parallel job execution systems.
-
-Primarily we'll use it as a means of programmatic execution of Systems Administration
-actions on clusters of servers. In this regard we operate in the same space as tools
-like [Func], [Fabric] or [Capistrano].
-
-We've attempted to think out of the box a bit designing this system by not relying on
-central inventories and tools like SSH, we're not simply a fancy SSH "for loop". MCollective use modern tools like
-[Publish Subscribe Middleware] and modern philosophies like real time discovery of network resources using meta data
-and not hostnames. Delivering a very scalable and very fast parallel execution environment.
-
-To get an immediate feel for what I am on about you can look at some of the videos on the
-[Screencasts] page and then keep reading below for further info and links. We've also created an [Amazon EC2 based demo]
-where you can launch as many instances as you want to see how it behaves first hand.
-
-## What is MCollective and what does it allow you to do
-
- * Interact with small to very large clusters of servers
- * Use a [broadcast paradigm] for request distribution. All servers get all requests at the same time, requests have
- filters attached and only servers matching the filter will act on requests. There is no central asset database to
- go out of sync, the network is the only source of truth.
- * Break free from ever more complex naming conventions for hostnames as a means of identity. Use a very
- rich set of meta data provided by each machine to address them. Meta data comes from
- [Puppet][UsingWithPuppet], [Chef][UsingWithChef], [Facter], [Ohai] or [plugins][WritingFactsPlugins] you provide yourself.
- * Comes with simple to use command line tools to call remote agents.
- * Ability to write [custom reports][NodeReports] about your infrastructure.
- * A number of agents to manage packages, services and other common components are [available from
- the community][PluginsSite].
- * Allows you to write [simple RPC style agents, clients][SimpleRPCIntroduction] and Web UIs in an easy to understand language - Ruby
- * Extremely pluggable and adaptable to local needs
- * Middleware systems already have rich [authentication and authorization models][SecurityWithActiveMQ], leverage these as a first
- line of control. Include fine grained Authentication using [SSL][SSLSecurityPlugin] or [RSA][AESSecurityPlugin], [Authorization][SimpleRPCAuthorization] and
- [Auditing][SimpleRPCAuditing] of requests. You can see more details in the [Security Overview][SecurityOverview].
- * Re-use the ability of middleware to do [clustering, routing and network isolation][ActiveMQClusters]
- to realize secure and scalable setups.
-
-## Pluggable Core
-We aim to provide a stable core framework that allows you to build it out into a system that meets
-your own needs, we are pluggable in the following areas:
-
- * Replace our choice of middleware - STOMP compliant middleware - with your own like AMQP based.
- * Replace our authorization system with one that suits your local needs
- * Replace our serialization - Ruby Marshal and YAML based - with your own like [JSONSchema] that is cross language.
- * Add sources of data, we support [Chef][UsingWithChef] and [Puppet][UsingWithPuppet]. You can
- [provide a plugin to give us access to your tools data][WritingFactsPlugins].
- The community have ones for [Facter and Ohai already][PluginsSite]
- * Create a central inventory of services [leveraging MCollective as transport][Registration]
- that can run and distribute inventory data on a regular basis.
-
-MCollective is licensed under the Apache 2 license.
-
-## Next Steps and Further Reading
-
-### Introductory and Tutorial Pages
- * See it in action in our [Screencasts]
- * Read the [GettingStarted], [Server Configuration Reference][server_config], and [Configuration] guides for installation instructions
- * Read the [Terminology] page if you see any words where the meaning in the context of MCollective is not clear
- * Read the [ChangeLog] page to see how MCollective has developed
- * Learn how to write basic reports for your servers - [NodeReports]
- * Learn how to write simple Agents and Clients using our [Simple RPC Framework][SimpleRPCIntroduction]
- * The author maintains some agents and clients on another project [here][PluginsSite].
- * The author has written [several blog posts][devco] about mcollective.
- * Subscribe and post questions to the [mailing list][mcollective-users].
-
-### Internal References and Developer Docs
- * Finding it hard to do something complex with Simple RPC? See [WritingAgents] for what lies underneath
- * Role based security, authentication and authorization using [ActiveMQ]
- * Structure of [Request and Reply][MessageFormat] messages
-
Code Review / packages / precise / mcollective.git / blobdiff