Register Clients to a Proxy

Proxy servers can act as a broker and package cache for both Salt and traditional clients. Registering clients to a proxy is similar to registering them directly to the SUSE Manager Server, with a few key differences.

These sections contain information on registering Salt clients to a proxy using the Web UI, commands on the command line, or a bootstrap script. There is also information on registering traditional clients using a bootstrap script. There are also procedures how you can move clients from one SUSE Manager Proxy to another one or to the SUSE Manager Server.

Within the Web UI, proxy pages show information about both Salt and traditional clients. You can see a list of clients that are connected to a proxy by clicking the name of the proxy in Systems  System List  Proxy, then select the Proxy subtab of the Details tab.

A list of chained proxies for a Salt client can be seen by clicking the name of the client in Systems  All, then select the Connection subtab of the Details tab.

1. Move Clients between Proxies

You can move Salt and Salt SSH push clients between proxies without the need to repeat the registration process.

You cannot move chained proxies. Instead of moving a chained proxy, create a new proxy, move the clients, and delete the old proxy.

If you want to move a traditional client between proxies, you must repeat the registration process from the beginning.
Procedure: Moving Salt or Salt SSH Push Client between Proxies

  1. In the SUSE Manager Web UI, navigate to the System Details page for the client you want to move between proxies.

  2. Navigate to the Connection tab. Then follow the Change proxy link to see the drop-down menu.

  3. From the New Proxy drop-down menu select the proxy you want the client to move to, and click Change Proxy.

Procedure: Moving Multiple Salt or Salt SSH Push Clients between Proxies with SSM

  1. In the SUSE Manager Web UI, navigate to Systems  System List and check each client to move, this adds the clients to the system set manager.

  2. Navigate to Systems  System Set Manager, and go to the Misc  Proxy`` tab.

  3. From the New Proxy drop-down menu select the proxy you want the clients to move to, and click Change Proxy.

The same functionality is also available with the system.changeProxy API call.

1.1. Background Information

The effect of this function differs between normal Salt clients and Salt SSH push clients.

1.1.1. Normal Salt Clients

The function schedules a Salt state action, which modifies master: setting in the susemanager.conf Salt client configuration file to point to the new proxy. Then the function restarts the Salt client.

Changing master: by manually editing the susemanager.conf file has the same effect and is supported, too.

When the minion restarts and reconnects via the new proxy, the server updates the proxy path in the database and schedules another action for refreshing the channel URLs.

1.1.2. Salt SSH Push Clients

The function updates the proxy path immediately in the database and new action for refreshing the channel URLs is scheduled.

2. Move Clients from Proxies to the Server

If you want to move a Salt client from a proxy to the server, select None from proxy list.

If you want to move a traditional client to the server you must repeat the registration process from the beginning.