Episode 250 – PowerScripting Podcast – Julian Dunn from Chef on Configuration Management and PowerShell

In This Episode

Tonight on the PowerScripting Podcast, we talk to Julian Dunn about configuration management and Chef

Interview

Guests – Julian Dunn

Links

• <juliancdunn> here’s the “marketing” entrypoint for Windows – http://www.opscode.com/solutions/windows/

• <juliancdunn> and here’s the “tech person’s reference manual entrypoint” to Windows – http://docs.opscode.com/windows.html

• <halr9000> random chef code example i found on the internet: http://cookingclouds.com/2012/06/23/chef-simple-cookbook-example/

• <halr9000> here’s another: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Garlic-Chicken/Detail.aspx?evt19=1

• <halr9000> http://community.opscode.com/

• <halr9000> this article isn’t new but seems interesting, talks about when they first went windows. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/10/24/opscode_chef_does_windows/

• <halr9000> https://www.google.com/search?q=decadal&oq=decadal&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.4531j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=91&ie=UTF-8#es_sm=91&espv=210&q=decadal+definition

Chatroom Buzz-

<13Stuwee> ## If DSC and Chef are simular and I haven’t used either, why would I learn Chef over DSC at this point?

<0halr9000> ## tell us more about configuration management of some “non-traditional” nodes like the network and storage hardware that you mentioned earlier

<13Stuwee> ## Do you use PSH within Chef?

<13Stuwee> ## please igonre if already asked.  Does it work with clients or just servers. Does it have a client install piece?

<13Stuwee> ## what about “what clients are supported”, XP, Win7 Server 2003 etc…

<0organicit> ##As an enterprise why should I consider Chef over Puppet.  Sorry if this has been addressed

<13Stuwee> ## what about cost?

<13Stuwee> ## if you have a run list and one thing fails, how is the admin notified that it failed, how easy is it to recover?

<13Stuwee> ## how many cookbooks exist today and how ofter do new ones get added/updated?

<13Stuwee> ## if the cookbooks are community created/driven, how is the quality of the cookbook verified?  Does anyone validate the cookbook?

<13Stuwee> ## how long has Chef been “in the business”.  In other words can I trust it to be around for the long term in light of DSC?

<13Stuwee> ## does it maintain a “state” or is it primarly used for installation of software?

<13Stuwee> ## wait wait…. just kidding

The Question – Hero/Power

• Superman