Create a trusted fact, verify it, and then reference it in Hiera in Puppet Enterprise – Puppet Support

Add a trusted fact to a certificate by adding it as an extension to a certificate request. Trusted facts are part of a node’s certificate information, and they are immutable once the certificate is signed by the CA. Therefore, they can be helpful for additional control over which nodes receive sensitive information in their catalogs. This article provides an example of how to create a trusted fact and reference it in manifests and Hiera.

Version and installation information

PE version: All supported

For earlier versions, use these steps

Installation type: Any Unix

Solution

Part one: Create a trusted fact
Part two: Reference the trusted fact in a manifest
Part three: Reference data associated with the trusted fact in Hiera

Verification steps are included in each part of the process to help you learn. It is not necessary to verify each step every time you create a trusted fact.

Part one: Create a trusted fact

Add a trusted fact to a certificate by adding it as an extension to a certificate request. For this example, the fact is named pp_image_name and its value is storefront_production.

On the agent node, create and edit /etc/puppetlabs/puppet/csr_attributes.yaml. In a default Puppet agent installation, this file doesn’t exist. Then, add your trusted fact(s). For example::
```
---
  extension_requests:
   "pp_image_name": "storefront_production"
```
Generate a certificate request. On the agent node, run:

puppet agent -t
Verify the extension in the certificate request. Still on the agent, run:

/opt/puppetlabs/puppet/bin/openssl req -noout -text -in $(puppet config print requestdir)/$(facter fqdn).pem

Successful output includes the extension:
```
Requested Extensions:
    1.3.6.1.4.1.34380.1.1.3:
        ..storefront_production
 …
```
If autosigning is disabled, sign the certificate request. On the primary server, run:

puppetserver ca sign --certname <CERTNAME OF AGENT>
Verify the extension in the signed certificate. Still on the primary server, run:

/opt/puppetlabs/puppet/bin/openssl x509 -noout -text -in $(puppet config print signeddir)/<CERTNAME OF AGENT>.pem

Successful output includes the cert with the added extension:
```
 ...
    X509v3 extensions:
        Netscape Comment:
            .(Puppet Ruby/OpenSSL Internal Certificate
        Puppet Node Image Name:
            ..storefront_production
 …
```

The trusted fact has been created and can be referenced in manifests or Hiera.

Part two: Reference the trusted fact in a manifest

In this example, the trusted fact is referenced in the default manifest /etc/puppetlabs/code/environments/production/manifests/site.pp, but you can reference a fact in any manifest.

On the primary server, edit /etc/puppetlabs/code/environments/<ENVIRONMENT>/manifests/site.pp. Reference the trusted fact using nested hashes with square brackets:

($trusted['extensions']['pp_image_name'])

For example:
```
class trusted_fact_test {
  $e = $trusted['extensions']['pp_image_name']
  notify { "pp_image_name = $e": }
  }
node default {
  include trusted_fact_test
    }
```

Verify that the trusted fact is referenced in the manifest. On the agent, run:

puppet agent -t

Successful output includes the trusted fact:

...
Info: Applying configuration version '327e12976bc82c6f6fff1c2e3d7e47270797da7e'
Notice: pp_image_name = storefront_production
Notice: /Stage[main]/Trusted_fact_test/Notify/message: defined 'message' as 'pp_image_name = storefront_production'
Notice: Applied catalog in 0.33 seconds

Part three: Reference data associated with the trusted fact in Hiera

On the primary server, create a .yaml file containing data related to the trusted fact.

For example, in /etc/puppetlabs/code/environments/<ENVIRONMENT>/hieradata/pp_images/ storefront_production.yaml :
```
---
pp_image_name::description: 'Storefront Production Pool'
```
Add the .yaml file to your hierarchy, using dot notation to reference the trusted fact: (%{::trusted.extensions.pp_image_name}) For example:

/etc/puppetlabs/puppet/hiera.yaml
```
---
:backends:
  - yaml
:hierarchy:
  - "nodes/%{::trusted.certname}"
  - "pp_images/%{::trusted.extensions.pp_image_name}"
  - common
:yaml:
:datadir:
```

In a manifest, reference data in Hiera associated with the trusted fact. For example:

/etc/puppetlabs/code/environments/production/manifests/site.pp

class trusted_fact_hiera_test {
  $h = lookup('pp_image_name::description')
  notify { "pp_image_name :: description = $h": }
}
node default {
  include trusted_fact_hiera_test
}

Restart pe-puppetserver to apply your changes to hiera.yaml. On the primary server run:

puppet resource service pe-puppetserver ensure=stopped
puppet resource service pe-puppetserver ensure=running

On the primary server, verify the data in Hiera associated with the trusted fact. Run:

puppet lookup --node <CERTNAME OF AGENT> --environment <AGENT ENVIRONMENT> pp_image_name::description --explain

Successful output includes the data:
```
--- Storefront Production Pool
…
```
Verify the data in Hiera associated with the trusted fact on the agent. Run:

puppet agent -t

Successful output includes the data:
```
...
Notice: pp_image_name :: description = Storefront Production Pool
Notice: /Stage[main]/Trusted_fact_hiera_test/Notify[pp_image_name :: description = Storefront Production Pool]/message: defined 'message' as 'pp_image_name :: description = Storefront Production Pool'
Notice: Applied catalog in 0.33 seconds
```
Note: You cannot use puppet apply to verify the trusted fact, since it applies a cached manifest using local authentication. When $trusted['authenticated'] = local $trusted['extensions']is an empty hash.

Additional resources:

Version and installation information

Solution

Part one: Create a trusted fact

Part two: Reference the trusted fact in a manifest

Part three: Reference data associated with the trusted fact in Hiera

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