Salt and SaltStack Config Guides

These guides cover Salt setup and automation alongside SaltStack Config and VMware Aria Automation Config appliance workflows. Choose the task and product version that match your environment: the open-source installation example and the Lifecycle Manager appliance guides describe different setups.

Salt setup and VMware automation

Set up a Salt master and minion — follow the example connection setup, key acceptance, remote execution check, and first state file.
Use the SDDC SaltStack modules with vSphere — configure a vCenter connection pillar, query ESXi settings, and turn a configuration change into a Salt job.

SaltStack Config and Aria Automation Config versions

For an older deployment example, see adding SaltStack Config to a vRealize Automation 8.3 environment.

Selected upgrade walkthroughs include SaltStack Config 8.12.1 through Lifecycle Manager and Aria Automation Config 8.16.2 through Aria Suite Lifecycle. These document the releases and prerequisites used in each article; their order does not prescribe an upgrade path. Check the documentation for your starting release and target before a change.

Find a specific error

Investigate LCMVSSC10013 during an 8.16.2 upgrade — the recorded issue concerns FIPS compliance validation.
Resolve “Authentication failed: no Authorization header” after an SSC 8.8 upgrade — documents the master-key recovery used for that failure.

Compare automation approaches

SaltStack and Terraform compared discusses provisioning and ongoing configuration. For the corresponding deployment examples, browse the Terraform guides. More appliance and platform workflows are collected under VCF Automation.

Salt vs. BigFix: The Speed of Light vs. The Heavyweight Champion

In the world of infrastructure management, we are often forced to choose between the legacy reliability of the past and the high-speed automation of the future. For years, HCL BigFix (formerly IBM BigFix) has been the “Heavyweight Champion”: a massive, unmovable force in endpoint management. But a challenger has matured into a dominant player: Salt (SaltStack). If you are building a modern, self-healing infrastructure, the conversation shouldn’t just be about “patching.” It should be about reaction time, extensibility, and developer experience. ...

Step-by-Step Guide to Deploying Salt Open Source

Salt (SaltStack) is a powerful open-source configuration management and automation tool. Below is a step-by-step guide to deploying Salt Open Source for centralized configuration and management. Preparing the System Step 1: Update Your System Before installing Salt, update your package repositories and upgrade your system packages: sudo apt update sudo apt upgrade -y Installing and Configuring the Salt Master Step 2: Install Salt Master On your master server, install the Salt master package: ...

SaltStack Config vs Ansible Tower: A Comprehensive Comparison of Two Leading Configuration Management Tools

In today’s fast-paced IT landscape, managing infrastructure efficiently is a top priority. Configuration management tools like SaltStack Config and Ansible Tower empower IT teams to automate server provisioning, software deployment, and system maintenance. But how do these two solutions compare, and which one is the best fit for your organization? In this detailed comparison of SaltStack Config vs Ansible Tower, we’ll explore their key features, use cases, strengths, and weaknesses. Whether you’re searching for scalability, ease of use, or seamless integrations, this guide will help you decide which tool aligns with your automation needs. ...

Understanding the Differences Between SaltStack and Terraform

SaltStack and Terraform solve different layers of infrastructure work. SaltStack manages configuration on servers, while Terraform provisions infrastructure. This comparison covers their architectures, use cases, and how the two tools can work together. What is SaltStack? SaltStack, commonly known as Salt, is a configuration management tool designed to automate the setup, configuration, and ongoing maintenance of servers. It thrives in environments where consistency and control over server states are paramount. Salt operates on a master-minion architecture, where a central master server orchestrates commands and configurations across multiple minion servers in real time. ...

VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle shows an environment menu with options like Edit Environment Details, Delete Environment, and Add Product.

Deploying SaltStack Config 8.17 via Lifecycle Manager in an Aria Automation Environment

Are you looking to streamline configuration management in your VMware by Broadcom Aria Automation environment? SaltStack Config 8.17, integrated into Aria Automation 8.18, offers powerful tools for automating and securing your infrastructure. In this guide, I’ll walk you through deploying SaltStack Config 8.17 using VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager in an existing Aria Automation 8.18 setup. Whether you’re a solutions architect or IT administrator, this step-by-step tutorial will help you get started efficiently. ...

SaltStack vs Ansible: Which Open-Source Configuration Management Tool is Best for Your Needs?

SaltStack Config and Ansible Open Source both automate configuration management, but their execution models and operating requirements differ. This comparison looks at architecture, scale, administration, and the situations where each tool fits. What is Configuration Management? Configuration management is the process of automating the setup, maintenance, and deployment of servers and applications across an IT infrastructure. Tools like SaltStack and Ansible enable teams to manage infrastructure as code, ensuring consistency, minimizing manual errors, and accelerating deployments. But how do these two tools stack up against each other? Let’s dive in. ...

VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager shows environment management options like Edit Environment Details, Delete Environment, and Add Product.

How to Deploy SaltStack Config 8.17 Standalone Using VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager

Want to harness the power of SaltStack Config for configuration management without tying it to an existing VMware Aria Automation setup? Deploying SaltStack Config 8.17 as a standalone product via VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager (by VMware by Broadcom) is an excellent solution. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process, ensuring you can set up a standalone SaltStack environment efficiently. Perfect for IT administrators or DevOps teams, this tutorial makes deployment simple and scalable. ...

Error Code: LCMVSSC10013

While trying to upgrade my SaltStack Config environment to 8.16.2 I encountered Error Code: LCMVSSC10013 in VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle. The error details: Error Code: LCMVSSC10013 Failed to import VMware Aria Automation Config. Exception occurred while importing VMware Aria Automation Config host. Exception message: Import of VMware Aria Automation Config failed for tenant Standalone vRASSC com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.vsse.common.exception.VsscImportFailureException: Import of VMware Aria Automation Config failed for tenant Standalone vRASSC at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.vsse.core.task.VsscImportTask.execute(VsscImportTask.java:185) at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.platform.automata.service.Task.retry(Task.java:158) at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.automata.core.TaskThread.run(TaskThread.java:60) at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source) at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source) at java.base/java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source) Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: Cannot execute ssh commands. Exception encountered : Session.connect: java.security.spec.InvalidKeySpecException: key spec not recognized at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.util.SshUtils.execute(SshUtils.java:721) at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.util.SshUtils.runCommand(SshUtils.java:532) at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.util.SshUtils.runCommand(SshUtils.java:516) at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.util.SshUtils.runCommand(SshUtils.java:628) at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.vsse.core.task.VsscImportTask.fetchFipsStatus(VsscImportTask.java:342) at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.vsse.core.task.VsscImportTask.getProductDetails(VsscImportTask.java:260) at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.vsse.core.task.VsscImportTask.execute(VsscImportTask.java:158) ... 5 more Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: Cannot create session for ssh://root@ssc-01a.corp.local at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.util.SessionHolder.newSession(SessionHolder.java:57) at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.util.SessionHolder.<init>(SessionHolder.java:37) at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.util.SshUtils.execute(SshUtils.java:663) ... 11 more Caused by: com.jcraft.jsch.JSchException: Session.connect: java.security.spec.InvalidKeySpecException: key spec not recognized at com.jcraft.jsch.Session.connect(Session.java:550) at com.vmware.vrealize.lcm.util.SessionHolder.newSession(SessionHolder.java:53) ... 13 more Caused by: java.security.spec.InvalidKeySpecException: key spec not recognized at org.bouncycastle.jcajce.provider.asymmetric.util.BaseKeyFactorySpi.engineGeneratePublic(Unknown Source) at org.bouncycastle.jcajce.provider.asymmetric.edec.KeyFactorySpi.engineGeneratePublic(KeyFactorySpi.java:212) at java.base/java.security.KeyFactory.generatePublic(Unknown Source) at com.jcraft.jsch.jce.XDH.getSecret(XDH.java:71) at com.jcraft.jsch.DHXEC.next(DHXEC.java:134) at com.jcraft.jsch.Session.connect(Session.java:328) ... 14 more To get around it I had to enable FIPS mode in Aria Suite Lifecycle under Lifecycle Operations -> Settings -> Tips Mode Compliance -> check the enabled box -> Click Update ...

Settings page with options for system administration and server accounts, including upgrade, patches, and accounts management.

Upgrading VMware Aria Automation Config to 8.16.2

In this post I will go over upgrading my 8.x SSC appliance to 8.16.2. As a pre requirement we do need to have VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle upgraded to 8.16. Instructions can be found here. The upgrade does not include the latest PSPACK that contains the 8.16.2 Aria Automation Config release. Instructions to get the PSPACK can be found on my other blog post here. Downloading the 8.16.2 Binaries To get started we can go to VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle -> Lifecycle Operations -> Settings -> Binary Mapping. (If you haven’t added your My VMware credentials you will need to do that first by going to VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle -> Lifecycle Operations -> Settings -> My VMware) ...

Streamlining vCenter Server Firewall Management with SaltStack Config

In the realm of VMware vSphere management, securing your vCenter Server is critical to maintaining a robust and secure infrastructure. SaltStack Config, integrated into VMware’s vRealize Automation suite, offers a powerful way to automate and manage configurations across your VMware environment, including firewall settings. This blog explores how to leverage SaltStack Config to automate firewall adjustments on your vCenter servers, ensuring consistent security policies and simplifying the process across multiple instances. ...

Salt setup and VMware automation#

SaltStack Config and Aria Automation Config versions#

Find a specific error#

Compare automation approaches#

Salt setup and VMware automation

SaltStack Config and Aria Automation Config versions

Find a specific error

Compare automation approaches