Master Tops System¶

In 0.10.4 the external_nodes system was upgraded to allow for modular subsystems to be used to generate the top file data for a highstate run on the master.

The old external_nodes option has been removed. The master tops system contains a number of subsystems that are loaded via the Salt loader interfaces like modules, states, returners, runners, etc.

Using the new master_tops option is simple:

master_tops:
  ext_nodes: cobbler-external-nodes

for Cobbler or:

master_tops:
  reclass:
    inventory_base_uri: /etc/reclass
    classes_uri: roles

for Reclass.

It's also possible to create custom master_tops modules. These modules must go in a subdirectory called tops in the extension_modules directory. The extension_modules directory is not defined by default (the default /srv/salt/_modules will NOT work as of this release)

Custom tops modules are written like any other execution module, see the source for the two modules above for examples of fully functional ones. Below is a degenerate example:

/etc/salt/master:

extension_modules: /srv/salt/modules
master_tops:
  customtop: True

/srv/salt/modules/tops/customtop.py:

import logging
import sys
# Define the module's virtual name
__virtualname__ = 'customtop'

log = logging.getLogger(__name__)

def __virtual__():
    return __virtualname__


def top(**kwargs):
    log.debug('Calling top in customtop')
    return {'base': ['test']}

salt minion state.show_top should then display something like:

$ salt minion state.show_top

minion
    ----------
    base:
      - test