# Chef client setup

**URL:** <https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-client-setup/16125>\
**Category:** Chef Infra (archive)\
**Created:** [October 23, 2019, 10:54am UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-client-setup/16125 "2019-10-23T10:54:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![vinthelife](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@vinthelife](https://discourse.chef.io/u/vinthelife)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 10:54am UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-client-setup/16125/1 "2019-10-23T10:54:17Z")

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Is there any way I can register chef client node with my chef server without storing the client.pem on the node ?  
Is a Vault integration possible here to manage the authorization OR any other methods ?

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**Author:** ![nkadel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@nkadel](https://discourse.chef.io/u/nkadel)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 10:12pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-client-setup/16125/2 "2019-10-23T22:12:35Z")

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Not really, no. You can use chef-zero instead of a Chef server,

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**Author:** ![Galen\_Emery1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Galen\_Emery1](https://discourse.chef.io/u/Galen_Emery1)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2019, 11:04pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-client-setup/16125/3 "2019-10-23T23:04:54Z")

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I'd like to understand more of the core concern about storing that key as it's standard practice to do so.

That pem is very limited in its scope, and can be further tuned to your organizations preference.

Chef zero removes the need for the client pem, but introduces a need to ensure cookbook and run list integrity.

-Mobile Galen

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**Author:** ![vinthelife](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@vinthelife](https://discourse.chef.io/u/vinthelife)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2019, 5:31am UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-client-setup/16125/4 "2019-10-24T05:31:56Z")

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We are just looking to avoid storing the private key physically on the Chef node.  
Chef Zero will not fit into the requirement as it is not for production use.