# Chef node and client creation

**URL:** <https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-node-and-client-creation/4263>\
**Category:** Chef Infra (archive)\
**Created:** [July 29, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-node-and-client-creation/4263 "2013-07-29T19:43:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![neubyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@neubyr](https://discourse.chef.io/u/neubyr)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-node-and-client-creation/4263/1 "2013-07-29T19:43:13Z")

</div>

I am looking for documentation on chef client and node objects. I created a  
node as follows, but it doesn’t show up in the search.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo knife node create test1  
Created node[test1]

ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo knife node show test1  
Node Name: test1  
Environment: \_default  
FQDN:  
IP:  
Run List:  
Roles:  
Recipes:  
Platform:  
Tags:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo knife search node 'test1’  
0 items found

How can I get it working to run some recipes?

Also, what’s the relationship between a client and node? How can a client  
be associated with a node?

- N

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cassiano\_Leal](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/cassiano_leal/32/86_2.png) [@Cassiano\_Leal](https://discourse.chef.io/u/Cassiano_Leal)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-node-and-client-creation/4263/2 "2013-07-29T19:52:20Z")

</div>

It actually is working.

The fact that ‘knife node show test1’ returns something is proof of that.

The search didn’t work because that query ‘test1’ doesn’t return anything. The basic syntax for these queries is ‘:’, such as ‘chef\_environment:\_default’, or ‘name:test1’. [0]

As for the difference between client and node, that’s a very common doubt for who’s only just starting with Chef. Basically, a client is an entity that can talk to the Chef Server API — It could be a person with certs for querying the API like you’re doing when using knife, or it could be a node.

A node is the actual thing you’re configuring — usually a physical server, a VM or your workstation. It has a run list, a set of attributes, etc, and it belongs to an environment. [1]

The node needs a corresponding client in order to query the Chef Server so that it knows what to do.

The documentation over at [http://docs.opscode.com](http://docs.opscode.com) is quite good, be sure to read through as much as you can.

[0] [http://docs.opscode.com/knife\_search.html](http://docs.opscode.com/knife_search.html)  
[1] [http://docs.opscode.com/chef\_overview\_nodes.html](http://docs.opscode.com/chef_overview_nodes.html)

## Cheers,

Cassiano Leal  
[http://cassianoleal.com](http://cassianoleal.com)  
[http://twitter.com/cassianoleal](http://twitter.com/cassianoleal)

On July 29, 2013 at 16:43:32, neubyr ([neubyr@gmail.com](mailto:neubyr@gmail.com)) wrote:

I am looking for documentation on chef client and node objects. I created a node as follows, but it doesn’t show up in the search.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo knife node create test1  
Created node[test1]

ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo knife node show test1  
Node Name: test1  
Environment: \_default  
FQDN:  
IP:  
Run List:  
Roles:  
Recipes:  
Platform:  
Tags:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo knife search node 'test1’  
0 items found

How can I get it working to run some recipes?

Also, what’s the relationship between a client and node? How can a client be associated with a node?

- N

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![neubyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@neubyr](https://discourse.chef.io/u/neubyr)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-node-and-client-creation/4263/3 "2013-07-29T20:53:17Z")

</div>

Thank you for explaining it in detail. That was helpful.

I was able to use knife bootstrap command, but I am finding node/client  
creation by hand extremely confusing.

For example, a node created with 'knife node create test1' command doesn't  
have an IP address or FQDN attributes. I am not sure how to add/edit them  
as well.

$ knife search node name:test1  
1 items found

Node Name: test1  
Environment: \_default  
FQDN:  
IP:  
Run List:  
Roles:  
Recipes:  
Platform:  
Tags:

May be it's not a recommended approach, but my plan was use node/client  
commands to add node/client to the server.

-N

On Mon, Jul 29, 2013 at 2:52 PM, Cassiano Leal [cassianoleal@gmail.com](mailto:cassianoleal@gmail.com)wrote:

> It actually is working.
> 
> The fact that ‘knife node show test1’ returns something is proof of that.
> 
> The search didn’t work because that query ‘test1’ doesn’t return anything.  
> The basic syntax for these queries is ‘:’, such as  
> ‘chef\_environment:\_default’, or ‘name:test1’. [0]
> 
> As for the difference between client and node, that’s a very common doubt  
> for who’s only just starting with Chef. Basically, a client is an entity  
> that can talk to the Chef Server API — It could be a person with certs for  
> querying the API like you’re doing when using knife, or it could be a node.
> 
> A node is the actual thing you’re configuring — usually a physical server,  
> a VM or your workstation. It has a run list, a set of attributes, etc, and  
> it belongs to an environment. [1]
> 
> The node needs a corresponding client in order to query the Chef Server so  
> that it knows what to do.
> 
> The documentation over at [http://docs.opscode.com](http://docs.opscode.com) is quite good, be sure  
> to read through as much as you can.
> 
> [0] [knife search](http://docs.opscode.com/knife_search.html)
> 
> [1] [http://docs.opscode.com/chef\_overview\_nodes.html](http://docs.opscode.com/chef_overview_nodes.html)
> 
> ## Cheers,
> 
> Cassiano Leal  
> [http://cassianoleal.com](http://cassianoleal.com)  
> [http://twitter.com/cassianoleal](http://twitter.com/cassianoleal)
> 
> On July 29, 2013 at 16:43:32, neubyr ([neubyr@gmail.com](mailto:neubyr@gmail.com)) wrote:
> 
> I am looking for documentation on chef client and node objects. I created  
> a node as follows, but it doesn't show up in the search.
> 
> $ ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo$ knife node create test1  
> Created node[test1]
> 
> $ ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo$ knife node show test1  
> Node Name: test1  
> Environment: \_default  
> FQDN:  
> IP:  
> Run List:  
> Roles:  
> Recipes:  
> Platform:  
> Tags:
> 
> $ ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo$ knife search node 'test1'  
> 0 items found
> 
> How can I get it working to run some recipes?
> 
> Also, what's the relationship between a client and node? How can a client  
> be associated with a node?
> 
> - N

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cassiano\_Leal](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/cassiano_leal/32/86_2.png) [@Cassiano\_Leal](https://discourse.chef.io/u/Cassiano_Leal)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 1:01pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-node-and-client-creation/4263/4 "2013-07-30T13:01:29Z")

</div>

A node created in such manner will not have IP address or FQDN because it’s nothing more than on object on the Chef Server. It doesn’t relate to an actual node. Maybe someone else on this list will correct me, but this is my limited understanding.

I haven’t as of yet found an use for manual node creation. Usually I use knife bootstrap or knife ec2, as these will automatically create both the node and client on the chef server, as long as your knife is correctly configured to point to your validation key.

That’s how I work personally. Others may have approaches more similar to what you’re trying to accomplish.

## Cheers,

Cassiano Leal  
[http://cassianoleal.com](http://cassianoleal.com)  
[http://twitter.com/cassianoleal](http://twitter.com/cassianoleal)

On July 29, 2013 at 17:53:38, neubyr ([neubyr@gmail.com](mailto:neubyr@gmail.com)) wrote:

Thank you for explaining it in detail. That was helpful.

I was able to use knife bootstrap command, but I am finding node/client creation by hand extremely confusing.

For example, a node created with ‘knife node create test1’ command doesn’t have an IP address or FQDN attributes. I am not sure how to add/edit them as well.

$ knife search node name:test1  
1 items found

Node Name: test1  
Environment: \_default  
FQDN:  
IP:  
Run List:  
Roles:  
Recipes:  
Platform:  
Tags:

May be it’s not a recommended approach, but my plan was use node/client commands to add node/client to the server.

-N

On Mon, Jul 29, 2013 at 2:52 PM, Cassiano Leal [cassianoleal@gmail.com](mailto:cassianoleal@gmail.com) wrote:  
It actually is working.

The fact that ‘knife node show test1’ returns something is proof of that.

The search didn’t work because that query ‘test1’ doesn’t return anything. The basic syntax for these queries is ‘:’, such as ‘chef\_environment:\_default’, or ‘name:test1’. [0]

As for the difference between client and node, that’s a very common doubt for who’s only just starting with Chef. Basically, a client is an entity that can talk to the Chef Server API — It could be a person with certs for querying the API like you’re doing when using knife, or it could be a node.

A node is the actual thing you’re configuring — usually a physical server, a VM or your workstation. It has a run list, a set of attributes, etc, and it belongs to an environment. [1]

The node needs a corresponding client in order to query the Chef Server so that it knows what to do.

The documentation over at [http://docs.opscode.com](http://docs.opscode.com) is quite good, be sure to read through as much as you can.

[0] [http://docs.opscode.com/knife\_search.html](http://docs.opscode.com/knife_search.html)  
[1] [http://docs.opscode.com/chef\_overview\_nodes.html](http://docs.opscode.com/chef_overview_nodes.html)

## Cheers,

Cassiano Leal  
[http://cassianoleal.com](http://cassianoleal.com)  
[http://twitter.com/cassianoleal](http://twitter.com/cassianoleal)

On July 29, 2013 at 16:43:32, neubyr ([neubyr@gmail.com](mailto:neubyr@gmail.com)) wrote:

I am looking for documentation on chef client and node objects. I created a node as follows, but it doesn’t show up in the search.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo knife node create test1  
Created node[test1]

ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo knife node show test1  
Node Name: test1  
Environment: \_default  
FQDN:  
IP:  
Run List:  
Roles:  
Recipes:  
Platform:  
Tags:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo knife search node 'test1’  
0 items found

How can I get it working to run some recipes?

Also, what’s the relationship between a client and node? How can a client be associated with a node?

- N

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![steve](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/steve/32/294_2.png) [@steve](https://discourse.chef.io/u/steve)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-node-and-client-creation/4263/5 "2013-07-30T16:41:53Z")

</div>

During the course of a node's first Chef run (most users only see this  
during a knife bootstrap), the host realizes it doesn't have its own client  
key and uses the Chef organization's validator key to create its client on  
the server. It copies the private key half of the Chef client object into  
/etc/chef/client.pem (by default) and doesn't need the validator after this  
point for normal operation. (In other words, you should delete it after  
bootstrap since it can create new client keys at will...)

After the new node signs in with its brand new client key, it asks for its  
node object in order to determine its run list. If the node object doesn't  
exist and no command-line run list was specified, it runs with an empty run  
list.

If a node runs with an empty run list, it runs Ohai and uploads the  
resulting node object and run results to the server.

_That_ is where most of the node data comes from - fqdn, ipaddress,  
virtualization, etc. ...

As for why/when you'd want to create nodes by hand ... it actually comes in  
super handy if you're migrating nodes between Chef servers/orgs. You can  
copy the node object from one node to another, making whatever changes are  
necessary to the run list on the way, and then you just bootstrap it as a  
new client to the new Chef endpoint. The host will register as a new  
client but find a node object already waiting for it.

(This worked for me as of early Chef 10.x , which was the last time I did  
an org pivot on a few dozen nodes ... )

On Tue, Jul 30, 2013 at 6:01 AM, Cassiano Leal [cassianoleal@gmail.com](mailto:cassianoleal@gmail.com)wrote:

> A node created in such manner will not have IP address or FQDN because  
> it’s nothing more than on object on the Chef Server. It doesn’t relate to  
> an actual node. Maybe someone else on this list will correct me, but this  
> is my limited understanding.
> 
> I haven’t as of yet found an use for manual node creation. Usually I use  
> knife bootstrap or knife ec2, as these will automatically create both the  
> node and client on the chef server, as long as your knife is correctly  
> configured to point to your validation key.
> 
> That’s how I work personally. Others may have approaches more similar to  
> what you’re trying to accomplish.
> 
> ## Cheers,
> 
> Cassiano Leal  
> [http://cassianoleal.com](http://cassianoleal.com)  
> [http://twitter.com/cassianoleal](http://twitter.com/cassianoleal)
> 
> On July 29, 2013 at 17:53:38, neubyr ([neubyr@gmail.com](mailto:neubyr@gmail.com)) wrote:
> 
> Thank you for explaining it in detail. That was helpful.
> 
> I was able to use knife bootstrap command, but I am finding node/client  
> creation by hand extremely confusing.
> 
> For example, a node created with 'knife node create test1' command doesn't  
> have an IP address or FQDN attributes. I am not sure how to add/edit them  
> as well.
> 
> $ knife search node name:test1  
> 1 items found
> 
> Node Name: test1  
> Environment: \_default  
> FQDN:  
> IP:  
> Run List:  
> Roles:  
> Recipes:  
> Platform:  
> Tags:
> 
> May be it's not a recommended approach, but my plan was use node/client  
> commands to add node/client to the server.
> 
> -N
> 
> On Mon, Jul 29, 2013 at 2:52 PM, Cassiano Leal [cassianoleal@gmail.com](mailto:cassianoleal@gmail.com)wrote:
> 
> > It actually is working.
> > 
> > The fact that ‘knife node show test1’ returns something is proof of that.
> > 
> > The search didn’t work because that query ‘test1’ doesn’t return  
> > anything. The basic syntax for these queries is ‘:’, such  
> > as ‘chef\_environment:\_default’, or ‘name:test1’. [0]
> > 
> > As for the difference between client and node, that’s a very common doubt  
> > for who’s only just starting with Chef. Basically, a client is an entity  
> > that can talk to the Chef Server API — It could be a person with certs for  
> > querying the API like you’re doing when using knife, or it could be a node.
> > 
> > A node is the actual thing you’re configuring — usually a physical  
> > server, a VM or your workstation. It has a run list, a set of attributes,  
> > etc, and it belongs to an environment. [1]
> > 
> > The node needs a corresponding client in order to query the Chef Server  
> > so that it knows what to do.
> > 
> > The documentation over at [http://docs.opscode.com](http://docs.opscode.com) is quite good, be sure  
> > to read through as much as you can.
> > 
> > [0] [knife search](http://docs.opscode.com/knife_search.html)
> > 
> > [1] [http://docs.opscode.com/chef\_overview\_nodes.html](http://docs.opscode.com/chef_overview_nodes.html)
> > 
> > ## Cheers,
> > 
> > Cassiano Leal  
> > [http://cassianoleal.com](http://cassianoleal.com)  
> > [http://twitter.com/cassianoleal](http://twitter.com/cassianoleal)
> > 
> > On July 29, 2013 at 16:43:32, neubyr ([neubyr@gmail.com](mailto:neubyr@gmail.com)) wrote:
> > 
> > I am looking for documentation on chef client and node objects. I created  
> > a node as follows, but it doesn't show up in the search.
> > 
> > $ ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo$ knife node create test1  
> > Created node[test1]
> > 
> > $ ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo$ knife node show test1  
> > Node Name: test1  
> > Environment: \_default  
> > FQDN:  
> > IP:  
> > Run List:  
> > Roles:  
> > Recipes:  
> > Platform:  
> > Tags:
> > 
> > $ ubuntu@ubuntu:~/chef-repo$ knife search node 'test1'  
> > 0 items found
> > 
> > How can I get it working to run some recipes?
> > 
> > Also, what's the relationship between a client and node? How can a client  
> > be associated with a node?
> > 
> > - N