# Chef-server-ctl reconfigure failing for external postgresql aws rds

**URL:** <https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-server-ctl-reconfigure-failing-for-external-postgresql-aws-rds/7699>\
**Category:** Chef Infra (archive)\
**Created:** [January 28, 2016, 2:05pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-server-ctl-reconfigure-failing-for-external-postgresql-aws-rds/7699 "2016-01-28T14:05:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ravibhure](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/ravibhure/32/1255_2.png) [@ravibhure](https://discourse.chef.io/u/ravibhure)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 2:05pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-server-ctl-reconfigure-failing-for-external-postgresql-aws-rds/7699/1 "2016-01-28T14:05:53Z")

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I am facing issues while setup chefserver with external postgresql (aws rds).

I am using the postgres attributes setting in /etc/opscode/chef-server.rb as documented in this url  
[https://docs.chef.io/release/server\_12-2/release\_notes.html#external-postgresql](https://docs.chef.io/release/server_12-2/release_notes.html#external-postgresql) and ran the ‘chef-server-ctl reconfigure’ which failed with errors, and also I got errors on rds log, which looks some thing is missing while setting up the postgresql or chef-server.rb

My question is here, does rds postgresql requires any specific ‘postgresql version’ and any specific database which authenticate to pg user ?

Can you please help me to setting up chefserver using external postgresql on rds.

text: background:  
2016-01-28 11:04:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint starting: time  
2016-01-28 11:04:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint complete: wrote 1 buffers (0.0%); 0 transaction log file(s) added, 0 removed, 1 recycled; write=0.000 s, sync=0.002 s, total=0.011 s; sync files=1, longest=0.002 s, average=0.002 s  
2016-01-28 11:09:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint starting: time  
2016-01-28 11:09:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint complete: wrote 1 buffers (0.0%); 0 transaction log file(s) added, 0 removed, 1 recycled; write=0.000 s, sync=0.004 s, total=0.012 s; sync files=1, longest=0.004 s, average=0.004 s  
2016-01-28 11:14:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint starting: time  
2016-01-28 11:14:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint complete: wrote 1 buffers (0.0%); 0 transaction log file(s) added, 0 removed, 1 recycled; write=0.000 s, sync=0.002 s, total=0.011 s; sync files=1, longest=0.002 s, average=0.002 s  
2016-01-28 11:19:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint starting: time  
2016-01-28 11:19:27 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint complete: wrote 3 buffers (0.0%); 0 transaction log file(s) added, 0 removed, 1 recycled; write=0.205 s, sync=0.004 s, total=0.218 s; sync files=3, longest=0.004 s, average=0.001 s  
2016-01-28 11:24:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint starting: time  
2016-01-28 11:24:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint complete: wrote 5 buffers (0.0%); 0 transaction log file(s) added, 0 removed, 1 recycled; write=0.403 s, sync=0.004 s, total=0.415 s; sync files=5, longest=0.004 s, average=0.000 s  
2016-01-28 11:29:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint starting: time  
2016-01-28 11:29:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint complete: wrote 2 buffers (0.0%); 0 transaction log file(s) added, 0 removed, 1 recycled; write=0.101 s, sync=0.003 s, total=0.112 s; sync files=2, longest=0.003 s, average=0.001 s  
2016-01-28 11:34:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint starting: time  
2016-01-28 11:34:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint complete: wrote 1 buffers (0.0%); 0 transaction log file(s) added, 0 removed, 1 recycled; write=0.000 s, sync=0.002 s, total=0.010 s; sync files=1, longest=0.002 s, average=0.002 s  
2016-01-28 11:39:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint starting: time  
2016-01-28 11:39:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint complete: wrote 1 buffers (0.0%); 0 transaction log file(s) added, 0 removed, 1 recycled; write=0.000 s, sync=0.002 s, total=0.010 s; sync files=1, longest=0.002 s, average=0.002 s  
2016-01-28 11:42:13 UTC:10.100.27.187(43413):chef\_server\_conn\_test@template1:[24362]:FATAL: password authentication failed for user "chef\_server\_conn\_test"  
2016-01-28 11:42:13 UTC:10.100.27.187(43413):chef\_server\_conn\_test@template1:[24362]:DETAIL: Connection matched pg\_hba.conf line 13: "host all all 0.0.0.0/0 md5"  
2016-01-28 11:42:13 UTC:10.100.27.187(43414):chef\_server\_conn\_test@template1:[24363]:FATAL: password authentication failed for user "chef\_server\_conn\_test"  
2016-01-28 11:42:13 UTC:10.100.27.187(43414):chef\_server\_conn\_test@template1:[24363]:DETAIL: Connection matched pg\_hba.conf line 13: "host all all 0.0.0.0/0 md5"  
2016-01-28 11:44:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint starting: time  
2016-01-28 11:44:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint complete: wrote 1 buffers (0.0%); 0 transaction log file(s) added, 0 removed, 1 recycled; write=0.000 s, sync=0.003 s, total=0.011 s; sync files=1, longest=0.003 s, average=0.003 s  
2016-01-28 11:48:44 UTC:10.100.27.239(38580):chef\_server\_conn\_test@template1:[25331]:FATAL: password authentication failed for user "chef\_server\_conn\_test"  
2016-01-28 11:48:44 UTC:10.100.27.239(38580):chef\_server\_conn\_test@template1:[25331]:DETAIL: Connection matched pg\_hba.conf line 13: "host all all 0.0.0.0/0 md5"  
2016-01-28 11:48:44 UTC:10.100.27.239(38581):chef\_server\_conn\_test@template1:[25332]:FATAL: password authentication failed for user "chef\_server\_conn\_test"  
2016-01-28 11:48:44 UTC:10.100.27.239(38581):chef\_server\_conn\_test@template1:[25332]:DETAIL: Connection matched pg\_hba.conf line 13: "host all all 0.0.0.0/0 md5"  
2016-01-28 11:49:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint starting: time  
2016-01-28 11:49:26 UTC::@:[3254]:LOG: checkpoint complete: wrote 1 buffers (0.0%); 0 transaction log file(s) added, 0 removed, 1 recycled; write=0.000 s, sync=0.003 s, total=0.012 s; sync files=1, longest=0.003 s, average=0.003 s  
----------------------- END OF LOG ----------------------

Following is the system details and the chef-server.rb, I am using.

OS = CentOS release 6.7 (Final)  
chef server version: chef-server-core-12.4.0-1.el6.x86\_64

ubuntu@ip-172-31-18-184:~$ sudo cat /etc/opscode/chef-server.rb  
topology "standalone"  
api\_fqdn "ip-172-31-18-184.us-west-2.compute.internal"  
postgresql[‘external’] = true  
postgresql[‘vip’] = '[chefdb.ckgvvwcgfjkz.us-west-2.rds.amazonaws.com](http://chefdb.ckgvvwcgfjkz.us-west-2.rds.amazonaws.com)’  
postgresql[‘port’] = 5432  
postgresql[‘db\_superuser’] = 'chefuser’  
postgresql[‘db\_superuser\_password’] = ‘MySuperStrongPassword’

-Ravi

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![brianhatfield](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/brianhatfield/32/32_2.png) [@brianhatfield](https://discourse.chef.io/u/brianhatfield)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-server-ctl-reconfigure-failing-for-external-postgresql-aws-rds/7699/2 "2016-01-28T14:10:50Z")

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In your error log, you can see that the credentials are failing for the  
user `chef_server_conn_test`. Perhaps look in to why that credential is  
incorrect.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ravibhure](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/ravibhure/32/1255_2.png) [@ravibhure](https://discourse.chef.io/u/ravibhure)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 2:26pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-server-ctl-reconfigure-failing-for-external-postgresql-aws-rds/7699/3 "2016-01-28T14:26:03Z")

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Thank you Brian,

I tried it manually to connect to the rds database, which works, are there any more setting I need to provide, this will help me to fix this issue.

[centos@ip-10-100-27-239 ~]$ psql -h [chefdb.ckgvvwcgfjkz.us-west-2.rds.amazonaws.com](http://chefdb.ckgvvwcgfjkz.us-west-2.rds.amazonaws.com) -p 5432 -U cheffer -W chefdb  
Password for user cheffer:  
psql (9.3.10, server 9.4.1)  
WARNING: psql major version 9.3, server major version 9.4.  
Some psql features might not work.  
SSL connection (cipher: ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384, bits: 256)  
Type “help” for help.

chefdb=\>

-Ravi

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ssd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@ssd](https://discourse.chef.io/u/ssd)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-server-ctl-reconfigure-failing-for-external-postgresql-aws-rds/7699/4 "2016-01-28T15:03:26Z")

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Hi,

I believe that the chef\_server\_conn\_test errors are probably not your issue  
as we expect that to fail. That is an invalid user that chef-server-ctl  
reconfigure uses to test basic network connectivity to the postgresql  
backend. Do you have the error message output from `chef-server-ctl reconfigure` that would probably be most helpful.

Sincerely,

Steven

Software Development Engineer, Platform Engineering  
Chef Software, Inc

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ravibhure](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/ravibhure/32/1255_2.png) [@ravibhure](https://discourse.chef.io/u/ravibhure)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 5:40am UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-server-ctl-reconfigure-failing-for-external-postgresql-aws-rds/7699/5 "2016-01-29T05:40:32Z")

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Thank you very much Steven,

I will re-produce the scenario and provide the error message output from `chef-server-ctl reconfigure` command.

Between, what are the standard configuration for RDS you (chef) will suggest, just like,

if I need to setup the rds with db or without ?  
if db need to be create, does I need to set any exact db name ?  
do I need to set any specific pg super username and password ?

Looking forward to hear…

-Ravi

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ssd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@ssd](https://discourse.chef.io/u/ssd)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 2:22pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/chef-server-ctl-reconfigure-failing-for-external-postgresql-aws-rds/7699/6 "2016-02-01T14:22:12Z")

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Hi,

> if I need to setup the rds with db or without ?

`chef-server-ctl reconfigure` will set up any required databases and users.

> do I need to set any specific pg super username and password ?

No specific username or password is needed, but you do need to provide  
chef-server with the information about the external database include the  
superuser name and password. An example configuration might look like:

postgresql['external'] = true  
postgresql['vip'] = '1.2.3.4'  
postgresql['db\_superuser'] = 'chef\_pgsql'  
postgresql['db\_superuser\_password'] =  
'92462305b12e49bf85c6d0dd5bc9bf11558eb10fb7aeb2bd6eaf5110baa23a0cee2f58f7b9337a28ff395e42126b9e0ecf2a'

I hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Steven

Software Development Engineer, Platform Engineering  
Chef Software, Inc