How to Configure Consul in a Production Environment on Ubuntu 14.04

Install Consul :

#Download Consul :

Below are the available downloads for the latest version of Consul (0.8.5). Please download the proper package for your operating system and architecture.

$ cd /usr/local/bin

$ sudo wget https://releases.hashicorp.com/consul/0.8.5/consul_0.8.5_linux_amd64.zip

$ unzip *.zip

$ rm *.zip

#Create Consul User :  

$ adduser consul

#Make a directory 

$ mkdir -p /etc/consul.d/{bootstrap,server,client}

$ mkdir /var/consul

$ chown consul:consul /var/consul

$ chown consul:consul /var/consul

##  Creating the Bootstrap Configuration ##

$ sudo vi /etc/consul.d/bootstrap/config.json

##  Create the first file in the bootstrap subdirectory: 

{

    "bootstrap": true,

    "server": true,

    "datacenter": "nyc2",

    "data_dir": "/var/consul"

}

## In the terminal, we can use the consul command to generate a key of the necessary length and encoding. Type:

$ sudo consul keygen 

Output=> X4SYOinf2pTAcAHRhpj7dA==

##Copy the value that is generated and re-open the configuration file:

$ sudo vi /etc/consul.d/bootstrap/config.json

{

    "bootstrap": true,

    "server": true,

    "datacenter": "nyc2",

    "data_dir": "/var/consul",

    "encrypt": "X4SYOinf2pTAcAHRhpj7dA==",

    "log_level": "INFO",

    "enable_syslog": true

}

$ sudo cp /etc/consul.d/bootstrap/config.json /etc/consul.d/server

## Open the file to make the necessary modifications:

$ sudo vi  /etc/consul.d/server/config.json

{

    "bootstrap": false,

    "server": true,

    "datacenter": "nyc2",

    "data_dir": "/var/consul",

    "encrypt": "X4SYOinf2pTAcAHRhpj7dA==",

    "log_level": "INFO",

    "enable_syslog": true,

    "start_join": ["192.0.2.2", "192.0.2.3"]

}

Save and close the files you have created when you are finished.

## Creating the Client Configuration ##

$ sudo vi /etc/consul.d/client/config.json

## Finally, we want to adjust the start_join parameter to list all of our servers:

{

    "server": false,

    "datacenter": "nyc2",

    "data_dir": "/var/consul",

    "ui_dir": "/home/consul/dist",

    "encrypt": "X4SYOinf2pTAcAHRhpj7dA==",

    "log_level": "INFO",

    "enable_syslog": true,

    "start_join": ["192.0.2.1", "192.0.2.2", "192.0.2.3"]

}

## ---------Create an Upstart Script------##

$ sudo vi /etc/init/consul.conf

## INSERT SERVER File :

description "Consul server process"

start on (local-filesystems and net-device-up IFACE=eth0)

stop on runlevel [!12345]

respawn

setuid consul

setgid consul

exec consul agent -config-dir /etc/consul.d/server

## INSERT CLINET FILE :

description "Consul client process"

start on (local-filesystems and net-device-up IFACE=eth0)

stop on runlevel [!12345]

respawn

setuid consul

setgid consul

exec consul agent -config-dir /etc/consul.d/client

## Save the file when you are finished.

###-------- Getting a Cluster Started---- ##

$ sudo  su consul

$ sudo  consul agent -config-dir /etc/consul.d/bootstrap

$ start consul

$ consul members

Node                Address            Status  Type    Build     Protocol  DC

Armons-MacBook-Air  172.20.20.11:8301  alive   server  0.6.1dev  2         dc1

$ curl localhost:8500/v1/catalog/nodes

[{"Node":"Armons-MacBook-Air","Address":"127.0.0.1","TaggedAddresses":{"lan":"127.0.0.1","wan":"127.0.0.1"},"CreateIndex":4,"ModifyIndex":110}]

$ dig @127.0.0.1 -p 8600 Armons-MacBook-Air.node.consul

...

;; QUESTION SECTION:

;Armons-MacBook-Air.node.consul.    IN  A

;; ANSWER SECTION:

Armons-MacBook-Air.node.consul. 0 IN    A   127.0.0.1

$ sudo ps aux | grep 8500