CompTIA Cloud+ (CV0-004)DevOps FundamentalsMedium
An organization's configuration management server initiates SSH connections to managed nodes and immediately pushes new configuration changes out to them whenever an administrator triggers a run, rather than waiting for the nodes to check in on their own schedule. Which configuration management model is being used?
- AIdempotent execution
- BPull-based configuration management
- CDeclarative provisioning
- DPush-based configuration management
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Push-based configuration management
In a push-based model, the central management server initiates the connection and sends configuration changes to nodes on demand, as opposed to pull-based models where agents on managed nodes periodically check in with a master to retrieve updates. Declarative provisioning describes how the desired state is expressed, and idempotency describes repeatable execution, neither of which describes the communication direction.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Idempotent execution refers to repeated runs producing the same result, not push vs. pull architecture.
- B. Pull-based models have agents on nodes periodically fetch configuration from a central master.
- C. Declarative provisioning describes specifying desired end state, not the communication direction.
Push-Based Configuration Management
A configuration management model where a central server actively initiates connections and sends configuration changes to managed nodes on demand.
- Server-initiated, on-demand execution
- Common with Ansible in default mode and SaltStack push mode
- Contrasts with pull-based agents (e.g., Puppet/Chef default) that poll a master
Memory trick: Push = the boss walks the memo to your desk; Pull = you check the mailbox.