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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteInstall the CFEngine Community Edition Debian package that matches each machine’s architecture, add the hub package to the policy server, bootstrap the server and clients with the server’s IP address, then validate policy files with cf-promises before allowing agents to enforce them. Ubuntu’s own cfengine3 packages can lag behind CFEngine’s Community packages, so check the available versions before choosing a source.
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Understand the CFEngine layout before installing
CFEngine uses a central policy-server model. The policy server stores the policy that should be distributed, while client machines run the agent that retrieves and evaluates that policy. In CFEngine package terminology, the client needs the agent package; the policy server needs the hub package as well. Installing only an agent package does not turn a machine into a policy server.
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A practical first deployment therefore has one Ubuntu host designated as the policy server and one or more Ubuntu hosts designated as clients. The server must have an address that every client can reach. Use the server’s IP address for the initial bootstrap when possible; a hostname is also accepted, and :avahi is available for the supported local-network discovery case.
| Machine role | Package requirement | Bootstrap target |
|---|---|---|
| Policy server | CFEngine Community agent package plus the hub package | Its own policy-server IP address |
| Client | CFEngine Community agent package | The policy server’s IP address |
CFEngine’s installation guidance covers both 64-bit and 32-bit Debian packages. Select the package for the architecture of the host where it will be installed. The same guidance warns that older builds are not recommended for policy servers, so do not automatically reuse an old package simply because it installs successfully.
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Check Ubuntu and package versions first
There are two common package sources: CFEngine’s own Community Edition Debian packages and the cfengine3 package supplied by Ubuntu. They are not necessarily the same release. Ubuntu’s Noble manpages identify cfengine3 as version 3.21.0-3; the Focal manpage lists cfengine3_3.12.1-2_amd64. Those entries describe the distribution packages for those Ubuntu releases, not a promise about every repository or image.
Ask APT what your configured repositories offer before installing:
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| Choice | What the available evidence establishes | Decision point |
|---|---|---|
| CFEngine Community .deb | Official installation guidance provides packages for 64-bit and 32-bit systems; the hub package is required in addition to the agent on a policy server. | Use when you need the Community release specified by CFEngine and have confirmed its Ubuntu compatibility. |
Ubuntu cfengine3 |
Noble and Focal manpage entries show older release numbers than the 3.26-series documentation discussed by CFEngine. | Use when repository provenance and Ubuntu integration outweigh access to a newer Community build. |
The current 2026 Community release and an Ubuntu-specific package for it are not established here. Treat any version label found in a download page or search result as something to verify against the official documentation before putting it on a production policy server.
Prepare the hosts
- Choose one policy-server host and record its stable IP address.
- Confirm whether each host is 64-bit or 32-bit, then download the matching Debian package.
- Ensure you have administrative access to install packages and run commands under
sudo. - Make sure clients can reach the policy server on the network before attempting bootstrap.
- Keep the package files and their release information together so you can identify exactly what was installed on each host.
Automatic bootstrap has a defined scope: it works on Linux and within a single subnet. If your hosts are separated by routed networks, or if discovery cannot identify the right server, use the server’s explicit IP address (or a resolvable hostname) rather than relying on automatic discovery.
Install the Community package on a client
On each client, install the agent .deb that matches the host architecture. APT can install a local Debian package and is the documented path:
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sudo apt -y install /path/to/<agent-package>.debReplace the path and filename with the package you downloaded. The command’s -y option accepts APT’s confirmation prompt; omit it if you want to review the transaction interactively.
If your operating procedure uses dpkg instead, install the same local .deb with your normal dependency-resolution process, then verify that the CFEngine binaries are present. Do not mix an unverified package architecture with a host simply because the filename looks similar.
Install the policy server (hub)
Install the Community agent package on the policy-server host and install the hub package there as well. The hub is the additional package that differentiates a policy server from an ordinary client. Use the same local-package approach for each downloaded .deb:
sudo apt -y install /path/to/<agent-package>.deb
sudo apt -y install /path/to/<hub-package>.debThe exact filenames depend on the release and architecture you downloaded. CFEngine’s installation guidance is the authority for selecting the corresponding hub and agent builds; do not assume that a hub from one release can be paired safely with an agent from another without checking compatibility.
Verify the installation before bootstrap
CFEngine components are installed under /var/cfengine/bin. Confirm that the agent executable runs and reports its version:
/var/cfengine/bin/cf-agent --versionYou can also invoke the command by its full path for every bootstrap operation, which avoids ambiguity when more than one CFEngine binary is installed on a host. If the executable is missing, stop and resolve the package installation rather than proceeding to bootstrap.
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For installation failures, a Silicon Cloud article describing Ubuntu 20.04 with CFEngine 3.21.0 points to /var/log/CFEngine-Install.log. That path is a secondary, release-specific troubleshooting reference rather than a guarantee for every package build; inspect it when present, but rely on the package manager’s error output and the documentation for your installed release as the primary evidence.
Bootstrap the policy server to itself
Run bootstrap on the policy-server host, passing the address that identifies that host as the policy server:
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Bootstrapping the server to itself establishes the initial policy-server relationship. Perform this step before bootstrapping clients, because clients need a reachable, initialized policy server to contact.
Bootstrap each client to the same server
On every client, run the same command but use the policy server’s address, not the client’s own address:
sudo /var/cfengine/bin/cf-agent --bootstrap <IP address of policy server>Repeat the command on each client host. Keep the value identical across the deployment unless you intentionally operate multiple policy servers and have a documented reason for directing different clients to different addresses.
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If CFEngine detects more than one possible policy server, or the host has more than one IP address, it lists the available servers. Select the intended server by passing its correct IP explicitly. This avoids accidentally bootstrapping a host to the wrong interface or server.
Know the limits of automatic bootstrap
The --bootstrap mechanism accepts an IP address, a hostname, or :avahi. Automatic discovery is limited to Linux hosts inside one subnet. The explicit-IP method is therefore the predictable choice for production, multi-interface machines, and networks that cross subnet boundaries.
- One subnet, uncomplicated addressing: discovery may work, but verify the server named in the command output.
- Multiple interfaces or possible servers: pass the intended server IP instead of relying on a default selection.
- Different subnets: use a routable IP or hostname and confirm network reachability before retrying.
Validate policy with cf-promises before enforcement
cf-promises is the non-destructive policy checker. It parses policy to find syntax errors, checks integrity across a multi-file policy, and then looks for semantic errors. It does not change the system while performing those checks.
Run it against a policy file explicitly when testing a new or edited policy:
cf-promises -f /var/cfengine/inputs/test.cfUse the path to the policy file you intend to validate. A successful validation means the file passed the checks performed by that executable; it does not mean the policy’s desired outcome has been verified on every managed host.
When an agent runs, cf-agent calls cf-promises to validate policy before proceeding. Manual validation is still valuable because it lets you catch errors before an agent attempts enforcement and narrows troubleshooting to the policy file you changed.
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Function-evaluation option and version differences
There is a version-dependent wrinkle around function evaluation. Since CFEngine 3.6.0, cf-promises has not evaluated function calls by default according to the reference history; the older behavior can be requested with --eval-functions yes. The 3.25 reference lists the default as yes, while references for 3.12 and 3.10 appear to list no. Because those references conflict, check the reference that matches the executable installed on your Ubuntu host before relying on the default.
If your validation depends on function evaluation, make the choice explicit for the version you have confirmed rather than assuming that a command copied from another release behaves identically.
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Use a repeatable first-deployment sequence
- On the intended policy server, select and install the matching agent and hub packages.
- Run
/var/cfengine/bin/cf-agent --versionand record the installed release. - Bootstrap the server to its own IP address and confirm the success message.
- Install only the agent package on each client.
- Verify
cf-agent --versionon every client so architecture and release mistakes are caught early. - Bootstrap each client to the policy server’s IP address.
- Validate the policy file with
cf-promises -fbefore making policy changes active. - Review command output on both sides and keep the package versions, server address, and validation result with your deployment records.
Choose between local .deb installation and cf-remote
CFEngine also documents cf-remote, a Python Package Index (PyPI) tool that downloads, installs, and bootstraps CFEngine on hosts. A search summary for the 3.26-series installation guide shows an example using Community 3.27.0 on two hosts and bootstrapping one of them, but that version reference and the exact example command should be checked against the current official page before use.
Use local .deb installation when you need a transparent, auditable package step on each Ubuntu host. Consider cf-remote when you are automating repeated host setup and have verified its current syntax, supported operating systems, and chosen Community release. Whichever method you choose, the resulting workflow is the same: install the correct role-specific components, bootstrap to the intended policy server, and validate policy before enforcement.
Troubleshoot the common failure branches
| Symptom | Likely check | Corrective action |
|---|---|---|
| APT refuses the local package | Architecture, file path, or package metadata | Confirm that the .deb matches the host’s 32-bit or 64-bit architecture, then rerun the install with the exact local path. |
cf-agent is not found |
Installation did not complete or the command was searched outside CFEngine’s binary directory | Run /var/cfengine/bin/cf-agent --version and inspect the package-manager error before attempting bootstrap. |
| Bootstrap offers several servers | Multiple policy-server candidates or multiple host IP addresses | Pass the intended policy-server IP explicitly to --bootstrap. |
| Discovery cannot find the server | Hosts are on different subnets or outside automatic-discovery scope | Use a routable server IP or hostname; automatic bootstrap is limited to Linux within one subnet. |
| Bootstrap does not show success | Wrong address, unreachable server, or incomplete server setup | Verify the server IP, confirm that the hub and agent are installed on the server, and rerun the command while reading its output. |
cf-promises reports an error |
Syntax, multi-file integrity, or semantic problem | Fix the reported policy issue, rerun the same -f validation command, and only then allow the agent to proceed. |
| Function behavior differs between hosts | Different CFEngine releases or differing cf-promises defaults |
Compare cf-agent --version output and check the matching reference for --eval-functions. |
Keep versions and roles consistent
Record the release reported by every host. A policy server built from an older package than the clients can make troubleshooting harder, especially when documentation examples and function behavior vary by release. The available evidence does not establish a single current 2026 Community version, so verify the release in the official CFEngine documentation at the time you install it.
For policy servers in particular, avoid old builds that the installation guidance does not recommend. If you use Ubuntu’s repository package, record the Ubuntu release and the exact output of apt policy cfengine3; if you use Community .debs, retain the downloaded filenames and architecture information.
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Quick Recap
Operational checklist
- Policy server has both the agent and hub packages.
- Clients have the agent package appropriate for their architecture.
/var/cfengine/bin/cf-agent --versionsucceeds on every host.- The server was bootstrapped to itself and displayed a success confirmation.
- Every client was bootstrapped to the intended server IP.
- Any multiple-server or multiple-IP prompt was resolved explicitly.
- Policy files pass
cf-promisesvalidation. - Version, package source, architecture, and server address are recorded for future maintenance.
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