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Install Salt from the current Salt Project APT repository, place salt-master on one Ubuntu host and salt-minion on every managed host, set each minion’s master: address, open TCP ports 4505 and 4506 on the master, and accept each minion key. Only after the key is accepted will the master execute commands on that minion.
What you are building
Salt uses a master–minion model. The master is the control plane: it receives commands and distributes configuration or state. A minion is an Ubuntu system that runs the Salt client service and maintains a persistent connection to the master.
- Salt master: install the
salt-masterpackage. This host accepts minion keys and publishes jobs. - Salt minion: install
salt-minionon each managed host. The minion connects to the master and executes accepted jobs. - Network path: minions must reach the master on TCP 4505 and TCP 4506. The master listens on those ports on all interfaces by default.
- Trust step: every new minion has a cryptographic key that remains pending until an administrator accepts it on the master.
Use a supported Ubuntu release and the current Salt Project installation instructions for that release. Guides written for older Ubuntu versions can contain obsolete repository methods or package names.
Before installing: verify the Ubuntu release and network plan
Check the release codename
Repository entries are tied to Ubuntu codenames. A mismatched codename can produce missing-package errors or install packages built for a different release. On each host, display the release information before adding the repository:
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lsb_release -a
. /etc/os-release && printf '%sn' "$VERSION_CODENAME"Use the codename listed by the current Salt Project Debian/Ubuntu guide. Do not copy a third-party example blindly: one community example used focal for Ubuntu 24.04, which is incorrect for that release. The official guide’s supported-release list and repository stanza take precedence.
Decide how minions will find the master
Choose a stable DNS name or IP address for the master. The value must be reachable from every minion. If a minion has no master: setting, Salt looks for a host named salt; an /etc/hosts entry can therefore provide that name, but an explicit master name is easier to audit.
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Confirm firewall requirements
If UFW or another host firewall is enabled on the master, plan to allow inbound TCP 4505 and 4506 from the minion network. Restrict the rule to trusted source addresses when your firewall policy permits it rather than exposing Salt ports to the public internet.
Configure the Salt Project APT repository
The recommended installation source is the Salt Project APT repository, not an old Ubuntu package or a command copied from a 2014-era tutorial. The current Debian/Ubuntu guide documents the repository entry and an APT preferences pin for the 3008 release series at priority 1001. Repository signing-key locations and the exact stanza can change, so copy those lines from the live official guide for your Ubuntu release.
- Open the current Salt Project Debian/Ubuntu installation page.
- Select your Ubuntu release and copy its repository and signing-key instructions exactly.
- Check that the codename in the repository entry matches the output from
VERSION_CODENAME. - Apply the documented APT preference pin if you want the 3008 release series to remain preferred. A priority of 1001 allows that pin to win over normal package-version selection; it is not a promise that every future release will use the same series.
- Refresh package metadata:
sudo apt updateDo not use the deprecated apt-key workflow from older tutorials. If the current guide changes the keyring path or repository format, follow that current syntax instead of adapting an old command.
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Install and start the master
Install the package
Run these commands on the host that will control the other systems:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install salt-masterThe package installs the service and its configuration under /etc/salt. Start it now and enable it at boot:
sudo systemctl enable --now salt-masterCheck the service
sudo systemctl status salt-master --no-pager
sudo systemctl is-enabled salt-masterYou should see an active service and an enabled-at-boot result. If the service fails, inspect the unit log before changing configuration:
sudo journalctl -u salt-master -b --no-pagerOpen the Salt ports in UFW
Only perform this step when UFW is active on the master. Allow the two Salt transport ports, preferably from the minion subnet:
sudo ufw allow from <minion-network-or-address> to any port 4505 proto tcp
sudo ufw allow from <minion-network-or-address> to any port 4506 proto tcp
sudo ufw statusIf you intentionally manage firewall policy elsewhere, create equivalent inbound rules there. Salt cannot establish a session when either required port is blocked.
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Configure the master address
The default master configuration is suitable for most installations. You only need to change the listening interface when the host has multiple addresses or you want Salt bound to a particular network.
Bind to a specific interface when necessary
- Open the master configuration:
sudo editor /etc/salt/master- Set the
interfacedirective to the master’s intended local address. Keep the directive commented or at its default when listening on all interfaces is acceptable. - Save the file and restart the service:
sudo systemctl restart salt-master
sudo systemctl status salt-master --no-pagerUse an address that is present on the master and reachable from the minion network. Binding to a disconnected or incorrect address prevents the daemon from starting or leaves minions unable to connect.
Verify that the daemon is listening
sudo ss -ltnp | grep -E ':(4505|4506)b'The output should show listeners on ports 4505 and 4506. A listener on loopback only is a problem for remote minions; check the interface setting and host firewall in that case.
Install and configure each minion
Install the minion package
On every Ubuntu system you want to manage, refresh metadata and install the minion:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install salt-minionSet the master hostname or IP
- Open the minion configuration:
sudo editor /etc/salt/minion- Add or uncomment one line, replacing the value with the master’s resolvable hostname or IP address:
master: salt-master.example.net- Save the file and start the service at boot:
sudo systemctl enable --now salt-minion
sudo systemctl status salt-minion --no-pagerIf the service was already running when you edited the file, restart it so the new master address is loaded:
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sudo systemctl restart salt-minionUse the salt hostname as an alternative
When master: is omitted, a minion searches for a host named salt. You can provide that name with DNS or an /etc/hosts entry, but an explicit master: line makes the relationship visible in the configuration and avoids depending on local name-resolution behavior.
Accept the minion key on the master
A running minion generates a key and presents it to the master. The master keeps unknown keys pending; no Salt command will run until you accept the correct key.
List key states
On the master, list all keys:
sudo salt-key --list allLook for the new machine under the pending or unaccepted section. Confirm the identifier and check that it belongs to the host you intended to enroll.
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Accept the identified key using the accept action provided by your installed salt-key version. On common Salt releases, the command is:
sudo salt-key --accept=<minion-id>Replace <minion-id> with the exact identifier shown by salt-key --list all. Avoid accepting every pending key on a shared or untrusted network; accepting an unknown key grants that host the ability to receive Salt jobs.
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Confirm acceptance
sudo salt-key --list allThe accepted machine should now appear in the accepted-key section. If it remains pending, keep the minion service running and investigate connectivity, name resolution, and firewall rules before repeatedly accepting keys.
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After the key is accepted, run a simple ping job from the master. Replace the target with the exact minion ID, or use a narrowly scoped target pattern:
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Troubleshooting common installation failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | Checks and corrective action |
|---|---|---|
apt install salt-master or salt-minion cannot find a package |
The Salt repository was not added, APT metadata is stale, or the Ubuntu codename is wrong. | Recheck VERSION_CODENAME, compare it with the current official repository entry, then run sudo apt update. Do not substitute a codename from another Ubuntu release. |
| Master service fails immediately | An invalid configuration value, especially an incorrect interface address. |
Review /etc/salt/master, temporarily return to the default interface behavior, restart the service, and inspect journalctl -u salt-master -b. |
| Minion is not listed by the master | The minion is stopped, points to the wrong master, or cannot resolve the master name. | Check systemctl status salt-minion, verify the master: line in /etc/salt/minion, test name resolution, and restart the minion. |
| Minion key stays pending | The master has not accepted the correct key. | Run sudo salt-key --list all, compare the pending ID with the host you intended to enroll, and accept that specific key. |
| Minion service runs but jobs time out | TCP 4505 or 4506 is blocked, the master is listening on the wrong interface, or routing is unavailable. | On the master check ss -ltnp, review UFW or upstream firewall rules, and ensure both ports are reachable from the minion network. |
| Several hosts appear under unexpected IDs | Host naming or identity was not planned before enrollment. | Record each minion ID while accepting keys and target hosts explicitly until your naming convention is verified. |
Keep Salt packages under control
The Salt Project installation instructions also describe holding a package so a system-wide upgrade skips it. A hold can be useful when you need to stage a Salt upgrade, but it also prevents security and bug-fix updates until you remove it.
sudo apt-mark hold salt-master
sudo apt-mark hold salt-minionRemove the hold before an approved upgrade:
sudo apt-mark unhold salt-master
sudo apt-mark unhold salt-minionApply a hold consistently to the role installed on each host. Do not assume a pin or hold applies to both master and minion unless you set it for both packages.
Operational checklist
- Use the current Salt Project repository instructions for the exact Ubuntu release.
- Verify the Ubuntu codename instead of copying a value from an older guide.
- Install
salt-masteronly on the control host andsalt-minionon managed hosts. - Set
master:in every minion’s/etc/salt/minion, unless you deliberately provide thesalthostname through DNS or hosts-file configuration. - Enable both services with
systemctl enable --now. - Permit TCP 4505 and 4506 from minions to the master.
- Inspect and accept each expected key; do not approve unknown pending keys.
- Run a targeted
test.pingbefore issuing broad jobs. - Document any APT pin or package hold so future administrators know why upgrades are deferred.
What a successful setup looks like
The master service is enabled and listening on TCP 4505 and 4506. Every minion service is enabled, has a valid master: value, and can resolve and reach the master. Each intended minion key appears in the accepted list, and a targeted test.ping returns True. At that point the Salt control channel is established and you can begin adding states, pillars, and other configuration-management content appropriate to your environment.
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