Test::Server

Ever heard of test driven development? What about test driven administration? Take a look around examples/ folder for example tests that you can run agains your server.

The general configuration should be done through the test-server.yaml and should be managable by any non Perl awear admin (are there any?). Of course you are free to put any other test that make sence for your server.

The idea behind this is following: You run prove /etc/t and everything is fine. Server is up and running. Life is nice. Then somebody calls you at 3am... Oups! What went wrong? You login to the server (if possible of course) and run the prove /etc/t friend. Something failed? => fix it. Nothing failed? => write a test that will reveal that something is wrong && fix the problem of course ;). And then at 6am go happily to sleep again...

To be the administration really test drive ;) you should be writing your tests before you install the server...

Any other benefits? What about migration || reinstalation of the server? Do you always remember what services || purpouses is the server used for? You just scp the /etc/t folder to the new machine and prove /etc/t will tell you. If not you'll write a test ;).

Or are you writing firewall rules and need to check if you didn't close some ports that you should not? Check out the 03_open-ports.t.