Paxer

Efficiently deploy .deb packages across multiple hosts via SSH.

Paxer is a streamlined command-line tool designed to automate the setup of SSH access and deployment of .deb packages to remote Linux hosts. Leveraging Python, click, and paramiko, it offers a robust solution for managing distributed systems with ease.

Key Features

SSH Key Configuration: Seamlessly initialize SSH access across multiple hosts.
Multi-Host Deployment: Deploy .deb packages to all configured targets in one command.
IP Range Support: Target hosts by IP range or explicit list, with live host detection.
Flexible Authentication: Unified or per-host password options.

Installation

Install Paxer via PyPI:

bash pip install paxer Commands

Paxer provides two core commands for setup and deployment. pax init

Configure SSH access for target hosts:

pax init --range 192.168.1.31-46 --username myuser
Options

    -r/--range: Specify an IP range (e.g., 192.168.1.31-46).
    -i/--ip: List specific IPs (e.g., 192.168.1.1,192.168.1.2).
    -e/--exclude: Exclude IPs (e.g., 192.168.1.33).
    -p/--per-ip-password: Prompt for passwords per IP.
    -u/--username: SSH username (defaults to current user).

Behavior

Generates an SSH key pair at ~/.ssh/pax_key, distributes the public key to live hosts, and saves targets to ~/.pax_targets. pax deploy

Deploy a .deb package to initialized hosts:

pax deploy mypackage.deb --username myuser
Options

    package_path: Path to the .deb file.
    -p/--per-ip-password: Prompt for sudo passwords per IP.
    -u/--username: SSH username (defaults to current user).

Behavior

Uses the SSH key from init to transfer and install the .deb package on each host listed in ~/.pax_targets. Example Workflow

1. Initialize Hosts

Set up SSH access:

pax init --range 192.168.1.31-34 --username ubuntu

Output:
text
Live hosts: ['192.168.1.31', '192.168.1.32', '192.168.1.34']
192.168.1.31: SSH key setup
192.168.1.32: SSH key setup
192.168.1.34: SSH key setup
Initialized 3 hosts.

2. Deploy a Package

Install nginx on all targets:

pax deploy nginx_1.18.0.deb --username ubuntu

Output:
text
192.168.1.31: Deployed - nginx (1.18.0) installed
192.168.1.32: Deployed - nginx (1.18.0) installed
192.168.1.34: Deployed - nginx (1.18.0) installed

Prerequisites

Python 3.6 or higher
click>=8.1.3
paramiko>=3.4.0

Configuration Notes

**SSH Key:** Stored at ~/.ssh/pax_key. Ensure it’s secure.
**Sudo Privileges:** Required for dpkg -i during deployment.
**Error Handling:** Retries passwords twice per IP before skipping.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome to enhance Paxer’s capabilities.

Clone the repository:

    git clone https://github.com/detox-24/pax.git

License

Released under the MIT License. Future Enhancements

Support for .tar.gz files
Extending installation over a subnet

Developed by Sathiya Moorthi P

GitHub | PyPI