What two types of information does PuppetDB store?

PuppetDB is designed to act as a centralized data storage system for information related to Puppet-managed nodes. It primarily focuses on two types of data: facts and catalogs.

Facts are pieces of information about the state and attributes of the nodes, for example, what operating system a node is running or how much memory it has available. This data is critical for Puppet to make informed decisions about configuration changes and management.

Catalogs, on the other hand, are the compiled configurations that Puppet generates based on the defined manifests and the current state of the node as indicated by the facts. The catalog outlines what resources should be present on the node and how they should be configured.

By storing both the most recent facts and the most recent catalog for every node, PuppetDB ensures that it has up-to-date information to facilitate resource management, reporting, and orchestration. This capability allows for efficient and effective handling of configurations across numerous nodes, making it a critical component of the Puppet ecosystem.