---
name: "cf-serverd"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "cfengine3"
version: "3.24.1-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/cf-serverd"
---

# cf-serverd(8)

CFEngine file server daemon

## NAME

cf-serverd - CFEngine file server daemon

## SYNOPSIS

**cf-serverd** \[*OPTION*\]... \[*FILE*\]

## DESCRIPTION

cf-serverd is a socket listening daemon providing two services: it acts as a file server for remote file copying and it allows an authorized cf-runagent to start a cf-agent run. cf-agent typically connects to a cf-serverd instance to request updated policy code, but may also request additional files for download. cf-serverd employs role based access control (defined in policy code) to authorize requests. Note: this daemon reloads it's config when the SIGHUP signal is received.

## OPTIONS

- \--help, -h

  Print the help message

- \--log-level, -g value

  Specify how detailed logs should be. Possible values: 'error', 'warning', 'notice', 'info', 'verbose', 'debug'

- \--debug, -d

  Enable debugging output

- \--verbose, -v

  Output verbose information about the behaviour of the agent

- \--version, -V

  Output the version of the software

- \--file, -f value

  Specify an alternative input file than the default. This option is overridden by FILE if supplied as argument.

- \--define, -D value

  Define a list of comma separated classes to be defined at the start of execution

- \--negate, -N value

  Define a list of comma separated classes to be undefined at the start of execution

- \--no-lock, -K

  Ignore locking constraints during execution (ifelapsed/expireafter) if "too soon" to run

- \--inform, -I

  Print basic information about changes made to the system, i.e. promises repaired

- \--diagnostic, -x

  Activate internal diagnostics (developers only)

- \--no-fork, -F

  Run as a foreground processes (do not fork)

- \--ld-library-path, -L value

  Set the internal value of LD\_LIBRARY\_PATH for child processes

- \--generate-avahi-conf, -A

  Generates avahi configuration file to enable policy server to be discovered in the network

- \--color, -C value

  Enable colorized output. Possible values: 'always', 'auto', 'never'. If option is used, the default value is 'auto'

- \--timestamp, -l

  Log timestamps on each line of log output

- \--graceful-detach, -t value

  Terminate gracefully on SIGHUP by detaching from systemd and waiting n seconds before terminating

- \--ignore-preferred-augments, - 

  Ignore def\_preferred.json file in favor of def.json

## CFENGINE

CFEngine provides automated configuration management of large-scale computer systems. A system administrator describes the desired state of a system using CFEngine policy code. The program **cf-agent** reads policy code and attempts to bring the current system state to the desired state described. Policy code is downloaded by **cf-agent** from a **cf-serverd** daemon. The daemon **cf-execd** is responsible for running **cf-agent** periodically.\
 Documentation for CFEngine is available at https://docs.cfengine.com/.

## PROMISE THEORY

CFEngine is built on principles from promise theory, proposed by Mark Burgess in 2004. Promise theory is a model of voluntary cooperation between individual, autonomous actors or agents who publish their intentions to one another in the form of promises. A promise is a declaration of intent whose purpose is to increase the recipient's certainty about a claim of past, present or future behaviour. For a promise to increase certainty, the recipient needs to trust the promiser, but trust can also be built on the verification that previous promises have been kept, thus trust plays a symbiotic relationship with promises. \
 For an introduction to promise theory, please see http://arxiv.org/abs/0810.3294/

## AVAILABILITY

cf-serverd is part of CFEngine.\
 Binary packages may be downloaded from https://cfengine.com/download/.\
 The source code is available at https://github.com/cfengine/

## BUGS

Please see the public bug-tracker at https://northerntech.atlassian.net/projects/CFE/.\
 GitHub pull-requests may be submitted to https://github.com/cfengine/core/.

## SEE ALSO

[**cf-promises**(8)](/cf-promises/8.md), [**cf-agent**(8)](/cf-agent/8.md), [**cf-serverd**(8)](/cf-serverd/8.md), [**cf-execd**(8)](/cf-execd/8.md), [**cf-monitord**(8)](/cf-monitord/8.md), [**cf-runagent**(8)](/cf-runagent/8.md), [**cf-key**(8)](/cf-key/8.md)

## AUTHOR

Mark Burgess and Northern.tech AS