Recs.
Updated
Salt is an open source remote execution manager that can administer and provision servers, it allows systems to be easily managed, and data to be easily gathered.
SpecsUpdate
Pros
Pro Friendly and open community
Salt has an impressive welcoming and active community of users. There are user groups all over the world (Stockhom, Silicon Valley, Paris, and lots more), and an active live chat.
Pro Fast execution of commands
Salt works around a Salt master which has multiple agents (Salt minions) that have a persistent connection to the master. Because of this persistent connection, commands to the master are fast to reach the minions. Furthermore, the minions also save various data to the cache in order to make execution faster.
When compared against other tools to run the same actions, Salt almost always completes the actions in significantly less time.
Cons
Recommendations
Comments
Out of Date Pros + Cons
Con Security issues - Update
Salt no longer uses the PyCrypto package to roll out its own AES implementation.
Con Less mature than other options
Salt is still a young product, which results in more bugs and fewer features than other similar tools.