FreeBSD is incredible, some of the utilties are not. This was a large issue for my admin of FreeBSD.

Solved Problems

• Install jails simply.
• Manage all the packages in hosts/jail
• Manage host/jail release upgrades.

Todo

• Upgrade Packages with pkgaudit data
• Install bhyve vms easily.
• Automated kernel builds based on release

Goals

FreeBSD is difficult, so lets make it not difficult.
The goal is to develop a complete FreeBSD lifecycle management. Rolling release to release without issues.

Installation:

DO put this on a test machine.
DO not destroy prod. Ye hath duly been warned.
Assumption is using ZFS in zroot\

Install SaltStack and git
pkg install py37-salt git
Clone SaltThings
git clone https://github.com/SlicerDicer/SaltThings.git
Patch Salt

cp SaltThings/modules/* /usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/salt/modules/
cp SaltThings/states/* /usr/local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/salt/states/

Enable services

service enable salt_master
service enable salt_minion

Edit /usr/local/etc/salt/master put ip address here and minion

interface: ipaddress
id: salt_test

Edit /usr/local/etc/salt/minion

master: ipaddress
id: salt_test

Start SaltStack

service salt_master start
service salt_minion start

Accept Minion Key
salt-key -a salt_test
Create jail zfs

salt salt_test zfs.create zroot/jails
mkdir /zroot/jails/12.2
cd /zroot/jails/12.2

Grab base.txz from FreeBSD.org
wget http://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/releases/amd64/12.2-RELEASE/base.txz
Grab a cup of coffee if your internet connection is horrible :\

Jail Time

Lets put on a 12.2-RELEASE jail!
salt salt_test jail.manage /zroot/jails 12.2 zroot/jails/test_jail test_jail

Edit /etc/jail.conf

test_jail {
    host.hostname = salt_test;                 # Hostname
    ip4.addr = ;                               # IP address of the jail
    path = "/zroot/jails/test_jail";           # Path to the jail
    devfs_ruleset = "4";                       # devfs ruleset
    mount.devfs;                               # Mount devfs inside the jail
    exec.start = "/bin/sh /etc/rc";            # Start command
    exec.stop = "/bin/sh /etc/rc.shutdown";    # Stop command
}

Start test_jail
service jail onestart test_jail
jexec into test_jail
jexec test_jail

Congrats you now have a working jail.

More

As I have time, I will document the rest.