Deploying OpenBao on a Linode Instance

OpenBao is an open source secrets management solution and fork of HashiCorp Vault. This guide walks through a manual installation of OpenBao on a single Linode instance running the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS distribution.

For a Kubernetes cluster deployment, see our Deploy OpenBao on Linode Kubernetes Engine guide. If you prefer an automated one-click deployment, see our OpenBao Marketplace app.

Before You Begin

If you do not already have an account or virtual machine to use, see our Get Started and Create a Compute Instance guides to create an Akamai Cloud account, familiarize yourself with Cloud Manager, and provision a new Compute Instance.
While OpenBao does not provide explicit hardware recommendations, its architecture closely mirrors that of HashiCorp Vault. Based on Vault’s recommended specifications, this guide uses a Shared CPU Linode 8 GB plan (g6-standard-4) with 4 vCPUs and 160 GB of storage. Deployment time may vary.
Use these steps if you prefer to use the Linode CLI to provision resources.
The following command creates a Linode 8 GB Compute Instance (g6-standard-4) running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (linode/ubuntu24.04) in the Miami datacenter (us-mia):
linode-cli linodes create \ --image linode/ubuntu24.04 \ --region us-mia \ --type g6-standard-4 \ --root_pass ROOT_PASSWORD \ --authorized_keys "$(cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub)" \ --label openbao-linode
Note the following key points:
- Replace us-mia with your preferred data center region. Run linode-cli regions list to view options.
- Replace ROOT_PASSWORD with a secure alternative for your root password.
- This command assumes that an SSH public/private key pair exists, with the public key stored as id_ed25519.pub in the user’s $HOME/.ssh/ folder.
- The --label argument specifies the name of the new server (e.g. openbao-linode).
Follow our Set Up and Secure a Compute Instance guide to update your system and create a limited user account. You may also wish to set the timezone, configure your hostname, and harden SSH access.
Note
This guide is written for a non-root user. Commands that require elevated privileges are prefixed with sudo. If you’re not familiar with the sudo command, see the Users and Groups guide.

Install OpenBao

Log into your Linode instance, and install the OpenBao package.

SSH into the newly provisioned Linode as a user with sudo privileges, replacing USERNAME with your username and IP_ADDRESS with the IP address of your Linode:
ssh USERNAME@IP_ADDRESS
Download the latest appropriate version of OpenBao from the downloads page. This tutorial uses v2.2.0 of the AMD 64-bit Debian package:
wget https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/download/v2.2.0/bao_2.2.0_linux_amd64.deb

Install the package:

sudo dpkg -i bao_2.2.0_linux_amd64.deb

Selecting previously unselected package bao.
(Reading database ... 124865 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack bao_2.2.0_linux_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking bao (2.2.0) ...
Setting up bao (2.2.0) ...
Generating OpenBao TLS key and self-signed certificate...
...
OpenBao TLS key and self-signed certificate have been generated in '/opt/openbao/tls'.

Verify successful installation by checking the OpenBao version:

bao -v

OpenBao v2.2.0 (a2bf51c891680240888f7363322ac5b2d080bb23), built 2025-03-05T13:07:08Z

Verify Swap Memory Limits

For Linux distributions, ensure that the OpenBao service settings do not impose a soft limit on Swap memory. To check this with a systemd-based Linux distro, use the following command:

systemctl cat openbao

# /usr/lib/systemd/system/openbao.service
[Unit]
Description="OpenBao - A tool for managing secrets"
...

[Service]
...
TimeoutStopSec=30
LimitNOFILE=65536
MemorySwapMax=0

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Verify that MemorySwapMax=0 appears in the results under the Service heading.

Test the OpenBao Development Server

OpenBao provides a development server that you can use to verify settings and explore OpenBao features.

Warning

The development server runs entirely in memory and is not suitable for production use. Data is not persisted between restarts, and TLS is disabled.

Run this command to start the server in development mode and set a primary key. Replace MY_DEV_TOKEN with a secure key that you have created:

bao server -dev \
  -dev-root-token-id="MY_DEV_TOKEN"

The OpenBao server configuration should print to the screen along with a tail of the logs:

==> OpenBao server configuration:

Administrative Namespace:
             Api Address: http://127.0.0.1:8200
                     Cgo: disabled
         Cluster Address: https://127.0.0.1:8201
   Environment Variables: HOME, LANG, LESSCLOSE, LESSOPEN, LOGNAME, LS_COLORS, MAIL, PATH, PWD, SHELL, SHLVL, SUDO_COMMAND, SUDO_GID, SUDO_UID, SUDO_USER, TERM, USER, _
              Go Version: go1.22.9
              Listener 1: tcp (addr: "127.0.0.1:8200", cluster address: "127.0.0.1:8201", max_request_duration: "1m30s", max_request_size: "33554432", tls: "disabled")
               Log Level:
           Recovery Mode: false
                 Storage: inmem
                 Version: OpenBao v2.0.3, built 2024-11-15T16:54:47Z
             Version Sha: a2522eb71d1854f83c7e2e02fdbfc01ae74c3a78

             ==> OpenBao server started! Log data will stream in below:

             ...
             2024-11-25T10:07:57.493-0700 [INFO]  core: vault is unsealed
             2024-11-25T10:07:57.495-0700 [INFO]  expiration: revoked lease: lease_id=auth/token/root/hf0285ed983c6c93bd02f9422f179d20f12508b046d39228a7b2e13c245293de6
             2024-11-25T10:07:57.498-0700 [INFO]  core: successful mount: namespace="" path=secret/ type=kv version=""
             2024-11-25T10:07:57.499-0700 [INFO]  secrets.kv.kv_cd63d9f9: collecting keys to upgrade
             2024-11-25T10:07:57.499-0700 [INFO]  secrets.kv.kv_cd63d9f9: done collecting keys: num_keys=1
             2024-11-25T10:07:57.499-0700 [INFO]  secrets.kv.kv_cd63d9f9: upgrading keys finished
...

Leave this server process running in the background.

Open a separate terminal window and connect to the Linode instance using another shell session:
ssh USERNAME@IP_ADDRESS
OpenBao expects certain variables to be set for every request. Rather than setting these variables repeatedly with each command, set the following environment variables in the shell:
export VAULT_TOKEN="MY_DEV_TOKEN" export OPENBAO_IP="127.0.0.1" export OPENBAO_PORT="8200"

Send a request with curl to store a secret as a key-value pair. Replace VAULT_PASSWORD with a secure password.

curl -X POST \
  --header "X-Vault-Token: $VAULT_TOKEN" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data '{"data": {"password": "VAULT_PASSWORD"}}' \
  http://$OPENBAO_IP:$OPENBAO_PORT/v1/secret/data/test-password-1 \
    | json_pp

{
   "auth" : null,
   "data" : {
      "created_time" : "2025-04-17T16:53:43.538885271Z",
      "custom_metadata" : null,
      "deletion_time" : "",
      "destroyed" : false,
      "version" : 1
   },
   "lease_duration" : 0,
   "lease_id" : "",
   "renewable" : false,
   "request_id" : "8b6538d0-e52c-7a7a-27a4-6d4c58d9fc02",
   "warnings" : null,
   "wrap_info" : null
}

The development server is only exposed on localhost. Therefore, this command must be run on the server itself. Authentication is handled by supplying the X-Vault-Token header. The structure of the URI follows the pattern /v1/secret/data/SECRET_NAME. This POST request stores the key-value pair at location /data/SECRET_NAME.

The response provides metadata regarding the secret stored in the data object, including versioning when the secret gets updated.

To retrieve the secret, send the following request:

curl \
  --header "X-Vault-Token: $VAULT_TOKEN" \
  http://$OPENBAO_IP:$OPENBAO_PORT/v1/secret/data/test-password-1 \
    | json_pp

The original secret is found within the data object as a key-value pair.

{
   "auth" : null,
   "data" : {
      "data" : {
         "password" : "OpenBao123"
      },
      "metadata" : {
         "created_time" : "2025-04-17T16:53:43.538885271Z",
         "custom_metadata" : null,
         "deletion_time" : "",
         "destroyed" : false,
         "version" : 1
      }
   },
   "lease_duration" : 0,
   "lease_id" : "",
   "renewable" : false,
   "request_id" : "7ec0baa1-126d-1bd8-56a3-4ea4555821ff",
   "warnings" : null,
   "wrap_info" : null
}

When done, you can close the second terminal session.
Return to the original terminal session with OpenBao running, and press Ctrl+C to stop OpenBao.

Run OpenBao as a Service

In a real-world use case, OpenBao is ideally run as a service managed by a tool like systemd.

Run the following systemctl command to check the status of the OpenBao service:

systemctl status openbao

This shows that systemd is aware of the OpenBao service, but it has not been started:

○ openbao.service - "OpenBao - A tool for managing secrets"
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/openbao.service; disabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: inactive (dead)
       Docs: https://github.com/openbao/openbao/tree/main/website/content/docs

Edit the OpenBao configuration file located at /etc/openbao/openbao.hcl in a command line text editor such as nano:
sudo nano /etc/openbao/openbao.hcl
Replace the contents of the file with the following minimal configuration to run OpenBao as a publicly available service without TLS:
File: /etc/openbao/openbao.hcl
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
ui = false storage "file" { path = "/opt/openbao/data" } api_addr = "http://0.0.0.0:8200" listener "tcp" { address = "0.0.0.0:8200" tls_disable = 1 }
Warning
The configuration above is insecure and not suitable for production use. It is only for demonstration purposes of this tutorial. For a production-grade deployment, reference the Configuration section at the end of this guide.
When done, press CTRL+X, followed by Y then Enter to save the file and exit nano.
Start the OpenBao service:
systemctl start openbao

Recheck its status:

systemctl status openbao

The output should now show active (running):

● openbao.service - "OpenBao - A tool for managing secrets"
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/openbao.service; disabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Mon 2024-11-25 10:38:04 MST; 7s ago
       Docs: https://github.com/openbao/openbao/tree/main/website/content/docs
   Main PID: 642487 (bao)
      Tasks: 6 (limit: 1124)
     Memory: 12.2M (swap max: 0B peak: 12.5M)
        CPU: 66ms
     CGroup: /system.slice/openbao.service
             └─642487 /usr/bin/bao server -config=/etc/openbao/openbao.hcl

Press the Q key to exit the status output and return to the terminal prompt.

Run the following command to enable the service to start automatically on boot:
systemctl enable openbao

Configure OpenBao for External Access

Although OpenBao is now running as a service on the Linode instance, additional configuration is required before it can be used. Use the OpenBao CLI (bao) to interact with the running server, retrieving its current status:

bao status --address=http://0.0.0.0:8200

Key                Value
---                -----
Seal Type          shamir
Initialized        false
Sealed             true
Total Shares       0
Threshold          0
Unseal Progress    0/0
Unseal Nonce       n/a
Version            2.2.0
Build Date         2025-03-05T13:07:08Z
Storage Type       file
HA Enabled         false

This shows that the server has not been initialized and is sealed. Both of these issues must be resolved before you can interact with the server.

Initialize the Server

Set the BAO_ADDR environment variable, which is used in several subsequent commands:
export BAO_ADDR=http://0.0.0.0:8200
Warning
This tutorial sets BAO_ADDR to http://0.0.0.0:8200 for demonstration purposes. In production deployments, it should match the public IP address or domain name used to connect to the server.

Initialize the server:

bao operator init

Unseal Key 1: SNP+diKq1L2MYYre8pn+PIqSEn/nK76n7C6coUoVby4g
Unseal Key 2: 9Bm3d5ZHsWBT/LghfVYbGrVn0Lcmr5CvNu6H8UYVx+R/
Unseal Key 3: IrPLoIFrl2ol7dF4mA9C+kTaE44qogwT/pZ+kTrS7M4j
Unseal Key 4: O7fs+9492lVGdI5295n4AKis5c3cFZ8VEtkBmLg3lYAJ
Unseal Key 5: 0gnwUnHfkeFTaE6xIkVWy/5s4Hfwh5WxVWOrCrApGHig

Initial Root Token: s.V82B9tynwZkQtDyOne7PJ1IS

Vault initialized with 5 key shares and a key threshold of 3. Please securely
distribute the key shares printed above. When the Vault is re-sealed,
restarted, or stopped, you must supply at least 3 of these keys to unseal it
before it can start servicing requests.

Vault does not store the generated root key. Without at least 3 keys to
reconstruct the root key, Vault will remain permanently sealed!

It is possible to generate new unseal keys, provided you have a quorum of
existing unseal keys shares. See "bao operator rekey" for more information.

Store the values for each Unseal Key and Initial Root Token in a secure location.

Unseal the Vault (Three Times for Quorum)

When unsealing a vault, the bao operator unseal command must be performed a total of three times using different Unseal Key values each time. This is the default quorum for OpenBao’s unsealing process.

Use the following command to begin unsealing the vault:

bao operator unseal

When prompted, enter one of the unseal keys provided in the previous section:

Unseal Key (will be hidden): SNP+diKq1L2MYYre8pn+PIqSEn/nK76n7C6coUoVby4g

After this first execution, the Unseal Progress output value shows 1/3:

Key                Value
---                -----
Seal Type          shamir
Initialized        true
Sealed             true
Total Shares       5
Threshold          3
Unseal Progress    1/3
Unseal Nonce       e88d59f4-db7f-a074-c9e5-6476e55d77c4
Version            2.2.0
Build Date         2025-03-05T13:07:08Z
Storage Type       file
HA Enabled         false

Unseal the vault again, but enter a different unseal key when prompted:

bao operator unseal

Unseal Key (will be hidden): 9Bm3d5ZHsWBT/LghfVYbGrVn0Lcmr5CvNu6H8UYVx+R/
Key                Value
---                -----
Seal Type          shamir
Initialized        true
Sealed             true
Total Shares       5
Threshold          3
Unseal Progress    2/3
Unseal Nonce       e88d59f4-db7f-a074-c9e5-6476e55d77c4
Version            2.2.0
Build Date         2025-03-05T13:07:08Z
Storage Type       file
HA Enabled         false

Unseal the vault for the third and final time, using yet another unsealing key when prompted:

bao operator unseal

After unsealing the vault with three different unseal keys, OpenBao should report the following status:

Unseal Key (will be hidden): IrPLoIFrl2ol7dF4mA9C+kTaE44qogwT/pZ+kTrS7M4j
Key             Value
---             -----
Seal Type       shamir
Initialized     true
Sealed          false
Total Shares    5
Threshold       3
Version         2.2.0
Build Date      2025-03-05T13:07:08Z
Storage Type    file
Cluster Name    vault-cluster-bf06dcdc
Cluster ID      e241640b-4e62-5063-04fb-e71562706b8c
HA Enabled      false

The vault has now been initialized and unsealed.

Authenticate the CLI

To authenticate the CLI with the server, use the bao login command with the Initial Root Token output value provided upon vault initialization.

bao login -method=token INITIAL_ROOT_TOKEN

Success! You are now authenticated. The token information displayed below is
already stored in the token helper. You do NOT need to run "bao login" again.
Future OpenBao requests will automatically use this token.

Key                  Value
---                  -----
token                s.V82B9tynwZkQtDyOne7PJ1IS
token_accessor       4IjIYjvf9TLIPPXgMVFFJYzG
token_duration       ∞
token_renewable      false
token_policies       ["root"]
identity_policies    []
policies             ["root"]

Enable Key-Value Storage

Lastly, run the following command to enable a key-value store in OpenBao for storing and retrieving secrets via the API:

bao secrets enable kv

Success! Enabled the kv secrets engine at: kv/

Storing and Retrieving a Secret Remotely Over HTTP

OpenBao can now be accessed externally via the API. Ensure that any firewall on the Linode instance allows traffic on port 8200.

From a remote machine, store a new secret, providing the Initial Root Token for authentication.

curl -X POST \
  --header "X-Vault-Token: INITIAL_ROOT_TOKEN" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data '{"data": {"hello": "world"}}' \
  http://OPENBAO_LINODE_IP:8200/v1/kv/test-secret

Get the newly created secret to verify it was stored properly.

curl -X GET \
  --header "X-Vault-Token: INITIAL_ROOT_TOKEN" \
  http://OPENBAO_LINODE_IP:8200/v1/kv/test-secret \
    | json_pp

{
    "auth" : null,
    "data" : {
       "hello" : "world"
    },
    "lease_duration" : 2764800,
    "lease_id" : "",
    "renewable" : false,
    "request_id" : "3bbd69a5-b77a-62b0-686d-a8a3103d6d6b",
    "warnings" : null,
    "wrap_info" : null
}

Considerations for Production Deployments

Several additional steps are recommended to harden an OpenBao server for production use.

Auto Unseal

OpenBao starts with its vault in a sealed state, meaning all data is encrypted. For more information on the seal and unseal concepts, see the OpenBao documentation.

In production, auto-unseal is recommended to minimize manual operations that could lead to mistakes or exposure. Auto-unseal is configured using cloud-based key management systems to ensure the unsealing key is never exposed directly.

Authentication

Enable and configure secure authentication methods such as:

AppRole
JSON Web Tokens (JWT)
TLS certificates
Lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP)
OpenID Connect (OIDC)

TLS certificate authentication provides secure, mutual TLS verification for sensitive environments. Meanwhile, AppRole allows service accounts and applications to securely authenticate without human interaction. For LDAP or OIDC deployments, enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for human operators to enhance security, if supported.

Configuration

OpenBao supports two configuration formats: HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) and JSON.

Properly configuring your OpenBao server is essential to ensuring a secure production environment. The main configuration aspects include the UI, TLS certificate, and address/port settings. A default production configuration HCL file may look like this:

File: /etc/openbao/openbao.hcl

 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
10
11
12
ui = false

storage "file" {
  path = "/opt/openbao/data"
}
api_addr = "https://0.0.0.0:8200"

listener "tcp" {
  address       = "0.0.0.0:8200"
  tls_cert_file = "/opt/openbao/tls/tls.crt"
  tls_key_file  = "/opt/openbao/tls/tls.key"
}

In production, disabling or securing the UI is crucial, as it exposes OpenBao’s management interface, which could be exploited if left unprotected. If the UI is required, limit its exposure by restricting access to trusted IP ranges or VPN users only. Implement strong authentication methods like OIDC for access control.

If the UI is not required, set ui = false.

TLS or SSL certificates encrypt traffic to and from the OpenBao server, ensuring data confidentiality and integrity. Using a valid, trusted TLS certificate prevents man-in-the-middle attacks and validates the server’s identity to clients. Obtain a certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) and configure OpenBao to use it as shown in the example configuration above.

For environments using an internal CA, ensure that all clients trust it, and renew the certificates periodically to avoid downtime.

Controlling the address and ports on which OpenBao listens reduces exposure and minimizes the risk of unauthorized access. Limit OpenBao’s exposure by binding it to an internal IP address such as 127.0.0.1 or a specific internal network IP. Ensure that OpenBao only listens on the necessary port, where the default port is 8200. Use firewall rules to restrict access to this port to authorized networks or users only.

These hardening measures can reduce the attack surface of the OpenBao server, enhance security controls, and ensure that only authorized entities have access.

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