Here’s a step-by-step guide to add and use a Windows node in Rundeck installed on a Linux server, using WinRM (Windows Remote Management), which is the most common way to connect from Linux to Windows.
🧩 Prerequisites
| Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|
| ✅ Windows machine | Windows 10/11 or Server with WinRM enabled |
| ✅ Rundeck installed on Linux | Any recent version of Rundeck (Community is fine) |
| ✅ Network reachability | Linux (Rundeck) must reach the Windows node on port 5985 (HTTP) or 5986 (HTTPS) |
| ✅ PowerShell enabled on Windows | For remote execution |
🔧 Step 1: Enable WinRM on Windows Node
Open PowerShell as Administrator on the Windows machine and run:
winrm quickconfig
If prompted, choose y to make the changes.
Optional (Allow unencrypted + Basic Auth):
winrm set winrm/config/service '@{AllowUnencrypted="true"}'
winrm set winrm/config/service/auth '@{Basic="true"}'
Code language: PHP (php)⚠️ This is for testing. For production, use HTTPS with a certificate.
🖥 Step 2: Create Windows Node Entry in Rundeck
Go to:
Rundeck → Project Settings → Edit Nodes → Add a Node (Manually)
Or edit your resources.yaml/resources.xml (depending on project config).
Sample YAML Entry (resources.yaml):
- nodename: win-node01
hostname: 192.168.1.50
osFamily: windows
osName: Windows
description: Windows Node for Deployment
tags: windows
username: Administrator
winrm-auth-type: basic
winrm-protocol: http
winrm-port: 5985
winrm-ssl: false
winrm-certificate-check: false
winrm-password-storage-path: keys/project/windows-password
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)Store the password in Rundeck Key Storage:
Go to:
Rundeck → Key Storage → Add Key → Password → Path: keys/project/windows-password
⚙️ Step 3: Configure Project for WinRM Plugin
Make sure WinRM is supported in your project:
- Go to Project Settings → Edit Configuration
- Add or verify:
project.node.executor.default=overthere-winrm
project.remote.file-copy.default=overthere-winrm
Code language: PHP (php)This ensures file copy and command execution use WinRM.
📦 Step 4: Install WinRM Plugin (if missing)
If WinRM plugin isn’t preinstalled, download it:
Steps:
- Download the
.jar - Place it in
/var/lib/rundeck/libext/ - Restart Rundeck:
sudo systemctl restart rundeckd
✅ Step 5: Test Node Connectivity
- Go to Nodes → win-node01 → Test Connection
- If it fails, check:
- Network access (ping/port 5985)
- Credentials (Administrator or other user with permissions)
- WinRM config on Windows
🚀 Step 6: Run a Command on Windows Node
- Go to Commands
- Select Node:
win-node01 - Command:
Get-Process
Output should appear in the Rundeck UI.
✅ Troubleshooting Tips
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| WinRM connection refused | Make sure port 5985 is open and WinRM is configured |
| Authentication failure | Ensure username/password are correct; check storage path |
| Plugin not found | Check if the WinRM plugin JAR is in libext/ and restart Rundeck |
| Firewall issues | Open WinRM ports on the Windows Firewall |
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