Secure parallel execution tools (was: Unattended linux updates)

[pauldotcom at f.copacetic.net (Steve Bernacki)]

We currently use cfengine for configuration management, but I've been 
looking for other tools to assist with ad-hoc parallel execution tasks 
across multiple systems.   Someone mentioned "func" in the unattended 
linux updates thread, which I've looked at before.  However, it 
essentially opens up yet another remote execution vector that I'd need 
to audit and justify separately from SSH and cfengine, which is 
something I'd like to avoid.  Since we already have SSH keys deployed on 
these systems, I'd like to take advantage of the tools we already have 
in place.

My research has turned up three options that sound interesting, and I'm 
curious if anyone has had any experience (good or bad) with these tools, 
or others like them:

- Rgang
 http://fermitools.fnal.gov/abstracts/rgang/abstract.html

- Rshall
 http://www.occam.com/tools/

- Tentakel
 http://tentakel.biskalar.de/

All three of these tools utilize SSH and support parallel command 
execution.  I'm sure there are more out there as well.  Any comments or 
insight would be appreciated.

Best regards,
Steve

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