Bug: `'host1' is not of type 'object'` validation error on correct JSON

Bug: 'host1' is not of type 'object' validation error on correct JSON

Describe the bug

When running psconfig validate (and using pSConfig pScheduler agent) on a valid psconfig JSON file, validation fails with the error:

Error: 'host1' is not of type 'object'

This happens even though the file matches the official documentation (https://docs.perfsonar.net/psconfig_templates_intro.html) and contains the required sections.

To Reproduce

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Save the following as /tmp/pscheduler-agent.json:

   {
     "addresses": {
       "host1": { "address": "192.0.2.1" },
       "host2": { "address": "192.0.2.2" }
     },
     "groups": {
       "my_mesh": {
         "type": "mesh",
         "addresses": [ "host1", "host2" ]
       }
     },
     "tests": {
       "my_ping_test": {
         "type": "pscheduler",
         "spec": {
           "test": { "type": "ping" },
           "schedule": { "interval": "PT5M" }
         }
       }
     },
     "archives": {
       "local-esmond": {
         "archiver": "esmond",
         "data": {
           "url": "http://localhost/esmond/perfsonar/archive/"
         }
       }
     },
     "tasks": {
       "ping_all": {
         "group": "my_mesh",
         "test": "my_ping_test",
         "archives": [ "local-esmond" ]
       }
     }
   }

2. Run:

   psconfig validate /tmp/pscheduler-agent.json
   

3. Observe the output:

   Validating JSON schema ...... FAIL
       Error: 'host1' is not of type 'object'
   

System info

• OS: NAME="AlmaLinux" VERSION="9.5 (Teal Serval)"
• perfsonar-psconfig-utils version: 5.1.4-1.el9.noarch
• perfsonar-psconfig-pscheduler version: 5.1.4-1.el9.noarch
• Python version: Python 3.9.21

Additional context

• The JSON file is valid (checked with python3 -m json.tool).
• The file matches the example in the official documentation.
• This error blocks the agent from accepting valid psconfig templates.

---

Thank you for your help!

[arlake228]

Looks like your groups section has a syntax error. The addresses need to be objects with a "name" property:

"groups": {
    "my_mesh": {
      "type": "mesh",
      "addresses": [ {"name": "host1"},  {"name": "host2"} ]
    }
  }

I couldn't find any areas of the docs that didn't have addresses in that format, but let me know if you ran across any and we'll get them fixed.

[mfeit-internet2]

Additionally, the specification for my_ping_test isn't right. This is what I think you were trying to do:

{
    "addresses": {
        "host1": { "address": "192.0.2.1" },
        "host2": { "address": "192.0.2.2" }
    },
    "groups": {
        "my_mesh": {
            "type": "mesh",
            "addresses": [
                { "name": "host1" },
                { "name": "host2" }
            ]
        }
    },
    "tests": {
        "my_ping_test": {
            "type": "rtt",
            "spec": {
                "source": "{% address[0] %}",
                "dest": "{% address[1] %}",
                "count": 8
            }
        }
    },
    "schedules": {
        "every_five": {
            "repeat": "PT5M",
            "slip": "PT2M",
            "sliprand": false
        }
    },
    "archives": {
        "local-esmond": {
            "archiver": "esmond",
            "data": {
                "url": "http://localhost/esmond/perfsonar/archive/"
            }
        }
    },
    "tasks": {
        "ping_all": {
            "group": "my_mesh",
            "test": "my_ping_test",
            "schedule": "every_five",
            "archives": [ "local-esmond" ]
        }
    }
}

Also, note that, while the Esmond archiver still exists, Esmond itself has been discontinued in favor of our newer LogStash and OpenSearch-based archive, which can be populated using the http archiver. (We'll get the references to it out of the documentation.)