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nomad/website/content/docs/reference/sentinel-policy.mdx
Allison Larson e16a3339ad Add CSI Volume Sentinel Policy scaffolding (#26438)
* Add ent policy enforcement stubs to CSI Volume create/register

* Wire policy override/warnings through CSI volume register/create

* Add new scope to sentinel apply

* Sanitize CSISecrets & CSIMountOptions

* Add sentinel policy scope to ui

* Update docs for new sentinel scope/policy

* Create new api funcs for CSI endpoints

* fix sentinel csi ui test

* Update sentinel-policy docs

* Add changelog

* Update docs from feedback
2025-08-07 12:03:18 -07:00

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---
layout: docs
page_title: Sentinel policy reference
description: >-
Use the Nomad Enterprise Sentinel policy feature to implement fine-grained control over jobs, such as restricting when jobs can run or ensuring jobs use specific images. Learn about policy structure, job objects, Access Control List (ACL) token objects, and namespace objects.
---
# Sentinel Policy Reference
<EnterpriseAlert product="nomad" />
This page provides reference information on using the Nomad Sentinel policy feature to implement fine-grained policies such as restricting when jobs can run or ensuring job use specific images. Learn about policy structure, job objects, Access Control List (ACL) token objects, and namespace objects.
## Introduction to Sentinel Policies
In Nomad Enterprise, operators can create Sentinel policies for fine-grained
policy enforcement. Sentinel policies build on top of the ACL system and allow
operators to define policies such as disallowing jobs to be submitted to
production on Fridays or only allowing users to run jobs that use pre-authorized
Docker images. Sentinel policies are defined as code, giving operators
considerable flexibility to meet compliance requirements.
Refer to the [Nomad Sentinel Tutorial][] for more information about deploying
Sentinel policies, as well as the documentation for the [`nomad sentinel`][]
subcommands.
## Sentinel Policy Structure
Sentinel policies are specified in the [Sentinel Language][sentinel]. The
language is designed to be understandable for people who are reading and writing
policies, while remaining fast to evaluate. There is no limitation on how
complex policies can be, but they are in the execution path so care should be
taken to avoid adversely impacting performance.
In each scope, there are different objects made available for introspection,
such a job being submitted. Policies can inspect these objects to apply
fine-grained policies. Nomad supports a `submit-job` scope for registering jobs,
and a `submit-host-volume` scope for creating or updating dynamic host volumes.
### submit-job scope
The following top-level objects are available to policies in the `submit-job`
scope automatically, without an explicit import.
* `job`: the submitted job. This is a [Sentinel Job
Object](#sentinel-job-objects).
* `existing_job`: the previous version of the job. If `job_exists` is true, this
is always non-nil. This is also a [Sentinel Job
Object](#sentinel-job-objects).
* `job_exists`: a boolean field that indicates that a previous version of the
job exists.
* `nomad_acl_token`: the ACL token the job was submitted with. This is a
[Sentinel Nomad ACL Token Object](#sentinel-acl-token-objects).
* `namespace`: the namespace the job is in. This is a [Sentinel Nomad Namespace
Object](#sentinel-namespace-objects).
### submit-host-volume scope
The following top-level objects are available to policies in the
`submit-host-volume` scope automatically, without an explicit import.
* `volume`: the submitted volume. This is a [Sentinel Dynamic Host Volume
Object](#sentinel-dynamic-host-volume-objects).
* `existing_volume`: the previous version of the volume. If `volume_exists` is
true, this is always non-nil. This is also a [Sentinel Dynamic Host
Volume Object](#sentinel-dynamic-host-volume-objects). `volume_exists`: a
boolean field that indicates that a previous version of the volume exists.
* `nomad_acl_token`: the ACL token the job was submitted with. This is a
[Sentinel Nomad ACL Token Object](#sentinel-acl-token-objects).
* `namespace`: the namespace the job is in. This is a [Sentinel Nomad Namespace
Object](#sentinel-namespace-objects).
* `node`: the node the volume has been placed on. This is a [Sentinel Node
Object](#sentinel-node-objects).
* `node_pool`: the node pool of the node the volume has been placed on. This is
a [Sentinel Node Pool Object](#sentinel-node-pool-objects).
### submit-csi-volume scope
The following top-level objects are available to policies in the
`submit-csi-volume` scope automatically, without an explicit import.
- `volume`: the submitted volume. This is a [Sentinel CSI Volume
Object](#sentinel-csi-volume-objects).
- `existing_volume`: the previous version of the volume. If `volume_exists` is
true, this is always non-nil. This is also a [Sentinel CSI Volume
Object](#sentinel-csi-volume-objects).
- `volume_exists`: a boolean field that indicates that a previous version of the
volume exists.
- `nomad_acl_token`: the ACL token the job was submitted with. This is a
[Sentinel Nomad ACL Token Object](#sentinel-acl-token-objects).
- `namespace`: the namespace the job is in. This is a [Sentinel Nomad Namespace
Object](#sentinel-namespace-objects).
Sentinel convention for identifiers is lower case and separated by underscores.
All fields on an object are accessed by the same name, converted to lower case
and separating camel case to underscores.
## Sentinel Job Objects
The `job` and `existing_job` objects map to the [JSON job specification][], with
the fields converted to the Sentinel convention. Here are some examples:
| Job Field | Sentinel Accessor |
|------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| `job.ID` | `job.id` |
| `job.AllAtOnce` | `job.all_at_once` |
| `job.ParentID` | `job.parent_id` |
| `job.TaskGroups` | `job.task_groups` |
| `job.TaskGroups[0].EphemeralDisk.SizeMB` | `job.task_groups[0].ephemeral_disk.size_mb` |
## Sentinel ACL Token Objects
The `nomad_acl_token` object maps to the [ACL token][], with the fields
converted to the Sentinel convention. Here are some examples:
| Nomad ACL Token Field | Sentinel Accessor |
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| `nomad_acl_token.AccessorID` | `nomad_acl_token.accessor_id` |
| `nomad_acl_token.Policies[0]` | `nomad_acl_token.policies[0]` |
Note that the `SecretID` field is always redacted to prevent credential leaks.
## Sentinel Namespace Objects
The `namespace` object maps to the [Namespace][], with the fields converted to
the Sentinel convention. Here are some examples:
| Namespace Field | Sentinel Accessor |
|----------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| `namespace.Description` | `namespace.description` |
| `namespace.NodePoolConfiguration.Allowed[0]` | `namespace.node_pool_configuration.allowed[0]` |
## Sentinel Node Objects
The `node` object maps to the [Node][], with the fields converted to the
Sentinel convention. Here are some examples:
| Node Field | Sentinel Accessor |
|--------------------|--------------------|
| `node.Class` | `node.class` |
| `node.Meta["foo"]` | `node.meta["foo"]` |
## Sentinel Node Pool Objects
The `node_pool` object maps to the [Node Pool][], with the fields converted to
the Sentinel convention. Here are some examples:
| Node Pool Field | Sentinel Accessor |
|-------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
| `node_pool.Description` | `node_pool.description` |
| `node_pool.SchedulerConfiguration.SchedulerAlgorithm` | `node_pool.scheduler_configuration.scheduler_algorithm` |
## Sentinel Dynamic Host Volume Objects
The `volume` object maps to the [Dynamic Host Volume][], with the fields
converted to the Sentinel convention. Here are some examples:
| Dynamic Host Volume Field | Sentinel Accessor |
|----------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| `volume.Name` | `volume.name` |
| `volume.RequestedCapabilities[0].AccessMode` | `volume.requested_capabilities[0].access_mode` |
## Sentinel CSI Volume Objects
The `volume` object maps to the [CSI Volume][], with the fields
converted to the Sentinel convention. Here are some examples:
| CSI Volume Field | Sentinel Accessor |
|----------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| `volume.Name` | `volume.name` |
| `volume.RequestedCapabilities[0].AccessMode` | `volume.requested_capabilities[0].access_mode` |
Note that the `volume.Secrets` values and `volume.MountOptions.MountFlags` are always redacted to prevent credential leaks.
[Nomad Sentinel Tutorial]: /nomad/docs/govern/sentinel
[`nomad sentinel`]: /nomad/commands/sentinel
[sentinel]: https://docs.hashicorp.com/sentinel
[JSON job specification]: /nomad/api-docs/json-jobs
[ACL token]: https://github.com/hashicorp/nomad/blob/v1.9.4/nomad/structs/structs.go#L13502-L13531
[Namespace]: https://github.com/hashicorp/nomad/blob/v1.9.4/nomad/structs/structs.go#L5578-L5610
[Node]: https://github.com/hashicorp/nomad/blob/v1.9.4/nomad/structs/structs.go#L2086-L2210
[Node Pool]: https://github.com/hashicorp/nomad/blob/v1.9.4/nomad/structs/node_pool.go#L46-L68
[Dynamic Host Volume]: https://github.com/hashicorp/nomad/blob/main/nomad/structs/host_volumes.go#L18-L87
[CSI Volume]: https://github.com/hashicorp/nomad/blob/main/nomad/structs/csi.go#L249-L312