rename_chef_node.sh

#!/usr/env/bin/knife exec
#
# Based on:
#  - https://gist.github.com/mpasternacki/1952431
#

abort("usage: knife exec #{ARGV[1]} from_id to_id") unless ARGV[3]

require 'net/ssh'
require 'net/scp'
require 'chef/config'
require 'chef/rest'

from_id = ARGV[2]
to_id = ARGV[3]

puts "Loading node #{from_id}..."
orig_node = Chef::Node.load(from_id)
puts "Changing name attribute to #{to_id}..."
orig_node.name(to_id)
puts "Saving node #{to_id}..."
orig_node.save

puts "Create client #{to_id}..."
client = Chef::ApiClient.new
client.name(to_id)
response = client.create
File.open(to_id + ".pem", 'w') { |file| file.write(response['private_key']) }

rest = Chef::ServerAPI.new(Chef::Config[:chef_server_url])
acl = rest.get_rest("nodes/#{to_id}/_acl")
perms = 'create,delete,grant,read,update'
perms.split(',').each do |perm|
  ace = acl[perm]
  next if ace['actors'].include?(to_id)
  ace['actors'] << to_id
  rest.put_rest("nodes/#{to_id}/_acl/#{perm}", perm => ace)
  puts "Put acl #{perm} => #{to_id}"
end

puts "Logging into node to #{to_id}..."
Net::SSH.start(to_id, Chef::Config[:knife][:ssh_user]) do |ssh|
  puts "Uploading validation.pem..."
  ssh.scp.upload!(to_id + ".pem", "/etc/chef/client.pem")
  puts "Running update script..."
  ssh.exec! <<EOF do |ch, stream, data|
set -e -x
chef-client -N #{to_id}
EOF
    if stream == :stderr
      STDERR.write data
      STDERR.flush
    else
      STDOUT.write data
      STDOUT.flush
    end
  end
end

unless ENV['KEEP_IT_SAFE']
  puts "Deleting node #{from_id}..."
  orig_node2 = Chef::Node.load(from_id)
  orig_node2.destroy
  puts "Deleting client #{from_id}..."
  Chef::ApiClient.load(from_id).destroy
end

puts 'Done!'

exit 0

I tested it chef-server 12.4.1.