Example salt-ssh pillar

Create dir:
/srv/salt/pillars/

Files:
[root@master pillars]# cat top.sls
base:
  '*':
    - defines
[root@master pillars]# cat defines.sls
ssh:
  port: 11022

Add this to /etc/salt/master:
pillar_roots:
  base:
    - /srv/salt/pillars

Restart salt-master

Create the roster file (/etc/salt/roster):
[root@master pillars]# cat /etc/salt/roster
server1:
  host: ip
  user: sshuser
  password: sshpass

Then you should run it as salt :-)

[root@master pillars]# salt-ssh server1 pillar.get ssh port
server1:
    ----------
    port:
        11022