User’s guide
Introduction
Run this role to install and configure Ansible. Optionally, install Ansible plugins, checkout repo with the source code, and download the Ansible release notes.
Ansible role: ansible
Supported systems:
Requirements:
Installation
The most convenient way how to install an Ansible role is to use
Ansible Galaxy CLI ansible-galaxy
. The utility comes with the
standard Ansible package and provides the user with a simple interface
to the Ansible Galaxy’s services. For example, take a look at the
current status of the role
shell> ansible-galaxy role info vbotka.ansible
and install it
shell> ansible-galaxy role install vbotka.ansible
Install the library
shell> ansible-galaxy role install vbotka.ansible_lib
and install the collection if necessary
shell> ansible-galaxy collection install community.general
See also
To install specific versions from various sources see Installing content
Take a look at other roles
shell> ansible-galaxy search --author=vbotka
Playbook
Below is a simple playbook that calls this role (10) at a single host srv.example.com (2)
1shell> cat ansible.yml
2- hosts: srv.example.com
3 gather_facts: true
4 connection: ssh
5 remote_user: admin
6 become: true
7 become_user: root
8 become_method: sudo
9 roles:
10 - vbotka.ansible
Note
gather_facts: true
(3) must be set to gather facts
needed to evaluate OS-specific options of the role. For example, to
install packages, the variable ansible_os_family
is needed to
select the appropriate Ansible module.
See also
For details see Connection Plugins (4-5)
See also Understanding Privilege Escalation (6-8)
Debug
To see additional debug information enable debug output in the configuration
ma_debug: true
, or set the extra variable in the command
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml -e ma_debug=true
Note
The debug output of this role is optimized for the yaml callback plugin. Set this plugin for example in the environment
shell> export ANSIBLE_STDOUT_CALLBACK=yaml
.See details about the yaml callback plugin
shell> ansible-doc -t callback yaml
See list of other callback plugins
shell> ansible-doc -t callback -l
See also
Tasks
Test single tasks at single remote host test_01. Create a playbook
shell> cat ansible.yml
- hosts: test_01
become: true
roles:
- vbotka.ansible
Customize configuration in host_vars/test_01/ma-*.yml
and check the syntax
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml --syntax-check
Then dry-run the selected task and see what will be changed. Replace <tag> with valid tag.
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml -t <tag> --check --diff
When all seems to be ready run the command. Run the command twice and make sure the playbook and the configuration is idempotent
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml -t <tag>
Install Ansible package
There are three options:
Install OS-specific packages
Install PyPI package
Install PyPI package in Python virtual environment
By default, nothing will be installed:
ma_pkg_install: false
ma_pip_install: false
ma_venv_install: false
By default, the options are mutually exclusive
ma_sanity_pip_exclusive: true
Install OS-specific packages
Dry run the installation and see what will be installed
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml -t ma_pkg -e ma_debug=true -e ma_pkg_install=true -CD
If all is right install the package
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml -t ma_pkg -e ma_debug=true -e ma_pkg_install=true
See also
Annotated Source code pkg.yml
Install PyPI package
Dry run the installation and see what will be installed
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml -t ma_pip -e ma_debug=true -e ma_pip_install=true -CD
If all is right install the package
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml -t ma_pip -e ma_debug=true -e ma_pip_install=true
See also
Annotated Source code pip.yml
Install PyPI package in Python virtual environment
Dry run the installation and see what will be installed
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml -t ma_venv -e ma_debug=true -e ma_venv_install=true -CD
If all is right install the package
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml -t ma_venv -e ma_debug=true -e ma_venv_install=true
See also
Annotated Source code venv.yml
Configure Ansible
Synopsis
Configure Ansible <WIP>.
See also
Annotated Source code config.yml
Install Ansible plugins
Synopsis
Install Ansible plugins.
See also
Annotated Source code plugins.yml
Examples
Ansible devel
Synopsis
Ansible development <WIP>.
See also
Annotated Source code devel.yml
Examples
Variables
The default variables are stored in the directory defaults. OS specific variables are stored in the directory vars/defaults.
See also
Annotated Source code vars.yml
<TBD>
1---
2# default vars for ansible
3
4ma_pkg_install: false
5ma_pip_install: false
6ma_venv_install: false
7
8ma_packages_state: present
9# ma_packages see vars/defaults
10ma_pip_packages_state: present
11ma_pip_packages:
12 - name: ansible
13 state: "{{ ma_pip_packages_state }}"
14
15ma_debug: false
16ma_backup_conf: false
17
18ma_supported_linux_family: [RedHat, Debian]
19ma_pip_extraagrs: --user --upgrade
20
21# Sanity
22ma_sanity: true
23# Test ma_pip_install, ma_venv_install, and ma_pkg_install are mutually exclusive
24ma_sanity_pip_exclusive: true
25# Test ma_owner is defined
26ma_sanity_pip_owner_defined: "{{ ma_pip_install }}"
27# Test ma_pip_executable exists
28ma_sanity_pip_exists: "{{ ma_pip_install }}"
29
30# FreeBSD
31freebsd_install_retries: 3
32freebsd_install_delay: 10
33freebsd_install_method: packages
34# freebsd_install_method: ports
35freebsd_use_packages: true
36
37# Linux
38linux_install_retries: 3
39linux_install_delay: 10
40
41# pip
42pip_install_retries: 3
43pip_install_delay: 10
44
45# venv
46ma_virtualenv: $HOME/env
47
48# Config
49ma_config: []
50# ma_config_type options: template, lineinfile, ini_file
51# See tasks/configure.yml
52ma_config_type: template
53ma_config_template_default: ansible-auto.cfg.j2
54ma_src_path: /usr/local/ansible/src
55
56# ARA
57ma_ara: false
58
59# Plugins
60ma_plugins_paths_list: []
61ma_plugins_path: /usr/local/ansible/plugins
62ma_plugins: []
63ma_plugins_sections:
64 action_plugins: defaults
65 cache_plugins: defaults
66 callback_plugins: defaults
67 connection_plugins: defaults
68 filter_plugins: defaults
69 httpapi_plugins: defaults
70 inventory_plugins: defaults
71 lookup_plugins: defaults
72 netconf_plugins: defaults
73 strategy_plugins: defaults
74 terminal_plugins: defaults
75 test_plugins: defaults
76 vars_plugins: defaults
77
78# Devel
79ma_devel: false
80ma_devel_owner: root
81ma_repo: false
82ma_repo_version: devel
83ma_repo_url: https://github.com/ansible/ansible
84ma_repo_dir: /scratch/ansible-git
85ma_rnotes: false
86ma_rnotes_core_url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ansible/ansible/stable-
87ma_rnotes_core_dir: /scratch/ansible-release-notes/core
88ma_rnotes_core_list: ["2.14", "2.15", "2.16"]
89ma_rnotes_build_url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ansible-community/ansible-build-data/main/
90ma_rnotes_build_dir: /scratch/ansible-release-notes/build
91ma_rnotes_build_list: ["7", "8", "9"]
92
93# EOF
94...
Best practice
Test syntax
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml --syntax-check
Display and review the variables. Then disable debug
ma_debug=false
to speedup the playbook
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml -t ma_debug -e ma_debug=true
Install OS-packages ma_pkg_install=true
or PyPI packages
ma_pip_install=true
. Optionally, install the packages in Python
virtual environment ma_venv_install=true
. Then disable the
installation to speedup the playbook
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml -t ma_pkg -e ma_pkg_install=true
Create directories. The following check would fail without the directories
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml -t ma_plugins_dirs,ma_src_path
If you want to download the repository and the release notes create also these directories
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml -t ma_repo_path,ma_rnotes_path
Run the playbook in the check mode and review the changes
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml --check --diff
If all seems to be right run the playbook. The role and the configuration data in the examples are idempotent. After the installation and configuration completed there should be no changes reported by ansible-playbook when running the playbook repeatedly
shell> ansible-playbook ansible.yml