Ansible: A linux system configuration container

This pattern provides for the management of a cloud of Linux machines. It is simple enough to manage a single machine, but ansible is capable of easily scaling up to support lots of similar machines.

bootstrapping

Ansible requires python on both the local host and the remote host. In addition, the ansible python packages need to be installed on both sides. Lastly, a designated user must be created for remote administration of the host via ssh.

make depends
make bootstrap
make ping

If the ping succeeds - i.e. it replies with a pong - then the system is now ready to be controlled with ansible.

usage

Ansible uses 3 key files to manage hosts:

• inventory: which hosts are managed
• playbook.yaml: which roles are applied to which hosts
• /roles: specific instructions for the roles

To create a role, create a new directory in /roles with the name for the role. Then, create a subdirectory within the newly created folder called tasks. Within that folder, create main.yaml to contain task instructions.

Most of the action happens in /roles/WHATEVER/tasks/main.yaml.

A simple task looks like:

---
- name: Create the 'testing' user
  user: name=testing shell=/bin/zsh

To perform a dry-run of the changes:

make dry-run

Finally, to apply the changes to the host:

make install