Complete Ansible Automation Training

Ansible Automation with Simple

Playbooks
 YAML File Syntax
IMPORTANT Things to Remember!

✓ All tasks are executed in sequential order

✓ Each task is processed one at a time

✓ Indentation is extremely important

✓ No <tabs> in yaml file

✓ Only use spaces

✓ Empty lines have no value

✓ File extension is usually .yml or .yaml

By: Imran Afzal

www.utclisolutions.com
 YAML File Syntax
IMPORTANT Things to Remember!

✓ No difference in double quotes or NO quotes for a task name:

✓ YAML Playbook files can be placed anywhere on the filesystem as long as they are being
executed with absolute path

✓ When a flat file is written in YAML format to execute tasks/plays then it is called
playbook

✓ There is NO need to modify the file permission

rwx--x--x

By: Imran Afzal

www.utclisolutions.com
 YAML File Syntax Example
---
Name of the playbook
- name: sampleplaybook
hosts: all or localhost Where to run?
become: yes Run as a different user?
become_user: root

tasks:
Define the name of the task
- name: Install Apache httpd
yum: Run task module yum
name: httpd Name of the package
state: present
What to do? -- Install
- name: 2nd task
service:
name: httpd
state: started
• Ansible modules and options
https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/2.5/modules/
Declare task By: Imran Afzal
www.utclisolutions.com
 Creating First Playbook
• There are online yaml tools you can use to create Playbooks
• https://onlineyamltools.com/edit-yaml
• https://codebeautify.org/yaml-editor-online

• Tools to download
• Notepad++ Windows

• Take a snapshot after installing Ansible software

# su - root • Check syntax of playbook
# mkdir /etc/ansible/playbooks # anisble-playbook --syntax-check first.yml
# cd /etc/ansible/playbooks Or to do a dry run
# vim first.yml # anisble-playbook --check first.yml

---
- name: “My first playbook”
hosts: localhost
• Run the playbook
# anisble-playbook /root/ansible/first.yml
tasks:
- name: “test connectivity”
ping:
By: Imran Afzal
www.utclisolutions.com
 Creating First Playbook
Please note:

• Running ansible without a playbook

# ansible

• Running ansible with a playbook

# ansible-playbook

By: Imran Afzal

www.utclisolutions.com
 Output Playbook
This playbook will print “Hello World” on localhost

# cd /etc/ansible/playbook
# vim helloworld.yml

---
- name: My Second playbook Name of the play or playbook
hosts: localhost Run on localhost

tasks: Run the following task

- name: Print Hello World Name of the task
debug: msg="Hello World" Run debug module which prints statements during execution

Run the playbook

# anisble-playbook helloworld.yml

By: Imran Afzal

www.utclisolutions.com
 Multiple Tasks Playbook
The playbook will ping localhost and print “Hello World”
# vim mtask.yml

---
- name: Running 2 tasks Name of the play
hosts: localhost Run it on local host
tasks: Run the following task
- name: Test connectivity Name of the task
ping: Run the ping module
- name: Print Hello World Name of the 2nd task
debug: msg=“Hello World” Run the debug module

Run the playbook

# anisble-playbook mtask.yml

By: Imran Afzal

www.utclisolutions.com
Installing and Starting a Package
# vim packinstall.yml

---
- name: Installing and Running apache
hosts: localhost

tasks:
- name: Install apache
yum:
name: httpd
state: present

- name: start httpd

service:
name: httpd
state: started

Run the playbook

# anisble-playbook packinstall.yml
By: Imran Afzal
www.utclisolutions.com