Ansible

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  1. Ansible: Automated Server Configuration

This article provides a comprehensive introduction to Ansible, a powerful automation tool used for configuration management, application deployment, task automation, and orchestration. It's aimed at newcomers to our MediaWiki server environment who wish to understand how Ansible contributes to maintaining a stable and scalable infrastructure. Ansible is crucial for managing our server farm and ensuring consistent configurations across all servers.

== What is Ansible?

Ansible is an open-source automation engine that simplifies complex IT tasks. Unlike some other configuration management tools, Ansible doesn't require agents to be installed on the managed nodes (target servers). It connects to them over SSH (Secure Shell) and executes tasks defined in YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) files, known as *playbooks*. This agentless architecture makes it easy to deploy and maintain. Ansible helps us maintain a consistent server environment and reduce manual errors.

== Key Components

Ansible consists of several key components:

  • **Control Node:** The machine where Ansible is installed and from which playbooks are executed. This is often a dedicated jump server.
  • **Managed Nodes:** The servers that Ansible manages. These are the targets of the automation tasks. These nodes need SSH access configured.
  • **Inventory:** A list of the managed nodes, organized into groups. This is typically a text file, but can be dynamically generated. We use a dynamic inventory system linked to our cloud provider.
  • **Modules:** Pre-built tasks that Ansible uses to perform specific actions, such as installing packages, creating users, or configuring files. There are modules for a wide range of tasks and systems.
  • **Playbooks:** YAML files that define the tasks to be executed on the managed nodes, in a specific order. They are the core of Ansible automation.
  • **Roles:** A way to organize playbooks into reusable units, promoting modularity and maintainability. We extensively use roles for common configurations like web server setup or database configuration.

== Ansible Architecture

Component Description
Control Node Executes playbooks and communicates with managed nodes.
Managed Node The server being configured or managed.
Inventory A list of managed nodes, grouped for organization.
Module A reusable task, such as installing a package.
Playbook A YAML file defining the automation tasks.

== Installation and Setup

On the control node (typically a Linux server, we recommend Debian or Ubuntu), Ansible can be installed using the package manager.

```bash sudo apt update sudo apt install ansible ```

After installation, verify it by running:

```bash ansible --version ```

You'll then need to configure your inventory file (usually `/etc/ansible/hosts`) with the IP addresses or hostnames of your managed nodes. Ensure SSH access is configured with key-based authentication for seamless communication. See our SSH key management page for details.

== Basic Ansible Concepts: Playbooks and Modules

A playbook is a YAML file that defines a set of tasks to be executed on managed nodes. Here’s a simple example:

```yaml --- - hosts: webservers 

 become: yes  # Use sudo
 tasks:
   - name: Ensure Apache is installed
     apt:
       name: apache2
       state: present
   - name: Ensure Apache is running
     service:
       name: apache2
       state: started
       enabled: yes

```

This playbook targets the `webservers` group in your inventory, uses `sudo` to execute tasks with elevated privileges, and performs two tasks: installs the Apache web server and ensures it's running and enabled to start on boot. The `apt` and `service` lines utilize Ansible modules.

== Inventory Management

The inventory file is crucial for organizing and managing your servers. Here's a basic example:

```ini [webservers] webserver1.example.com webserver2.example.com

[databases] dbserver1.example.com dbserver2.example.com

[all:vars] ansible_user=deploy ansible_ssh_private_key_file=/home/deploy/.ssh/id_rsa ```

This example defines two groups, `webservers` and `databases`, and sets variables that apply to all managed nodes, such as the SSH user and private key file. We utilize a dynamic inventory system through our configuration management database.

== Advanced Ansible Features

  • **Roles:** Roles allow you to encapsulate sets of tasks, variables, and handlers into reusable units. They promote modularity and make it easier to share and reuse configurations. See our Ansible Roles documentation for more details.
  • **Variables:** Variables allow you to customize playbooks and roles based on the target environment. You can define variables in the inventory file, in playbook files, or through command-line arguments.
  • **Handlers:** Handlers are tasks that are executed only when notified by other tasks. They are useful for restarting services or performing other actions that should only happen when necessary.
  • **Templates:** Ansible allows you to use templates to dynamically generate configuration files. This is especially useful when you need to customize configurations based on variables.
  • **Vault:** Ansible Vault allows you to encrypt sensitive data, such as passwords and API keys, within your playbooks and roles.

== Ansible Best Practices

Following best practices ensures maintainability and scalability:

Practice Description
Idempotency Ensure tasks can be run multiple times without changing the outcome.
Modularity Use roles to encapsulate reusable configurations.
Version Control Store playbooks and roles in a version control system like Git.
Documentation Thoroughly document your playbooks and roles.
Testing Test your playbooks in a staging environment before deploying to production.

== Ansible and Our Infrastructure

We leverage Ansible extensively throughout our infrastructure for:

  • **Automated Server Provisioning:** Spinning up new servers with pre-configured software.
  • **Configuration Management:** Ensuring consistency across all servers.
  • **Application Deployment:** Deploying and updating applications.
  • **Security Updates:** Applying security patches and updates.
  • **Monitoring Agent Deployment**: Deploying Nagios and Zabbix agents.
  • **Log Rotation Setup**: Configuring logrotate for efficient log management.

== Troubleshooting

Common issues and how to resolve them:

Issue Solution
SSH Connection Errors Verify SSH connectivity to the managed node. Check firewall rules and SSH configuration.
Module Errors Check the module documentation for correct syntax and parameters.
Playbook Syntax Errors Use a YAML validator to check for syntax errors.
Inventory Errors Verify the inventory file is correctly formatted and includes the correct hostnames or IP addresses.

For further assistance, consult the official Ansible documentation at [1](https://docs.ansible.com/) and the internal support channel.


Ansible Roles documentation Git SSH key management web server setup database configuration cloud provider jump server server farm server environment Linux server Nagios Zabbix logrotate configuration management database internal support channel


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EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/2TB) 128 GB RAM, 2 TB NVMe CPU Benchmark: 48021
EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/4TB) 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe CPU Benchmark: 48021
EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/1TB) 256 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe CPU Benchmark: 48021
EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/4TB) 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe CPU Benchmark: 48021
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