1. Ad Hoc

1.1. Inventory - Host file

• More in Inventory chapter

• Ansible (unless specified) command looks for inventory files in /etc/ansible/hosts

$ cat ./hosts
[myserver]
127.0.0.1

$ ansible -i ./hosts myserver -u ubuntu -a '/bin/grep PRETTY_NAME /etc/os-release'
127.0.0.1 | CHANGED | rc=0 >>
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 22.04 LTS"

$ ansible -i ./hosts all -u ubuntu -a '/bin/grep PRETTY_NAME /etc/os-release'
127.0.0.1 | CHANGED | rc=0 >>
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 22.04 LTS"

1.2. Syntax

• By default Ansible uses only 5 simultaneous processes.

• /usr/bin/ansible will default to running from your user account

• -f 10 - Sets 10 parallel forks

$ ansible [pattern] -m [module] -a '[module options]'
$ ansible [pattern] -m [module] -a '[module options]' -f 10

1.3. Become (Run as root)

Code 1.27. Run as root

$ ansible [pattern] -m [module] -a '[module options]' --become

Code 1.28. Example

$ ansible myserver -a '/usr/bin/whoami' -u ubuntu
127.0.0.1 | CHANGED | rc=0 >>
ubuntu

$ ansible myserver -a '/usr/bin/whoami' -u ubuntu --become
127.0.0.1 | CHANGED | rc=0 >>
root

1.4. Examples

$ ansible myserver -u ubuntu -m raw -a '/usr/bin/whoami'
127.0.0.1 | CHANGED | rc=0 >>
ubuntu
Shared connection to 127.0.0.1 closed.

$ ansible myserver -u ubuntu -m shell -a '/usr/bin/whoami'
127.0.0.1 | CHANGED | rc=0 >>
ubuntu

$ ansible myserver -u ubuntu -m command -a '/usr/bin/whoami'
127.0.0.1 | CHANGED | rc=0 >>
ubuntu

$ ansible myserver -u ubuntu -a '/usr/bin/whoami'
127.0.0.1 | CHANGED | rc=0 >>
ubuntu

1.5. Facts

Code 1.29. See all facts

$ ansible myserver -m setup
$ ansible all -m setup

1.6. Installing Packages

1.6.1. Package

• Detects operating system and executes apt, yum or rpm

• Universal and portable

• Preferred method

Code 1.30. Package module

$ ansible myserver -m package -a 'name=python3'
$ ansible myserver -m package -a 'name=python3 state=present'
$ ansible myserver -m package -a 'name=python3 state=absent'
$ ansible myserver -m package -a 'name=python3 state=latest'
$ ansible myserver -m package -a 'name=python3 update_cache=yes state=latest'

1.6.2. Pip

Code 1.31. Make sure python3 and pip is installed

$ ansible myserver -m package -a 'name=python3-pip state=present'

Code 1.32. Inventory file. Make sure to use python3 interpreter

[myserver]
127.0.0.1 ansible_python_interpreter=/usr/bin/python3

Code 1.33. Pip module

$ ansible myserver -m pip -a 'name=numpy'
$ ansible myserver -m pip -a 'name=numpy state=present'
$ ansible myserver -m pip -a 'name=numpy state=absent'
$ ansible myserver -m pip -a 'name=numpy state=latest'
$ ansible myserver -m pip -a 'name=numpy update_cache=yes state=latest'

1.6.3. Apt

Code 1.34. Apt module

$ ansible myserver -m apt -a 'name=python3'
$ ansible myserver -m apt -a 'name=python3 state=present'
$ ansible myserver -m apt -a 'name=python3 state=absent'
$ ansible myserver -m apt -a 'name=python3 state=latest'
$ ansible myserver -m apt -a 'name=python3 update_cache=yes state=latest'

1.6.4. Yum

Code 1.35. Yum module

$ ansible myserver -m yum -a 'name=python3'
$ ansible myserver -m yum -a 'name=python3 state=present'
$ ansible myserver -m yum -a 'name=python3 state=absent'
$ ansible myserver -m yum -a 'name=python3 state=latest'
$ ansible myserver -m yum -a 'name=python3 update_cache=yes state=latest'

1.6.5. Example

Code 1.36. apt module

$ ansible myserver -u ubuntu --become -m apt -a 'name=python3 state=present'
127.0.0.1 | SUCCESS => {
    "ansible_facts": {
        "discovered_interpreter_python": "/usr/bin/python"
    },
    "cache_update_time": 1578970172,
    "cache_updated": false,
    "changed": false
}

$ ansible localhost -m apt -a 'name=nmap state=latest'
[WARNING]: No inventory was parsed, only implicit localhost is available

[WARNING]: Updating cache and auto-installing missing dependency: python3-apt

localhost | CHANGED => {
    "cache_update_time": 1578958622,
    "cache_updated": false,
    "changed": true,
    "stderr": "debconf: delaying package configuration, since apt-utils is not installed\n",
    "stderr_lines": [
        "debconf: delaying package configuration, since apt-utils is not installed"
    ],
    "stdout": "Reading package lists...\nBuilding dependency tree...\nReading state information...\nThe following additional packages will be installed:\n  libblas3 liblinear3 liblua5.3-0 libpcap0.8\nSuggested packages:\n  liblinear-tools liblinear-dev ndiff\nThe following NEW packages will be installed:\n  libblas3 liblinear3 liblua5.3-0 libpcap0.8 nmap\n0 upgraded, 5 newly installed, 0 to remove and 2 not upgraded.\nNeed to get 5585 kB of archives.\nAfter this operation, 25.3 MB of additional disk space will be used.\nGet:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 libpcap0.8 amd64 1.8.1-6ubuntu1.18.04.1 [118 kB]\nGet:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 libblas3 amd64 3.7.1-4ubuntu1 [140 kB]\nGet:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 liblinear3 amd64 2.1.0+dfsg-2 [39.3 kB]\nGet:4 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 liblua5.3-0 amd64 5.3.3-1ubuntu0.18.04.1 [115 kB]\nGet:5 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 nmap amd64 7.60-1ubuntu5 [5174 kB]\nFetched 5585 kB in 0s (28.6 MB/s)\nSelecting previously unselected package libpcap0.8:amd64.\r\n(Reading database ... \r(Reading database ... 5%\r(Reading database ... 10%\r(Reading database ... 15%\r(Reading database ... 20%\r(Reading database ... 25%\r(Reading database ... 30%\r(Reading database ... 35%\r(Reading database ... 40%\r(Reading database ... 45%\r(Reading database ... 50%\r(Reading database ... 55%\r(Reading database ... 60%\r(Reading database ... 65%\r(Reading database ... 70%\r(Reading database ... 75%\r(Reading database ... 80%\r(Reading database ... 85%\r(Reading database ... 90%\r(Reading database ... 95%\r(Reading database ... 100%\r(Reading database ... 15076 files and directories currently installed.)\r\nPreparing to unpack .../libpcap0.8_1.8.1-6ubuntu1.18.04.1_amd64.deb ...\r\nUnpacking libpcap0.8:amd64 (1.8.1-6ubuntu1.18.04.1) ...\r\nSelecting previously unselected package libblas3:amd64.\r\nPreparing to unpack .../libblas3_3.7.1-4ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...\r\nUnpacking libblas3:amd64 (3.7.1-4ubuntu1) ...\r\nSelecting previously unselected package liblinear3:amd64.\r\nPreparing to unpack .../liblinear3_2.1.0+dfsg-2_amd64.deb ...\r\nUnpacking liblinear3:amd64 (2.1.0+dfsg-2) ...\r\nSelecting previously unselected package liblua5.3-0:amd64.\r\nPreparing to unpack .../liblua5.3-0_5.3.3-1ubuntu0.18.04.1_amd64.deb ...\r\nUnpacking liblua5.3-0:amd64 (5.3.3-1ubuntu0.18.04.1) ...\r\nSelecting previously unselected package nmap.\r\nPreparing to unpack .../nmap_7.60-1ubuntu5_amd64.deb ...\r\nUnpacking nmap (7.60-1ubuntu5) ...\r\nSetting up libblas3:amd64 (3.7.1-4ubuntu1) ...\r\nupdate-alternatives: using /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/blas/libblas.so.3 to provide /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libblas.so.3 (libblas.so.3-x86_64-linux-gnu) in auto mode\r\nSetting up liblinear3:amd64 (2.1.0+dfsg-2) ...\r\nSetting up liblua5.3-0:amd64 (5.3.3-1ubuntu0.18.04.1) ...\r\nSetting up libpcap0.8:amd64 (1.8.1-6ubuntu1.18.04.1) ...\r\nSetting up nmap (7.60-1ubuntu5) ...\r\nProcessing triggers for libc-bin (2.27-3ubuntu1) ...\r\n",
    "stdout_lines": [
        "Reading package lists...",
        "Building dependency tree...",
        "Reading state information...",
        "The following additional packages will be installed:",
        "  libblas3 liblinear3 liblua5.3-0 libpcap0.8",
        "Suggested packages:",
        "  liblinear-tools liblinear-dev ndiff",
        "The following NEW packages will be installed:",
        "  libblas3 liblinear3 liblua5.3-0 libpcap0.8 nmap",
        "0 upgraded, 5 newly installed, 0 to remove and 2 not upgraded.",
        "Need to get 5585 kB of archives.",
        "After this operation, 25.3 MB of additional disk space will be used.",
        "Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 libpcap0.8 amd64 1.8.1-6ubuntu1.18.04.1 [118 kB]",
        "Get:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 libblas3 amd64 3.7.1-4ubuntu1 [140 kB]",
        "Get:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 liblinear3 amd64 2.1.0+dfsg-2 [39.3 kB]",
        "Get:4 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates/main amd64 liblua5.3-0 amd64 5.3.3-1ubuntu0.18.04.1 [115 kB]",
        "Get:5 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/main amd64 nmap amd64 7.60-1ubuntu5 [5174 kB]",
        "Fetched 5585 kB in 0s (28.6 MB/s)",
        "Selecting previously unselected package libpcap0.8:amd64.",
        "(Reading database ... ",
        "(Reading database ... 5%",
        "(Reading database ... 10%",
        "(Reading database ... 15%",
        "(Reading database ... 20%",
        "(Reading database ... 25%",
        "(Reading database ... 30%",
        "(Reading database ... 35%",
        "(Reading database ... 40%",
        "(Reading database ... 45%",
        "(Reading database ... 50%",
        "(Reading database ... 55%",
        "(Reading database ... 60%",
        "(Reading database ... 65%",
        "(Reading database ... 70%",
        "(Reading database ... 75%",
        "(Reading database ... 80%",
        "(Reading database ... 85%",
        "(Reading database ... 90%",
        "(Reading database ... 95%",
        "(Reading database ... 100%",
        "(Reading database ... 15076 files and directories currently installed.)",
        "Preparing to unpack .../libpcap0.8_1.8.1-6ubuntu1.18.04.1_amd64.deb ...",
        "Unpacking libpcap0.8:amd64 (1.8.1-6ubuntu1.18.04.1) ...",
        "Selecting previously unselected package libblas3:amd64.",
        "Preparing to unpack .../libblas3_3.7.1-4ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...",
        "Unpacking libblas3:amd64 (3.7.1-4ubuntu1) ...",
        "Selecting previously unselected package liblinear3:amd64.",
        "Preparing to unpack .../liblinear3_2.1.0+dfsg-2_amd64.deb ...",
        "Unpacking liblinear3:amd64 (2.1.0+dfsg-2) ...",
        "Selecting previously unselected package liblua5.3-0:amd64.",
        "Preparing to unpack .../liblua5.3-0_5.3.3-1ubuntu0.18.04.1_amd64.deb ...",
        "Unpacking liblua5.3-0:amd64 (5.3.3-1ubuntu0.18.04.1) ...",
        "Selecting previously unselected package nmap.",
        "Preparing to unpack .../nmap_7.60-1ubuntu5_amd64.deb ...",
        "Unpacking nmap (7.60-1ubuntu5) ...",
        "Setting up libblas3:amd64 (3.7.1-4ubuntu1) ...",
        "update-alternatives: using /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/blas/libblas.so.3 to provide /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libblas.so.3 (libblas.so.3-x86_64-linux-gnu) in auto mode",
        "Setting up liblinear3:amd64 (2.1.0+dfsg-2) ...",
        "Setting up liblua5.3-0:amd64 (5.3.3-1ubuntu0.18.04.1) ...",
        "Setting up libpcap0.8:amd64 (1.8.1-6ubuntu1.18.04.1) ...",
        "Setting up nmap (7.60-1ubuntu5) ...",
        "Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.27-3ubuntu1) ..."
    ]
}