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# install ansible in virtual environmenty
source bin/activate
python -m pip install ansible
# The below is required so ansible recognises its path (deactivate and activate)
deactivate && source bin/activate 
ansible --version

—-

Before we start is important to know the variable precedence. See this External Link and most important bits below:

Extra vars (from command-line) always win
Play vars_files
Playbook host_vars
Playbook group_vars
Inventory host_vars
Inventory group_vars
Inventory vars

Here to find a quick definition of tasks, roles, plays, playbooks and so on External Link
Modules can be: standard, installed or included in the project itself as python-scripts, we just add a folder library and we add the modules as name_of_the_module.py. libraries I might require on those py scripts are: configparser, git, shutil, AnsibleModule

cat > ansible.cfg
[defaults]
gathering = explicit
inventory = inv.yml.   # calling it hosts can be very confusing, better inv.yml
retry_files_enabled = False
# disable host checking to automatically add hosts to known_hosts
host_key_checking = False

JINJA2 TEMPLATES:
To use it in local (to test things or just to generate configurations to use them later)External Link:

transport=local # in ansible.cfg
localhost # in the hosts file
hosts: localhost & connection: local # in the main playbook

Training:
- ansible-course-1.pdf
- Shorter version: ansible-main.pdf
- ipspace-jinja2.pdf
- Sander1, Sander2

IPADDR FILTERS:
They are used extensively in j2 to validate and manipulate IPs. See the official docs and the cheatsheet:

FLAGS USAGE:
ansible_run_tags reserved keywork: Contents of the –tags CLI option, which specifies which tags will be included for the current run. Note that if –tags is not passed, this variable will default to [“all”].
So in theory this can only be used when starting an ansible script via CLI. However we can write a central playbook and then divert to other subplaybooks depending on the tag passed by any shceduling system like AWX:

 name: Process Port-Channel Summary on Cisco NXOS
 import_playbook: port_channel/playbook_nxos.yml
 when:
   - "'nxos' in ansible_run_tags"
   - "'port_channel' in ansible_run_tags"

 name: Process Port-Channel Summary on Cisco IOSXE
 import_playbook: port_channel/playbook_iosxe.yml
 when:
   - "'iosxe' in ansible_run_tags"
   - "'port_channel' in ansible_run_tags"

Tags can also be set inside the play itself and inherited. See this External Link

AD-HOC COMMANDS:
'raw' command > (unlike shell) raw does not require python to be installed in the target server, hence so used with network devices

-m : module
-a : arguments

ansible all -i inventory -m setup    # this collects facts
ansible all -i inventory -m setup    # this collects facts
ansible -i hosts all -m ping --private-key /home/student/ansible_key  # PING module, useful to test connectivity to the hosts
ansible all -i "sw-b05.dc.mycompany1.co.uk,"  -m raw -a "show version" -u jaime_santos  # comma and double quotes are needed
ansible -i ini/hosts "linux1," -m raw -a "/usr/sbin/ip route" 
ansible all -m raw -a "show version" -u jaime_santos -i ini/hosts  # raw module doesn't require python installed in the remote 'router'
ansible <host1> -m command -a "grep lisa /etc/shadow"   # this is more for linux, it uses module 'command'

The 'command' module above ^, when used in the playbook, dumps the output in the 'register' variable
PLAYBOOKS

YAML SYNTAX:
Follow this recommendatrions: External Link

Call all playbooks playbook.yml and keep in separate folders
Add this to vimr
- autocmd FileType yaml setlocal ai ts=2 sw=2 et

ansible-playbook -i vyos.example.net, -u jaime_santos  first_playbook.yml
ansible-playbook -i ini/hosts -l all get_dev_facts_screen.yml    # Output in screen, facts defined in the playbook
ansible-playbook -i ini/hosts -l all get_all_facts.yml    # Output in 'results_facts' folder, all available facts downloaded.

FLAGS:

-i inventory
-u connect as this User
-e set additional variables: example -e ansible_network_os=vyos
-l to select a group or an individual server from ini/hosts file

For more info: External Link

ANSIBLE.CFG NOTES:

we can place an ansible.cfg file in our project folder. It will override the default one
host_key_checking = false
gather_facts: no # this generally goes in the play level

Note example below where we place all variable in a var file:

~ hosts: crpnycnetdev02
  connection: local
  gather_facts: no
  vars_files:
    ~ vars/sflinx.yml
    ~ vars/env_site.yml
  tasks:
    ~ name: Generate Configsc
      template:
          src: "templates/cspolicy.j2"
          dest: "configs/api_{{filter_condition}}_{{item.key}}.cfg"
      with_dict: "{{ sites }}

The var file simply looks like this:

~~~
# ./vars/name_vars.yml

name: World     # then, in another playbook, the var can be referred as {{name}}

This is another way to parse jinja2 templates into result files External Link. Remember lookups are just plugins, so multiple functions. See External Link

set_fact: data="{{lookup('template','templates/node-model.j2')}}"    # returns a string containing the results of processing that template.

ACCESS TO DICTIONARY EXAMPLES AND MORE:

Example of lists and dictionaries. If we add register to the play's loop, the variable specified will contain all responses from the module:

~~~
~ name: Test loop over list and dict
  hosts: all
  become: true
  vars:
    my_grocery_list:
    ~ milk
    ~ butter
    my_car_preferences:
      brand: mercedes
      model: G
  tasks:
    ~ name: Loop over list
      debug:
        msg: "(( item }}"
      loop: "{{ my_grocery_list }}"
  tasks:
    ~ name: Loop over dict
      debug:
        msg: "{{ item.key }}  {{ item.value }}"
      loop: "{{ my_car_preferences | dict2items }}"

ITERITEMS AND MAP

If we want a loop on a dictionary, we use dict2items

!! This is the template
! note: 'map' filter does not transform. It either applies a filter to all a sequence of objects and/or looks up an attribute.
{
  "vlans": {
{% for customer,svc in services.iteritems()
     if inventory_hostname in svc.ports|map(attribute='node') 
       and svc.state|default("") != "absent" %}
    "{{svc.vlan}}": "{{customer}}"{% if not(loop.last) %},{% endif %}
{% endfor %}
!
!! This is the vars file (included in the play with ''include_vars'')
---
ACME:
  vlan: 100
  ports:
  - { node: leaf-1, port: "Ethernet2/1", site: "ACME Downtown" }
  - { node: leaf-2, port: "Ethernet2/3", site: "ACME Remote" }
Wonka: ...

>>> with_dict: "{{ sites }}
>>> loop: "{{ my_car_preferences | dict2items }}"
>>> if inventory_hostname in svc.ports|map(attribute='node')

# Configuration management. After templeting, we need to push the configurations to the box

opt 1: built in modules.
1. opt1.1: napalm
2. ntc # multi-vendor based on netmiko. eg: ntc_show_command

# ansible-playbook playbook.yml --tags-push
# ansible-playbook playbook.yml --tags-push --limit csr1 # limit this job to this group/device
# ansible-playbook playbook.yml --tags=connfig

Example of a module's parameters(1) in playbooks:
(1) (I would call them commands instead). See https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/asa_config_module.html

match
lines
provider

INVENTORY

ansible-inventory -i ./hosts.yml --list  # to expand and verify the inventory file

We can also use dynamic inventories (mostly useful when we connect to clouds). There are py scripts for this which , for example spits in json format all hosts it finds in dns etc/hosts and anywhere else.

VARIABLES:

These are all the Reserved Variables in Ansible

playbook_dir : is a tring with the dictory where the playbook is running.
inventory_hostname : the ‘current’ host being iterated over in the play
- example: dest: playbook_dir/output/inventory_hostname_facts.txt

If we want to check the value of variables, before doing anything we them, we can use the module debug
Useful when dealing with managed hosts where specifics are different.
We use the vars (note the plural) module in the playbooks

Variable: referenced with Double Curly braces var
Use subl to edit/create the yaml files. See if pycharm is up for it too or just np++ can equally do.

Variables can be:

In the own playbook
- var field

~ hosts: all
    vars:
      web_package: httpd

Somewhere else:
inventory file ( these are possible variables in the inventory Link )
From a file ( vars_files or include_vars ) : vars_files are read when the play starts. include_vars are read when the play reaches the task. You probably might be interested also in Variable precedence. More info here

~ hosts: all
  vars_files:
    ~ var/users.yml

inventory vars
var
var_file list
'magic' variables: hostvars, groups, group_names, inventory_hostname check this External Link
IMPORTANT VARIABLES:
- ansible_network_os : can be: ios (classical and ios xe), iosxr, nxos ..
- ansible_user
- ansible_password

Precedence can be found in this Link.
Basically is : 1.- extra vars (-e in the command line) always win ; 2.- vars in play ; 3.- play vars_files ; 4.- facts ; 5.- inventory
http://docs.ansible.com/ansible/playbooks_variables.html

# - inventory_hostname is the name of the hostname as configured in Ansible’s inventory host file. 
ansible-playbook -e "var=value" # overrides everything

REGEX:
To modify parts of existing configuration files depending on what is already there: lineinfile. It uses classical linux regex types.

~ name: Ensure SELinux is set to enforcing mode
  lineinfile:
    path: /etc/selinux/config
    regexp: '^SELINUX='
    line: SELINUX=enforcing

CONDITIONALS:

handlers
- notify the event the handler listens to, to be executed. then we have handler keyword instead of 'task'. The name of the notify and the handler is the same. Is the link between them two
- handlers have a main.yml. It defines handlers used in the role
items (iterations)
when. (conditional)
blocks ( if-then-else )
register ( to store the result of a task in a variable )
fail ( to catch failures )

LOOPS TO PROCESS A LIST OF ITEMS:

Use loop (legacy: or with_<lookup>)
it uses item keyword to go through the list.

~~~
- name: install and start services
  hosts: ansible1
  tasks:
  - name: install packages
    yum:
      name:
      - vsftpd
      - httpd
      - samba
      state: latest
  - name: start the services
    service:
      name: "{{ item }}"
      state: started
      enabled: yes
    loop:
    - vsftpd
    - httpd
    - smb

This is a loop traversing a list of dictionaries: https://github.com/sandervanvugt/ansiblefundamentals/blob/master/loop_on_vars.yaml

FACT GATHERING:

All via the setup module
It goes to a variable called “ansible_facts “which is not an env variable and is only accessible via ansible. Nonetheless we can dump them to a file.

ansible all -m setup -a "filter=*ipv4"
ansible ubuntu -m setup # adhoc command, to see the whole fact 
ansible -i host localhost -m setup

This is how you go down the facts json tree and select one field. This to add the different parts of the fact (list, dictionaries..) Link

~~~
~ name: Facts2
  hosts: localhost
  gather_facts: yes
  tasks:
  ~ name: task1
    debug:
      msg: "{{ ansible_facts['distribution'] }}"

This is to apply a when statement to the result of a fact section:

~~~
~ name: Facts2
  hosts: localhost
  tasks:
  ~ name: show fact element
    debug:
      msg: "{{ ansible_default_ipv4.mtu }}"
  ~ name: do something when mtu is 9000
    debug:
      msg: "THE_INTERFACE_IS_JUMBO!!!"
    when: ansible_default_ipv4.mtu == 9000

This is how you go down the facts json tree and assign the value to a variable: TODO

~~TODO~~

ASSERT
Checks the veracity of an expression. See https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/assert_module.html
Example:

~ name: "ASSERT >> Ensure VPN3 RT difference succeeded"
  assert:
    that:
      - "rt_updates[2]['name'] == 'VPN3'"
      - "rt_updates[2]['description'] == 'third VRF'"

NOW FOR JUNOS DEVICES

Core junos modules included with ansible: Link
- Be sure this is in the ansible conf or you will get “msg”: “name 'known_hosts_lookup' is not defined”
  - host_key_checking = False
- There's no python running in the remote device (switch), so you need this in the playbook!:
  - connection: local
This is to verify netconf is working in the net device:

ANSIBLE DEGUB (ansible troubleshooting):
Check this guide/section: docs.ansible.com

# Specify the location for the log file
export ANSIBLE_LOG_PATH=~/ansible.log
# Enable Debug
export ANSIBLE_DEBUG=True
# Run with 4*v for connection level verbosity
ansible-playbook -vvvv ...

ROLES and Junos specifics

Roles (network engine role) act as wrappers. They allows us to use a yaml based parser (command_parser) instead of custom filters. This way, we make the code much shorter.
ansible-galaxy is a collection of roles

~In the device: set system services netconf traceoptions [file netconf , lag all ]
From a linux box: ssh jaime_santos@loncr02.dc -t netconf # to exit the session <close-session>
This is to enable full local logs for ansible

The below is part of the junos_facts (galaxy juniper.junos module) Juniper.junos. Use these as examples:https://junos-ansible-modules.readthedocs.io/en/2.4.0/ ; Junos galaxy page: Link

~~~
~ name: Facts2
  hosts: GYRON    
  connection: local
  gather_facts: no
  roles:
    ~ Juniper.junos
  tasks:
  ~ name: Gather Junos facts with no configuration
    juniper_junos_facts:

Example of juniper_junos_facts

ENABLE SSH KEY AUTHENTICATION

MY TEMPLATES
add_addresses_asa1.txt
ansible_config_generator1.txt

ACUMOS PROJECT (linux fundation project, machine learning for networking):
https://www.acumos.org/author/acumos/ https://www.linuxfoundation.org/press-release/2018/03/the-linux-foundation-launches-open-source-acumos-ai-project/

All tools in a docker instance:: https://packetpushers.net/building-a-docker-network-automation-container/

ANSIBLE CUSTOM FILTERS
See Pluralsight folder: PLURALSIGHT/automating-networks-ansible-right-way/05/demos/m5/tests/tasks/test_rt_diff.yml

# Note that for a filter to get two arguments, first is left to the pipe and rests are between parenthesis
- name: "Find route-target differences"
  set_fact:
    rt_updates: "{{ int_vrf_list | rt_diff(run_vrf_dict) }}"

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