Day-06 | Create Resources on AWS using Ansible | Ansible Variables Demo | Ansible Vault Demo

Introduction

In this tutorial, we'll explore how to create resources on AWS using Ansible. We will cover Ansible collections, the use of variables for optimization, and demonstrate these concepts through a practical example. Additionally, we'll discuss best practices for organizing roles and the structure of playbooks.

Step 1: Understanding Ansible Collections

Ansible collections are packages of Ansible content that include playbooks, roles, modules, and plugins. They facilitate easier sharing and reuse of Ansible content.

• Explore existing collections:

  • Use the command ansible-galaxy collection list to view installed collections.
  • Browse Ansible Galaxy for additional collections to install.

• Install a collection:

  • Run the following command to install a collection:

    ansible-galaxy collection install <namespace>.<collection_name>
    

Step 2: Utilizing Ansible Variables

Variables in Ansible allow you to make your playbooks more dynamic and reusable.

• Define variables in a playbook:

  • You can define variables at different levels: globally, within a play, or within a task.

• Example of defining variables:

  - hosts: all
    vars:
      instance_type: "t2.micro"
      region: "us-east-1"
    tasks:
      - name: Launch an EC2 instance
        ec2:
          key_name: my_key
          instance_type: "{{ instance_type }}"
          region: "{{ region }}"
          image: ami-123456
          wait: yes
  

• Use variable files:

  • Store variables in separate YAML files and include them in your playbook for better organization.

  vars_files:
    - vars/main.yml
  

Step 3: Implementing Ansible Vault

Ansible Vault is a tool to encrypt sensitive information, such as passwords or API keys.

• Create an encrypted file:

  • Use the command:

    ansible-vault create secrets.yml
    

  • Add sensitive variables in the encrypted file.

• Use the encrypted file in your playbook:

  • Include the vault file in your playbook:

  vars_files:
    - secrets.yml
  

• Running the playbook with vault:

  • Use the command to run the playbook with vault credentials:

    ansible-playbook playbook.yml --ask-vault-pass
    

Step 4: Best Practices for Organizing Roles and Playbooks

Efficient organization of your Ansible projects enhances maintainability and collaboration.

• Structure your project:

  project/
  ├── playbooks/
  │   └── site.yml
  ├── roles/
  │   ├── webservers/
  │   └── database/
  └── vars/
      └── main.yml
  

• Use meaningful names for roles and playbooks to clarify their purpose.

• Keep tasks modular by breaking them into smaller roles that can be reused across different playbooks.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we covered the essentials of using Ansible to create resources on AWS, including the use of collections, variables, and vaults. We also discussed best practices for organizing your roles and playbooks. Next, consider applying these techniques in your own projects to streamline your infrastructure management. For further learning, explore the additional playlists suggested in the video description.