Using Tags with the Linux Play
Learn how to use “always”, “system”, and “install” tags effectively with the Ansible Linux role for optimized playbook execution.
Categories:
Projects:
c2platform/rws/ansible-gis
,
c2platform.core
The Ansible Linux Role ( c2platform.core.linux),
similar to the Ansible Win Role ( c2platform.wincore.win)
is a versatile, flexible, and generic role designed for targeting Linux and
Windows hosts, respectively. This document outlines how the tagging scheme, as
described in the guideline
Enhancing Ansible Roles with Tags
,
can be used and implemented for the Linux role.
Consider the following Ansible play:
---
- name: Linux role
hosts: localhost
become: true
roles:
- { role: c2platform.core.secrets } # → always
- { role: c2platform.core.linux } # → install, system, linux
vars:
linux_resources:
- name: system_install_task.txt
dest: /tmp/system_install_task.txt
type: copy
content: |
whatever
Note this play is part of the
c2platform/rws/ansible-gis
project see plays/examples/linux.yml.
List Tasks
To list possible/available tags that can be used with the Ansible play, run the following command:
ansible-playbook $PLAY -i $INVENTORY $LIMIT --list-tasks
You should see output similar to the below. Notice that the tasks that are part
of the
Ansible Secrets Role ( c2platform.core.secrets)
role are tagged with always. This role decrypts the
Ansible Vault
to make secrets available. This role uses the always tag to ensure that
secrets are consistently made available to the tasks.
playbook: plays/examples/linux.yml
play #1 (localhost): Linux role TAGS: []
tasks:
c2platform.core.secrets : Set fact for common_secrets_dirs TAGS: [always, secrets, vault]
c2platform.core.secrets : Deprecated variable TAGS: [always, secrets, vault]
c2platform.core.secrets : Stat secret dir TAGS: [always, secrets, vault]
c2platform.core.secrets : Include secrets TAGS: [always, secrets, vault]
c2platform.core.vagrant_hosts : Set fact vagrant_hosts_content TAGS: [config, development, system, vagrant_hosts]
c2platform.core.vagrant_hosts : Manage /etc/hosts of Vagrant Host TAGS: [config, development, system, vagrant_hosts]
c2platform.core.vagrant_hosts : Manage hosts file of Vagrant Linux guest TAGS: [config, development, system, vagrant_hosts]
c2platform.core.vagrant_hosts : Manage hosts file of Vagrant Windows guest TAGS: [config, development, system, vagrant_hosts]
c2platform.core.vagrant_hosts : Manage hosts file of Vagrant Windows guest TAGS: [config, development, system, vagrant_hosts]
include_tasks TAGS: []
include_tasks TAGS: []
c2platform.core.apt_repo : Add APT key TAGS: [debian, install, linux, system]
c2platform.core.apt_repo : Add APT repository TAGS: [debian, install, linux, system]
c2platform.core.yum : Add YUM repository TAGS: [install, linux, redhat, system, yum]
c2platform.core.bootstrap : Pip conf TAGS: [bootstrap, install, linux, system]
c2platform.core.bootstrap : Pip trust store TAGS: [bootstrap, install, linux, system]
c2platform.core.bootstrap : Pip ca bundle TAGS: [bootstrap, install, linux, system]
c2platform.core.bootstrap : Include package tasks TAGS: [bootstrap, install, linux, system]
c2platform.core.bootstrap : Deprecation message TAGS: [bootstrap, install, linux, system]
c2platform.core.os_trusts : CA distribute ( RedHat) TAGS: [config, linux, os_trusts, system]
c2platform.core.os_trusts : Execute update-ca-trust TAGS: [config, linux, os_trusts, system]
c2platform.core.os_trusts : CA distribute ( Debian ) TAGS: [config, linux, os_trusts, system]
c2platform.core.os_trusts : Execute update-ca-certificates ( Debian ) TAGS: [config, linux, os_trusts, system]
c2platform.core.secrets : Set fact for common_secrets_dirs TAGS: [always, secrets, vault]
c2platform.core.secrets : Deprecated variable TAGS: [always, secrets, vault]
c2platform.core.secrets : Stat secret dir TAGS: [always, secrets, vault]
c2platform.core.secrets : Include secrets TAGS: [always, secrets, vault]
c2platform.core.lcm : Ansible roles names without prefix TAGS: [ansible]
c2platform.core.lcm : lcm_roles_node TAGS: [ansible]
c2platform.core.lcm : Determine LCM info facts TAGS: [ansible]
c2platform.core.lcm : LCM info facts TAGS: [ansible]
c2platform.core.lvm : Get disks TAGS: [install, linux, lvm, system]
c2platform.core.lvm : Get usable devices TAGS: [install, linux, lvm, system]
c2platform.core.lvm : Get nodes lvm roles TAGS: [install, linux, lvm, system]
include_tasks TAGS: [install, linux, lvm, system]
c2platform.core.lvm : Volume group TAGS: [install, linux, lvm, system]
include_tasks TAGS: [install, linux, lvm, system]
c2platform.core.hosts : Include OS-specific variables. TAGS: [hosts, install, linux, network, system]
include_tasks TAGS: [hosts, install, linux, network, system]
include_tasks TAGS: [hosts, install, linux, network, system]
c2platform.core.alias : Set fact node roles TAGS: [alias, config, linux, system]
c2platform.core.alias : Alias file TAGS: [alias, config, linux, system]
c2platform.core.linux : Include linux_resources_types TAGS: [install, linux, linux_acl, linux_alternatives, linux_apk, linux_apt, linux_apt_key, linux_apt_repo, linux_apt_repository, linux_apt_rpm, linux_archive, linux_at, linux_authorized_key, linux_blockinfile, linux_bundler, linux_capabilities, linux_command, linux_copy, linux_cpanm, linux_cron, linux_cronvar, linux_crypttab, linux_dconf, linux_deb822_repository, linux_debconf, linux_dnf, linux_dnf5, linux_dnf_versionlock, linux_dpkg_divert, linux_dpkg_selections, linux_easy_install, linux_fail, linux_fetch, linux_file, linux_filesize, linux_filesystem, linux_firewalld, linux_flatpak, linux_flatpak_remote, linux_gconftool2, linux_gconftool2_info, linux_gem, linux_get_url, linux_git, linux_git_config, linux_haproxy, linux_hostname, linux_htpasswd, linux_include_role, linux_iptables, linux_java_cert, linux_java_keystore, linux_known_hosts, linux_lineinfile, linux_locale_gen, linux_lvg, linux_lvg_rename, linux_lvol, linux_lxc_container, linux_lxd_container, linux_lxd_profile, linux_lxd_project, linux_mail, linux_mount, linux_nmcli, linux_npm, linux_package, linux_pacman, linux_pacman_key, linux_pam_limits, linux_pamd, linux_parted, linux_patch, linux_pause, linux_pip, linux_reboot, linux_replace, linux_rhsm_release, linux_rhsm_repository, linux_rpm_key, linux_runit, linux_script, linux_seboolean, linux_sefcontext, linux_selinux, linux_selinux_permissive, linux_selogin, linux_service, linux_shell, linux_shutdown, linux_slurp, linux_snap, linux_snap_alias, linux_ssh_config, linux_sudoers, linux_synchronize, linux_sysctl, linux_syslogger, linux_systemd, linux_systemd_service, linux_sysvinit, linux_tempfile, linux_template, linux_timezone, linux_ufw, linux_unarchive, linux_uri, linux_user, linux_wait_for, linux_wait_for_connection, linux_xml, linux_yum, linux_yum_repository, linux_yum_versionlock, linux_zfs, linux_zfs_delegate_admin, linux_zfs_facts, system]
c2platform.core.linux : Include linux_resources TAGS: [install, linux, linux_acl, linux_alternatives, linux_apk, linux_apt, linux_apt_key, linux_apt_repo, linux_apt_repository, linux_apt_rpm, linux_archive, linux_at, linux_authorized_key, linux_blockinfile, linux_bundler, linux_capabilities, linux_command, linux_copy, linux_cpanm, linux_cron, linux_cronvar, linux_crypttab, linux_dconf, linux_deb822_repository, linux_debconf, linux_dnf, linux_dnf5, linux_dnf_versionlock, linux_dpkg_divert, linux_dpkg_selections, linux_easy_install, linux_fail, linux_fetch, linux_file, linux_filesize, linux_filesystem, linux_firewalld, linux_flatpak, linux_flatpak_remote, linux_gconftool2, linux_gconftool2_info, linux_gem, linux_get_url, linux_git, linux_git_config, linux_haproxy, linux_hostname, linux_htpasswd, linux_include_role, linux_iptables, linux_java_cert, linux_java_keystore, linux_known_hosts, linux_lineinfile, linux_locale_gen, linux_lvg, linux_lvg_rename, linux_lvol, linux_lxc_container, linux_lxd_container, linux_lxd_profile, linux_lxd_project, linux_mail, linux_mount, linux_nmcli, linux_npm, linux_package, linux_pacman, linux_pacman_key, linux_pam_limits, linux_pamd, linux_parted, linux_patch, linux_pause, linux_pip, linux_reboot, linux_replace, linux_rhsm_release, linux_rhsm_repository, linux_rpm_key, linux_runit, linux_script, linux_seboolean, linux_sefcontext, linux_selinux, linux_selinux_permissive, linux_selogin, linux_service, linux_shell, linux_shutdown, linux_slurp, linux_snap, linux_snap_alias, linux_ssh_config, linux_sudoers, linux_synchronize, linux_sysctl, linux_syslogger, linux_systemd, linux_systemd_service, linux_sysvinit, linux_tempfile, linux_template, linux_timezone, linux_ufw, linux_unarchive, linux_uri, linux_user, linux_wait_for, linux_wait_for_connection, linux_xml, linux_yum, linux_yum_repository, linux_yum_versionlock, linux_zfs, linux_zfs_delegate_admin, linux_zfs_facts, system]
Provision
Execute the following command to run the playbook:
ansible-playbook plays/examples/linux.yml -i hosts.ini
As expected, both the secrets and Linux roles should be provisioned. The Linux
role will create the file /tmp/system_install_task.txt.
Show me
θ97° [:ansible-gis]└2 master(+15/-11)+* ± ansible-playbook $PLAY -i $INVENTORY $LIMIT | tee provision.log
PLAY [Linux role] **************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] *********************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [c2platform.core.secrets : Stat secret dir] *******************************
ok: [localhost] => (item=/home/onknows/git/gitlab/c2/ansible-gis/secret_vars/development)
ok: [localhost] => (item=/runner/project/secret_vars/development)
TASK [c2platform.core.secrets : Include secrets] *******************************
ok: [localhost] => (item=/home/onknows/git/gitlab/c2/ansible-gis/secret_vars/development)
TASK [c2platform.core.linux : Include linux_resources] *************************
included: /home/onknows/git/gitlab/c2/ansible-dev-collections/ansible_collections/c2platform/core/roles/linux/tasks/copy.yml for localhost => (item= system_install_task.txt)
TASK [c2platform.core.linux : Copy files to remote locations] ******************
ok: [localhost] => (item=/tmp/system_install_task.txt)
PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************
localhost : ok=5 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=49 rescued=0 ignored=0
Verify
In this very simple example, you can verify that you run the play using --tags linux_copy, --tags system, --tags install and --tags linux. In each case,
note that the Include secrets task of the Ansible Secrets / Vault role
c2platform.core.secrets will run.
Review
- If you look at the
tasks/main.ymlfile in the Ansible Secrets Role (c2platform.core.secrets) role, note that the tasks are tagged with the special Ansible tagalways.
Additional Information
- Accelerating Ansible Provisioning with FME Flow using Ansible Tags: Enhance the efficiency of your Ansible provisioning by leveraging the power of tags.
- Tags — Ansible Community Documentation
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