Network Automation with

Ansible – Part 2

April 27, 2018

 Part 1/2 [2 hr.]
• Ansible Concepts
• Lab
• Basic Playbooks
• Lab
Lab [90 min. home-work]
Agenda Part 2/2 [90 min.]
• Roles
• Lab – [In-Session and home-
work]
Reference
Acknowledgement
Appendix
Ansible Recap
• Ansible is Open source, agentless and connects through SSH

• Ansible is easy to start and simple; can scale down and up

• Ansible.cfg, inventory file and Yaml

• Playbook is a script; Push-based & runs to completion

• Wide adoption and driven through community support

• Services opportunity seen with development of modules, roles, and playbooks

Yaml Recap
# Lists with dictionary
---
• Space indentation is important router_hostname:
- { hostname: router1 }
• List - { hostname: router2 }
- { hostname: router3 }
• Ordered Data ...
• Always starts with “-”
• Dictionary # List with dictionary with many variables
• Key: Value pairs ---
router_variables:
• List of dictionaries used for roles - hostname: router-rtr1
timezone: EST
timezone_dst: EDT
timezone_offset: -5

- { hostname: router-rtr2, timezone: EST,

timezone_dst: EDT, timezone_offset: -5 }
...
Roles
[roles/
• Organize a large playbook into reusable file ├── xr-config >> Name of this role
structures/multiple files │ ├── defaults >> default variables for the role
│ │ └── main.yml
• Creates a separation of functions; │ ├── files >> contains files which can be deployed via this
variables, tasks, & templates in unique role
│ ├── handlers >> contains handlers, can used by this role or
directories anywhere outside this role
│ │ └── main.yml
• Expects files main.yml, and .j2 files in │ ├── meta >> defines some meta data for this role
respective folders │ │ └── main.yml
│ ├── README.md
• File structure can be created manually or │ ├── tasks >> contains the main list of tasks to be executed
automatically via ansible CLI – “ansible- by the role
galaxy” │ │ └── main.yml
│ ├── templates >> contains templates which can be
deployed via this role
│ └── vars>> contains variables used in this role
Templating in Ansible
• Templates contain common and device/role
specific elements
• Ansible uses Jinja 2 Templating language
for access to variables and logic/dynamic
expression
• Jinja 2 template files end with .j2 ext

• Ansible can automatically access the Jinja2

templates through its Python API
Role with lists with single variables – Example 1

• Creating a role to generate configuration across multiple devices

# Playbook to execute the role for XR # Executes main.yml in xr-config/tasks/main.yml

- name: Create a config for router` from template - name: Generate the configuration from templates
XR template: src=xr-config-template.j2
hosts: localhost dest=/home/cisco/{{item.hostname}}.txt
gather_facts: no with_items:
- "{{ router_hostname }}"
roles:
- xr-config # tasks file for xr

# playbook for executing role of xr-config

# Variable defined in xr-config/vars/main.yml # Leverages j2 template for standard and variable config
hostname {{item.hostname}}
---
service timestamps log datetime msec
router_hostname:
service timestamps debug datetime msec
- { hostname: router-rtr1, timezone: EST,
clock timezone {{item.timezone}} {{item.timezone_offset}}
timezone_dst: EDT, timezone_offset: -5 }
clock summer-time {{item.timezone_dst}} recurring
- { hostname: router-rtr2, timezone: EST,
timezone_dst: EDT, timezone_offset: -5 }

...
Jinja2 Template – For loop

• For Loop is a continuous loop until it runs out of inputs variables

• For Loop is invoked using {% for x in y %} syntax and ends with {% endfor %} syntax

# /template/template.j2
{% for interface in interface_list %}
interface {{interface}}
cost 1
!
{% endfor %}
!

# /vars/main.yml
Interface_list:
- GigabitEthernet0/0/0/0
- GigabitEthernet0/0/0/1
Hierarchical templates and Block configs

• Base template *.J2 is pulled to specific template through {% extends ”base_config_template.j2"

%} knob
• Configurations from specific template are inserted through block configs that being with { %
block x %} and end with { % endblock % }

## Config lines from lsr_config referring base #/templates/ lsr__config.j2

template
{% block rsvp %}
{% extends "ler_lsr_config_template.j2" %} !
rsvp
{% for interface in interface_list_ler %}
#/templates/ ler_lsr_config_template.j2 interface {{interface}}
hostname {{item.hostname}} bandwidth percentage 100
service timestamps log datetime msecservice !
timestamps debug datetime msectelnet vrf default {% endfor %}
ipv4 server max-servers 10telnet vrf Mgmt-intf {% endblock %}
ipv4 server max-servers 10domain name
virl.infodomain lookup disablecdp
{% block rsvp %}
{% endblock %}
!,,
Lab Exercises

• Exercise A – Create a playbook using role and Jinja2 template

• Utilize roles to generate simple config by passing template and variable

• Exercise B – Create a playbook utilizing looping function

• Utilize roles and Jinja2 template to create a config with looping function

• Exercise C – Create BGP generation for different device types

• Utilize the templates and variables for config generation for different OS type

• Exercise D - Hierarchical Template

• Utilize Hierarchical Template model for config generation
Conclusion

• Ansible is an open-source, agentless automation tool

• Automate repetitive tasks with Ansible
• With increasing support of modules, it is possible to automate even
more network functions through Ansible.
• AS Services opportunity around developing modules, roles and
playbook
Reference
• Ansible user guide URL & installation guide URL
• YAML resources
• Version 1.2 Specs: http://www.yaml.org/spec/1.2/spec.html
• http://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/YAMLSyntax.html
• http://www.yaml.org
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdLNKUoMc6c
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9_gfT0n_5Q

• Ansible Training
• Ansible for the Absolute Beginner @Udemy Click here
• Ansible for Network Engineers @Udemy Click here
• Kirk Byers Ansible training Jive page

• Jinjia2 Templating: http://jinja.pocoo.org/docs/dev/templates/#

• Ansible Up and Running – Lorin Hochstein
Acknowledgements

• Some material in this session are sourced from Ansible docs

• http://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/index.html
Thank You