Скачать или смотреть How to Set Variables in Ansible Depending on the Inventory Used

Learn how to dynamically set variables in Ansible based on the inventory file you're using. Discover how to manage different environments with ease!
---
This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/70246237/ asked by the user 'en1cc' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/14901146/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/70276833/ provided by the user 'TRW' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/5719294/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: Ansible set variable depending on which inventory I use

Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/l...
The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license.

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
How to Set Variables in Ansible Depending on the Inventory Used

Managing configurations in different environments can be a complex task for system administrators and developers alike. One common question is how to set a variable, like orc_user, that depends on which inventory file you are using. In this guide, we will explore how to achieve this in Ansible without hardcoding the variables into the inventory files. Let's dive in!

Understanding Ansible's Structure

To efficiently solve this problem, it’s important to understand the core components of Ansible: inventory, playbooks, and roles.

1. Inventory

The inventory file defines the environment you are operating in and lists the hosts that Ansible will interact with. It contains dynamic aspects of your environment and allows you to specify not just hosts but configurations as well.

2. Roles

Roles are designed to create a specific state in the target hosts based on the requirements specified in the inventory. They help modularize your configuration and make your playbooks more manageable.

3. Playbooks

Playbooks are where you orchestrate everything. They tie together inventories and roles by executing tasks on the defined hosts.

The Challenge

In this scenario, you want to set orc_user to different values based on whether you're using test.yaml or production.yaml. Your initial thought was to use conditional statements in the playbook or role, like those below:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

However, this raises the question: is there a more efficient way to set this variable without directly declaring it in the inventory file itself?

The Solution

Yes, there is a clean way to achieve this dynamic variable assignment—using Ansible's own variable precedence and structure.

Step 1: Define Environment-Specific Variables

While you may not want to set the variable directly in the inventory, consider creating a separate vars file for each environment (for example, vars/test.yml and vars/production.yml). Here’s how you would define your variables in those files:

vars/test.yml

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

vars/production.yml

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Include the Correct Variables in Your Playbook

Now you can include the variables dynamically at the beginning of your playbook. Depending on which inventory file you're using, the appropriate variable file can be loaded. Here’s an example of how to set that up:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 3: Run Your Playbook

When running your playbook, you simply specify the inventory you want to use:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

With this approach, Ansible automatically selects the correct orc_user variable based on the inventory file being utilized for the run.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Ansible provides a flexible way to manage your configurations across different environments without cluttering your inventory files. By utilizing variable files and dynamic inclusion in your playbooks, you can easily maintain clarity and organization in your Ansible automation setup. This method not only streamlines your playbooks but also reduces the chances of errors when switching environments.

Take advantage of Ansible’s powerful features to tailor your automation to fit your needs perfectly!