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Lab: Gathering Facts with Ansible

Overview

In this beginner-friendly lab, you'll learn how to gather information (facts) from your hosts using Ansible. We'll focus on a module called setup, which is essential for collecting configuration data.

Duration

Estimated Time: 25 minutes

Step 1: Understanding the setup Module

The setup module in Ansible is used to gather configuration data from your hosts. It's a powerful tool for understanding the state and settings of your systems.

Here's the basic command format:

ansible <Pattern> -m setup

Note: The output of this command is a detailed JSON string, which contains a lot of information.

Step 2: Running a Sample Command

Let's see this module in action. Run the following command:

ansible webservers -m setup

The output will be extensive, showing a lot of details about your host's configuration.

Step 3: Filtering Gathered Facts

Often, you'll only need specific pieces of information. To narrow down the results, use a filter with your command:

ansible webservers -m setup -a "filter=<Your-Desired-Info>"

For example, to find out about the operating system of your hosts, you can run:

ansible webservers -m setup -a "filter=ansible_distribution*"

Expected Output:

<IP 1> | SUCCESS => {
    "ansible_facts": {
        "ansible_distribution": "Ubuntu",
        "ansible_distribution_file_parsed": true,
        "ansible_distribution_file_path": "/etc/os-release",
        "ansible_distribution_file_variety": "Debian",
        "ansible_distribution_major_version": "20",
        "ansible_distribution_release": "focal",
        "ansible_distribution_version": "20.04",
        "discovered_interpreter_python": "/usr/bin/python3"
    },
    "changed": false
}

This command provides detailed information about the operating system of your hosts.

Practice Exercise

Try to gather time-related information from your hosts:

Hint:

ansible webservers -m setup -a "filter=ansible_date_time*"

Conclusion

Great job! You've learned how to use the setup module in Ansible to gather facts about your hosts. This skill is fundamental for managing and automating tasks in your network. Keep practicing to become more familiar with Ansible's capabilities. 👏