Chapter 3. Configuring Ansible definitions to apply to hosts

Procedure

1. Ensure that the following repository is enabled:

   • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, 9, or 8, ensure that the AppStream repository is enabled:

     # subscription-manager repos --enable=rhel-10-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms
     # subscription-manager repos --enable=rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms
     # subscription-manager repos --enable=rhel-8-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms

     You must enable an AppStream repository that is designated for your architecture. For more information, see RHEL 8 repositories.

   • On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, ensure that the Extras repository is enabled:

     # subscription-manager repos --enable=rhel-7-server-extras-rpms

2. Install the rhel-system-roles package:

   # satellite-maintain packages install rhel-system-roles

   The rhel-system-roles package downloads to /usr/share/ansible/roles/. You can view and make any modifications that you want to the files before you import.

3. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Configure > Ansible > Roles.
4. Click the Capsule that contains the roles that you want to import.

5. From the list of Ansible roles, select the checkbox of the roles you want to import, and then click Update.

   You can now assign Ansible roles to hosts or host groups. For more information, see Section 3.5, “Assigning Ansible roles to an existing host”.

   You can also add the modules contained in these roles to your Ansible Playbooks by adding them to Ansible Job Templates. You must include the hosts:all line in the job template. For more information, see Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) System Roles.

Procedure

1. Place the roles and variables in the appropriate Ansible paths on all Capsules from where you want to use the roles. For more information, see Appendix A, Ansible role and collection paths in Satellite.

   If you want to use custom or third party Ansible roles, ensure to configure an external version control system to synchronize roles between Satellite Server and Capsule Servers.

2. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Configure > Ansible > Roles.
3. Click Import to select the Capsule from which you want to import.
4. Select the roles that you want to import.
5. Click Submit.

Procedure

1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Configure > Ansible > Variables.
2. Select the Ansible variable that you want to override and manage with Satellite.
3. In the Default Behavior area, select the Override checkbox.
4. In the Parameter Type field, select the value type for validation such as string or boolean. The types array and hash have further options for handling upon a variable match. For more information, see the Prioritize Attribute Order area below.
5. In the Default Value field, enter the default value that you want to use if there is no match for the variable.
6. Optional: If you do not want to display the value of the variable as plain text in the Satellite web UI, select the Hidden Value checkbox to display the content of the variable as asterisks. This is useful for sensitive values such as passwords or secret tokens.

7. Optional: Expand the Optional Input Validator area and specify conditions that will be used to validate concrete values of the variable:

   • Select Required if you want to enforce users to fill in this variable.

   • In the Validator Type field, select how the value will be validated:

     • list – The value will be validated against an enumeration of allowed values.
     • regex – The value will be validated against a regular expression pattern.

8. Optional: In the Prioritize Attribute Order area, specify the order of priority to match an override with a host by host attributes. Order at the top takes higher precedence. The first match wins.

   You can combine multiple attributes into a single matcher key using a comma as the AND operation. For example, the matcher key of hostgroup, environment would expect matchers such as hostgroup = "web servers" AND environment = production.

   If you use the parameter type array or hash, you can further set:

   • Merge Overrides – Merges members of the arrays/hashes instead of replacing the whole array or hash. If the hashes contain the same key, the value is overwritten by the value of the host.
   • Merge Default – Adds the default value to the array or hash.
   • Avoid Duplicates – Ensures that the values in the array or hash are unique.
9. Optional: Expand the Specify Matchers area and specify criteria for selecting hosts on which the variable overrides.
10. To save the override settings, click Submit.

11. To use the Ansible variable, add the variable as a parameter to your host or host group, or add the variable as a global parameter:

    1. To add the variable to a host:

       1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > All Hosts and select the host that you want to use.
       2. Click the Ansible tab, and in the Variables area, click the pencil icon to edit the value of the variable.
       3. Click the tick icon to accept the value of the changed variable or the cross icon to cancel the change.

    2. To add the variable to a host group:

       1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Configure > Host Groups, and select the host group that you want to use.
       2. Click the Parameters tab, and in the Host Group Parameters area, click Add Parameter.
       3. In the Name field, add the Ansible variable name.
       4. From the Type list, select the type of the variable for validation.
       5. In the Value field, enter the value for the variable.

    3. To add the variable as a global parameter:

       1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Configure > Global Parameters, and click Create Parameter.
       2. In the Name field, add the Ansible variable name.
       3. From the Type list, select the type of the variable for validation.
       4. In the Value field, enter the value for the variable.
       5. Optional: If you do not want to display the Ansible variable in plain text, select the Hidden Values checkbox to display the content of the variable as asterisks in the Satellite web UI.

Procedure

1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Configure > Host Groups.
2. Click the host group name to which you want to assign an Ansible role.
3. On the Ansible Roles tab, select the role that you want to add from the Available Ansible Roles list.
4. Click the + icon to add the role to the host group. You can add more than one role.
5. Click Submit.

Procedure

1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > All Hosts.
2. Select the host and click Edit.
3. On the Ansible Roles tab, select the role that you want to add from the Available Ansible Roles list.
4. Click the + icon to add the role to the host. You can add more than one role.
5. Click Submit.
6. Optional: On the Parameters tab, click Add Parameter to add any parameter variables that you want to pass to job templates at run time. This includes all Ansible Playbook parameters and host parameters that you want to associate with the host. To use a parameter variable with an Ansible job template, you must add a Host Parameter.

Procedure

1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > All Hosts.
2. Select a host.
3. Select the Ansible Roles tab.
4. In the Assigned Ansible Roles area, you can change the order of the roles by dragging and dropping the roles into the preferred position.
5. Click Submit to save the order of the Ansible roles.

Procedure

1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > All Hosts.
2. Select the host and click Edit.
3. Select the Ansible Roles tab.
4. In the Assigned Ansible Roles area, click the - icon to remove the role from the host. Repeat to remove more roles.
5. Click Submit.