2.2.3. Sending arguments to your playbook¶

You need to specify “vars” values automatically, such as via a command line. Passing variables using extra-vars will override playbook variables. Use the -e, or --extra-vars argument of ansible-playbook

Create pool member forced offline playbook

1. Create a playbook pmoff.yaml.

   • Type nano playbooks/pmoff.yaml
   • Type the following into the playbooks/pmoff.yaml file.

   ---
   
   - name: "Pool member offline"
     hosts: bigips
     gather_facts: False
     connection: local
   
     vars:
       pools: ""
       pmhost: ""
       pmport: ""
       state: "disabled"
   
     environment: "{{ bigip_env }}"
   
     tasks:
       - name: Modify pool member state
         bigip_pool_member:
           state: "{{ state }}"
           host: "{{ pmhost }}"
           port: "{{ pmport }}"
           pool: "{{ pool }}"
   

2. Run this playbook enable pool member.

   • Type ansible-playbook playbooks/pmoff.yaml -e @creds.yaml --ask-vault-pass -e pool="app1_pl" -e pmhost="10.1.20.12" -e pmport="80"

   You will be prompted to enter username and password before executing the playbook.

3. Verify if pool member 10.1.20.12 is forced offline

   • Select Local Traffic -> Pools -> app1_pl -> Pool Members

Create pool member enable playbook

1. Create a playbook pmena.yaml.

   • Type nano playbooks/pmena.yaml
   • Type the following into the playbooks/pmena.yaml file.

   ---
   
   - name: "Pool member enable"
     hosts: bigips
     gather_facts: False
     connection: local
   
     vars:
       pools: ""
       pmhost: ""
       pmport: ""
       state: "enabled"
   
     environment: "{{ bigip_env }}"
   
     tasks:
       - name: Modify pool member state
         bigip_pool_member:
           state: "{{ state }}"
           host: "{{ pmhost }}"
           port: "{{ pmport }}"
           pool: "{{ pool }}"
   

2. Run this playbook enable pool member.

   • Type ansible-playbook playbooks/pmena.yaml -e @creds.yaml --ask-vault-pass -e pool="app1_pl" -e pmhost="10.1.20.12" -e pmport="80"

   You will be prompted to enter username and password before executing the playbook.

3. Verify if pool member 10.1.20.12 is enabled

   • Select Local Traffic -> Pools -> app1_pl -> Pool Members

   Note

   This method of specifying values is not reserved for credentials.

   In most cases, it should not be used for credentials in fact. This is because the Ansible command (including the extra arguments) will show in the running process list of your Ansible controller.

   The more common situations are when you are prompting for specific configuration related to something on your network. For example, your Playbook may be flexible enough to take a given region or cell.

   Bonus playbook: - modify pool member state by passing variables via cli to achieve various states; enabled, disabled and forced_offline

   $ ansible-playbook playbooks/pmstate.yaml -e @creds.yaml --ask-vault-pass -e pool="app1_pl" -e pmhost="10.1.20.12" -e pmport="80" -e state="forced_offline"
   
   The Playbook would not need to change, but you could continually provide values to
   variables in the Playbook to keep from writing them into the actual Playbook itself.