1. Introduction

This chapter documents the DIMS Ansible playbooks (ansible-dims-playbooks for short) repository.

This repository contains the Ansible playbooks and inventory for a development/test environment. This is conventionally known as a local deployment, as it comprises a baremetal host system intended to serve as an Ansible control host, with a series of virtual machines to provide services.

1.1. Installation Steps

Before diving into the details, it is helpful to understand the high level tasks that must be performed to bootstrap a functional deployment.

  • Install the base operating system for the initial Ansible control host that will be used for configuring the deployment (e.g., on a development laptop or server).
  • Set up host playbook and vars files for the Ansible control host.
  • Pre-populate artifacts on the Ansible control host for use by virtual machines under Ansible control.
  • Instantiate the virtual machines that will be used to provide the selected services and install the base operating system on them, including an ansible account with initial password and/or SSH authorized_keys files allowing access from the Ansible control host.
  • Set up host playbooks, host vars files, and inventory definitions for the selected virtual machines.
  • Validate that the Ansible control host is capable of connecting to all of the appropriate hosts defined in the inventory using Ansible ad-hoc mode.
  • Finish customizing any templates, installed scripts, and secrets (e.g., passwords, certificates) unique to the deployment.