Automation Setup Guide

This project automates the creation, configuration, and management of virtual machines (VMs) using Vagrant and Ansible. You can optionally extend this automation by integrating Terraform for provisioning cloud infrastructure. VMs are configured to install Python, Docker, and Nginx for application deployment.

Table of Contents

• Automation Setup Guide
  • Table of Contents
  • Prerequisites
  • Project Structure
  • How to Use
    • Step 1: Start the Vagrant Machines
    • Step 2: Run the Ansible Playbook
    • Step 3: Managing the Machines
    • Step 4: Ansible Vault Management
    • Step 5: Testing the Roles
    • Optional: Using Terraform to Run Ansible
  • Terraform Integration
  • Scripts
  • Troubleshooting

Prerequisites

Before running this project, make sure the following tools are installed:

1. Vagrant (for local VMs)
2. Virtualization Provider (e.g., VirtualBox, Parallels, etc.)
3. Ansible (for configuration management)
4. Terraform (optional for provisioning cloud resources)
5. Python3 (required for running tests and Ansible)

Project Structure

.
├── ansible/                     # Ansible configuration
│   ├── ansible.cfg              # Ansible configuration file
│   ├── ansible.log              # Log file for Ansible operations
│   ├── group_vars/              # Variables for all hosts
│   │   └── all/
│   │       └── vault.yml        # Encrypted sensitive variables using Ansible Vault
│   ├── host_vars/               # Host-specific variables
│   │   ├── cosmos.yml
│   │   ├── nebula.yml
│   │   ├── pulsar.yml
│   │   ├── quasar.yml
│   │   └── supernova.yml
│   ├── inventory/
│   │   └── hosts                # Inventory file for defining the hosts
│   ├── playbooks/
│   │   └── site.yml             # Main Ansible playbook
│   └── roles/                   # Ansible roles
│       ├── docker/              # Docker role
│       ├── nginx/               # Nginx role
│       ├── python/              # Python installation role
│       ├── python3/             # Python3-specific role
│       └── mdklatt.tmpdir/      # External role for managing temp dirs
├── scripts/                     # Helper scripts
│   ├── manage_ansible.sh        # Script to manage Ansible
│   └── manage_vagrant.sh        # Script to manage Vagrant
├── terraform/                   # Terraform configuration (optional)
│   ├── main.tf
│   ├── playbook.yml
│   └── variables.tf
└── vagrant/
    └── Vagrantfile              # Vagrant configuration file

How to Use

Step 1: Start the Vagrant Machines

You can start the VMs by running the provided manage_vagrant.sh script:

./scripts/manage_vagrant.sh up

Step 2: Run the Ansible Playbook

Run the Ansible playbook to install Python, Docker, and Nginx on the VMs:

./scripts/manage_ansible.sh run

Step 3: Managing the Machines

• Ping All VMs:

ansible all -i ansible/inventory/hosts -m ping

• Check Logs:

cat ansible/ansible.log

Step 4: Ansible Vault Management

To manage sensitive variables in vault.yml, use Ansible Vault:

• Encrypt Variables:

ansible-vault encrypt ansible/group_vars/all/vault.yml

• Edit Vault:

ansible-vault edit ansible/group_vars/all/vault.yml

Step 5: Testing the Roles

Some roles have testing configurations (e.g., python3). To run these tests:

cd ansible/roles/python3/tests
pytest

Optional: Using Terraform to Run Ansible

1. Initialize Terraform:

cd terraform
terraform init

2. Apply the Terraform Plan:

terraform apply

This will provision the infrastructure and trigger the Ansible playbook using local-exec.

Terraform Integration

Terraform is integrated to provision cloud infrastructure. Modify variables.tf and main.tf to match your environment. The playbook.yml in the terraform/ directory ensures Ansible is executed post-provisioning.

Scripts

1. manage_vagrant.sh – Used to manage the lifecycle of Vagrant VMs (up, halt, destroy).
2. manage_ansible.sh – Used to execute Ansible playbooks.

Troubleshooting

• Python Version Issues: Ensure the correct Python version is installed on the VMs.
• VM Issues: Verify that the virtualization provider (e.g., VirtualBox, Parallels) is correctly installed.