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Almost every AIX environment has a NIM server as central point of management. Ansible requires ssh connection from Ansible controller to Ansible-managed systems. It is possible to unite both NIM as a central management server for AIX infrastructure and Ansible for automation. Many customers use NIM as an Ansible controller node to automate their AIX workloads.
The proposal is to add a new resource type ansible, which consists of a directory (similar to lpp_source) with playbooks and all information required to run them.
nim -o define -t ansible -a server=master -a location=/export/ansible/play1 play1
The playbooks can be then executed on NIM clients using cust operation:
nim -o cust -a ansible=play1 -a playbook=myplay.yml aix1
NIM client method on aix1 does something like:
if [[ -x /opt/freeware/bin/ansible-playbook ]] ; then
mount nim:/export/ansible/play1 /mnt
if [[ -f /mnt/myplay.yml ]] ; then
/opt/freeware/bin/ansible-playbook -c local -i localhost, myplay.yml
fi
fi
In this case:
we use standard AIX features to execute Ansible playbooks
we don't need additional SSH connections
we centralize Ansible playbooks to manage AIX on our already existing central management point NIM
Idea priority | Medium |
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First of all, Ansible Automation Platform and Ansible Core address two different categories of people. Companies which already have Ansible Automation Platform would not need the feature. Because as you correctly write it offers better and more complete management experience.
The feature would help AIX administrators without AAP to make first steps on automating their AIX servers with Ansible using the tools they already have and they can use. On the other hand it modernizes NIM by introducing a new type of operation. It opens AIX infrastructure to people who don't know how to use AIX but can develop Ansible playbooks. Some sort of bridge between two worlds to close the gap between them.
My proposal includes "quick and dirty" implementation which can be done. An example of how it can be done is show in the latest article on IBM Developer site - https://developer.ibm.com/tutorials/awb-run-ansible-playbooks-from-aix-nim/. Of course you can elaborate on idea and propose some other implementation, like using nimsh as a transport for Ansible, or running playbooks only from the NIM master with SSH, or with a "special crafted SSH". There are many ways to Rome.
Could you please elaborate on the specific reasons for wanting to configure the NIM server as an Ansible orchestrator node?