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Status Under review
Workspace AIX
Created by Guest
Created on Apr 26, 2023

RELATED IDEAS

Ansible operation for NIM

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
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Sep 24, 2024

    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.


  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Sep 16, 2024
    In your proposal, Ansible would need to be installed on each client. Instead, could we use RedHat's Automation Platform, which offers a complete Ansible management experience, including formal support and integration with IBM's Watson.x for AI-assisted playbook generation?

    Could you please elaborate on the specific reasons for wanting to configure the NIM server as an Ansible orchestrator node?

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