3 - Sync Project to AAP

A job template in AAP is a definition and set of parameters for running an Ansible job. Job templates are useful to execute the same job many times. Before you can create a job template with a new playbook, you must first sync your Project so that Controller knows about it.

Create Project

We already have created a project and pushed it to our remote Git host (Azure DevOps). Let's create a project which is logical collection of Ansible playbooks, stored in a (remote) single source of truth.

Click Projects and then the icon.

Complete the form using the following values, replace username with your username abbreviation:

Key	Value
Name	Ansible Workshop Project username
Description	Workshop Project for username
Organization	Choose your organization
Execution Environment	BSS EE - Windows
Source Control Type	Git

Now, the form changes, input the following values:

Key	Value	Note
Source Control URL	https://...	Input your HTTPS Git URL
Source Control Credentials	Azure DevOps username	Choose your Git credential
Options	Update Revision on Launch

Click SAVE . Your project should sync automatically, otherwise click Projects and then click the sync icon next to your project. Once this is complete, you can create the job template.

Create Job Template

Select Templates.

Click the icon, and select Job Template.

Complete the form using the following values, replace username with your username abbreviation:

Danger

Your playbook targets the windows group. We have all test hosts in the inventory Workshop Example CC, you must place a limit on your job template! If you target the complete windows group, you will automate all hosts, even those of your colleagues!

Key	Value	Notes
Name	IIS Basic Job Template username
Description	Template for the iis-basic playbook
Job Type	Run
Inventory	Workshop Inventory
Project	Ansible Workshop Project username
Execution Environment	BSS EE - Windows
Playbook	iis_basic/install_iis.yml
Credentials	Windows Test Host username
Limit	Your single host as in your local inventory!	Do not target the windows group!
Options	Enable Fact Storage

Danger

Did you set the limit?

Click SAVE .

Add Survey

On the resulting page, select the Survey tab and press the Add button

Complete the survey form with following values

Key	Value	Note
QUESTION	Please enter a test message for your new website
DESCRIPTION	Website test message prompt
ANSWER VARIABLE NAME	iis_test_message
ANSWER TYPE	Text
MINIMUM/MAXIMUM LENGTH		Use the defaults
DEFAULT ANSWER	Be creative, keep it clean, we’re all professionals here

After configuring your survey, click Save. On the resulting page, turn on the survey you just created.

Tip

You need to activate your survey with the slider!

The playbook failed locally, what now?

Remember that your playbook did not run successful on the command-line because of a undefined variable?
In the survey above we defined a default value for the variable, you could do this locally as well.

Running Job Template

Now that you’ve successfully created your Job Template, you are ready to launch it. Once you do, you will be redirected to a job screen which is refreshing in real time showing you the status of the job.

Select TEMPLATES and Click the rocketship icon for the IIS Basic Job Template

When prompted, enter your desired test message

Select NEXT and preview the inputs.

Select LAUNCH

Sit back, watch the magic happen.

Once again you should be presented with a Job log page. Selecting the Details tab should show you the variable you passed into the playbook among other details.

Next you will be able to see details on the play and each task in the playbook.

When the job has successfully completed, the last task tells us what to do. Connect with RDP to the node, open a browser and input http://localhost.

If all went well, you should see something like this, but with your own custom message of course.

Note

As these are test hosts only, the firewall does not allow external access to the webserver, therefor we need to check this locally.

Optional

Now that you have IIS Installed, create a new playbook called remove_iis.yml to stop and remove IIS.

Hint

First stop the W3Svc service using the win_service module, then delete the Web-Server service using thewin_feature module.
Optionally, use the win_file module to delete the index page.

Solution needed?

This playbook stops and removes the IIS service.

---
- name: Remove the IIS web service
  hosts: windows
  tasks:
    - name: Stop IIS service
      ansible.windows.win_service:
        name: W3Svc
        state: stopped

    - name: Uninstall IIS
      ansible.windows.win_feature:
        name: Web-Server
        state: absent

    - name: Remove website index.html
      ansible.windows.win_file:
        path: C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\index.html
        state: absent

End Result

At this point in the workshop, you’ve experienced the core functionality of Automation Controller. But wait… there’s more! You’ve just begun to explore the possibilities of Automation Controller. The next few lessons will help you move beyond a basic playbook.