Ansible and AIX

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This post will indicate how to use ansible to deploy AIX LPAR(s). Once the LPARs are deployed, further testing will be done to control various aspects within AIX. This is a WIP, so things will be updated as they are tested.

Resources

ansible AIX playbook
Install ansible on AIX

First thing required is to install ansible on the control node: (linux debian system in this example)

Installing ansible on Debian steps: (this will be the ansible control node)

# echo "deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ansible/ansible/ubuntu trusty main" | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list
# sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 93C4A3FD7BB9C367
# sudo apt update
# sudo apt install ansible

Clone ansible AIX playbook on ansible control node

cd ~ && git clone https://github.com/IBM/ansible-power-aix.git ansible-power-aix

Grab IBM requirement module from galaxy

ansible-galaxy collection install ibm.power_aix

Prepare steps for AIX LPAR rollout(s)

  • Create a ssh key-pair on the Linux system
  • Modify inventory.yaml file for hosts/hostgroups (contained in the playbooks directory)

AIX LPAR:

Pre-requisites:

  • tcl.base and tk.base installed from AIX Media
  • run of /usr/sbin/updtvpkg performed

Build AIX 7.2 test system

  • Create new LPAR using HMC (or other depending on environment)
  • Upload ssh public key (for root user, or one w sudo permissions) to new LPAR
  • create entry for new AIX LPAR(s) in the control nodes inventory.yaml (if required)
    • test via ping module: ansible all -m ping -i playbooks/inventory.yml
  • Perform a deploy bootstrap check: ansible-playbook -i playbooks/inventory.yml -l aixlpar playbooks/demo_bootstrap.yml --check
  • Backup system (in case you want to roll things back) via mksysb / snapshot / other method
  • Prior to deployment (especially with a new system), some of the file systems disk space is too low, they will need to be extended. ex: chfs -a size=+2G /var ; chfs -a size=+2G /opt ; chfs -a size=+2G /usr ; chfs -a size=+5G /tmp
  • Deploy playbook (the -l in the ‘deploy bootstrap check’ above forces deployment to one specific host), remove the –check to actually deploy it

NOTE: The bootstrap playbook may have some issues whereby it looks for a register: yum_exists.stdout is search(“false”). The .stdout may need to be removed for it to run properly.

Sample run:

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Restore yum bundle content] ************************************************
ansible-playbook -i playbooks/inventory.yml -l aixlpar playbooks/demo_bootstrap.yml
PLAY [Bootstrap Yum on AIX] ****************************************************************************

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Fail if pkgtype not specified] *********************************************
skipping: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Fail if download_dir not specified] ****************************************
skipping: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Fail if target_dir not specified] ******************************************
skipping: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Fail if rpm_src not specified] *********************************************
skipping: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Fail if yum_src not specified] *********************************************
skipping: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Bootstrap yum] *************************************************************
included: /home/linuxuser/ansible-power-aix/roles/power_aix_bootstrap/tasks/yum_install.yml for aixlpar

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Check for existence of yum] ************************************************
changed: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : debug] *********************************************************************
ok: [aixlpar] => {
    "yum_exists": {
        "changed": true,
        "failed": false,
        "rc": 0,
        "stderr": "X11 forwarding request failed\r\nShared connection to aixlpar.example.com closed.\r\n",
        "stderr_lines": [
            "X11 forwarding request failed",
            "Shared connection to aixlpar.example.com closed."
        ],
        "stdout": "false\r\n",
        "stdout_lines": [
            "false"
        ]
    }
}

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Check for rpm_src file on localhost] ***************************************
ok: [aixlpar -> localhost]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Download latest rpm (installp) fileset] ************************************
changed: [aixlpar -> localhost]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Check for yum_src file on localhost] ***************************************
ok: [aixlpar -> localhost]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Download yum bundle file] **************************************************
changed: [aixlpar -> localhost]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Check for script file on localhost] ****************************************
ok: [aixlpar -> localhost]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Copy the installer script file] ********************************************
changed: [aixlpar -> localhost]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Check for target directory] ************************************************
changed: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Check for target yum bundle] ***********************************************
skipping: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Create target filesystem for image transfer] *******************************
changed: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Mount target filesystem] ***************************************************
changed: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Transfer install images] ***************************************************
changed: [aixlpar -> localhost]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Restore yum bundle content] ************************************************
changed: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Remove temporary storage space] ********************************************
changed: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Print status] **************************************************************
ok: [aixlpar] => {
    "msg": "Bootstrap attempt of yum on aixlpar has completed"
}

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Bootstrap python] **********************************************************
skipping: [aixlpar]

PLAY [Bootstrap Python on AIX] *************************************************************************

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Fail if pkgtype not specified] *********************************************
skipping: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Fail if download_dir not specified] ****************************************
skipping: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Fail if target_dir not specified] ******************************************
skipping: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Fail if rpm_src not specified] *********************************************
skipping: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Fail if yum_src not specified] *********************************************
skipping: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Bootstrap yum] *************************************************************
skipping: [aixlpar]

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Bootstrap python] **********************************************************
included: /home/linuxuser/ansible-power-aix/roles/power_aix_bootstrap/tasks/python_install.yml for aixlpar

TASK [power_aix_bootstrap : Check for existence of yum] ************************************************
changed: [aixlpar]

PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************************************
aixlpar     : ok=18   changed=11   unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=13   rescued=0    ignored=0

Afterwords, to confirm that yum was installed on that node, you can run an ansible ad-hoc command: 

# ansible aixlpar -i inventory.yml -a "yum --version"
aixlpar | CHANGED | rc=0 >>
3.4.3
Installed: yum-3.4.3-8.noarch at 2021-08-27 15:38
Built : IBM AIX Toolbox https://ibm.biz/AIXToolbox at 2020-12-04 12:33
Committed: Sangamesh Mallayya <[email protected] at 2020-11-30

The ping module probably would of failed earlier, as python wasn’t on the system. Now that it has been installed, you can see what it outputs now with:

# ansible -m ping -i inventory.yml aixlpar

WARNING]: Platform aix on host aixlpar is using the discovered Python interpreter at
/usr/bin/python, but future installation of another Python interpreter could change this. See
https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/2.9/reference_appendices/interpreter_discovery.html for more
information.
aixlpar | SUCCESS => {
"ansible_facts": {
"discovered_interpreter_python": "/usr/bin/python"
},
"changed": false,
"ping": "pong"
}

In case yum packages weren’t updated during the bootstrap, they can be upgraded now with: ansible-playbook -i inventory.yml -l aixlpar demo_yum.yml

Next step is to attempt a suma upgrade. 

ansible-playbook -i inventory.yml -l aixlpar demo_suma.yml
PLAY [SUMA on AIX] *************************************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] *********************************************************************************
ok: [aixlpar]
TASK [Check oslevel of system] *************************************************************************
changed: [aixlpar]
TASK [debug] *******************************************************************************************
ok: [aixlpar] => {
    "output": {
        "changed": true,
        "cmd": "oslevel -s",
        "delta": "0:00:02.413442",
        "end": "2021-09-13 14:33:40.540248",
        "failed": false,
        "rc": 0,
        "start": "2021-09-13 14:33:38.126806",
        "stderr": "",
        "stderr_lines": [],
        "stdout": "7200-05-02-2114",
        "stdout_lines": [
            "7200-05-02-2114"
        ]
    }
}

TASK [Create file system for system updates] ***********************************************************
changed: [aixlpar]

TASK [Mount the file system (if necessary)] ************************************************************
changed: [aixlpar]

TASK [Check for, and install, system updates] **********************************************************
fatal: [aixlpar]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "cmd": "/usr/sbin/suma -x -a RqType=Latest -a Action=Preview -a DLTarget=/usr/sys/inst.images -a 'DisplayName=preview request for oslevel latest' -a FilterDir=/usr/sys/inst.images -a Extend=y", "msg": "[Errno 2] A file or directory in the path name does not exist.", "rc": 2}

PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************************************
aixlpar                  : ok=5    changed=3    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0

Apparently no ‘suma’ package is installed by default on AIX 7.2. The fileset bos.suma would have to be installed prior to having a successful suma run.