[FIXED] Ansible playbook execute only specific tasks per environment

Issue

I have a playbook with a bunch of tasks:

vars:
  params_ENV_SERVER: "{{ lookup('env', 'ENV_SERVER') }}"
  params_UML_SUFFIX: "{{ lookup('env', 'UML_SUFFIX') }}"

tasks:

- name: delete previous files 
  shell: ssh deploy@{{ params_ENV_SERVER }} sudo rm -rf /opt/jenkins-files/*
  become: true
  become_user: deploy
  
- name: create build dir
  shell: ssh deploy@{{ params_ENV_SERVER }} sudo mkdir -p /opt/jenkins-files/build
  become: true
  become_user: deploy
  
- name: chown build dir
  shell: ssh deploy@{{ params_ENV_SERVER }} sudo chown -R deploy:deploy /opt/jenkins-files
  become: true
  become_user: deploy
  

Which I calling from Jenkinsfile for PROD and QA env-s:

 withEnv(["ENV_SERVER=192.168.1.30","UML_SUFFIX=stage-QA"]) {
     sh "ansible-playbook nginx-depl.yml --limit 127.0.0.1" 
 }                        
 withEnv(["ENV_SERVER=192.168.1.130","UML_SUFFIX=stage-PROD"]) {
     sh "ansible-playbook nginx-depl.yml --limit 127.0.0.1" 

Is it possible to modify playbook somehow, to execute on QA all tasks and on PROD only 2-nd and 3-rd?

Solution

Is this what are you looking for?

- name: delete previous files 
  shell: ssh deploy@{{ params_ENV_SERVER }} sudo rm -rf /opt/jenkins-files/*
  become: true
  become_user: deploy
  when: "params_UML_SUFFIX == 'stage-QA'"
  
- name: create build dir
  shell: ssh deploy@{{ params_ENV_SERVER }} sudo mkdir -p /opt/jenkins-files/build
  become: true
  become_user: deploy
  when: "params_UML_SUFFIX == 'stage-QA'" or
        "params_UML_SUFFIX == 'stage-PROD'"
  
- name: chown build dir
  shell: ssh deploy@{{ params_ENV_SERVER }} sudo chown -R deploy:deploy /opt/jenkins-files
  become: true
  become_user: deploy
  when: "params_UML_SUFFIX == 'stage-QA'" or
        "params_UML_SUFFIX == 'stage-PROD'"

---

Optionally, "Ansible-way" would be creating the inventory

shell> cat hosts
[prod]
192.168.1.130

[qa]
192.168.1.30

and declare all hosts in the playbook

shell> cat playbook.yml
- hosts: all
  tasks:

    - debug:
        msg: "Delete previous files.
              Execute module file on {{ inventory_hostname }}"
      when: inventory_hostname in groups.qa

    - debug:
        msg: "Create build dir.
              Execute module file on {{ inventory_hostname }}"
      when: inventory_hostname in groups.qa or
            inventory_hostname in groups.prod

    - debug:
        msg: "Chown build dir. 
              Execute module file on {{ inventory_hostname }}"
      when: inventory_hostname in groups.qa or
            inventory_hostname in groups.prod

You can omit "become: true" and "become_user: deploy" and declare the remote user on the command-line. For example

shell> ansible-playbook -u deploy -i hosts playbook.yml

gives (abridged)

TASK [debug] ****
skipping: [192.168.1.130]
ok: [192.168.1.30] => 
  msg: Delete previous files. Execute module file on 192.168.1.30

TASK [debug] ****
ok: [192.168.1.130] => 
  msg: Create build dir. Execute module file on 192.168.1.130
ok: [192.168.1.30] => 
  msg: Create build dir. Execute module file on 192.168.1.30

TASK [debug] ****
ok: [192.168.1.30] => 
  msg: Chown build dir. Execute module file on 192.168.1.30
ok: [192.168.1.130] => 
  msg: Chown build dir. Execute module file on 192.168.1.130

You can limit the execution to particular hosts or groups. For example, the command below would execute on prod group only

shell> ansible-playbook -u deploy -i hosts playbook.yml --limit prod

gives (abridged)

TASK [debug] ****
skipping: [192.168.1.130]

TASK [debug] ****
ok: [192.168.1.130] => 
  msg: Create build dir. Execute module file on 192.168.1.130

TASK [debug] ****
ok: [192.168.1.130] => 
  msg: Chown build dir. Execute module file on 192.168.1.130

---

Notes

• "Ansible-way" is to execute modules on the remote hosts.
• Replace the debug tasks with file
• Integrate into one tasks "create build dir" and "chown build dir"
• If you run the playbook as user deploy you can omit the parameter "-u deploy"

Answered By - Vladimir Botka
Answer Checked By - Clifford M. (JavaFixing Volunteer)