ios_command failed to connect Cisco SF300

[Romain CYRILLE]

Hello,

I am trying to use Ansible with Cisco SF300 switches. I use a basic playbook that retrieve the version : 

---
- hosts: ios_devices
  gather_facts: no
  connection: local
     


  vars_prompt:
  - name: "mgmt_username"
    prompt: "Username"
    private: no
  - name: "mgmt_password"
    prompt: "Password"


  tasks:
  - name: SYS | Define provider
    set_fact:
      provider:
        host: "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
        username: "{{ mgmt_username }}"
        password: "{{ mgmt_password }}"


  - name: IOS | Show clock
    ios_command:
      provider: "{{ provider }}"
      commands:
        - show version
    register: version


  - debug: msg="{{ version.stdout }}"

I have the following error : 

fatal: [hostname]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "failed": true, "msg": "failed to connect to hostname"}

I found why : if I had the following configuration ip ssh password-auth to the switch, it is working.



From the cisco guide : Use the ip ssh password-auth Global Configuration mode command to enable password authentication of incoming SSH sessions.

The thing is normally when I connect to a switch by ssh, I am still asked for a user name and password after being connected before entering commands. 

I tried the option authorize of the ios_command module but it's not working.

I could manually add this configuration of the ssh server on every switch but it is a long job to do. 

Do you have any other solutions ?

Have a nice day !

Romain