vmware_vm_inventory filters

[esxi...@gmail.com]

Hi

Needs any suggestion in my case as below 

We have vCenter where many linux bases vm which are use by other lob, there is no proper naming standard , no ip based filter possible , no folders arranged properly 

With all this, one thing which is in my control is add  "custom attributes"  

Is there any way we can filter using "custom attributes' 

Thanks 

[esxi...@gmail.com]

@abijit reported  community.vmware.vmware_vm_inventory  but i did not find doc about it ie what all capabilities its filter has 

[esxi...@gmail.com]

tried but no luck 

plugin: community.vmware.vmware_vm_inventory

strict: False

hostname: xxx

username: admini...@vsphere.local

password: xxx

validate_certs: False

#properties:

#- runtime.powerState

#- config.name

properties:

- 'name'

- 'config.uuid'

- 'config.name'

- 'guest.toolsStatus'

- 'guest.toolsRunningStatus'

- 'guest.ipAddress'

- 'configIssue'

- 'config.bootOptions'

- 'config.annotation'

- 'config.alternateGuestName'

compose:

  ansible_host: 'guest.ipAddress'

keyed_groups:

    - key: 'tags'

      separator: ''

filters:

- guest.GuestFullName == "CentOS 7 (64-bit)"

[esxi...@gmail.com]

i tested & found below works though 

filters: - runtime.powerState == "poweredOff" 

i am using 

ansible 2.9.10

[esxi...@gmail.com]

The page 

https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/scenario_guides/vmware_scenarios/vmware_inventory_hostnames.html

Does not talk or give examples of filter .. 

[Abhijeet Kasurde]

Hi,

I raised a PR to address - how to use filters in vmware_vm_inventory - https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/71670

Please provide the feedback.

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Thanks,

Abhijeet Kasurde

[esxi...@gmail.com]

Thanks a lot Abhijit

I did look at  https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/71670  , but not sure where i can give feedback. 

I am sure you got it & see a value & hence raise PR ... so for records Again i can give below feedback :-

If user get filter based on "custom attributes " will provide a lot of flexibility to users & with their own queries ..  

eg my org has 1 vcenter & has many lobs using it, a linux vm can be of of engg, infra, infosec & so on .. so i have a custom tag called "lob"... 

Thanks 

[esxi...@gmail.com]

I checked that one, seems close, does that mean this feature is now in ? the docs does not talk about that - https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/scenario_guides/vmware_scenarios/vmware_inventory_filters.html

Thanks

On Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 12:17:32 AM UTC-7 Abhijeet Kasurde wrote:

[Abhijeet Kasurde]

Hi,

You can use custom attributes assigned to vms using inventory. Let us assume that a VM has attributes as "OS" = "Linux" and "Backup" = "Monday" then

your inventory configuration looks like -

plugin: community.vmware.vmware_vm_inventory
strict: False
hostname: 10.8.36.25
username: admini...@vsphere.local
password: 2gJ.aGq8AU*tPAaii_
validate_certs: False
hostnames:
- 'config.name'
properties:
- 'config.name'
- 'config.guestId'
- 'guest.ipAddress'
- 'summary.runtime.powerState'
- 'customValue' # <----------------------------------  This way you can specify the customValues
filters:
- OS is defined and OS == 'Linux' #   <---------------------------------- This way you can filter customValue

You will get results like

# ansible-inventory -i filters_custom_attributes_vmware.yml --list
{
    "_meta": {
        "hostvars": {
            "centos_7": {
                "Backup": "Monday",
                "OS": "Linux",
                "config.guestId": "centos7_64Guest",
                "config.name": "centos_7",
                "runtime.connectionState": "connected",
                "summary.runtime.powerState": "poweredOff"
            }
        }
    },
    "all": {
        "children": [
            "centos7_64Guest",
            "poweredOff",
            "ungrouped"
        ]
    },
    "centos7_64Guest": {
        "hosts": [
            "centos_7"
        ]
    },
    "poweredOff": {
        "hosts": [
            "centos_7"
        ]
    }
}

Let me know if you need any additional information.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ansible-project/1268d7a3-fd28-4b89-9a91-2815e97a9ad7n%40googlegroups.com.

--

Thanks,

Abhijeet Kasurde

[esxi...@gmail.com]

Abhijit actually i came across that one & tried below .. "per the documents" .. which were confusing BTW .. soon i will give link

filters:
- "tag_category.OS is defined and 'Ubuntu16.04' in tag_category.OS"

I had difficult  time to get this tested .. as for "tags" you see some extra stuff install & that install though looks straighforward but took me for spin .. so i am more into fixing the python issues ... May be you can help.. soon i will give all i tried & error i got ..

[esxi...@gmail.com]

Link :

https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/community/vmware/vmware_vm_inventory_inventory.html

last 2 lines

filters: - "tag_category.OS is defined and 'Linux' in tag_category.OS"

How to i add "AND" or "OR" here ?

OS = CentOS7

And

LOB = Infra

[esxi...@gmail.com]

Now the error :

 ansible-inventory --list -i vmware.yml
[WARNING]:  * Failed to parse /etc/ansible/playbooks/vmware.yml with ansible_collections.community.vmware.plugins.inventory.vmware_vm_inventory plugin: Unable to find 'vSphere
Automation SDK' Python library which is required. Please refer this URL for installation steps - https://code.vmware.com/web/sdk/7.0/vsphere-automation-python
[WARNING]: Unable to parse /etc/ansible/playbooks/vmware.yml as an inventory source
[WARNING]: No inventory was parsed, only implicit localhost is available
{
    "_meta": {
        "hostvars": {}
    },
    "all": {
        "children": [
            "ungrouped"
        ]
    }
}

#######################################

tried below 2

scl enable rh-python36 bash

 ansible-inventory --list -i vmware.yml
[WARNING]:  * Failed to parse /etc/ansible/playbooks/vmware.yml with ansible_collections.community.vmware.plugins.inventory.vmware_vm_inventory plugin: Unable to find 'vSphere
Automation SDK' Python library which is required. Please refer this URL for installation steps - https://code.vmware.com/web/sdk/7.0/vsphere-automation-python
[WARNING]: Unable to parse /etc/ansible/playbooks/vmware.yml as an inventory source
[WARNING]: No inventory was parsed, only implicit localhost is available
{
    "_meta": {
        "hostvars": {}
    },
    "all": {
        "children": [
            "ungrouped"
        ]
    }
}

#######################################

 python --version
Python 3.6.12

 ansible --version
ansible 2.9.14
  config file = /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg
  configured module search path = [u'/root/.ansible/plugins/modules', u'/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/ansible
  executable location = /usr/bin/ansible
  python version = 2.7.5 (default, Nov 16 2020, 22:23:17) [GCC 4.8.5 20150623 (Red Hat 4.8.5-44)]

OS :-

Distributor ID: CentOS
Description:    CentOS Linux release 7.9.2009 (Core)
Release:        7.9.2009
Codename:       Core

#######################################

Now i will try what you gave

#######################################

- 'customValue' # <----------------------------------  This way you can specify the customValues
filters:
- OS is defined and OS == 'Linux' #   <---------------------------------- This way you can filter customValue

###############################
########

Install was done & was ok when i upgrade to python 3x :

https://github.com/vmware/vsphere-automation-sdk-python#installing-required-python-packages

pip install --upgrade pip setuptools

pip install --upgrade git+https://github.com/vmware/vsphere-automation-sdk-python.git

Per notes in https://github.com/vmware/vsphere-automation-sdk-python#installing-required-python-packages

Please suggest ( google did not give any clue for fix )

[esxi...@gmail.com]

tested on Ubuntu 20.04 ..

I am able to see all vms

eg

            "xx": {
                "Application": "xx",
                "Environment": "xx",
                "LOB": "xx",
                "Location": "xx",
                "NB_LAST_BACKUP": "xx",
                "OS": "Ubuntu18.04",
                "ansible_host": "xx",
                "categories": [
                    "Backup Retention Policy",
                    "OS"
                ],
                "config.guestId": "ubuntu64Guest",
                "config.name": "xx",
                "guest.ipAddress": "xx",
                "runtime.connectionState": "connected",
                "summary.runtime.powerState": "poweredOn",
                "tag_category.Backup Retention Policy": [
                    "Backup-Bronze"
                ],
                "tag_category.OS": [
                    "Ubuntu18.04"
                ],
                "tags": [
                    "Backup-Bronze",
                    "Ubuntu18.04"
                ]
            }
        }
    },

As soon as i added

filters:
- OS is defined and OS == 'Ubuntu18.04'

I get below

{
    "_meta": {
        "hostvars": {}
    },
    "all": {
        "children": [
            "ungrouped"
        ]
    }
}

Any suggestions Please ?

[esxi...@gmail.com]

Please ignore..i removed & re-added the tag & its working .. Thanks @ Abhijeet Kasurde

[esxi...@gmail.com]

Great ...it filter not only based on Tags but custom attributes as well... !!!

[esxi...@gmail.com]

BTW how to use this as dynamic inv ?

 Tried below

ansible-playbook  uptime-inv-based.yml  -i vmware.yml

---
## This playbook is for :

- name: Simple play
  hosts: localhost
  gather_facts: yes
  remote_user: ansible
  tasks:
    - name: find uptime
      command: uptime
      register: uptime_output
    - debug: msg="{{uptime_output.stdout_lines}}"

    - debug:
        var: vars.groups.all

its gives uptime of local box ..

[esxi...@gmail.com]

fixed

i changed

hosts: localhost

to

hosts: all

[esxi...@gmail.com]

Is it possible to connect multiple vCenters at same time ?

On Sunday, February 7, 2021 at 8:17:41 PM UTC-8 Abhijeet Kasurde wrote:

[Abhijeet Kasurde]

No, for different vCenter you need to have multiple configuration files.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ansible-project/919904c2-94b5-4368-9ad3-bcd1196a9b74n%40googlegroups.com.

--

Thanks,

Abhijeet Kasurde

[esxi...@gmail.com]

That will be a good & handy feature request... as you can imagin for so many use cases & for ease  .. BTW with powercli it is possible to do this.. so is technically possible as well

Please suggest what you think Abhijeet