ansible-pull: possible to use with add_hosts and remote targets?

[olapo...@gmail.com]

Hi!

I am maintaining a set of servers which host some LXD containers on them.

The playbooks to install them go like this: First playbook connects to the LXD host, installs apps and services including the containers that are configured for it. A second playbook connects to this host, loops through its container configuration and adds them to an in-memory inventory group. These containers are then installed in a second play in this playbook, using the in-memory inventory group created just before.

This is working beautifully when used via ansible-playbook in push mode. But with ansible-pull, the add_host group gets defined, but cannot be used as inventory group later.

See this stripped down demonstration code:

Playbook (debug.yml):

---
- name: add container hosts to in-memory inventory
  hosts: "{{ target_hosts }}"
  remote_user: "{{ user | default('comdok') }}"

  tasks:
    - debug:
        var: groups['containers']
    - name: add hosts
      add_host:
        name: "{{ item.name }}"
        ansible_host: "{{ item.ip4 }}"
        group: containers
      loop: "{{ lxd_containers }}"
      no_log: true
    - debug:
        var: groups['containers']


- name: install LXC containers
  hosts:
    - containers
  remote_user: root
  gather_facts: no

...

Execution:

$ ansible-pull --accept-host-key --directory /var/lib/ansible/local --full --only-if-changed --url git@….git --vault-password-file=/etc/ansible/key --extra-vars "target_hosts=ABC-Host" --inventory /var/lib/ansible/local/inventory/abc  /var/lib/ansible/local/playbooks/debug.yml -f
Starting Ansible Pull at 2018-11-29 10:48:38
/usr/bin/ansible-pull --accept-host-key --directory /var/lib/ansible/local --full --only-if-changed --url git@….git --vault-password-file=/etc/ansible/key --extra-vars target_hosts=ABC-Host --inventory /var/lib/ansible/local/inventory/abc /var/lib/ansible/local/playbooks/debug.yml -f
ABC-Host | FAILED! => {
    "before": "89954c6b2e486cfae5c8dd34e8e12a000d05ffbb",
    "changed": false,
    "msg": "Local modifications exist in repository (force=no)."
}
 [WARNING]: Unable to update repository. Continuing with (forced) run of playbook.


PLAY [add container hosts to in-memory inventory] ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

TASK [Gathering Facts] ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [ABC-Host]

TASK [debug] *************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [ABC-Host] => {
    "groups['containers']": "VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED!"
}

TASK [add hosts] *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
changed: [ABC-Host] => (item=None)
changed: [ABC-Host] => (item=None)
changed: [ABC-Host]

TASK [debug] *************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [ABC-Host] => {
    "groups['containers']": [
        "ABC-AD",
        "ABC-FS"
    ]
}

PLAY [install LXC containers] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
skipping: no hosts matched

PLAY RECAP ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ABC-Host                   : ok=4    changed=1    unreachable=0    failed=0

I assume that ansible-pull is only suitable when adressing the local host? Or what might be done to re-use the push playbooks in pull mode?

Thanks, Raulo