Can Ansible Create VMs?

Ansible is a powerful tool for automating IT operations, including the creation of virtual machines (VMs) in cloud and on-premises environments. This article explores how Ansible can create VMs, its integration with virtualization platforms, and examples of playbooks for automating VM provisioning.

Can Ansible Create VMs?

Yes, Ansible can create virtual machines by interacting with virtualization platforms and cloud providers. Using platform-specific modules and collections, Ansible automates the provisioning of VMs, from defining configurations to deploying operating systems and managing resources.

Supported Platforms for VM Creation

Ansible integrates with a variety of platforms to create VMs:

1. Cloud Providers:

   • AWS: Use the amazon.aws.ec2_instance module.
   • Azure: Use the azure.azcollection.azure_rm_virtualmachine module.
   • Google Cloud: Use the google.cloud.gcp_compute_instance module.

2. On-Premises Virtualization:

   • VMware: Use the vmware.vmware_guest module.
   • KVM/Libvirt: Use the community.libvirt.virt module.
   • Hyper-V: Use the ansible.windows.win_hyperv_vm module.

3. Containerized Environments:

   • Automate virtualized containers with tools like Kubernetes and Docker.

Examples of Creating VMs with Ansible

1. Creating an EC2 Instance on AWS

- name: Create an EC2 instance
  hosts: localhost
  tasks:
    - name: Launch an EC2 instance
      amazon.aws.ec2_instance:
        name: "WebServer"
        key_name: "my-key-pair"
        instance_type: "t2.micro"
        image_id: "ami-12345678"
        region: "us-east-1"
        state: present

2. Creating a Virtual Machine on VMware

- name: Create a VMware VM
  hosts: localhost
  tasks:
    - name: Deploy a VM from a template
      vmware.vmware_guest:
        hostname: "vcenter.local"
        username: "[email protected]"
        password: "password"
        validate_certs: no
        datacenter: "Datacenter"
        cluster: "Cluster"
        template: "UbuntuTemplate"
        name: "NewVM"
        networks:
          - name: "VM Network"
            ip: "192.168.1.100"
        disk:
          - size_gb: 20
            datastore: "Datastore1"
        state: poweredon

3. Creating a VM on KVM/Libvirt

- name: Create a KVM VM
  hosts: localhost
  tasks:
    - name: Define and start a KVM virtual machine
      community.libvirt.virt:
        name: "test-vm"
        memory_mb: 2048
        vcpu: 2
        disks:
          - size: 20
            pool: "default"
        networks:
          - name: "default"
        state: running

4. Creating a Virtual Machine on Azure

- name: Create an Azure VM
  hosts: localhost
  tasks:
    - name: Create a virtual machine
      azure.azcollection.azure_rm_virtualmachine:
        resource_group: "MyResourceGroup"
        name: "MyVM"
        vm_size: "Standard_B1s"
        admin_username: "azureuser"
        admin_password: "P@ssw0rd1234"
        image:
          offer: "UbuntuServer"
          publisher: "Canonical"
          sku: "18.04-LTS"
          version: "latest"

Best Practices for Automating VM Creation with Ansible

1. Use Variables: Define variables for VM configurations to make playbooks reusable:

   vars:
     vm_name: "MyVM"
     vm_size: "Standard_B1s"
     image_offer: "UbuntuServer"
   

2. Secure Credentials: Use Ansible Vault to encrypt sensitive information like passwords and API keys.

3. Leverage Collections: Install and use collections for platform-specific modules:

   ansible-galaxy collection install amazon.aws
   

4. Validate Configurations: Test playbooks in a development environment before applying them to production.

5. Document Playbooks: Include comments and README files to describe playbook functionality.

Conclusion

Ansible provides robust support for creating VMs across cloud and on-premises platforms. By using platform-specific modules and adhering to best practices, you can automate the provisioning of virtual machines, streamline operations, and ensure consistency in your infrastructure.

Learn More About Ansible VM Creation

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