Exercise 2.1: Using a combination of modules to delete configuration on the BIG-IP

Objective

Demonstrate use of the different modules to delete the configuration (Nodes/Pool/Virtual Server) on the BIG-IP. # Guide

Step 1:

Use VS Code Explorer to create a new file called bigip-delete-configuration.yml.

The Ansible node is equiped with Visual Studio Code and can be accessed via UDF ACCESS Methods.

Step 2:

Enter the following play definition into bigip-delete-configuration.yml:

---
- name: BIG-IP SETUP
  hosts: lb
  connection: local
  gather_facts: false

• The --- at the top of the file indicates that this is a YAML file.
• The hosts: f5, indicates the play is run only on the F5 BIG-IP device
• connection: local tells the Playbook to run locally (rather than SSHing to itself)
• gather_facts: no disables facts gathering. We are not using any fact variables for this playbook.

Step 3

Add a tasks section with a set_fact for setting the provider values

tasks:

  - name: Setup provider
    set_fact:
     provider:
      server: "{{private_ip}}"
      user: "{{ansible_user}}"
      password: "{{ansible_ssh_pass}}"
      server_port: "8443"
      validate_certs: "no"

Step 4

Next, add the first task using the bigip_virtual_server. This task will be identical to Exercise 1.5 - Adding a virtual server with an additional state parameter. The state: absent will remove the configuration from the F5 BIG-IP load balancer.

- name: DELETE VIRTUAL SERVER
  bigip_virtual_server:
    provider: "{{provider}}"
    name: "vip"
    state: absent

• state: absent is a parameter that tells the module to delete the configuration

Step 5

Next, add the second task using the bigip_pool. This task will be identical to Exercise 1.3 - Adding a load balancing pool with an additional state parameter set to absent.

- name: DELETE POOL
  bigip_pool:
    provider: "{{provider}}"
    name: "http_pool"
    state: absent

Step 6

Finally, add the last task using the bigip_node. This task will be identical to Exercise 1.2 - Adding nodes to F5 BIG-IP with an additional state parameter set to absent.

- name: DELETE NODES
  bigip_node:
    provider: "{{provider}}"
    name: "{{hostvars[item].inventory_hostname}}"
    state: absent
  loop: "{{ groups['webservers'] }}"

The above playbook will delete the virtual server, then the pool and then the nodes configured in previous exercises.

Step 7

Run the playbook - exit back into the command line of the control host and execute the following:

[centos@ansible ~]$ ansible-playbook bigip-delete-configuration.yml

Playbook Output

[centos@ansible]$ ansible-playbook bigip-delete-configuration.yml

PLAY [BIG-IP TEARDOWN] **************************************************************************************************************************************

TASK [Setup provider] ***************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [f5]

TASK [DELETE VIRTUAL SERVER] ********************************************************************************************************************************
changed: [f5]

TASK [DELETE POOL] *********************************************************************************************************************************
changed: [f5]

TASK [DELETE NODES] *************************************************************************************************************************************
changed: [f5] => (item=host1)
changed: [f5] => (item=host2)

PLAY RECAP **************************************************************************************************************************************
f5                         : ok=4    changed=3    unreachable=0    failed=0

Solution

The finished Ansible Playbook is provided here for an Answer key. Click here: bigip-delete-configuration.yml.

Verifying the Solution

Login to the F5 with your web browser to see what was configured. Grab the IP information for the F5 load balancer from the lab_inventory/hosts file, and type it in like so: https://X.X.X.X:8443/

Login information for the BIG-IP: - username: admin - password: provided by instructor defaults to ansible

Navigate the menu on the left and view that the configuration has been deleted.

• Check: Local Traffic Manager -> Virtual Server
• Check: Local Traffic Manager -> Pool
• Check: Local Traffic Manager -> Node

All configured objetcs are removed and the BIG-IP is 'empty'.

You have finished this exercise. Click here to return to the lab guide