Ansible is a powerful automation tool that simplifies IT infrastructure management, configuration management, and application deployment across different environments. While Ansible's strength lies in its ability to execute complex playbooks, it also offers a convenient way to perform quick tasks using ad-hoc commands. In this blog post, we'll explore Ansible ad-hoc commands and how they can streamline your workflow.

📑What are Ansible Ad-Hoc Commands?

Ansible ad-hoc commands are simple, one-liner commands that allow you to perform tasks on remote hosts without creating a playbook. These commands are ideal for quick operations, such as restarting a service, copying a file, or gathering system information. Ad-hoc commands are executed in a single line and do not require the creation of a separate playbook file.

✅Basic Syntax

The basic syntax for Ansible ad-hoc commands is as follows:

ansible [pattern] -m [module] -a "[module options]"

• pattern: Specifies the hosts or groups of hosts you want to target. You can use patterns like all, webservers, or host1,host2.

• -m or --module-name: Specifies the Ansible module you want to use.

• -a or --args: Specifies the arguments or options for the module.

Common Ad-Hoc Command Examples Here are some common examples of Ansible ad-hoc commands:

1. Ping hosts

    ansible all -m ping
   

   This command uses the ping module to check if the specified hosts are reachable.

2. Restart a service

    ansible webservers -m service -a "name=apache2 state=restarted"
   

   This command restarts the Apache2 service on the hosts in the webservers group.

3. Copy a file

    ansible appservers -m copy -a "src=/path/to/local/file dest=/path/on/remote/host"
   

   This command copies a local file to the specified remote hosts in the appservers group.

4. Gather system information

    ansible all -m setup -a "filter=ansible_distribution*"
   

   This command retrieves distribution information from all hosts using the setup module and filters the output to show only the distribution-related facts.

5. Execute a command

    ansible dbservers -m command -a "uptime"
   

   This command runs the uptime command on the hosts in the dbservers group.

Ad-Hoc Commands with Privilege Escalation Some tasks may require elevated privileges (sudo) on the remote hosts. You can use the --become or -b option to enable privilege escalation:

ansible webservers -b --become-user=root -m service -a "name=apache2 state=restarted"

This command restarts the Apache2 service as the root user on the webservers hosts.

✅Conclusion

Ansible ad-hoc commands are a powerful and convenient way to perform quick tasks on remote hosts without the need for creating full-fledged playbooks. They are perfect for simple operations, troubleshooting, and gathering information. As you become more familiar with Ansible, you'll find ad-hoc commands to be an invaluable tool in your automation toolbox.

Hope you found it useful😊!