Efficient Web Server Setup Using Ansible Playbook

By Luca Berton · Published 2024-01-01 · Category: installation

Set up a web server effortlessly with our Ansible playbook tutorial. Follow step-by-step instructions for installing and configuring HTTPD service.

Efficient Web Server Setup Using Ansible Playbook

How to deploy a webserver apache httpd on RedHat-like systems with Ansible?

I'm going to show you a live Playbook with some simple Ansible code. I'm Luca Berton and welcome to today's episode of Ansible Pilot.

Deploy a web server apache httpd on RedHat-like systems

• install packages => ansible.builtin.yum • custom index.html => ansible.builtin.copy • start service => ansible.builtin.service • open firewall => ansible.posix.firewalld

Today we're talking about how to Deploy a web server apache httpd on RedHat-like Linux systems. The full process requires four steps that you could automate with different Ansible modules. Firstly you need to install the httpd package and dependency using the ansible.builtin.yum Ansible module. Secondly, you need to create the custom index.html with ansible.builtin.copy Ansible module. You could upgrade this step using the template module. Thirsty you need to start the httpd service and enable on boot and all the dependant using the ansible.builtin.service Ansible module. Fourthly you need to open the relevant firewall service-related ports using the ansible.posix.firewalld Ansible module.

## Playbook

Deploy a web server apache httpd on RedHat-like systems with Ansible Playbook.

code

---
- name: setup webserver
  hosts: all
  become: true
  tasks:
    - name: httpd installed
      ansible.builtin.yum:
        name: httpd
        state: latest
    - name: custom index.html
      ansible.builtin.copy:
        dest: /var/www/html/index.html
        content: |
          Custom Web Page
    - name: httpd service enabled
      ansible.builtin.service:
        name: httpd
        enabled: true
        state: started
    - name: open firewall
      ansible.posix.firewalld:
        service: http
        state: enabled
        immediate: true
        permanent: true

execution

ansible-pilot $ ansible-playbook -i virtualmachines/demo/inventory services/httpd_redhat.yml
PLAY [setup webserver] ****************************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] ****************************************************************************
ok: [demo.example.com]
TASK [httpd installed] ****************************************************************************
changed: [demo.example.com]
TASK [custom index.html] **************************************************************************
changed: [demo.example.com]
TASK [httpd service enabled] **********************************************************************
changed: [demo.example.com]
TASK [open firewall] ******************************************************************************
changed: [demo.example.com]
PLAY RECAP ****************************************************************************************
demo.example.com           : ok=5    changed=4    unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0
ansible-pilot $

idempotency

ansible-pilot $ ansible-playbook -i virtualmachines/demo/inventory services/httpd_redhat.yml
PLAY [setup webserver] ****************************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] ****************************************************************************
ok: [demo.example.com]
TASK [httpd installed] ****************************************************************************
ok: [demo.example.com]
TASK [custom index.html] **************************************************************************
ok: [demo.example.com]
TASK [httpd service enabled] **********************************************************************
ok: [demo.example.com]
TASK [open firewall] ******************************************************************************
ok: [demo.example.com]
PLAY RECAP ****************************************************************************************
demo.example.com           : ok=5    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0
ansible-pilot $

before execution

ansible-pilot $ ssh devops@demo.example.com
Last login: Sat Feb 12 10:08:51 2022 from 192.168.0.100
[devops@demo ~]$ sudo su
[root@demo devops]# cat /etc/os-release 
NAME="Red Hat Enterprise Linux"
VERSION="8.5 (Ootpa)"
ID="rhel"
ID_LIKE="fedora"
VERSION_ID="8.5"
PLATFORM_ID="platform:el8"
PRETTY_NAME="Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.5 (Ootpa)"
ANSI_COLOR="0;31"
CPE_NAME="cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos"
HOME_URL="https://www.redhat.com/"
DOCUMENTATION_URL="https://access.redhat.com/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/8/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugzilla.redhat.com/"
REDHAT_BUGZILLA_PRODUCT="Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8"
REDHAT_BUGZILLA_PRODUCT_VERSION=8.5
REDHAT_SUPPORT_PRODUCT="Red Hat Enterprise Linux"
REDHAT_SUPPORT_PRODUCT_VERSION="8.5"
[root@demo devops]# dnf list installed httpd
Updating Subscription Management repositories.
Error: No matching Packages to list
[root@demo devops]# rpm -qa | grep httpd
[root@demo devops]# cat /var/www/html/index.html
cat: /var/www/html/index.html: No such file or directory
[root@demo devops]# ls -al /var/www
ls: cannot access '/var/www': No such file or directory
[root@demo devops]#

after execution

ansible-pilot $ ssh devops@demo.example.com
Last login: Sat Feb 12 10:12:47 2022 from 192.168.0.100
[devops@demo ~]$ sudo su
[root@demo devops]# dnf list installed httpd
Updating Subscription Management repositories.
Installed Packages
httpd.x86_64      2.4.37-43.module+el8.5.0+13806+b30d9eec.1       @rhel-8-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms
[root@demo devops]# rpm -qa | grep httpd
httpd-tools-2.4.37-43.module+el8.5.0+13806+b30d9eec.1.x86_64
httpd-filesystem-2.4.37-43.module+el8.5.0+13806+b30d9eec.1.noarch
httpd-2.4.37-43.module+el8.5.0+13806+b30d9eec.1.x86_64
redhat-logos-httpd-84.5-1.el8.noarch
[root@demo devops]# cat /var/www/html/index.html 
Custom Web Page
[root@demo devops]#