Run and Stop AWX in Docker Containers: Start, Stop & Manage (Guide)
By Luca Berton · Published 2024-01-01 · Category: troubleshooting
How to run and stop Ansible AWX in Docker containers. Start, stop, restart AWX services, check logs, and troubleshoot common Docker deployment issues.
How to Run and Stop Ansible AWX in Docker container?
I'm going to show you how to start and stop the Ansible AWX in Docker containers. You can take advantage of the AWX modern web-UI and API interface. Running in Docker containers is recommended only for experienced users and developers. I'm Luca Berton and welcome to today's episode of Ansible Pilot.
Links • https://github.com/ansible/awx/blob/devel/tools/docker-compose/README.md#run-awx
Playbook
How to Run and Stop Ansible AWX in Docker containers. This requires Building from scratch Ansible AWX for Docker containers in a previous lesson.
code
Once you have a successful build of Ansible AWX for Docker containers, you can run the AWX container using the following command. The process is also spinning the requirements of PostgreSQL and Redis containers.
Your session will be attached to the AWX container, and start watching for log messages and events in real-time when the container was launched. The first time you start the environment, database migrations run in order to build the PostgreSQL initial database schema and data. By default, six Docker containers are running on your machine: tools_awx_1, tools_postgres_1, tools_redis_1, tools_receptor_hop, tools_receptor_1, tools_receptor_2. You can verify the containers running in your system using the docker ps command:
!Run Ansible AWX in Docker containers
Access the Ansible AWX Web UI
The Ansible AWX Web-UI is available at the URL https://localhost:8043/. A successful connection with your browser is going to show you the following login screen ( https://localhost:8043/#/login ).
!Run Ansible AWX UI in Docker containers
Access the Ansible AWX Web API
The Ansible AWX API is available at the URL https://localhost:8043/api/. A successful connection with your browser is going to show you the following API endpoint ( https://localhost:8043/api/ ). The Ansible AWX API is a Browsable API so easy to navigate via the browser. Please note that some API endpoints require authentication.
!Access the Ansible AWX API in Docker containers
Conclusion
Now you know how to Run and Stop Ansible AWX in Docker containers.
Start AWX
Stop AWX
Restart AWX
AWX Container Architecture
| Container | Purpose | |-----------|---------| | awx_web | Web UI and API (nginx + uwsgi) | | awx_task | Job execution engine | | postgres | Database | | redis | Message broker / cache |
Check Status and Logs
Manage with Ansible
Common Operations
Backup database
Restore database
Create admin user
Run management commands
Troubleshooting
AWX web not accessible
Task container keeps restarting
AWX Operator (Kubernetes) — Modern Approach
FAQ
Docker Compose vs AWX Operator?
Docker Compose is for development/small deployments. AWX Operator on Kubernetes is recommended for production.
How do I upgrade AWX?
My jobs are stuck in "pending"
Check the task container: docker logs awx_task. Common causes: Redis connection lost, insufficient memory, or task container crashed.
Related Articles • Ansible Docker Guide • What is Ansible AWX
Category: troubleshooting
Watch the video: Run and Stop AWX in Docker Containers: Start, Stop & Manage (Guide) — Video Tutorial