FOS-Ansible Introduction

This repository provides reference example Modules & Playbooks for Ansible to manage Fibre Channel switches running different FOS versions. Tested with Ansible 4.5.0 running Python 3.8.5. Also, Tested with AWX 13.0.0.

Installation from Github.com

Step1: clone the repository

HTTPS example:

    git clone https://github.com/brocade/ansible

Step2: Add library path ANSIBLE_LIBRARY variable

BASH example:

    if the repository is cloned under /home/myaccount/ansible,

    export ANSIBLE_LIBRARY="/home/myaccount/ansible/library"

Step3: update ansible.cfg to point to utils directory for module_utils

Example available under ansible.cfg

Tower/AWX

tower_awx branch is now merged to master. Since playbooks and ansible.cfg are expected to be in the root directory for Tower/AWX, all playbooks and ansible.cfg are moved from tasks directory to root directory.

Usage

Step 1: create a project within AWX and choose

SCN TYPE to Git
SCM URL to https://github.com/brocade/ansible.git

Step 2: create an inventory.

Step 3: add a host to the inventory. Use san_eng_zone_seed_san_a in the host name field.

Step 4: add the following to the variables for the host.

ansible_connection: local
fos_ip_addr: <IP address of FOS switch>
fos_user_name: admin
fos_password: <FOS password for admin>
https: <False/True/self>

These variables are used by playbooks available when choosing the project created above to connect to FOS switch.

Connection to FOS

Primary connection to FOS for playbooks is FOS REST connection. However, Some playbook attributes use ssh connect to augment the fuctionality. When those attributes are specified in the playbooks, be sure that the FOS switch being used to connect is part of known hosts by where ansible-playbook is being executed or where AWX job is being executed.

Here are the examples of attributes using ssh.

Ansible module name	Attributes
brocade_chassis	telnet_timeout
brocade_fibrechannel_configuration_fabric	fabric_principal_enabled, fabric_principal_priority, in_order_delivery_enabled
brocade_fibrechannel_configuration_n_port_configuration	credit_recovery_mode
brocade_fibrechannel_switch	dynamic_load_sharing (pre 9.0 only)
brocade_security_user_config	account_enabled (pre 9.0 only)
brocade_snmp	host being set to 0.0.0.0 (pre 9.0 only)

If host key check is to be turned off, ssh_hostkeymust field in credential variable should be set to false. Here is an example of how that can be done by defining credential variable in extra variables section for AWX job template.

credential:
  fos_ip_addr: "{{fos_ip_addr}}"
  fos_user_name: "{{fos_user_name}}"
  fos_password: "{{fos_password}}"
  https: "{{fos_https}}"
  ssh_hostkeymust: False

How to create playbooks

When creating Zoning playbooks, Zoning specific modules are used. This is to hide some of the Zoning specific operational complexities that would otherwise be exposed if using generic templates. However, most other REST FOS objects can be addressed by common template modules: brocade_single_obj and brocade_list_obj.

Zoning

Using brocade_zoning_alias, brocade_zoning_zone, and brocade_zoning_cfg modules, playbooks can be created to update Alias, Zone, or CFG in FOS Zoning database respectively.

When adding Alias, Zone or CFG, each module takes a list of entries. Each entry contains a name and a list of members. brocade_zoning_zone module can take principal_members in addition to members if you are interested in creating peer zones. During addition, entries are considered additive to the existing FOS Zoning database. In other word, if a playbook contains Aliases AAA and BBB and FOS Zoning database contained BBB and CCC before the execution of the playbook, the result of the playbook will contain Aliases AAA, BBB, and CCC. CCC is not removed even though it is not mentioned in the playbook.

Here is an example of a simple playbook of Alias to create Host1 Alias with two members and Target2 Alias with one member.

- name: Create aliases
  brocade_zoning_alias:
    credential:
      fos_ip_addr: 10.10.10.10
      fos_user_name: admin
      fos_password: password
      https: False
    vfid: -1
    aliases:
      - name: Host1
        members:
          - aa:11:11:11:11:11:11:11
          - aa:22:22:22:22:22:22:22
      - name: Target2
        members:
          - aa:44:44:44:44:44:44:44

Alias, Zone, or CFG entry is deleted only if aliases_to_delete, zones_to_delete or cfgs_to_delete variable is provided with a list of Alises, Zones or CFGs to delete.

Here is an example of a simple playbook of Alias to delete Host1 and Target2.

- name: Delete aliases
  brocade_zoning_alias:
    credential:
      fos_ip_addr: 10.10.10.10
      fos_user_name: admin
      fos_password: password
      https: False
    vfid: -1
    aliases_to_delete:
      - name: Host1
      - name: Target2

Please refer to tasks/zoning_zone_delete.yml for additional reference.

Alias, Zone, or CFG entry addition and deletion are mutually exclusive.

Members to existing Alias, Zone or CFG entries are updated during a play if difference exists between a playbook and the existing FOS Zoning database. By default, members or principal_members are thought to be a full list and NOT additive. Thus resulting play of FOS Zoning database will contain the members defined in the playbook only. For example, if a playbook defines an Alias with members AAA and BBB and the Alias in FOS Zoning database contained BBB and CCC before the execution of the playbook, the result of the playbook will be an Alias with AAA and BBB. AAA was added and CCC was deleted.

However, if optional members_add_only variable is set to True for the task, the result of the previous playbook will be AAA, BBB, and CCC, where AAA is added and CCC remains.

Inversely, optional members_remove_only variable is set to True to specify removal of specific Alias, Zone, or CFG members.

Please refer to tasks/zoning_zone_add.yml for default behavior reference, tasks/zoning_zone_members_add_only.yml for members_add_only reference and tasks/zoning_zone_members_remove_only.yml for members_remove_only reference.

If interested in copying an existing Alias, Zone, or CFG to a new object, brocade_zoning_copy module is used. If any changes are detected in the Zoning object - for example, new member is added to a Zone - being copied from, the difference is newly applied to the destination object - i.e. the added member is added to the destination Zone if already created.

During execution, each module will update the define configuration and either save or enable CFG depending on if a CFG is already active on FOS. If any error is encountered, the changes are aborted and the FOS Zoning database will revert back to pre-task state.

An optional active_cfg variable is only applicable to brocade_zoning_cfg module. The variable is used to specify a CFG to be enabled.

Since Zoning modules are additive for entries by default, it is not necessary that the full Zoning database is refered in the playbooks. However, maintaining a full database in a playbook may be beneficial for certain use cases. To help, PyFOS based zoning_to_yml.py is provided to dump the existing FOS Zoning database in yml format. The screen output can be saved to a file and referenced in playbooks. Please refer to github.com/brocade/pyfos for PyFOS details and tasks/zonedb.yml and tasks/zoning_act.yml for reference.

Yang module/object specific Ansible modules

Here are the list of additional Ansible modules beyond Zoning. These modules typically take a dictionary or a list of dictionary. The dictionary contains attributes matching Yang REST leaf definitions. However, Ansible variables require underscore while hyphen is used in Yang REST leaf definitions. So, the attributes within the dictionary should match Yang REST leaf definition while replacing hyphen with underscore. i.e. my-leaf-name in Yang REST is converted to my_leaf_name within Ansible playbook.

Ansible module name	Description
brocade_chassis.py	update chassis attributes
brocade_facts.py	retrieve facts for specified areas
brocade_fibrechannel_configuratio n_fabric.py	update fabric configuration
brocade_fibrechannel_configuratio n_port_configuration.py	update port configuration
brocade_fibrechannel_switch.py	update switch configuration
brocade_interface_fibrechannel.py	update FC port configuration
brocade_logging_audit.py	update audit configuration
brocade_logging_syslog_server.py	update syslog server configuration
brocade_maps_maps_config.py	update MAPS configuration
brocade_operation_show_status.py	show status on operations initiated
brocade_operation_supportsave.py	initiate supportsave operation
brocade_security_ipfilter_policy. py	update ip filter policy
brocade_security_ipfilter_rule.py	update ip filter rule
brocade_security_password.py	update password. Passwords are given in clear text
brocade_security_security_certifi cate_action.py	import/export CSR/certificate
brocade_security_security_certifi cate_generate.py	generate CSR/certificate
brocade_security_user_config.py	update login accounts
brocade_snmp_system.py	update snmp system attributes
brocade_snmp_v1_account.py	update snmp v1 account
brocade_snmp_v1_trap.py	update snmp v1 trap
brocade_snmp_v3_account.py	update snmp v3 account
brocade_snmp_v3_trap.py	update snmp v3 trap
brocade_time_clock_server.py	update clock server configuration
brocade_time_time_zone.py	update time zone

How to add attribute input to modules

As documented above, attributes passed to modules mirror Yang REST attribute name, except replacing “-” with "_" to aid Ansible convention. Most values assigned to these attributes also mirror Yang REST definition and details can be found in github.com/brocade/yang.

However, in some instances, attribute values are modified for both to maintain consistencies and to help with readability of playbooks.

Ansible module name	Attribute name	Value description
brocade_access_gatewa y_policy.py	auto_policy_enabled	boolean
brocade_access_gatewa y_policy.py	port_group_policy_ena bled	boolean
brocade_fibrechannel _switch.py	enabled_state	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	compression_configure d	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	credit_recovery_enabl ed	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	csctl_mode_enabled	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	d_port_enable	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	e_port_disable	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	enabled_state	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	encryption_enabled	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	ex_port_enabled	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	fault_delay_enabled	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	fec_enabled	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	g_port_locked	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	isl_ready_mode_enable d	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	long_distance	Disabled/L0/L1/L2/LE/ L0.5/LD/LS
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	los_tov_mode_enabled	Disabled/Fixed/FixedA uto
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	max_speed	32Gig/16Gig/10Gig/8Gi g/4Gig/2Gig/1Gig/Auto
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	mirror_port_enabled	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	n_port_enabled	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	non_dfe_enabled	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	npiv_enabled	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	npiv_flogi_logout_ena bled	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	persistent_disable	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	port_autodisable_enab led	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	qos_enabled	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	rscn_suppression_enab led	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	sim_port_enabled	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	speed	32Gig/16Gig/10Gig/8Gi g/4Gig/2Gig/1Gig/Auto
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	target_driven_zonin g_enable	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	trunk_port_enabled	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	vc_link_init	boolean
brocade_interface_fib rechannel.py	via_tts_fec_enabled	boolean
brocade_security_pass word.py	new_password	clear text
brocade_security_pass word.py	old_password	clear text
brocade_security_secu rity_certificate_acti on.py	remote_user_password	clear text
brocade_security_sshu til_public_key_action .py	remote_user_password	clear text
brocade_security_se c_crypto_cfg_templat a_action.py	remote_user_password	clear text
brocade_security_user _config.py	password	clear text
brocade_snmp_v3_accou nt.py	authentication_passwo rd	clear text

Template based Ansible modules

REST Yang objects that have yet been addressed by Yang module/object specific Ansible modules, template based Ansible modules can be used to address them temporarily. Although template based Ansible modules should generally work well with most REST Yang modules, some RET Yang objects specific may not be handled properly. So, it is recommended that Yang module/object specific Ansible modules be used preferably.

Singleton object

A singleton object refers to a FOS REST object that is only one of the kind on FOS switch. Yang definition of container is used to define this type of object. Using the Yang definition and brocade_singleton_obj module, playbooks can be created to update the object.

All the Yang REST FOS models are published in github.com/brocade/yang.

For example, brocade-chassis module contains an object named chassis. And chassis object contains a string type leaf named chassis-user-friendly-name, amoung other attributes.

module brocade-chassis {
    container brocade-chassis {
        container chassis {
            leaf chassis-user-friendly-name {
            }
        }
    }
}

To create a playbook to set chassis-user-friendly-name to XYZ is created by:

1. use brocade_singleton_obj module
2. provide the module_name to match the Yang REST FOS module name - brocade-chassis or brocade_chassis. “-” and "_" are interchangable as module_name.
3. provide the obj_name to match the Yang REST FOS object name - chassis. As with module_name, “-” and "_" are interchangable as obj_name.
4. provide leaf entry within attributes. Only one - chassis-user-friendly-name - is being referenced for the moment. Since Ansible variable should not contain “-”, they are placed by “-”.

- name: chassis configuration
  brocade_singleton_obj:
    credential:
      fos_ip_addr: 10.10.10.10
      fos_user_name: admin
      fos_password: password
      https: False
    vfid: -1
    module_name: "brocade_chassis"
    obj_name: "chassis"
    attributes:
      chassis_user_friendly_name: XYZ

Playing the above playbook to set the chassis-user-friendly-name to XYZ if different or return no change if already set to XYZ.

Although the module should apply to all objects in general, the following are the list of modules and objects that have been verified based on the playbooks under tasks directory

module name	object name
brocade_chassis	chassis
brocade_fibrechannel_configuration	fabric
brocade_fibrechannel_configuration	port_configuration
brocade_logging	audit
brocade-maps	maps-config
brocade-security	password
brocade-snmp	system
brocade_time	clock_server
brocade_time	time_zone

List object

A list object refers to a FOS REST object that can contain multiple entries on FOS switch. Yang definition of list is used to define this type of object. Using the Yang definition and brocade_list_obj module, playbooks can be created to create, update, or delete the object.

All the Yang REST FOS models are published in github.com/brocade/yang.

For example, brocade-snmp module contains an object named v1-account. And v1-account object contains a key named index and a string type leaf named community-name, among other attributes.

module brocade-snmp {
    container brocade-snmp {
        list v1-account {
            key "index";
            leaf index {
            }
            leaf community-name {
            }
        }
    }
}

To create a playbook to set community-name to XYZ for an entry with index of 1, and ZYX for index of 2:

1. use brocade_list_obj module
2. provide the module_name to match the Yang REST FOS module name - brocade-snmp or brocade_snmp. “-” and "_" are interchangable as module_name.
3. provide the list_name to match the Yang REST FOS object name - v1-account or v1_account. As with module_name, “-” and "_" are interchangable as list_name.
4. provide an array within entries. Only key and community_string are being referenced for the moment. Since Ansible variable should not contain “-”, they are placed by “-”.
5. if the array contains all the entries, all_entries variable can be left out or set to True. If so, entries in playbook but not in FOS are added, entries in both playbook and FOS are updated if different, and entries not in playbook but in FOS are deleted. If the array contains only subset of all entries, only addition and update are performed.

- name: snmp configuration
  brocade_list_obj:
    credential:
      fos_ip_addr: 10.10.10.10
      fos_user_name: admin
      fos_password: password
      https: False
    vfid: -1
    module_name: "brocade_snmp"
    obj_name: "v1_account"
    all_entries: False
    entries:
      - index: 1
        community_name: XYZ
      - index: 2
        community_name: ZYX

Playing the above playbook to set the community name for two entries. Rest of the entries already exist on FOS are untouched.

Although the module should apply to all objects in general, the following are the list of modules and objects that have been verified based on the playbooks under tasks directory

module name	list name
brocade_fibrechannel_switch	fibrechannel_switch
brocade-interface	fibrechannel
brocade_logging	syslog_server
brocade-name-server	fibrechannel-name-server
brocade-snmp	v1-account
brocade-snmp	v1-trap
brocade-snmp	v3-account
brocade-snmp	v3-trap
brocade_security	user_config
brocade-security	ipfilter-rule

Documentation

Documentation can be generated by following the instructions mentioned in the ./docs/documentation.rst or from the link below: https://github.com/brocade/ansible/blob/master/docs/documentation.rst

Contact

Automation.BSN@broadcom.com