ansible-playbook-with-keyvault

Github Action for deploying ansible with credentials stored in Azure KeyVault

Build

Typescript code is under src/. Use npm to compile into javascript + commit resulting dist/

npm install
npm run build

The code for logging into azure and retrieving keyvault secrets is based on the following repos:

• https://github.com/Azure/login
• https://github.com/Azure/get-keyvault-secrets

Pipelines

The github "build" pipeline verifies the build.

Usage

Flexible action to allow execution of ansible-playbook with credentials stored in Azure KeyVault.

Logging into Azure

If not already logged into Azure, add service principal credentials to azure_creds input. Same format as used here https://github.com/Azure/login. The subscription must be the same as the Azure KeyVault holding the ansible credentials.

Ansible Vault Password

Store the ansible vault password in an Azure KeyVault:

• Set keyvault_name to the name of the Azure KeyVault.
• Set keyvault_secret_name_vault_password to the name of the secret containing the vault password.

The action will write the password to the filename set in the vault_password_filename option. Then either:

• Reference this filename directly in the ansible configuration using vault_password_file option.
• Add using a temporary yaml file via --extra-vars cmdline option by including vault_password_file in the ansible_vars option. The action will append the filename.
• Add via command line by including --vault-password-file or --vault-pass-file in the ansible_args option. The action will append the filename.

Ansible SSH Username

This doesn't need to be held in Azure KeyVault. Either:

• Set the ansible username directly within the ansible configuration file.
• Set ansible_user option and then either:
  • Add via command line by including -u or --user to the ansible_args option. The action will append the username.
  • Add using a temporary yaml file via --extra-vars cmdline option by including remote_user or ansible_user to the ansible_vars option. The action will append the username.

Ansible SSH Private Key

Store the ansible ssh unencrypted private key in an Azure KeyVault:

• Set keyvault_name to the name of the Azure KeyVault.
• Set keyvault_secret_name_ssh_privkey to the name of the secret containing the unencrypted private key.

The action will write the key to the filename set in the ssh_privkey_filename option. Then either:

• Reference this directly within the ssh_connection settings of the ansible configuration file.
• Add via command line by including --key-file or --private-key in the ansible_args option. The action will append the filename.

Ansible SSH Password

Store the ansible ssh password in an Azure KeyVault.

• Set keyvault_name to the name of the Azure KeyVault.
• Set keyvault_secret_name_ssh_password to the name of the secret containing the ssh password.

Then:

• Store in plain text in a temporary file and reference using sshpass within the ssh_connection settings of the ansible configuration file. The filename is set by the ssh_password_txt_filename option.
• Add using a temporary yaml file via --extra-vars cmdline option by including ansible_password or ansible_ssh_pass within ansible_vars option. The action will append the password.

Input Reference

Variable	Description
azure_creds	Optional. If not already logged into azure, specify credentials here (same format as azure login action)
keyvault_name	Optional. Name of the azure KeyVault containing ansible credentials
keyvault_secret_name_ssh_password	Optional. The name of the KeyVault secret that holds the ssh password
keyvault_secret_name_vault_password	Optional. The name of the KeyVault secret that holds the ansible vault password
keyvault_secret_name_ssh_privkey	Optional. The name of the KeyVault secret that holds the ssh private key
ssh_password_txt_filename	Optional. Write the ssh password to this temporary text file [ansible_pass]
ssh_privkey_filename	Optional. Write the private key to this filename [ansible_key]
vault_password_filename	Optional The filename to write the vault password to [.vault.txt]
extra_vars_yaml_filename	Optional. The yaml filename to write extra variables specified in ansible_vars to [extravars.yaml]
ansible_dir	Directory containing ansible code
ansible_playbook	Location of ansible playbook, e.g. site.yml
ansible_inventory	Optional. Location of ansible inventory
ansible_user	Optional. Set ansible username
ansible_vars	Optional. Pipe separated list of additional vars for --extra-vars, e.g. 'ansible_user|ansible_password'
ansible_args	Optional. Pipe separated list of command line args, e.g. '--verbose|--check|-u|--limit testserver'
ansible_config	Optional. Location of ansible configuration file
action_settings	Optional. Pipe separated list of debug options, e.g. showCliOutput|hideAnsibleOutput|noCleanup|noAnsible

For ansible_vars, parameters will automatically get appended as necessary. for example

• ansible_user is added to remote_user or ansible_user
• ssh password is added to ansible_password or ansible_ssh_pass
• vault_password_filename is added to vault_password_file

For ansible_args, paramteres will automatically get appended as necessary, for example

• ansible_user added to -u or --user
• ssh_privkey_filename added to --key-file or --private-key
• vault_password_filename added to --vault-password-file or --vault-pass-file

Example Pipelines

name: sample-pipeline

on: [push]

jobs:

  check-ansible:
    runs-on: 
      - self-hosted
      - my-label
    steps:
    - name: Clone ansible repo
      uses: actions/checkout@2

    - name: Run ansible playbook
      uses: ministryofjustice/ansible-playbook-with-keyvault-action@v1.0
      with:
        ansible_creds: '${{ secrets.AZURE_CREDENTIALS }}'
        keyvault_name: my-keyvault-name
        keyvault_secret_name_ssh_password: 'ansible-ssh-password'
        keyvault_secret_name_vault_password: 'ansible-vault-password'
        keyvault_secret_name_ssh_privkey: 'ansible-ssh-privkey'
        ssh_password_txt_filename: 'ansible_pass'
        ssh_privkey_filename: 'ansible_key'
        vault_password_filename: '.vault.txt'
        extra_vars_yaml_filename: 'extra_vars.yaml'
        ansible_dir: ${{ github.workspace }}
        ansible_playbook: sites.yml
        ansible_inventory: inventory.yml
        ansible_user: 'myuser'
        ansible_args: '--verbose|--check|-u|--limit testserver'
        ansible_vars: 'ansible_user|ansible_password'