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AnsibleGo

AnsibleGo is an image configuration tool. It was born as a rewrite of Ansible using golang due to:

  • Configuration-management is too complicated for simple image building
  • Too much dependencies - python sometimes is too much for docker image and even for VM images
  • Non-unified commands infrastructure - win_ prefix is not a good way to unify the logic

AnsibleGo wants you to write simple step-by-step playbooks and roles and not overcomplicate them.

The architecture is local execution with an ability to push and run remote agent to execute the specified commands.

Features

To address the main Ansible pain-points the AnsibleGo have the next features:

  • One executable binary

    Simple to install by just copying to the target system and no drifting interpreter versions.

  • No external dependencies

    Especially important for the minimal environments. In Ansible that could be partially solved by standalone python but pip again is needed makes a larger footprint which is not ideal.

  • Built-in support for SSH and WinRM transports

    No need to install additional dependencies - it works out of the box to cover the majority of the potential targets.

  • Built-in SSHD for compact systems

    In order to get access to the system you can just push the AnsibleGo to target system and run it in agent mode to get access to remote system from host system. Especially useful for docker and mobile platforms.

  • Almost identical dialect of Ansible playbooks for simplicity

    No need to learn it again - just write the playbooks and roles the way you know it.

  • Supports scripted modules for fast extending of the required functionality

    Just like in Ansible you are able to add or override module part of the system to quickly add or improve and not to suffer much from the bug you found in your particular case.

  • Aimed towards images building - one time apply, not the configuration management

    Taking into account the complex configuration management systems which tries to manage all the possible previous states of the environment and move them to the known state (nonsence). This project encourages to simplify the logic by moving towards image management in modern infra.

Goal

The project goal is to replace Ansible in image building configuration management operations using the known 2.9 playbooks specification interface and simplify the run experience.

Potentially the future steps will be aimed to prepare a dialect to define the playbook/roles specs for simplicity based on the received experience with implementing the Ansible playbook structure.

Initial PoC functionality

  • Multiarch executable
    • The build script is separated and just packs/combines the built binaries
    • Supports GZ, XZ and UPX (which have it's own issues) packing for binaries to reduce exec size
    • It seems combined execs are working well on Linux, MacOS and Windows
    • Unix executable based on sh script for Mac/Linux hosts
    • Prepared the extractor of the needed arch from binary
  • Modules plugins via scripting
    • Can embed them
    • Can run various functions with native interface
    • Performance is good enough
  • Parsing of the simple ansible playbooks/roles with templates
  • SSH/WinRM remote client support
  • Minimal SSHD transport for the agent mode
    • Exec whithout shell
    • Pseudo-shell execution (usable for simple debug)
    • Detach from shell with --detached option
  • TODO: Builtin SO_DONTROUTE local proxy

WinRM remote setup

It's a good idea to use https connection for winrm, especially since it requires just a couple of additional commands:

  1. Create certificate: 
    $cert = New-SelfSignedCertificate -Subject 'CN=winrm-server' -TextExtension '2.5.29.37={text}1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.1'
$tp = $cert.Thumbprint
  2. Create winrm listener (use thumbprint from previous command output): 
    winrm create winrm/config/Listener?Address=*+Transport=HTTPS '@{Hostname="winrm-server"; CertificateThumbprint="<cert thumbprint here>"}'
  3. Run winrm quickconfig with https: 
    winrm quickconfig -transport:https
winrm set winrm/config/service/Auth '@{Basic="true"}'
  4. Allow firewall rule: 
    $FirewallParam = @{DisplayName='WinRM (HTTPS-In)' Direction='Inbound' LocalPort=5986 Protocol='TCP' Action='Allow' Program='System'}
New-NetFirewallRule @FirewallParam