10 Useful Ansible Playbooks for EC2 Management

Managing Amazon EC2 instances efficiently is crucial for seamless operations in cloud environments. Ansible, a powerful automation tool, simplifies the management of EC2 instances through its playbooks. In this article, we'll explore 10 highly useful Ansible playbooks designed specifically for EC2 management, providing you with practical solutions to streamline your cloud infrastructure.

1. Installing Ansible and Configuring AWS Credentials:
   Before diving into Ansible playbooks, ensure Ansible is installed on your system. Additionally, set up AWS credentials to enable Ansible to interact with your EC2 instances.

   # Install Ansible
   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install ansible
   
   # Configure AWS credentials
   ansible-playbook configure_aws.yml
   

2. Launching EC2 Instances:
   Simplify the process of spinning up new EC2 instances with this playbook.

   ---
   - name: Launch EC2 Instances
     hosts: localhost
     tasks:
       - name: Launch an EC2 instance
         ec2_instance:
           key_name: "{{ key_name }}"
           image_id: "{{ ami_id }}"
           instance_type: "{{ instance_type }}"
           count: "{{ instance_count }}"
           tags:
             - key: Name
               value: "{{ instance_name }}"
   

3. Terminating EC2 Instances:
   When instances are no longer needed, use this playbook to terminate them.

   ---
   - name: Terminate EC2 Instances
     hosts: localhost
     tasks:
       - name: Terminate instances
         ec2_instance:
           state: absent
           instance_ids: "{{ instance_ids }}"
   

4. Creating and Attaching EBS Volumes:
   Manage storage efficiently by creating and attaching EBS volumes.

   ---
   - name: Create and Attach EBS Volumes
     hosts: localhost
     tasks:
       - name: Create EBS volume
         ec2_vol:
           region: "{{ region }}"
           size: "{{ volume_size }}"
       - name: Attach EBS volume
         ec2_vol:
           instance: "{{ instance_id }}"
           device_name: "{{ device_name }}"
           volume_id: "{{ volume_id }}"
   

5. Updating Security Groups:
   Adjust security group rules easily with this playbook.

   ---
   - name: Update Security Groups
     hosts: localhost
     tasks:
       - name: Authorize Ingress
         ec2_group:
           name: "{{ security_group_name }}"
           rules:
             - proto: tcp
               from_port: "{{ from_port }}"
               to_port: "{{ to_port }}"
               cidr_ip: "{{ cidr_ip }}"
   

6. Applying OS Updates:
   Keep your instances secure by applying OS updates using this playbook.

   ---
   - name: Apply OS Updates
     hosts: all
     become: true
     tasks:
       - name: Update packages
         yum:
           name: "*"
           state: latest
   

7. Configuring IAM Roles:
   Securely manage AWS resources by assigning IAM roles to instances.

   ---
   - name: Configure IAM Roles
     hosts: localhost
     tasks:
       - name: Attach IAM Role
         ec2_instance_info:
           instance_ids: "{{ instance_ids }}"
         register: ec2_info
       - name: Assign IAM Role
         iam_instance_profile:
           name: "{{ iam_role_name }}"
           instance_id: "{{ ec2_info.instances[0].id }}"
   

8. Managing Auto Scaling Groups:
   Automate the scaling of your infrastructure with this playbook.

   ---
   - name: Manage Auto Scaling Groups
     hosts: localhost
     tasks:
       - name: Create Auto Scaling Group
         ec2_asg:
           name: "{{ asg_name }}"
           launch_config_name: "{{ launch_config_name }}"
           min_size: "{{ min_size }}"
           max_size: "{{ max_size }}"
           vpc_zone_identifier: "{{ subnet_ids }}"
   

9. Backup and Restore EC2 Instances:
   Implement a backup and restore strategy for your instances.

   ---
   - name: Backup and Restore EC2 Instances
     hosts: localhost
     tasks:
       - name: Create AMI Backup
         ec2_ami:
           instance_id: "{{ instance_id }}"
           wait: yes
           name: "{{ ami_name }}"
       - name: Restore from AMI
         ec2:
           instance_ids: "{{ instance_ids }}"
           image_id: "{{ ami_id }}"
   

10. Monitoring EC2 Instances:
    Keep an eye on your instances' health and performance.

    ---
    - name: Monitoring EC2 Instances
      hosts: localhost
      tasks:
        - name: Install CloudWatch Agent
          shell: "wget https://s3.amazonaws.com/amazoncloudwatch-agent/linux/amd64/latest/AmazonCloudWatchAgent.zip && unzip AmazonCloudWatchAgent.zip && sudo ./install.sh"
        - name: Start CloudWatch Agent
          service:
            name: amazon-cloudwatch-agent
            state: started
    

So, these Ansible playbooks empower you to efficiently manage your EC2 instances on AWS. Whether you are provisioning new instances, adjusting security settings, or implementing backup strategies, Ansible provides a versatile and automated solution for your cloud infrastructure.