15 Useful Ansible Playbooks for Linux Server Configuration

Ansible is a powerful open-source automation tool that simplifies the process of configuring and managing servers. With its ability to automate repetitive tasks, Ansible has become a go-to choice for system administrators and DevOps professionals. In this article, we will explore 15 useful Ansible playbooks specifically designed for Linux server configuration. These playbooks cover a range of tasks, from basic server setup to more advanced configurations.

1. Basic Server Setup

Playbook 1: Install Basic Packages

---
- name: Install basic packages
  hosts: all
  tasks:
    - name: Update package cache
      apt:
        update_cache: yes
    - name: Install essential packages
      apt:
        name: "{{ item }}"
        state: present
      with_items:
        - vim
        - htop
        - git

This playbook ensures that essential packages like vim, htop, and git are installed on your Linux servers.

2. SSH Configuration

Playbook 2: Configure SSH

---
- name: Configure SSH
  hosts: all
  tasks:
    - name: Copy SSH public key
      authorized_key:
        user: "{{ ansible_user }}"
        key: "{{ lookup('file', '~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub') }}"

This playbook copies the SSH public key to authorized_keys, enhancing server security and facilitating key-based authentication.

3. Firewall Setup

Playbook 3: Configure Firewall

---
- name: Configure Firewall
  hosts: all
  tasks:
    - name: Allow SSH
      ufw:
        rule: allow
        port: 22

This playbook uses UFW to allow SSH traffic, providing a basic yet effective firewall setup.

4. Nginx Installation and Configuration

Playbook 4: Install Nginx

---
- name: Install Nginx
  hosts: web_servers
  tasks:
    - name: Install Nginx
      apt:
        name: nginx
        state: present

This playbook installs Nginx on designated web servers, laying the foundation for web hosting configurations.

5. Apache Installation and Configuration

Playbook 5: Install Apache

---
- name: Install Apache
  hosts: web_servers
  tasks:
    - name: Install Apache
      apt:
        name: apache2
        state: present

For those preferring Apache, this playbook installs and sets up Apache on specified web servers.

6. MySQL Database Setup

Playbook 6: Install MySQL

---
- name: Install MySQL
  hosts: db_servers
  tasks:
    - name: Install MySQL Server
      apt:
        name: mysql-server
        state: present

This playbook automates the installation of MySQL on designated database servers.

7. PostgreSQL Database Setup

Playbook 7: Install PostgreSQL

---
- name: Install PostgreSQL
  hosts: db_servers
  tasks:
    - name: Install PostgreSQL Server
      apt:
        name: postgresql
        state: present

For PostgreSQL enthusiasts, this playbook installs and configures PostgreSQL on specified database servers.

8. Create User Accounts

Playbook 8: Create User Accounts

---
- name: Create User Accounts
  hosts: all
  tasks:
    - name: Add users
      user:
        name: "{{ item.name }}"
        state: present
      with_items:
        - { name: 'user1' }
        - { name: 'user2' }

This playbook streamlines the process of creating user accounts on all servers.

9. Configure Timezone

Playbook 9: Configure Timezone

---
- name: Configure Timezone
  hosts: all
  tasks:
    - name: Set timezone to UTC
      timezone:
        name: UTC

Ensure consistent time settings across all servers by using this playbook to set the timezone.

10. Install Docker

Playbook 10: Install Docker

---
- name: Install Docker
  hosts: docker_hosts
  tasks:
    - name: Install Docker
      apt:
        name: docker.io
        state: present

For containerization needs, this playbook installs Docker on specified hosts.

11. Kubernetes Setup

Playbook 11: Install Kubernetes

---
- name: Install Kubernetes
  hosts: k8s_hosts
  tasks:
    - name: Install Kubernetes components
      shell: kubeadm init --pod-network-cidr=10.244.0.0/16

This playbook initiates the installation of Kubernetes on designated hosts, paving the way for container orchestration.

12. SSL Certificate Installation

Playbook 12: Install SSL Certificates

---
- name: Install SSL Certificates
  hosts: web_servers
  tasks:
    - name: Copy SSL certificates
      copy:
        src: /path/to/ssl/certificates
        dest: /etc/ssl/certs/

Automate the installation of SSL certificates on web servers with this playbook.

13. Monitoring Setup with Prometheus

Playbook 13: Install Prometheus for Monitoring

---
- name: Install Prometheus
  hosts: monitoring_servers
  tasks:
    - name: Install Prometheus
      shell: |
        docker run -d -p 9090:9090 \
        --name prometheus \
        prom/prometheus

This playbook sets up Prometheus for monitoring on specified servers.

14. Log Management with ELK Stack

Playbook 14: Install ELK Stack

---
- name: Install ELK Stack
  hosts: log_servers
  tasks:
    - name: Install ELK Stack
      shell: |
        docker-compose -f /path/to/elk/docker-compose.yml up -d

Use this playbook to automate the installation of the ELK (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana) Stack for centralized log management.

15. Backup Configuration

Playbook 15: Configure Backup

---
- name: Configure Backup
  hosts: backup_servers
  tasks:
    - name: Setup backup script
      copy:
        src: /path/to/backup/script.sh
        dest: /etc/cron.daily/
      mode: '0755'