Automating Windows Tasks with Ansible: A Beginner Guide

In the ever-evolving landscape of IT, automation has become a crucial element in streamlining tasks and improving efficiency. Ansible, a powerful open-source automation tool, is not limited to the realm of Linux systems; it also extends its capabilities to Windows environments. In this beginner's guide, we'll explore how to harness Ansible to automate various tasks on Windows, making the management of Windows-based infrastructure a breeze.

Getting Started with Ansible on Windows:
Before delving into automation, it's essential to set up Ansible on your Windows machine. Start by installing Ansible using the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) or Cygwin. Once installed, configure Ansible to communicate with your Windows servers.

Creating Your First Ansible Playbook for Windows:
A playbook is a set of instructions that Ansible uses to automate tasks. Let's create a simple playbook to ensure Ansible is correctly configured on Windows:

---
- name: Verify Ansible on Windows
  hosts: windows
  tasks:
    - name: Check connectivity
      win_ping:

Save the above content in a file, for example, windows_setup.yml. This playbook checks the connectivity to your Windows hosts using the win_ping module.

Running Ansible Playbooks on Windows:
Execute the playbook using the following command:

ansible-playbook -i <path_to_inventory_file> windows_setup.yml

Replace <path_to_inventory_file> with the path to your inventory file containing Windows host information.

Automating Software Installation on Windows:
One of the common use cases for Ansible on Windows is automating software installation. Let's create a playbook to install a package, say Google Chrome:

---
- name: Install Google Chrome on Windows
  hosts: windows
  tasks:
    - name: Download Chrome installer
      win_get_url:
        url: https://dl.google.com/chrome/install/GoogleChromeStandaloneEnterprise64.msi
        dest: C:\Temp\GoogleChromeStandaloneEnterprise64.msi

    - name: Install Chrome
      win_package:
        path: C:\Temp\GoogleChromeStandaloneEnterprise64.msi
        product_id: "{23170F69-40C1-2702-0920-000001000000}"

Save this playbook as install_chrome.yml. It downloads the Chrome installer and installs it on the Windows hosts.

Managing Windows Services with Ansible:
Ansible simplifies the management of Windows services. Let's create a playbook to ensure that the Windows Update service is running:

---
- name: Ensure Windows Update service is running
  hosts: windows
  tasks:
    - name: Start Windows Update service
      win_service:
        name: wuauserv
        start_mode: auto
        state: started

Save this playbook as update_service.yml and run it using the ansible-playbook command.

As we conclude this beginner's guide, we've explored the basics of automating Windows tasks with Ansible. From setting up Ansible on Windows to creating playbooks for software installation and managing services, the power of automation is at your fingertips. Experiment with additional modules and tasks to tailor Ansible to your Windows infrastructure.