Ansible run always role

Question

Is there any way to always run a role? I am creating lock file before starting any deployment to prevent parallel deployment. In case of any failure/success I want to delete the lock file.

- { role: lock-deployment, tags: always }
- { role: fetch-artifactory, tags: always }
- { role: unlock-deployment, tags: always }

I want to run unlock-deployment role irrespective of failure/success.

techraf · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-01T13:15:53.667

problem is I don't want to do block, rescue for every task. I just want to delete lock file in case of failure in any of the task. I tried looking around if role itself can be put into block but didn't find any. ^ref

You can use block with always construct. Roles can be included with include_role:

tasks:
  - include_role:
      name: lock-deployment
  - block:
    - include_role:
        name: fetch-artifactory
    always:
      - include_role:
          name: unlock-deployment

This produces your desired flow (fetch-artifactory contains fail task to emulate failure):

PLAY [localhost] ***************************************************************************************

TASK [include_role] ************************************************************************************

TASK [lock-deployment : file] **************************************************************************
changed: [localhost]

TASK [include_role] ************************************************************************************

TASK [fetch-artifactory : fail] ************************************************************************
Unaltered: {'msg': u'Failed as requested from task', 'failed': True, 'changed': False}
fatal: [localhost]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "failed": true, "msg": "Failed as requested from task"}

TASK [include_role] ************************************************************************************

TASK [unlock-deployment : file] **********************************************************************
changed: [localhost]

Thanks @techraf. I would try out this solution and would update the findings soon. — Lokesha S, Dec 01 '17 at 13:32

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 30 '17 at 14:39

0

You could use Ansible block and always for this situation

http://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/playbooks_blocks.html

answered Nov 30 '17 at 14:39

EricZ

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problem is I don't want to do block, rescue for every task. I just want to delete lock file in case of failure in any of the task. I tried looking around if role itself can be put into block but didn't find any. – Lokesha S Nov 30 '17 at 14:55

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 30 '17 at 16:48

What about using block and including the yaml file from the role instead of declaring the role as a dependency:

tasks:
  - name: "start deployment"
    block:
      - include: "<path to roles>/lock-deployment/tasks/main.yaml"
      - include: "<path to roles>/fetch-artifactory/tasks/main.yaml"
      - include: "<path to roles>/unlock-deployment/tasks/main.yaml"
    always:
      - name: "remove lock file"
        ...

If you need to include default variables from your roles you could do:

roles:
  - { role: lock-deployment,
      when: False
    }

My solution is not an elegant one, but I would really suggest moving off from roles for those kind of actions and do includes instead.

Also: I have not tested the solution and might not work actually. But it gives an idea to alternate solutions.

Thanks tehmoon. I am very new to ansible, so trying out various solutions for the problem at hand. I would try this soltion as well and pick whichever makes sense. — Lokesha S, Dec 01 '17 at 13:33

Ansible run always role

3 Answers3

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