Accessing your Ansible Control Node

Our Ansible Control Node allows you to start managing remote systems. The container is set up with Git, popular playbooks, an is easy to configure in the Account Management Panel (AMP). This allows you to spend less time working on your Ansible agent and more time managing remote nodes. Features include:

• All needed Python and Ansible dependencies
• InMotion’s Ansible Catalog
• Eliminated issues with a spotty local internet connection
• Free up local resources
• Use the included GNU Screen or Tmux utilities
• All text editors are welcome: vi, vim, GNU Nano, and GNU Emacs

The Ansible Control Node is only available with Cloud Server or Bare Metal dedicated server hosting plans. You can always install Ansible manually.

Below we’ll cover how to get started with your Ansible Control Node.

• Locate the Ansible Control Node
• Start Ansible Control Node
• Update Ansible Control Node
• Log into Ansible Control Node

Locate the Ansible Control Node

1. Ensure you’ve added an SSH Key in AMP
2. Select My Account at the top to return to the main page
3. Under Manage My Account, select Ansible Control Node
   

   

4. Upon first visit to the Ansible Control Node page you’ll be prompted to select an existing public key or add a new key
   

   

5. After you’ve selected a key, select ADD KEY
6. Select Change SSH Key to change your Ansible key at any time

Start the Ansible Control Node

You must start the Ansible Control Node in AMP before you can log into it to run plays. Note that the Ansible Control Node shuts down after 24 hours of inactivity.

1. Log into AMP
2. At the top, select Ansible Control Node
3. Select Start Ansible
   

   

4. Save the provided username, port, and IP address somewhere safe such as the KeePass password manager

You can stop the Ansible Control Node from this page at any time by selecting Stop Ansible.

Update Ansible Control Node

Ensure your Ansible Control Node is up-to-date by checking for updates periodically.

1. Log into AMP
2. Select Ansible Control Node at the top of AMP
3. If there are any updates, you’ll be able to select Ansible Update Available
   

   

   Click the button when there’s an Ansible Update Available
4. Select Yes, Update Now

Any current SSH sessions with the Ansible Control Node will be closed during updates.

Log into Your Ansible Control Node

1. Once your Ansible Control Node has started, log into your Ansible Control Node via SSH: e.g. ssh -i key-name user@IPaddress -p port-number

   ssh -i key-1 [email protected] -p 1234

   “-i” specifies the key file name and “-p” specifies the port for connection

2. From the Ansible Control Node, create an SSH key
3. Using our Manage My SSH Keys guide, install the public key you created on the Ansible Control Node to any Cloud Server or Bare Metal Dedicated Server you want to manage with Ansible

Great, you are now in your Ansible Control Node. Next, you can try a common deployment of WordPress onto a Server by following our Using the WordPress UltraStack Playbook guide.

Learn more about how to maintain your deployments with our Ansible Education channel.