[Install ansible on Windows Server 2019]

install_ansible.md

Install WSL

• Ubuntu 18.04
• Ubuntu 18.04 ARM
• Ubuntu 16.04
• Debian GNU/Linux
• Kali Linux
• OpenSUSE Leap 42
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12
• Fedora Remix for WSL

Note: If you are about to configure a vsphere environment, make sure not to use the Debian distribution. The reason is, that the vsphere-module for ansible requires the "vSphere Automation Python SDK", which cannot be installed with pip < 19.1. Unfortunately due to Debian's ultra strict package policies, that version of pip is not yet part of Debian (even in the testing repository).

Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://aka.ms/wsl-debian-gnulinux -OutFile Debian.zip -UseBasicParsing
Add-AppPackage Debian.zip
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux

• Reboot system
• After reboot, initialize the distribution from windows start menu
• Create a local user account like myuser

Enable SSH on WSL

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get -y upgrade
sudo apt-get install openssh-server
sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Add the following settings to sshd_config:

Port 2002                    # Port 22 is already taken by "SSH Server Broker Services" on Windows
PasswordAuthentication yes   # Change accordingly, if you are using keys instead
UsePrivilegeSeparation no    # WSL doesn't provide chroot 
PermitRootLogin no           
AllowUsers myuser            # Use the local user, that was created by WSL

Restart the services after saving the changes

sudo service ssh --full-restart

Add a new inbound rule to your local windows firewall, that allows incoming traffic on the port specified above

Install python, pip and ansible

sudo apt-get update # If you did not do that before
sudo apt-get -y upgrade
sudo apt-get -y install python-pip python3-pip python-dev libffi-dev libssl-dev
sudo pip install ansible

Prepare for vSphere module

• Following: https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/scenario_guides/vmware_scenarios/vmware_intro.html
• Make sure you are able to install pip <= 19.1 (Ubuntu WSL is your friend)

sudo -H pip3 install --upgrade pip
sudo -H pip2 install --upgrade pip
hash -d pip
hash -d pip3

sudo pip install --upgrade git+https://github.com/vmware/vsphere-automation-sdk-python.git

Connect with your local vscode

Using Remote - SSH Extension

• Install extension: "Remote - SSH"
• Click on the icon in the bottom left corner and choose "Remote-SSH: Open Configuration File"

• Choose the configuration file for your current user and add the configuration for your remote host.

Host 10.11.110.11
    HostName 10.11.110.11
    User myuser
    Port 2002

• Click on the icon in the bottom left corner and choose "Remote-SSH:Connect to Host" and select your host
• You will be prompted to acknowledge the servers fingerprint and to provide a password (if you are not using ssh keys)

Using Ansible Extension