1. Make sure no hosts and inventory exists in controller so automation runs smoothly

2. Change num_hosts and play the playbook creating_inventory_hosts_and_variables.yml to create inventories, hosts, and populate variables from json file

3. trigger create_host_facts.py to populate ansible facts as ansible_facts api in controller doesn't support PATCH, PUT, POST, so we have to update directly from db

4. Run the running_template.yml file will run the automations.yml playbook in controller. Change the repeat_count to run a template in controller multiple times.

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Monitoring:

5. Create metrics-utility report and make sure the # of automations are all there

6. Monitor AWX DB to see what is happening and also execute the following

How to make it run using local dev environment with containers and gateway:

1. creating_inventory_hosts_and_variables.yml needs another variable named 'path_prefix' that should be set to: controller

Example: ansible-playbook creating_inventory_hosts_and_variables.yml --extra-vars "controller_url=https://localhost:8030 controller_username=admin controller_password=admin organization_id=1 credential_id=1 path_prefix=controller"

it is because, localhost:8030 points to the gateway and the gateway uses prefix controller, thus /api/v2 that controller uses must be /api/controller/v2 for gateway urls

2. running create_host_facts.py

This one needs to gather information about DB connection.

docker ps

you will see the result for db container:

669953676e5a quay.io/sclorg/postgresql-15-c9s "container-entrypoin…" 22 hours ago Up 4 hours 0.0.0.0:5441->5432/tcp, [::]:5441->5432/tcp tools_postgres_1

it is mapping from port 5432 (standard postgres port visible inside container) to 5441 - this port is visible outside of container

you then need to obtain db password: docker exec -it tools_postgres_1 printenv

search for: POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD

finally you can run command: python3 create_host_facts.py --user=awx --password={pswd from printenv} --host="localhost" --port=5441

3. Running the job templates

• Create a project from source in this repo
• Create job template from this project and select automation.yml file, select whatever inventory you want
• select Prompt on Launch for Inventory - because the standard inventory you set for the job template must be overriden

4. Run the playbook:

ansible-playbook running_template.yml --extra-vars 'controller_url=https://localhost:8043 controller_username=admin controller_password={pswd from printenv just as before}'

you can also validate the url of controller using:

docker ps and search for tools_awx_1