ansiblehostname

Ansible inconsistent value for ansible_fqdn


The variable {{ansible_fqdn}} can take two different values: the server's short name (server300) or its long name (server300.prod.x.y.z). When we use this variable in the playbook to retrieve a file {{ansible_fqdn}}.crt, depending on the value chosen, the file can be not found, and the playbook will fail. To have a consistent value for hostnames over a list of servers, should one rather use {{ansible_hostname}} (short hostname from linux command uname -n) and {{inventory_hostname}} (long hostname from "hosts" file) instead? Or is there a way to obtain a consistent value from {{ansible_fqdn}}?


Solution

  • Q: "The variable {{ ansible_fqdn }} can take two different values: the server's short name (server300) or its long name (server300.prod.x.y.z)."

    A: It depends on how you configure hostname. Take a look at uname -n. Either it is long

    [admin@test_23 ~]$ uname -n
    test_23.example.com
    
    shell> ansible test_23 -m setup | grep ansible_fqdn
            "ansible_fqdn": "test_23.example.com",
    

    , or it is short

    [admin@test_11 ~]$ uname -n
    test_11
    
    shell> ansible test_11 -m setup | grep ansible_fqdn
            "ansible_fqdn": "test_11",
    

    Q: "Should one rather use {{ ansible_hostname }} (short hostname from linux command uname -n) and {{ inventory_hostname }} (long hostname from "hosts" file) instead?"

    A: It depends on how you configure the inventory. The variable ansible_hostname is not required. If you don't run setup (or get the variables from a cache) and if you don't declare it explicitly it won't be defined, e.g.

    shell> cat hosts
    test_23
    
    shell> ansible test_23 -m debug -a var=inventory_hostname
    test_23 | SUCCESS => {
        "inventory_hostname": "test_23"
    }
    shell> ansible test_23 -m debug -a var=ansible_hostname
    test_23 | SUCCESS => {
        "ansible_hostname": "VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED!"
    }
    

    You can declare alias and ansible_hostname, e.g.

    shell> cat hosts
    alias_of_test_23 ansible_hostname=test_23
    
    shell> ansible alias_of_test_23 -m debug -a var=inventory_hostname
    alias_of_test_23 | SUCCESS => {
        "inventory_hostname": "alias_of_test_23"
    }
    shell> ansible alias_of_test_23 -m debug -a var=ansible_hostname
    alias_of_test_23 | SUCCESS => {
        "ansible_hostname": "test_23"
    }
    

    If you run setup the value of ansible_hostname is the short hostname from the command uname -n, e.g.

    shell> cat hosts
    alias_of_test_23 ansible_host=test_23.example.com
    
    shell> ansible alias_of_test_23 -m setup | grep ansible_hostname
            "ansible_hostname": "test_23",
    

    Q: "Or is there a way to obtain a consistent value from {{ ansible_fqdn }}?"

    A: There are more options:

    The consistency is up to you.