Devops Lab 7 (BCSL657D)
Option 1: Use Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) – RECOMMENDED
What’s WSL?
WSL allows you to run a full Linux terminal inside Windows without a VM. It’s lightweight
and works perfectly for Ansible labs.
Steps to Set Up WSL + Ansible
Step 1: Install WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)
Open PowerShell as Administrator, and run this:
powershell
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wsl --install
This will:
• Install Ubuntu as the default Linux distro
• Automatically enable WSL and reboot your system
If it says “The requested operation requires elevation,” make sure you're running
PowerShell as Administrator.
Step 2: Open Ubuntu (WSL)
After installation and reboot:
1. Search for "Ubuntu" in the Start menu and open it.
2. It will prompt you to set a Linux username and password (this is separate from your
Windows account).
Now you're in a real Linux terminal inside Windows — this is where you can run:
bash
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sudo apt update
sudo apt install ansible -y
That will install Ansible successfully.
5⃣ Verify Ansible
bash
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ansible –version
You should see output like:
css
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ansible [core 2.13.x]
Do NOT Run sudo apt in PowerShell
PowerShell is not a Linux terminal. Only use sudo, apt, etc., in the Ubuntu app.
Important: From now on, do all Ansible-related lab work from inside the Ubuntu
WSL terminal, not from PowerShell.
Lab Execution Plan (VTU Format)
Step 1: Create a Working Directory
Open your Ubuntu terminal and run:
bash
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mkdir ~/ansible-lab
cd ~/ansible-lab
Step 2: Create an Inventory File
Create a file named hosts:
bash
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nano hosts
Paste this:
ini
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[local]
localhost ansible_connection=local
Then save:
• Press CTRL + O → Enter to save
• Press CTRL + X to exit
Step 3: Test Ansible is Working
Run a simple ping module:
bash
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ansible -i hosts local -m ping
You should see:
json
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localhost | SUCCESS => {
"changed": false,
"ping": "pong"
Step 4: Create a Sample Playbook
Create a file named install_nginx.yml:
bash
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nano install_nginx.yml
Paste this basic playbook:
yaml
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---
- name: Install and start NGINX on localhost
hosts: local
become: yes
tasks:
- name: Install NGINX
apt:
name: nginx
state: present
update_cache: yes
- name: Ensure NGINX is running
service:
name: nginx
state: started
enabled: yes
Save and exit (CTRL+O, Enter, then CTRL+X)
▶️ Step 5: Run the Playbook
bash
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ansible-playbook -i hosts install_nginx.yml
You’ll see output showing the tasks being executed.
Step 6: Verify the Result
Run:
bash
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curl http://localhost
You should see HTML output from the NGINX welcome page.
What to Include in Your VTU Lab Report
• Objective of the experiment
• Description of Inventory, Playbooks, and Modules
• Screenshots or output of:
o hosts file
o ansible -m ping
o Playbook
o Playbook execution
o curl output
• Conclusion
