Integrating Ansible with VOSS

What is X:

1. Ansible is an open-source software provisioning, configuration management, and application-deployment tool.
2. VOSS (VSP Operating System Software).

What you need to prepare:

1. OS for your ansible (I am using ubuntu 18.04 LTS on Hyper-V with multipass) --- download multipass here
2. VOSS image (I am using VOSS 8.1) --- download image here
3. Hypervisor for your Ansible & VOSS (I am using Hyper-V)
4. GNS3 all-in-one (download here)
5. GNS3 VM Hyper-V (download here) --- or you can download from GNS3 all-in-one software installation wizard. Note: if you are not using Hyper-V, you can select other hypervisor with the same version as GNS3 all-in-one. Follow instructions at bottom of this page.
6. VOSS GNS3 template import file (download here)

Implementation:

• After installing multipass, you could launch ubuntu-lts on your Hyper-V.

	multipass launch --name ubuntu-lts
	multipass list
	multipass start ubuntu-lts

view raw gistfile1.txt hosted with ❤ by GitHub

• Install Ansible on your ubuntu-lts like my previous blog.
• Install GNS3 all-in-one. Check "GNS3 VM" option. Then next..next..finished.
• Start booting your GNS3 VM. Make sure you have ip address assigned and reachable.
• Open GNS3 software. Import GNS3 appliance file (*.gns3a): "File > Import appliance". Setting max vCPU, and half of your total RAM. If successful, you can add/drag VOSS 8.1 from left menu. 
• Add a cloud to your topology like below. 

• Assign ip address on your mgmt port. I am using subnet (172.17.176.32/28)

	### login using user/pass: rwa/rwa
	config t
	interface mgmtEthernet mgmt
	ip address 172.17.176.36/28
	exit
	### enable SSH service on VOSS
	boot config flags sshd
	ssh
	save config
	### test ping to ubuntu and otherwise
	ping 172.17.176.40 vrf mgmtRouter
	### test SSH from ubuntu to VOSS
	ssh rwa@172.17.176.36

view raw gistfile1.txt hosted with ❤ by GitHub

• Setting up your ansible playbook script. 

	mkdir -p ansible-voss/{backup,host_vars}
	cd ansible-voss
	vim ansible.cfg
	###copy-paste below --- Define list of inventory of destination node(s)
	[defaults]
	inventory = ./hosts
	###end of copy-paste
	vim hosts
	###copy-paste below --- Define group name of destination node(s)
	[voss-devices]
	voss-1
	###end of copy-paste
	vim host_vars/voss-1
	###copy-paste below --- IP destination, and SSH credential
	ansible_host: 172.17.176.36
	ansible_user: rwa
	ansible_ssh_pass: rwa
	ansible_connection: network_cli
	ansible_network_os: voss
	ansible_become: yes
	ansible_become_method: enable
	###end of copy-paste
	vim simple_cmd.yml
	###copy-paste below --- Playbook for show ip int vrf mgmtrouter
	---
	- name: voss config
	connection: network_cli
	gather_facts: False
	hosts: voss-1
	tasks:
	- name: retrieve ip mgmtrouter
	voss_command:
	commands: show ip interface vrf mgmtrouter
	register: output
	- name: show output
	debug:
	var: output
	###end of copy-paste

view raw gistfile1.txt hosted with ❤ by GitHub

• Run ansible-playbook.

	### Test ansible connectivity
	ansible -m ping all
	### Run ansible-playbook
	ansible-playbook simple_cmd.yml

view raw gistfile1.txt hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Side note:
You can not convert qcow2 to vhdx file using qemu-img and then use it as virtual disk on VM creation. It will not boot to VOSS. Also, you can't add more than 8 network adapter at Hyper-V. So, GNS3 is the solution. I never tried on KVM/Qemu.

Sources:

https://github.com/extremenetworks/Virtual_VOSS

https://github.com/extremenetworks/Virtual_VOSS/blob/master/GNS3_VOSS-VM_Guide.md

https://github.com/GNS3/gns3-gui/releases