This is the second NUC in the Stack of NUCs. In the previous step we configured a Linux desktop system on NUC 1. Now we will configure our Ansible control node. We will build it using the USB install and autoconfiguration method we tested with NUC 1.

Ansible terms:

• Control node - A system on which Ansible is installed. You run Ansible commands such as ansible or ansible-inventory on a control node.
• Managed node - A remote system, or host, that Ansible controls.
• Inventory - A list of managed nodes that are logically organized. You create an inventory on the control node to describe host deployments to Ansible.

References

• https://cloudinit.readthedocs.io/en/latest/reference/examples.html
• https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/getting_started/index.html

Hardware:

• D34010WYK - i4-4010U @ 1.70GHz
• Haswell NUC D34010WYK and D54250WYK: BIOS version 0054 (9/2/2019)
• https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/17536/bios-update-wylpt10h.html
• 8GB RAM
• 32GB or more storage
• Wireless
• Nearly 10 years old, but still readily available in used market

Software:

• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS server

Purpose:

• Ansible control node

Modify the CIDATA USB stick file user_data to set up an Ansible controller

• #cloud-config
  autoinstall:
    version: 1
    ssh:
      install-server: true
      # option "allow-pw" defaults to `true` if authorized_keys is empty, `false` otherwise.
      allow-pw: false
   
    # "[late-commands] are run in the installer environment with the installed system mounted at /target."
    late-commands:
      # randomly generate the hostname & show the IP at boot
      - echo nuc-ansible-$(openssl rand -hex 3) > /target/etc/hostname
      # dump the IP out at login screen
      - echo "Ubuntu 22.04 LTS \nIP - $(hostname -I)\n" > /target/etc/issue
      # merge storage to use 100% use of the file system
      - curtin in-target --target=/target -- lvextend -l +100%FREE /dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-ubuntu--lv
      - curtin in-target --target=/target -- resize2fs /dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-ubuntu--lv
      # shut-down the host to avoid an infinite installer loop
      - shutdown -h now
  
    user-data:
      disable_root: true
      timezone: America/New_York
      package_upgrade: false
      packages:
      - network-manager
      - lldpd
      - git
      - python3-pip
      - ansible
      - arp-scan
      runcmd:
      - nmcli d wifi connect SSID password PASSWORD
      users:
        - name: tux
          primary_group: users
          groups: sudo
          lock_passwd: true
          # don't need PW since using SSH, leaving this in though...
          # password is "changeme" - created with `docker run -it --rm alpine mkpasswd --method=SHA-512`
          # passwd: "$5$IWwNqL9VUSDoc4Jv$DEUGR.cZQcbz/QvdCOmU13fX5ZW0rANg8LqkAtX3nBA"
          shell: /bin/bash
          # use cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub or generate to get your public key
          ssh_authorized_keys:
            - "ssh-rsa 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 jimangel@Jims-MacBook-Pro.local"
          sudo: ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL
        - name: ansible
          gecos: Ansible User
          primary_group: users
          groups: sudo
          sudo: ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL
          shell: /bin/bash
          lock_passwd: true
          ssh_authorized_keys:
            - "ssh-rsa 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 jimangel@Jims-MacBook-Pro.local"
      ansible:
        install_method: pip
        package_name: ansible
        run_user: ansible
        galaxy:
          actions:
            - ["ansible-galaxy", "collection", "install", "community.general"]
        setup_controller:
          repositories:
            - path: /home/ansible/my-repo
              source: git@github.com:doritoes/nuc-ansible-lab.git
      # shutdown after first host initial provisioning
      power_state:
        mode: poweroff

1. Boot with the custom Lab bootable USB and the customized CIDATA USB inserted
   • with the NUC powered off, insert both USB sticks
   • power on the NUC, and press F10 when prompted
   • select the UEFI USB boot option
     • be patient as the system is configured
     • after a while, the device will power down
   • remove the USB sticks from the NUC and power it back on
     • be patient it is completes configuration and powers down again
   • WiFi should be working now; you can disconnect the ethernet cable if you'd like, relocate it, etc., and then power it back on

1. By default, Ansible default configuration file and inventory file is located at /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg and /etc/ansible/hosts respectively.
2. Log in to NUC 2 from NUC 1:
   • ssh ansible@[IP ADDRESS NUC2]
3. Generate keys
   • ssh-keygen -o
   • press enter to accept defaults to all prompts
4. View the key, which you will use for building the remaining NUCs
   • cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
5. Ansible is now installed, but with no inventory file(s) or configuration
   • ansible –version
6. Set up some files for Ansible; we will be configuring/adding the new NUCs under [nodes] later

   • mkdir my-project
     cat <<'EOF' > my-project/hosts
     [all:vars]
     ansible_python_interpreter=/usr/bin/python3
     ansible_user='ansible'
     ansible_become=yes
     ansible_become_method=sudo
      
     [nodes]
      
     EOF

1. Exit back to your NUC 1 session
2. Test running a remote command using SSH
   • ssh ansible@[IP ADDRESS NUC2] “sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y”

You are now ready to build more more NUCs! Continue with NUC 3