Step 1 - Open The Main Task File for the add_inventory Role

For the add_inventory role tasks, ensure you are in your VSCode Terminal and open the main.yml file found in the roles/add_inventory/tasks directory using the VSCode code keyword as before.

code-server -r ~/workspace/ndfclab/ansible/roles/add_inventory/tasks/main.yml

Step 2 - Add Tasks to Manage Switch Inventory Statically in NDFC

- name: Role Entry Point - [add_inventory]
  ansible.builtin.debug:
    msg:
      - "----------------------------------------------------------------"
      - "+             Calling Role - [add_inventory]                   +"
      - "----------------------------------------------------------------"
  tags:
    - ai_fabric
    - ai_all

- name: Add switches to NDFC Fabric {{ fabric_settings.FABRIC_NAME }}
  cisco.dcnm.dcnm_inventory:
    fabric: "{{ fabric_settings.FABRIC_NAME }}"
    config: "{{ fabric_inventory | selectattr('poap', 'undefined') | list }}"
    deploy: false
    save: true
    state: merged
  tags:
    - ai_fabric
    - ai_all

Step 3 - Open the Top Level fabric.yml Ansible Playbook

Ensure you are in your VSCode Terminal and open the fabric.yml file using the VSCode code keyword as before.

code-server -r ~/workspace/ndfclab/ansible/fabric.yml

Step 4 - Add Role add_inventory Under the roles: Section of Main Playbook

Your fabric.yml file should already be populated from the previous section. With the file open, you only need to add the highlighted line, which should be line number 11 in your file. You can do this by highlighting the text in the lab guide and copying then pasting in your file or typing the line in your file. After one of those actions, press the return key such that there is a new line after where you entered - add_inventory.

---
# This is the top level build playbook that runs the various
# Ansible roles that will be used to build out the fabric

- name: Build VXLAN EVPN Fabric on NDFC
  hosts: ndfc
  gather_facts: false

  roles:
    - create_fabric
    - add_inventory # Add This Line Under The create_fabric role from the previous section

Step 5 - Execute Ansible Playbook

Make sure you are in the root Ansible directory

cd ~/workspace/ndfclab/ansible

From the root ansible project directory execute the following command.

time ansible-playbook -i hosts.stage.yml fabric.yml

You included the time command in front of the ansible-playbook command in order to time how long it takes.

Upon a successful run of the playbook your output should look as follows:

    PLAY [Build VXLAN EVPN Fabric on NDFC] *********************************************************************************************************************************************

    TASK [create_fabric : Role Entry Point - [create_fabric]] **************************************************************************************************************************
    ok: [10.15.0.26] => {
        "msg": [
            "----------------------------------------------------------------",
            "+             Calling Role - [create_fabric]                   +",
            "----------------------------------------------------------------"
        ]
    }

    TASK [create_fabric : Create NDFC Fabric fabric-stage] *****************************************************************************************************************************
    ok: [10.15.0.26]

    TASK [add_inventory : Role Entry Point - [add_inventory]] **************************************************************************************************************************
    ok: [10.15.0.26] => {
        "msg": [
            "----------------------------------------------------------------",
            "+             Calling Role - [add_inventory]                   +",
            "----------------------------------------------------------------"
        ]
    }

    TASK [add_inventory : Add Switches to NDFC Fabric fabric-stage] ********************************************************************************************************************
    [WARNING]: Managing fabric switches can take a while.  Please be patient...
    ok: [10.15.0.26]

    PLAY RECAP *************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
    10.15.0.26                 : ok=4    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0   


    real    0m10.750s
    user    0m5.594s
    sys     0m0.999s

If you examine the output above, you will notice that both the create_fabric and add_inventory roles ran even though you already executed the create_fabric role in the previous lab section. The reason both roles ran is that you did not include any tags to control which tasks were executed so all tasks ran in both roles. This highlights the importance of making sure that the Ansible playbooks and modules are idempotent.

As you build each role, they will all run each time you execute the fabric.yml playbook unless you specify tags to control execution. It's imporant to note however that no work will be done to modify the fabric if the fabric is already in the desired state.

It's also important to note here, that the dcnm_inventory module parameter for deploy was set to false as you will perform the configuration deployment from NDFC to the actual switches a little bit later in the lab all one time when you rerun the playbook. Again, you are building things out in NDFC first, then will push everything to the switches all at once.

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Step 6 - Return to VSCode & Close All Open Tabs

On the keyword press Ctrl + K + W. This should close all open tabs to clear your workspace for the next section.

Continue to the next section to define the Ansible tasks for setting up vPC domains between leaf switches.