How to Use Ansible to Install and Set Up Docker on Ubuntu 22.04

Ansible is a potent automation tool that can be used to configure and manage a wide variety of servers and applications. This article describes how to utilize Ansible to install and configure Docker on Ubuntu 22.04.

Step 1: Installing Ansible

Installing Ansible on your local machine is the first step in using it. This can be accomplished by entering the following command:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ansible

This will install Ansible and all of its prerequisites on your system.

Step 2: Creating an Ansible Playbook

The next step after installing Ansible is to create an Ansible playbook. A playbook is a file that contains the configuration instructions used by Ansible to configure servers.

You can create a playbook by creating a new file in a text editor. In this example, the playbook will be named “docker.yml.”

Copy the code below into your new playbook:

---
- name: Install Docker
  hosts: all
  become: true

  tasks:
    - name: Install packages to allow apt to use a repository over HTTPS
      apt:
        name: apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl gnupg-agent software-properties-common
        state: present

    - name: Add Docker GPG key
      apt_key:
        url: https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg
        state: present

    - name: Add Docker repository
      apt_repository:
        repo: deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu bionic stable
        state: present

    - name: Install Docker
      apt:
        name: docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io
        state: present

    - name: Add user to Docker group
      user:
        name: ansible
        groups: docker
        append: yes

This playbook will install Docker on all Ansible hosts-listed servers.

Step 3: Configuring the Ansible Hosts File

The following step involves configuring the Ansible hosts file. This file contains a list of servers that will be managed by Ansible.

Opening a text editor and creating a new file allows you to generate a new hosts file. In this example, the hosts file will be named “hosts.”

Copy the code below to your new hosts file:

[docker]
192.168.0.1
192.168.0.2
192.168.0.3

This file contains a list of the three servers that will be managed by Ansible. Replace the IP addresses with your servers’ IP addresses.

Step 4: Running the Ansible Playbook

After creating and configuring your Ansible playbook and hosts file, the final step is to execute the playbook.

The playbook can be executed by executing the following command:

ansible-playbook -i hosts docker.yml

This will execute the “docker.yml” playbook on all hosts-listed servers.

Additional Tips

Here are some additional considerations to keep in mind when installing and configuring Docker with Ansible on Ubuntu 22.04:

• Ensure that your servers are running Ubuntu 22.04 or a version that is compatible with it.
• Ensure that your Ansible playbook is executed as a user with sudo permissions.
• Before executing your playbook, ensure that all servers listed in your hosts file can be reached and that SSH access is enabled.
• If you are using a cloud server provider such as AWS or DigitalOcean, you may need to configure your firewall to allow access to the required ports.

By adhering to these guidelines, you can ensure a successful Docker installation using Ansible.

Final Thoughts

Using Ansible to install and configure Docker on Ubuntu 22.04 is an excellent way to automate server management and ensure configuration consistency. Docker can be installed on multiple servers in a matter of minutes with just a few simple steps.

Keep your Ansible playbook and hosts file up-to-date as your server environment evolves, and be mindful of security best practices at all times. With Ansible, it is simple to manage and configure your servers, allowing you to focus on what truly matters: developing great applications.

Conclusion

This article explored how to install and configure Docker on Ubuntu 22.04 using Ansible. By utilizing Ansible for server management and automation, you can save time and ensure server configuration consistency. Docker can be installed on multiple servers in a matter of minutes with just a few simple steps.

Remember to update your Ansible playbook and hosts file as your server environment evolves. Using Ansible, it is simple to make changes to multiple servers simultaneously, making server management significantly more efficient and streamlined.

After installing and configuring Docker with Ansible, you can begin exploring the many advantages of using containers for your applications. Docker allows you to isolate applications and dependencies, making it simple to deploy and scale applications as necessary.

Installing and configuring Docker on Ubuntu 22.04 can be challenging, especially if you need to manage multiple servers. However, with Ansible, you can automate the process and ensure server-wide consistency.

This article demonstrates how to install and configure Docker on Ubuntu 22.04 using Ansible. We have covered the fundamentals of Ansible, such as how to create a playbook and hosts file, and how to execute your playbook to install Docker on your servers.

Check that your servers are running the correct version of Ubuntu and that your user has the appropriate permissions.

By utilizing Ansible to install and configure Docker on Ubuntu 22.04, you can save time and ensure configuration consistency. You can also take advantage of Docker’s numerous benefits for your applications, such as simple deployment and scalability.

So why not attempt it? Docker can be up and running on your Ubuntu 22.04 servers with just a few simple steps, paving the way for easier and more efficient server management.