using pgpool doesn't see a list of variables into group_var directory

Question

I am using Ansible + Vagrant to create my infrastructure or make a little simulation of I wish. It installing postgres and creating a ssh directory to store the differents keys for each host.

It is my project structure:

.
├── ansible.cfg
├── cluster_hosts
├── group_vars
│   ├── host_master
│   ├── host_pgpool
│   ├── host_slave1
│   └── postgresql
├── roles
│   ├── postgresql
│   │   ├── files
│   │   ├── handlers
│   │   └── tasks
│   │       └── main.yml
│   └── ssh_agent
│       └── tasks
│           └── main.yml
└── site.yml

It is the cluster_hosts declaration:

host_master ansible_ssh_host=192.168.1.10 ansible_ssh_user=vagrant ansible_ssh_pass=vagrant
host_slave1 ansible_ssh_host=192.168.1.11 ansible_ssh_user=vagrant ansible_ssh_pass=vagrant
host_slave2 ansible_ssh_host=192.168.1.12 ansible_ssh_user=vagrant ansible_ssh_pass=vagrant
host_pgpool ansible_ssh_host=192.168.1.13 ansible_ssh_user=vagrant ansible_ssh_pass=vagrant

[ssh]
host_master
host_pgpool
host_slave1

[pg_pool]
host_pgpool

[database]
host_master
host_pgpool
host_slave1
host_slave2

It is my group_vars files:

host_master

known_hosts:
    - 192.168.1.11
    - 192.168.1.12

host_pgpool

known_hosts:
    - 192.168.1.11
    - 192.168.1.12

host_slave1

known_hosts:
    - 192.168.1.12

And here is my site.yml:

---
# The main playbook to deploy the cluster

# setup database
- hosts: database
  sudo: True
  tags:
    - setup_db
  roles:
    - postgresql

# setup ssh
- hosts: all
  sudo: True
  tags:
    - setup_ssh
  roles:
    - ssh_agent

And here is the ssh_agent role:

---
- name: Install sshpass
  apt: name={{ item }} state=present
  with_items:
    - sshpass
    - rsync

- name: Create ssh directory
  sudo_user: postgres
  command: mkdir -p /var/lib/postgresql/.ssh/ creates=/var/lib/postgresql/.ssh/

- name: Generate known hosts
  sudo_user: postgres
  shell: ssh-keyscan -t rsa {{ item }} >> /var/lib/postgresql/.ssh/known_hosts
  with_items: 
    - "{{ known_hosts }}"

- name: Generate id_rsa key
  sudo_user: postgres
  command: ssh-keygen -t rsa -N "" -C "" -f /var/lib/postgresql/.ssh/id_rsa

- name: Add authorized_keys
  command: sshpass -p postgres ssh-copy-id -i /var/lib/postgresql/.ssh/id_rsa.pub postgres@{{ item }}
  sudo_user: postgres
  with_items: 
    - "{{ known_hosts }}"

- name: Owner postgresql
  command: chown postgres:postgres /var/lib/postgresql/.ssh/ -R

ok, Now when I run:

ansible-playbook -i cluster_hosts site.yml --tags setup_ssh

I get an error in the Generate known hosts task :

PLAY [all] ******************************************************************** 

GATHERING FACTS *************************************************************** 
ok: [host_pgpool]
ok: [host_slave2]
ok: [host_slave1]
ok: [host_master]

TASK: [ssh_agent | Install sshpass] ******************************************* 
ok: [host_slave1] => (item=sshpass,rsync)
ok: [host_master] => (item=sshpass,rsync)
ok: [host_pgpool] => (item=sshpass,rsync)
ok: [host_slave2] => (item=sshpass,rsync)

TASK: [ssh_agent | Create ssh directory] ************************************** 
skipping: [host_master]
skipping: [host_slave2]
skipping: [host_slave1]
skipping: [host_pgpool]

TASK: [ssh_agent | Generate known hosts] ************************************** 
fatal: [host_slave1] => One or more undefined variables: 'known_hosts' is undefined
fatal: [host_master] => One or more undefined variables: 'known_hosts' is undefined
fatal: [host_slave2] => One or more undefined variables: 'known_hosts' is undefined
fatal: [host_pgpool] => One or more undefined variables: 'known_hosts' is undefined

FATAL: all hosts have already failed -- aborting

PLAY RECAP ******************************************************************** 
           to retry, use: --limit @/home/robe/site.retry

host_master                : ok=2    changed=0    unreachable=1    failed=0   
host_pgpool                : ok=2    changed=0    unreachable=1    failed=0   
host_slave1                : ok=2    changed=0    unreachable=1    failed=0   
host_slave2                : ok=2    changed=0    unreachable=1    failed=0 

I don't understand why this error? if each variable is declared in group_vars (host_master, host_pgpool, host_slave1).

Is my yml syntax wrong? I think that maybe it is the problem but I see that it is right for me?

Answer 1

By default, ansible does not read all files in group_vars/; it only reads group_vars/all (or group_vars/all.yml; incidentally, I've found it more convenient to add the .yml extension to vars files). You need to tell it to read the files you want using vars_files in your site.yml, like this:

- hosts: database
  sudo: True
  tags:
    - setup_db
  roles:
    - postgresql
  vars_files:
    - group_vars/host_master