Ansible yum module: Install RHEL/CentOS Packages

The Ansible yum module manages packages on systems that use the YUM package manager, such as CentOS, RHEL, RockyLinux, and Fedora. This module allows administrators to install, update, remove, or verify packages on target systems. Using the yum module, you can ensure specific packages and their versions are installed or removed from your systems. You can also manage package groups and automatically handle package dependencies.

This guide explains installing and managing packages on RPM-based Linux distributions using the Ansible yum module.

Basic Syntax

The basic syntax of the yum module is simple.

- name: Description of the task
  yum:
    name: Package-Name
    state: State

Explanation:

• name: This parameter specifies the name of the package to be managed.
• state: This parameter defines the desired state of the package (present, absent, latest, installed, etc.).

Installing a Package

To install a package using the yum module, set the state parameter to present or installed.

Example 1: Basic Package Installation

- name: Install httpd package
  hosts: all
  become: yes
  tasks:
    - name: Install httpd package
      yum:
        name: httpd
        state: present

This playbook installs the httpd package on all hosts in the inventory.

Example 2: Verify Package Installation

You can verify the package installation by checking its version or status.

- name: Verify httpd package installation
  hosts: all
  become: yes
  tasks:
    - name: Install httpd package
      yum:
        name: httpd
        state: present

    - name: Check httpd version
      command: httpd -v
      register: httpd_version

    - name: Display httpd version
      debug:
        msg: "Installed httpd version: {{ httpd_version.stdout }}"

This playbook installs the httpd package if it’s not already installed, checks the installed version, and then displays the version information using a debug task.

Removing a Package

To remove a package, set the state parameter to absent.

Example 1: Basic Package Removal

- name: Remove httpd package
  hosts: all
  become: yes
  tasks:
    - name: Remove httpd package
      yum:
        name: httpd
        state: absent

This playbook removes the httpd package from all hosts in the inventory.

Example 2: Ensure the Package is Removed

You can ensure a package is removed and verify it.

- name: Ensure httpd package is removed
  hosts: all
  become: yes
  tasks:
    - name: Remove httpd package
      yum:
        name: httpd
        state: absent

    - name: Verify httpd removal
      command: rpm -q httpd
      register: httpd_check
      ignore_errors: yes

    - name: Display httpd removal status
      debug:
        msg: "httpd package removal status: {{ httpd_check.stdout }}"

This playbook removes the httpd package from all hosts, verifies whether the package has been removed, and displays the removal status.

Updating a Package

To update a package to the latest version, set the state parameter to latest.

Example 1: Basic Package Update

- name: Update httpd package to the latest version
  hosts: all
  become: yes
  tasks:
    - name: Update httpd package to the latest version
      yum:
        name: httpd
        state: latest

This playbook updates the httpd package to the latest version on all hosts.

Installing Multiple Packages

You can manage multiple packages in a single task by listing them in the name parameter. This is useful when you need to ensure multiple packages are installed, removed, or updated simultaneously.

Example 1: Install Multiple Packages

- name: Install multiple packages
  hosts: all
  become: yes
  tasks:
    - name: Install multiple packages
      yum:
        name:
          - httpd
          - vim
          - git
        state: present

This playbook installs the httpd, vim, and git packages on all hosts.

Working with Package Groups

The yum module can also handle package groups, which are collections of packages grouped together for easier management. To install a package group, use the name parameter with the @ prefix.

Example 1: Install a Package Group

- name: Install 'Development Tools' package group
  hosts: all
  become: yes
  tasks:
    - name: Install 'Development Tools' package group
      yum:
        name: "@Development Tools"
        state: present

This playbook installs the Development Tools package group on all hosts.

Using Ansible yum_repository Module

The Ansible yum_repository module manages YUM repository configurations on RPM-based systems. It allows you to define and manage custom repositories, such as adding new ones or configuring existing ones.

Below is an example playbook that demonstrates how to add the Elasticsearch repository, import its GPG key, and install Elasticsearch on all target hosts.

---
- name: Install Elasticsearch
  hosts: all
  become: yes
  tasks:
    - name: Add Elasticsearch repository
      ansible.builtin.yum_repository:
        name: elasticsearch
        description: "Elasticsearch repository"
        baseurl: "https://artifacts.elastic.co/packages/7.x/yum"
        gpgkey: "https://artifacts.elastic.co/GPG-KEY-elasticsearch"
        gpgcheck: yes
        enabled: yes
        repo_gpgcheck: yes

    - name: Install Elasticsearch package
      ansible.builtin.yum:
        name: elasticsearch
        state: present

    - name: Start and enable Elasticsearch service
      ansible.builtin.systemd:
        name: elasticsearch
        state: started
        enabled: yes

This playbook configures all target hosts to use the Elasticsearch YUM repository by adding its URL and GPG key. It then installs the Elasticsearch package from this repository if it’s not already present on the system. Finally, it starts the Elasticsearch service and enables it to start automatically on system boot.

Conclusion

The yum module in Ansible is a versatile tool for managing packages on RHEL, CentOS, and Rocky Linux systems. You can now effectively manage software packages and ensure your systems are up-to-date and secure.

You can also install RPM packages from local files.

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