With Ansible we can better and faster manage network infrastructure such as Cisco IOS and ASA.

If you want to change the IP address of an interface, add more ACE into the router, check running configuration with master configuration in ansible then apply the master configuration

- name: configure top level configuration
  ios_config:
    lines: hostname {{ inventory_hostname }}

- name: configure interface settings
  ios_config:
    lines:
      - description test interface
      - ip address 172.31.1.1 255.255.255.0
    parents: interface Ethernet1

- name: load new acl into device
  ios_config:
    lines:
      - 10 permit ip host 1.1.1.1 any log
      - 20 permit ip host 2.2.2.2 any log
      - 30 permit ip host 3.3.3.3 any log
      - 40 permit ip host 4.4.4.4 any log
      - 50 permit ip host 5.5.5.5 any log
    parents: ip access-list extended test
    before: no ip access-list extended test
    match: exact

- name: check the running-config against master config
  ios_config:
    diff_config: intended
    intended_config: "{{ lookup('file', 'master.cfg') }}"

- name: check the startup-config against the running-config
  ios_config:
    diff_against: startup
    diff_ignore_lines:
      - ntp clock .*

- name: save running to startup when modified
  ios_config:
    save_when: modified

Example: backup configuration

hosts file(/etc/ansible/hosts):

[CSR-Routers]

CSR-01    ansible_host=192.168.244.129

CSR-02    ansible_host=192.168.1.171

Playbook file (/etc/ansible/playbooks/backup.yaml)

---

- hosts:CSR-02

  gather_facts: true

  connection: local

   

  tasks:

   - name: show run

     ios_command:

       commands:

          - show run

       host: "{{ ansible_host }}"

       username: frank

       password: cisco

     register: config

  - name: save output to /etc/ansible/backups

    copy:

      content: "{{ config.stout[0] }}"

      dest: "/etc/ansible/backups/show_run_{{ inventory_hostname }}.txt"

 

Reference

IOS config Module: http://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/ios_config_module.html

List of Network Modules: http://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/list_of_network_modules.html

Supported Network Platforms: https://access.redhat.com/solutions/3184741