A beginners Guide To Install Ansible on Ubuntu

Ansible is an open source automation platform that is used for configuration management, application deployment, and IT orchestration. Its main task is to simplify complex tasks by allowing users to define infrastructure as a Code (IaC) and automate repetitive administration processes. The tool is generally used for: 

• Server provisioning – Automating the setup of new servers.
• Configuration management – Ensuring consistency across multiple servers.
• Application deployment – Deploying software across various environments.
• Orchestration – Coordinating complex workflows in IT infrastructure.

Ansible is widely used with Ubuntu due to its easy-to-use nature and high-speed functionality. 

Prerequisites to Install Ansible on Ubuntu

Before you install Ansible on Ubuntu, make sure that your system meets the following minimum requirements. 

System Requirements

• A system running Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, or later
• A non-root user with sudo privileges
• A stable internet connection

Required Packages

• Python 3 and pip (Ansible is written in Python and requires Python 3)
• Software Properties Common (for managing repositories)

Network and SSH Access

• OpenSSH server installed and running (for remote management)
• Firewall rules configured to allow SSH connections if managing remote hosts

These prerequisites ensure a smooth installation and enable Ansible to manage other systems efficiently.

Related Article: How To Install Kubernetes on Ubuntu 22.04: A Step-by-Step Guide

How To Install Ansible On Ubuntu 22.04 

There are two recommended methods to install Ansible on Ubuntu 20.04 or higher. 

1. Installing Ansible Using APT (Recommended)

Ubuntu provides Ansible packages through the official website, which makes installation super simple. 

Step 1: Update and Upgrade the System

Update your system to the latest version of Ubuntu. 20.04 or higher is recommended. 

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install the Required Dependencies

Install the necessary dependencies to enable additional repositories.

sudo apt install software-properties-common -y

Step 3: Add the Ansible PPA Repository

Ansible is available in the Ubuntu PPA (Personal Package Archive), which provides more recent versions than the default repositories.

sudo add-apt-repository –yes –update ppa:ansible/ansible

Step 4: Install Ansible

Install Ansible on Ubuntu using the APT by running the following command: 

sudo apt install ansible -y

Step 5: Verify the Installation

After installation, verify if the process was successful. 

ansible –version

Ideally, it should show the installed version as output. 

Installing the Latest Ansible Version via PIP

If you need to install the latest version of Ansible on Ubuntu, which is not available in the Ubuntu repositories, you can install it using PIP. 

Step 1: Install Python and PIP

Make sure that Python 3 and PIP are installed.

sudo apt update

sudo apt install python3 python3-pip -y

Step 2: Install Ansible Using PIP

Then use the following command to install Ansible. 

pip3 install –user ansible

Step 3: Verify the Installation

Verify if the installation was successful. 

ansible –version

If you have installed Ansible using PIP and the system fails to recognize the command, you add the PIP binary path to the environment variables. 

export PATH=$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH

Make the change permanent by adding it to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile file:

echo ‘export PATH=$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH’ >> ~/.bashrc

source ~/.bashrc

Configuring Ansible on Ubuntu

After you install Ansible on Ubuntu, you should configure the system to manage remote systems. The default configuration file is located at: 

/etc/ansible/ansible.cfg

You can modify it based on your requirements.

Step 1: Create an Inventory File

Using an inventory file that is usually found in /etc/ansible/hosts, you can modify the file using:

sudo nano /etc/ansible/hosts

Add the IP addresses or domain names of your managed nodes under a group name, for example:

[web_servers]

192.168.1.10

192.168.1.11

[database_servers]

192.168.1.20

Step 2: Configure SSH Access

Ansible uses SSH to connect to remote machines. Make sure that you can connect to the managed nodes without using a passkey. 

ssh-keygen

ssh-copy-id user@cyberpanel-frontendserver

Step 3: Test the Connection

Verify that the Ansible can communicate with all the remote machines. Using the ping module: 

ansible all -m ping -u user

The desired response is pong, if everything is installed properly. 

Running Your First Ansible Command

After you have set up Ansible, you can run the ad-hoc commands without playbooks. Here are a few examples: 

Example 1: Check Uptime on All Servers

ansible all -m command -a “uptime” -u user

Example 2: Install a Package (Apache) on All Web Servers

ansible web_servers -m apt -a “name=apache2 state=present” -b

Example 3: Reboot All Database Servers

ansible database_servers -m reboot -b

Uninstalling Ansible from Ubuntu

If you are not using Ansible anymore, you can easily uninstall it. Here is how you can do it. 

Method 1: Uninstall Ansible Installed via APT

sudo apt remove –purge ansible -y

sudo apt autoremove -y

Method 2: Uninstall Ansible Installed via PIP

pip3 uninstall ansible

To remove configuration files and inventory:

sudo rm -rf /etc/ansible

Troubleshooting Guide To Install Ansible on Ubuntu 22.04

Issue	Possible Cause	Solution
ansible: command not found	Ansible is not installed or not in PATH	Run which ansible and reinstall using sudo apt install ansible -y or pip3 install ansible
SSH authentication failure	SSH keys not set up, or wrong user permissions	Use ssh-copy-id user@remote_host and check /etc/ssh/sshd_config settings
Inventory file not found	Incorrect file path or missing [group]header	Ensure /etc/ansible/hosts exists and has valid formatting
Cannot connect to remote host	Firewall or SSH service issues	Check firewall rules (sudo ufw status) and ensure sshd is running (systemctl status ssh)
Playbook execution fails with permission errors	Missing sudo privileges or incorrect Ansible configuration	Run command with -b (become) flag and ensure sudo access (visudo)
No module named ansible error	Ansible not installed for the active Python version	Use python3 -m pip install –user ansible or ensure correct Python version is used
Ansible outdated or missing dependencies	Installed from outdated repositories	Run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y or reinstall Ansible
Connection timeout errors	Network issues or incorrect SSH configuration	Check network connectivity with ping remote_host and test SSH login manually

Wrapping Up – Install Ansible on Ubuntu

After following this guide, you can easily install Ansible on Ubuntu with proper configurations. After installation, don’t forget to test your connection and verify the version for a smooth and seamless usage.