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Zuke's avatar
Zuke
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Feb 05, 2021

Ansible bigip_command module error message

I'm trying to run a simple playbook to create a link in bash: --- - name: Issue a command on the F5 devices hosts: all connection: local environment: F5_SERVER: '{​​{​​ ansible_host |...
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Mike_A's avatar
Mike_A
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I have been having issues with BASH commands using the bigip_command module. What I see after the job is run is below. As you can see it is 100%, atleast in my case, abending tmsh -c to any command. The module says it runs bash. I have not been able to figure out how to do it yet. 

"executed_commands": [
 "tmsh -c \\\"netstat -rn \\\" | grep \\\"^0.0.0.0\\\" | grep -v mgmt | awk \\'{print \\$2}\\'"
 ]
 "failed": false,

Here is what is in my playbook. 

 tasks:
  - name: Default Gateway
   bigip_command:
    commands:
     - netstat -rn | grep "^0.0.0.0" | grep -v mgmt | awk '{print $2}'
    provider: "{{ provider }}"
   register: f5_gateway_output
 
 
  - debug:
    var: f5_gateway_output
Zuke's avatar
Zuke
Icon for Cirrostratus rankCirrostratus
Feb 17, 2021

Mike your whitespace looks off. I pasted your playbook as printed above to yamllint.com and got errors. Try this.

--- 
tasks: 
  - 
    bigip_command: 
      commands: 
        - "netstat -rn | grep \"^0.0.0.0\" | grep -v mgmt | awk '{print $2}'"
      provider: "{{ provider }}"
    name: "Default Gateway"
    register: f5_gateway_output
  - 
    debug: 
    var: f5_gateway_output
  • Mike_A's avatar
    Mike_A
    Icon for Nimbostratus rankNimbostratus
    Feb 17, 2021

    Zuke, even with what you pasted, I get the same response. 

     "executed_commands": [
            "tmsh -c \\\"netstat -rn \\\" |  grep \\\"^0.0.0.0\\\" | grep -v mgmt | awk \\'{print \\$2}\\'"
        ],

    As you can see it is inserting "tmsh -c" before any command that is under the bigip_command module.

    This module says it runs bash, I'm questioning how that is possible when "tmsh -c" is inserted before any command.

    Have you successfully run a bash command with this bigip_command module?

  • Zuke's avatar
    Zuke
    Icon for Cirrostratus rankCirrostratus
    Feb 18, 2021

    No I haven't successfully run a bash command with this module, and the documentation on the Ansible page is ambiguous. "Run TMSH and bash commands" headline and every example shows a command that is executed in TMSH. I've tried running this playbook with two commands given, the first command being "bash" but no luck. I still get the encoding error.

     

    https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/f5networks/f5_modules/bigip_command_module.html#ansible-collections-f5networks-f5-modules-bigip-command-module

     

    FWIW I think I will use a different, non-F5 module if I'm going to use bash commands going forward.

     

  • Mike_A's avatar
    Mike_A
    Icon for Nimbostratus rankNimbostratus
    Feb 18, 2021

    Agreed, there is very little documentation about running an actual bash command.

    However, after some further testing, I was able to get my command working, but without "awk '{print $2}", its not optimal but in any event I was able to get it to run. The odd part is a single "ls", no flags, command throws an error.

    I have no rhyme or reason as to why some work and some dont, I assume I'm/we are missing some fundamental piece to run bash commands.

    Below is what is working for me right now, spacing is OK, it runs the play just not with the full command I want. 

      tasks:
    - name: Collect Big-IP Facts
      bigip_command:
        commands:
          - "netstat -rn | grep \"^0.0.0.0\" | grep -v \"eth0\\|mgmt\""
        provider: "{{ provider }}"
      register: f5_audit_output
 
    - debug:
        var: f5_audit_output