Create Servers and Install Software

Create Servers

Three servers are required in an environment:

1. Ansible Management Server
2. Postgres Database Server
3. Application Server

Playbooks are provided for each server

Ansible Management Server

The Ansible Management Server is created first. It is used to configure and manage the other servers in the environment.

playbook/mgmtserver

Access the AWS EC2 Console and create a RHEL 7.x Server using a suitable gold image in the relevant VPC environment. Once the server has launched connect to it via SSH to ensure it is accessible.

Make a note of the server name or ip address. This will be used to set the build_target variable in the next step.

Run the build_ansible playbook:

ansible-playbook playbook/mgmtserver/build_ansible.yml  \
--extra-vars "build_target=**ip_address** env=**dev**" \
--vault-password-file **vault_pass.txt** \
--private-key **private_pem_key_for_server**

When the playbook successfully completes connect to the MGMT Server and complete the security configuration. This involves:

• creating aws credentials and config files
• Setup pen files to be used to access other servers that will be created in the environment
• Configuring /etc/ansible/hosts

Return to the EC2 Console and add two tags to the Ansible Management Server Instance:

• Layer = MGMT
• Managed = BB-MANAGED-TEST

Postgres Database Server

Review the create_ script: create_server_base.yml

Confirm that the following line is launching the correct ami image:

image: "ami-f070abe6" # Change the AMI, from which you want to launch the server

This should be a RHEL image with FIPS 140.2 enabled. From the /hhs_ansible/hhs_ansible directory run:

 ansible-playbook playbook/dataserver/create_server_base.yml \
 --extra-vars 'env=**dev** cf_platform_version=**version_number**' \
 --vault-password-file **vault_pass.txt** \
 --private-key **private_pem_key_for_server**

This script attaches an encrypted volume that is used to store Postgres data.

After the create_ script completes the build_ script can be run:

 hhs_ansible]# ansible-playbook playbook/dataserver/build_database.yml  \
 --vault-password-file **vault_pass.txt** \
 --private-key **private_pem_key_for_server* \
 --extra-vars 'env=**dev**  cf_platform_version=**version_number** \
               build_target=dbservers'

The build_ script will also setup the cron jobs to perform hourly, daily and weekly backups to an S3 bucket.

Upon completion of the database server build check /etc/ansible/hosts to confirm the ip address of the server has been inserted into the [dbservers] section of the file.

Application Server

Once the database server has been built the Application Server(s) can be created and built. Confirm that the following line is launching the correct ami image:

 image: "ami-fdde41eb" # Change the AMI, from which you want to launch the server

The App Server should be built from a RHEL 7.3 Gold Image.

 ansible-playbook playbook/appserver/create_appserver.yml \
 --extra-vars 'env=**dev** cf_platform_version=**version_number**' \
 --vault-password-file **vault_pass.txt** \
 --private-key **private_pem_key_for_server**

When the script completes run the build_ script to install and configure the appserver and connect it to the application load balancer:

 ansible-playbook playbook/appserver/build_appserver.yml  \
 --vault-password-file **vault_pass.txt** \
 --private-key **private_pem_key_for_server** \
 --extra-vars 'env=**dev**  cf_platform_version=**version_number**  \
               build_target=appservers  migrate=yes  collectstatic=yes \
               add_groups=yes add_scopes=yes' 

Multiple app servers can be launched and connected to the Application Load Balancer.

Updating software or adding additional app servers should not require the following parameters:

• migrate=yes
• collectstatic=yes
• add_groups=yes
• add_scopes=yes

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