The latest Elasticsearch versions of 6.x are actively tested. **Only Ansible versions > 2.3.2 are supported, as this is currently the only version tested.**
Create your Ansible playbook with your own tasks, and include the role elasticsearch. You will have to have this repository accessible within the context of playbook, e.g.
Then create your playbook yaml adding the role elasticsearch. By default, the user is only required to specify a unique es_instance_name per role application. This should be unique per node.
This role also uses [Ansible tags](http://docs.ansible.com/ansible/playbooks_tags.html). Run your playbook with the `--list-tasks` flag for more information.
All Elasticsearch configuration parameters are supported. This is achieved using a configuration map parameter 'es_config' which is serialized into the elasticsearch.yml file.
The use of a map ensures the Ansible playbook does not need to be updated to reflect new/deprecated/plugin configuration parameters.
In addition to the es_config map, several other parameters are supported for additional functions e.g. script installation. These can be found in the role's defaults/main.yml file.
Whilst the role installs Elasticsearch with the default configuration parameters, the following should be configured to ensure a cluster successfully forms:
* ```es_config['discovery.zen.ping.unicast.hosts']``` - the unicast discovery list, in the comma separated format ```"<host>:<port>,<host>:<port>"``` (typically the clusters dedicated masters)
* ```es_config['network.host']``` - sets both network.bind_host and network.publish_host to the same host value. The network.bind_host setting allows to control the host different network components will bind on.
The network.publish_host setting allows to control the host the node will publish itself within the cluster so other nodes will be able to connect to it.
See https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/modules-network.html for further details on default binding behaviour and available options.
The role makes no attempt to enforce the setting of these are requires users to specify them appropriately. IT is recommended master nodes are listed and thus deployed first where possible.
**The role uses es_api_host and es_api_port to communicate with the node for actions only achievable via http e.g. to install templates and to check the NODE IS ACTIVE. These default to "localhost" and 9200 respectively.
If the node is deployed to bind on either a different host or port, these must be changed.**
The application of the elasticsearch role results in the installation of a node on a host. Specifying the role multiple times for a host therefore results in the installation of multiple nodes for the host.
An example of a two server deployment is shown below. The first server holds the master and is thus declared first. Whilst not mandatory, this is recommended in any multi node cluster configuration. The second server hosts two data nodes.
**Note the structure of the below playbook for the data nodes. Whilst a more succinct structures are possible which allow the same role to be applied to a host multiple times, we have found the below structure to be the most reliable with respect to var behaviour. This is the tested approach.**
Parameters can additionally be assigned to hosts using the inventory file if desired.
Make sure your hosts are defined in your ```inventory``` file with the appropriate ```ansible_ssh_host```, ```ansible_ssh_user``` and ```ansible_ssh_private_key_file``` values.
X-Pack features, such as Security, are supported. This feature is currently experimental. To enable X-Pack set the parameter `es_enable_xpack` to true and list the required features in the parameter `es_xpack_features`.
* ```es_xpack_custom_url``` Url from which X-Pack can be downloaded. This can be used for installations in isolated environments where the elastic.co repo is not accessible. e.g. ```es_xpack_custom_url: "https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/packs/x-pack/x-pack-5.5.1.zip"```
* ```es_users``` - Users can be declared here as yml. Two sub keys 'native' and 'file' determine the realm under which realm the user is created. Beneath each of these keys users should be declared as yml entries. e.g.
* ```es_roles``` - Elasticsearch roles can be declared here as yml. Two sub keys 'native' and 'file' determine how the role is created i.e. either through a file or http(native) call. Beneath each key list the roles with appropriate permissions, using the file based format described [here] (https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/x-pack/current/file-realm.html) e.g.
* ```es_xpack_license``` - X-Pack license. The license is a json blob. Set the variable directly (possibly protected by Ansible vault) or from a file in the Ansible project on the control machine via a lookup:
In order for native users and roles to be configured, the role calls the Elasticsearch API. Given security is installed this requires definition of two parameters:
These can either be set to a user declared in the file based realm, with admin permissions, or the default "elastic" superuser (default password is changeme).
In addition to es_config, the following parameters allow the customization of the Java and Elasticsearch versions as well as the role behaviour. Options include:
* ```es_api_basic_auth_username``` The Elasticsearch username for making admin changing actions. Used if Security is enabled. Ensure this user is admin.
Earlier examples illustrate the installation of plugins using `es_plugins`. For officially supported plugins no version or source delimiter is required. The plugin script will determine the appropriate plugin version based on the target Elasticsearch version. For community based plugins include the full url. This approach should NOT be used for the X-Pack plugin. See X-Pack below for details here.
If installing Monitoring or Alerting, ensure the license plugin is also specified. Security configuration is currently not supported but planned for later versions.
By default, each node on a host will be installed to use unique pid, plugin, work, data and log directories. These directories are created, using the instance and host name, beneath default locations ]
controlled by the following parameters:
* ```es_pid_dir``` - defaults to "/var/run/elasticsearch".
* ```es_data_dirs``` - defaults to "/var/lib/elasticsearch". This can be a list or comma separated string e.g. ["/opt/elasticsearch/data-1","/opt/elasticsearch/data-2"] or "/opt/elasticsearch/data-1,/opt/elasticsearch/data-2"
* ```es_restart_on_change``` - defaults to true. If false, changes will not result in Elasticsearch being restarted.
* ```es_plugins_reinstall``` - defaults to false. If true, all currently installed plugins will be removed from a node. Listed plugins will then be re-installed.
This role ships with sample scripts and templates located in the [files/scripts/](files/scripts) and [files/templates/](files/templates) directories, respectively. These variables are used with the Ansible [with_fileglob](http://docs.ansible.com/ansible/playbooks_loops.html#id4) loop. When setting the globs, be sure to use an absolute path.
* ```es_scripts_fileglob``` - defaults to `<role>/files/scripts/`.
* ```es_templates_fileglob``` - defaults to `<role>/files/templates/`.
> For plugins installation, proxy_host and proxy_port are used first if they are defined and fallback to the global proxy settings if not. The same values are currently used for both the http and https proxy settings.
* The role assumes the user/group exists on the server. The elasticsearch packages create the default elasticsearch user. If this needs to be changed, ensure the user exists.
* The playbook relies on the inventory_name of each host to ensure its directories are unique
* Changing an instance_name for a role application will result in the installation of a new component. The previous component will remain.
* KitchenCI has been used for testing. This is used to confirm images reach the correct state after a play is first applied. We currently test only the latest version of 6.x on
* The role aims to be idempotent. Running the role multiple times, with no changes, should result in no state change on the server. If the configuration is changed, these will be applied and
* In order to run x-pack tests a license file with security enabled is required. A trial license is appropriate. Set the environment variable `ES_XPACK_LICENSE_FILE` to the full path of the license file prior to running tests.
* If the ES version is changed, all plugins will be removed. Those listed in the playbook will be re-installed. This is behaviour is required in ES 6.x.
* The role supports automatic detection of differences between installed and listed plugins - installing those listed but not installed, and removing those installed but not listed. Should users wish to re-install plugins they should set es_plugins_reinstall to true. This will cause all currently installed plugins to be removed and those listed to be installed.
We welcome questions on how to use the role. However, in order to keep the github issues list focused on "issues" we ask the community to raise questions at https://discuss.elastic.co/c/elasticsearch. This is monitored by the maintainers.
