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 # ansible-elasticsearch
 
-Ansible playbook / roles / tasks for Elasticsearch
+Ansible playbook / roles / tasks for Elasticsearch.  Currently it will work on Debian and RedHat based linux systems.
+
+## Usage
+
+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.
+
+e.g. 
+
+```
+cd /my/repos/
+git clone git@github.com:elastic/ansible-elasticsearch.git
+cd /my/ansible/playbook
+mkdir -p roles
+ln -s /my/repos/ansible-elasticsearch ./roles/elasticsearch
+```
+
+Then create your playbook yaml adding the role elasticsearch and overriding any variables you wish, e.g. 
+
+```
+---
+- hosts: centos
+  sudo: yes
+  vars:
+    es_plugins_reinstall: false
+    es_plugins:
+      - plugin: elasticsearch-cloud-aws
+        version: 2.5.0
+      - plugin: marvel
+        version: latest
+      - plugin: license
+        version: latest
+      - plugin: shield
+        version: latest
+      - plugin: elasticsearch-support-diagnostics
+        version: latest
+  roles:
+    - elasticsearch
+  tasks:
+    - .... your tasks ...
+```
+
+Make sure your host is defined in your ```hosts``` file.
+
+Then run it:
+
+```
+ansible-playbook -i hosts ./your-playbook.yml
+```
+
+## Configuration
+You can add the role without any customisation and it will by default install Java and Elasticsearch, without any plugins.
+
+Following variables affect the versions installed:
+
+* ```es_major_version``` (e.g. "1.5" )
+* ```es_version``` (e.g. "1.5.2")
+* ```es_start_service``` (true (default) or false)
+* ```es_plugins_reinstall``` (true or false (default) )
+* ```es_plugins``` (an array of plugin definitons e.g.:
+
+```
+    es_plugins:
+      - plugin: elasticsearch-cloud-aws
+        version: 2.5.0
+ ```