Tutorial: Configure labs in Azure DevTest Labs using Ansible

Article
03/30/2023

Important

Ansible 2.8 (or later) is required to run the sample playbooks in this article.

Azure DevTest Labs allows developers to automate the creation of VM environments for their apps. These environments can be configured for app developing, testing, and training.

In this article, you learn how to:

Create a lab
Set the lab policies
Set the lab schedules
Create the lab virtual network
Define an artifact source for the lab
Create a VM within the lab
List the lab's artifact sources and artifacts
Get Azure Resource Manager information for the artifact sources
Create the lab environment
Create the lab image
Delete the lab

Prerequisites

Azure subscription: If you don't have an Azure subscription, create a free account before you begin.

Azure service principal: Create a service principal, making note of the following values: appId, displayName, password, and tenant.

Install Ansible: Do one of the following options:
- Install and configure Ansible on a Linux virtual machine
- Configure Azure Cloud Shell and - if you don't have access to a Linux virtual machine - create a virtual machine with Ansible.

Create resource group

The sample playbook snippet creates an Azure resource group. A resource group is a logical container in which Azure resources are deployed and managed.

  - name: Create a resource group
    azure_rm_resourcegroup:
      name: "{{ resource_group }}"
      location: "{{ location }}"

Create the lab

The next task creates the sample lab.

- name: Create the lab
  azure_rm_devtestlab:
    resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
    name: "{{ lab_name }}"
    location: "{{ location }}"
    storage_type: standard
    premium_data_disks: no
  register: output_lab

Set the lab policies

You can set up lab policy settings. The following values can be set:

user_owned_lab_vm_count is the number of VMs a user can own
user_owned_lab_premium_vm_count is the number of premium VMs a user can own
lab_vm_count is the maximum number of lab VMs
lab_premium_vm_count is the maximum number of lab premium VMs
lab_vm_size is the allowed lab VMs size(s)
gallery_image is the allowed gallery image(s)
user_owned_lab_vm_count_in_subnet is the maximum number of user's VMs in a subnet
lab_target_cost is the target cost of the lab

- name: Set the lab policies
  azure_rm_devtestlabpolicy:
    resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
    lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
    policy_set_name: myDtlPolicySet
    name: myDtlPolicy
    fact_name: user_owned_lab_vm_count
    threshold: 5

Set the lab schedules

The sample task in this section configures the lab schedule.

In the following code snippet, the lab_vms_startup value is used to specify the VM startup time. Likewise, setting the lab_vms_shutdown value establishes the lab VM shutdown time.

- name: Set the lab schedule
  azure_rm_devtestlabschedule:
    resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
    lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
    name: lab_vms_shutdown
    time: "1030"
    time_zone_id: "UTC+12"
  register: output

Create the lab virtual network

This following task creates the default lab virtual network.

- name: Create the lab virtual network
  azure_rm_devtestlabvirtualnetwork:
    resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
    lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
    name: "{{ vn_name }}"
    location: "{{ location }}"
    description: My lab virtual network
  register: output

Define an artifact source for the lab

An artifacts source is a properly structured GitHub repository that contains artifact definition and Azure Resource Manager templates. Every lab comes with predefined public artifacts. The follow tasks shows you how to create an artifact source for a lab.

- name: Define the lab artifacts source
  azure_rm_devtestlabartifactsource:
    resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
    lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
    name: "{{ artifacts_name }}"
    uri: https://github.com/Azure/azure_preview_modules.git
    source_type: github
    folder_path: /tasks
    security_token: "{{ github_token }}"

Create a VM within the lab

Create a VM within the lab.

- name: Create a VM within the lab
  azure_rm_devtestlabvirtualmachine:
    resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
    lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
    name: "{{ vm_name }}"
    notes: Virtual machine notes, just something....
    os_type: linux
    vm_size: Standard_A2_v2
    user_name: dtladmin
    password: ZSasfovobocu$$21!
    lab_subnet:
      virtual_network_name: "{{ vn_name }}"
      name: "{{ vn_name }}Subnet"
    disallow_public_ip_address: no
    image:
      offer: UbuntuServer
      publisher: Canonical
      sku: 16.04-LTS
      os_type: Linux
      version: latest
    artifacts:
      - source_name: "{{ artifacts_name }}"
        source_path: "/Artifacts/linux-install-mongodb"
    allow_claim: no
    expiration_date: "2029-02-22T01:49:12.117974Z"

List the lab's artifact sources and artifacts

To list all default and custom artifacts sources in the lab, use the following task:

- name: List the artifact sources
  azure_rm_devtestlabartifactsource_facts:
    resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
    lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
  register: output
- debug:
    var: output

The following task lists all the artifacts:

- name: List the artifact facts
  azure_rm_devtestlabartifact_facts:
    resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
    lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
    artifact_source_name: public repo
  register: output
- debug:
    var: output

Get Azure Resource Manager information for the artifact sources

To list all the Azure Resource Manager templates in public environment repository, the predefined repository with templates:

- name: List the Azure Resource Manager template facts
  azure_rm_devtestlabartifactsource_facts:
    resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
    lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
  register: output
- debug:
    var: output

And the following task retrieves details of a specific Azure Resource Manager template from the repository:

- name: Get Azure Resource Manager template facts
  azure_rm_devtestlabarmtemplate_facts:
    resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
    lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
    artifact_source_name: "public environment repo"
    name: ServiceFabric-LabCluster
  register: output
- debug:
    var: output

Create the lab environment

The following task creates the lab environment based on one of the templates from public environment repository.

- name: Create the lab environment
      azure_rm_devtestlabenvironment:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
        user_name: "@me"
        name: myEnvironment
        location: eastus
        deployment_template: "{{ output_lab.id }}/artifactSources/public environment repo/armTemplates/WebApp"
      register: output

Create the lab image

The following task creates an image from a VM. The image allows you to create identical VMs.

- name: Create the lab image
  azure_rm_devtestlabcustomimage:
    resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
    lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
    name: myImage
    source_vm: "{{ output_vm.virtualmachines[0]['name'] }}"
    linux_os_state: non_deprovisioned

Delete the lab

To delete the lab, use the following task:

- name: Delete the lab
  azure_rm_devtestlab:
    resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
    name: "{{ lab_name }}"
    state: absent
  register: output
- name: Assert the change was correctly reported
  assert:
    that:
      - output.changed

Get the sample playbook

There are two ways to get the complete sample playbook:

Download the playbook and save it to devtestlab-create.yml.
Create a new file named devtestlab-create.yml and copy the following contents into it:

---
- hosts: localhost
  #roles:
  #  - azure.azure_preview_modules
  vars:
    resource_group: "{{ resource_group_name }}"
    lab_name: myLab
    vn_name: myLabVirtualNetwork
    vm_name: myLabVm
    artifacts_name: myArtifacts
    github_token: "{{ lookup('env','GITHUB_ACCESS_TOKEN') }}"
    location: eastus
  tasks:
    - name: Create a resource group
      azure_rm_resourcegroup:
        name: "{{ resource_group }}"
        location: "{{ location }}"

    - name: Create the lab
      azure_rm_devtestlab:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        name: "{{ lab_name }}"
        location: eastus
        storage_type: standard
        premium_data_disks: no
      register: output_lab

    - name: Set the lab policies
      azure_rm_devtestlabpolicy:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
        policy_set_name: myDtlPolicySet
        name: myDtlPolicy
        fact_name: user_owned_lab_vm_count
        threshold: 5

    - name: Set the lab schedule
      azure_rm_devtestlabschedule:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
        name: lab_vms_shutdown
        time: "1030"
        time_zone_id: "UTC+12"
      register: output

    - name: Create the lab virtual network
      azure_rm_devtestlabvirtualnetwork:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
        name: "{{ vn_name }}"
        location: eastus
        description: My lab virtual network
      register: output

    - name: Define the lab artifacts source
      azure_rm_devtestlabartifactsource:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
        name: "{{ artifacts_name }}"
        uri: https://github.com/Azure/azure_preview_modules.git
        source_type: github
        folder_path: /tasks
        security_token: "{{ github_token }}"

    - name:
      set_fact:
        artifact_source:
          - source_name: "{{ artifacts_name }}"
            source_path: "/Artifacts/linux-install-mongodb"
      when: "github_token | length > 0"

    - name:
      set_fact:
        artifact_source: null
      when: "github_token | length == 0"

    - name: Create a VM within the lab
      azure_rm_devtestlabvirtualmachine:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
        name: "{{ vm_name }}"
        notes: Virtual machine notes, just something....
        os_type: linux
        vm_size: Standard_A2_v2
        user_name: dtladmin
        password: ZSasfovobocu$$21!
        lab_subnet:
          virtual_network_name: "{{ vn_name }}"
          name: "{{ vn_name }}Subnet"
        disallow_public_ip_address: no
        image:
          offer: UbuntuServer
          publisher: Canonical
          sku: 16.04-LTS
          os_type: Linux
          version: latest
        artifacts:
          - source_name: "{{ artifacts_name }}"
            source_path: "/Artifacts/linux-install-mongodb"
        allow_claim: no
        expiration_date: "2029-02-22T01:49:12.117974Z"

    - name: List the artifact sources
      azure_rm_devtestlabartifactsource_facts:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
      register: output
    - debug:
        var: output

    - name: List the artifact facts
      azure_rm_devtestlabartifact_facts:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
        artifact_source_name: public repo
      register: output
    - debug:
        var: output

    - name: List the Azure Resource Manager template facts
      azure_rm_devtestlabarmtemplate_facts:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
        artifact_source_name: "public environment repo"
      register: output
    - debug:
        var: output

    - name: Get Azure Resource Manager template facts
      azure_rm_devtestlabarmtemplate_facts:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
        artifact_source_name: "public environment repo"
        name: ServiceFabric-LabCluster
      register: output
    - debug:
        var: output

    - name: Create the lab environment
      azure_rm_devtestlabenvironment:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
        user_name: "@me"
        name: myEnvironment
        location: eastus
        deployment_template: "{{ output_lab.id }}/artifactSources/public environment repo/armTemplates/WebApp"

    - name: Create the lab image
      azure_rm_devtestlabcustomimage:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        lab_name: "{{ lab_name }}"
        name: myImage
        source_vm: "{{ vm_name }}"
        linux_os_state: non_deprovisioned

    - name: Delete the lab
      azure_rm_devtestlab:
        resource_group: "{{ resource_group }}"
        name: "{{ lab_name }}"
        state: absent

Run the playbook

In this section, run the playbook to test various features shown in this article.

Before running the playbook, make the following changes:

In the vars section, replace the {{ resource_group_name }} placeholder with the name of your resource group.
Store the GitHub token as an environment variable named GITHUB_ACCESS_TOKEN.

Run the playbook using ansible-playbook

ansible-playbook devtestlab-create.yml

Clean up resources

Save the following code as delete_rg.yml.

---
- hosts: localhost
  tasks:
    - name: Deleting resource group - "{{ name }}"
      azure_rm_resourcegroup:
        name: "{{ name }}"
        state: absent
      register: rg
    - debug:
        var: rg

Run the playbook using the ansible-playbook command. Replace the placeholder with the name of the resource group to be deleted. All resources within the resource group will be deleted.
```
ansible-playbook delete_rg.yml --extra-vars "name=<resource_group>"
```
Key points:
- Because of the register variable and debug section of the playbook, the results display when the command finishes.

Run az group delete to delete the resource group. All resources within the resource group will be deleted.
```
az group delete --name <resource_group>
```
Verify that the resource group was deleted by using az group show.
```
az group show --name <resource_group>
```

Run Remove-AzResourceGroup to delete the resource group. All resources within the resource group will be deleted.
```
Remove-AzResourceGroup -Name <resource_group>
```
Verify that the resource group was deleted by using Get-AzResourceGroup.
```
Get-AzResourceGroup -Name <resource_group>
```

Next steps

Ansible on Azure