Manage Linux virtual machines in Azure using Ansible

Ansible allows you to automate the deployment and configuration of resources in your environment. In this article, you use an Ansible playbook to start and stop a Linux virtual machine.

Prerequisites

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

• 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.

Stop a virtual machine

In this section, you use Ansible to deallocate (stop) an Azure virtual machine.

1. Sign in to the Azure portal.

2. Open Cloud Shell.

3. Create a file named azure-vm-stop.yml, and open it in the editor:

   code azure-vm-stop.yml
   

4. Paste the following sample code into the editor:

   - name: Stop Azure VM
     hosts: localhost
     connection: local
     tasks:
       - name: Stop virtual machine
         azure_rm_virtualmachine:
           resource_group: {{ resource_group_name }}
           name: {{ vm_name }}
           allocated: no
   

5. Replace the {{ resource_group_name }} and {{ vm_name }} placeholders with your values.

6. Save the file and exit the editor.

7. Run the playbook using ansible-playbook

   ansible-playbook azure-vm-stop.yml
   

8. After running the playbook, you see output similar to the following results:

   PLAY [Stop Azure VM] ********************************************************
   
   TASK [Gathering Facts] ******************************************************
   ok: [localhost]
   
   TASK [Deallocate the Virtual Machine] ***************************************
   changed: [localhost]
   
   PLAY RECAP ******************************************************************
   localhost                  : ok=2    changed=1    unreachable=0    failed=0
   

Start a virtual machine

In this section, you use Ansible to start a deallocated (stopped) Azure virtual machine.

1. Sign in to the Azure portal.

2. Open Cloud Shell.

3. Create a file named azure-vm-start.yml, and open it in the editor:

   code azure-vm-start.yml
   

4. Paste the following sample code into the editor:

   - name: Start Azure VM
     hosts: localhost
     connection: local
     tasks:
       - name: Start virtual machine
         azure_rm_virtualmachine:
           resource_group: {{ resource_group_name }}
           name: {{ vm_name }}
           started: yes
   

5. Replace the {{ resource_group_name }} and {{ vm_name }} placeholders with your values.

6. Save the file and exit the editor.

7. Run the playbook using ansible-playbook

   ansible-playbook azure-vm-start.yml
   

8. After running the playbook, you see output similar to the following results:

   PLAY [Start Azure VM] ********************************************************
   
   TASK [Gathering Facts] ******************************************************
   ok: [localhost]
   
   TASK [Start the Virtual Machine] ********************************************
   changed: [localhost]
   
   PLAY RECAP ******************************************************************
   localhost                  : ok=2    changed=1    unreachable=0    failed=0
   

Next steps

Tutorial: Manage Azure dynamic inventories using Ansible