Getting started

etckeeper disabled in Python3-only environment

At the moment, etckeeper package in Debian depends on Python 2.7 to work, due to the bzr command not yet ported to Python 3.x. To avoid installation of Python 2.7 environment in Python 3.x-only environments, the etckeeper installation will be disabled by default if the Python 2.7 environment is not already installed and detected by the debops.python Ansible role.

You can override this behaviour by setting the etckeeper__enabled variable to True explicitly in the Ansible inventory. Alternatively, ensure that the Python 2.7 environment is enabled by debops.python by setting the python__v2 variable to True.

Initial configuration

By default git is used as VCS. This can be changed via the etckeeper__vcs variable through Ansible inventory.

The role is designed with etckeeper being already installed on a host in mind. This can be done for example via Debian Preseeding or LXC template installing and pre-configuring etckeeper; the role will keep the already existing configuration without any changes if the variables are not overwritten through the Ansible inventory. Any changes in the /etc/ directory will be automatically committed by Ansible local facts before Ansible role execution.

Example inventory

The debops.etckeeper role is part of the default DebOps playbook and run on all hosts which are part of the [debops_all_hosts] group. To use this role with DebOps it's therefore enough to add your host to the mentioned host group (which most likely it is already):

[debops_all_hosts]
hostname

Example playbook

Here's an example playbook that uses the debops.etckeeper role:

---

- name: Put /etc under version control using etckeeper
  hosts: [ 'debops_all_hosts', 'debops_service_etckeeper' ]
  become: True

  environment: '{{ inventory__environment | d({})
                   | combine(inventory__group_environment | d({}))
                   | combine(inventory__host_environment  | d({})) }}'

  roles:

    - role: debops.etckeeper
      tags: [ 'role::etckeeper', 'skip::etckeeper' ]

Ansible tags

You can use Ansible --tags or --skip-tags parameters to limit what tasks are performed during Ansible run. This can be used after a host was first configured to speed up playbook execution, when you are sure that most of the configuration is already in the desired state.

Available role tags:

role::etckeeper

Main role tag, should be used in the playbook to execute all of the role tasks as well as role dependencies.