Utilizing telnet with Ansible

Question

Was wondering how to best utilize telnet, rather than SSH, with ansible. We are using a Lantronix term server, and must telnet into individual ports.

More specifically, would it be best to use a specific telnet module? If so, which is most intuitive. Alternatively, is it more efficient to simply modify connection type within the hosts file / YAML playbook?

Lantronix? Please provide more details. Why are you using this? Lantronix term server, and must telnet into individual ports — 030, Feb 26 '18 at 19:25

score 6 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 27 '18 at 19:30

6

As documented here, ansible does not support telnet as connection plugin. This means you cannot use ansible to connect to a remote machine via telnet and execute any of the ansible modules.

However, you can use connection: local for local connection(run ansible against the machine that is running it) and send telnet commands from the machine where ansible runs.

Example playbook will look something like that:

---
- hosts: localhost
  connection: local
  gather_facts: false

  tasks:
    - name: my first telnet task
      telnet:
        username: user
        password: pass
        command:
          - my command

edited Feb 27 '18 at 19:30

kenorb

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answered Feb 26 '18 at 14:31

man0v

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Where are you specifying the remote device that you are telneting to? It looks like you are just telneting the localhost. – Frak Oct 15 '20 at 23:34
nowhere; If you read carefuly I say "Example playbook will look something like that:"; Nowhere I even try to suggest a remote connection. I don't understand your question? – man0v Oct 17 '20 at 16:51

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 11 '19 at 00:58

2

Ansible provides a module for telnet provisioning. See:

https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/telnet_module.html

answered Aug 11 '19 at 00:58

mcandre

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Utilizing telnet with Ansible

2 Answers2