Execute a job template with a survey

Basics Lab 4

Challenge 3, running a Network-Banner job template

Challenge 3 - Running the Network-Banner automation job

This challenge will walk you through using automation controller to execute the Network-Banner job you created on the 1st and 2nd challenge.

Launching a job

You can launch a Job from the Job Template listings window (where all Job Templates are listed when you click on Job Template) OR the individual Job Template you want to execute.

  • To launch straight from the Job Template listings window, click on the rocket ship icon:

    rocket ship

Survey Prompt

  • Your survey will launch a walkthrough window with questions for the user:

    picture of survey

    This creates guard rails for automation users to have specific control to variables you will allow them to control.

Lets get started

That is the end of of your lab briefing!

For this challenge we are going to run the Network-Banner job template

Login to automation controller

  • If you have been logged out make sure to log back in. To login to automation controller select the Automation controller WebUI tab at the top of your screen.

  • Login with the following credentials:

    username

    admin

    password

    ansible123!

Step 1 - Execute Network-Banner Job Template

  • In the left navigation menu, expand Automation Execution and then click on Templates.

  • To execute the Network-Banner click the rocket button which incidates the launch job button:

    launch job

  • The job will immediately prompt the user to set the banner and the type.

  • Type in the banner message.

    This router was configured by Ansible

  • Choose motd.

  • Click next to see how the survey rendered the input as extra vars for the Ansible Playbook. For this example the banner text is set as This router was configured by Ansible.

  • Click the Finish button to kick off the job.

Step 2 - Verify

  1. Go to the Terminal tab at the top.

  2. Login to the Cisco network device and see the banner setup

    ssh cisco

Takeaways

You have successfully demonstrated:

  • Creation of a Job Template for configuring a banner on multiple network operating systems including Arista EOS, Cisco IOS and Juniper Junos.

  • Creation of a self service survey for the Job Template to fill out the network_banner and banner_type variables

  • Executing a Job Template that can run on hundreds of network devices and platforms simultaneously

Challenge Complete!