feat(apple-silicon): ansible tutorial

Author: Laure-di

tutorials/how-to-setup-applesilicon-server-with-ansible/index.mdx

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+---
+meta:
+title: Automating Apple Silicon Server Creation: A Step-by-Step Guide Using Terraform vs. Ansible
+description: Explore Two Powerful Approaches to Automating Apple Silicon Server Deployment with Terraform and Ansible
+content:
+h1: Automating Apple Silicon Server Creation: A Step-by-Step Guide Using Terraform vs. Ansible
+description: Explore Two Powerful Approaches to Automating Apple Silicon Server Deployment with Terraform and Ansible
+categories:
+- apple-silicon
+- terraform
+- ansible
+tags: apple-silicon terraform ansible
+---
+
+In this tutorial, we will guide you through automating the setup and management of Apple Silicon servers using two powerful tools: [Terraform](https://www.terraform.io/) and [Ansible](https://www.ansible.com/). By leveraging these tools, you can streamline infrastructure management, reduce manual configuration, and ensure consistent environments.
+
+<Macro id="requirements" />
+
+- A Scaleway account logged into the [console](https://console.scaleway.com)
+- [Owner](/identity-and-access-management/iam/concepts/#owner) status or [IAM permissions](/identity-and-access-management/iam/concepts/#permission) allowing you to perform actions in the intended Organization
+- A valid [API key](/identity-and-access-management/iam/how-to/create-api-keys/)
+
+## Understanding the tools
+
+### HashiCorp Terraform
+[Terraform](https://www.terraform.io/) is an open-source Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tool that allows you to define and manage infrastructure using declarative configuration files. Terraform enables you to create reproducible and scalable environments while automating the deployment of resources.
+
+### Ansible
+[Ansible](https://www.ansible.com/) is an automation tool that simplifies configuration management, application deployment, and task automation. By using playbooks, Ansible helps automate and streamline processes, ensuring consistency and efficiency in managing complex infrastructure.
+
+## How to create an Apple silicon server
+
+### Using Terraform
+
+1. Download and install [Terraform](https://developer.hashicorp.com/terraform/install).
+
+2. Create a Directory: First, create a directory for your Terraform project. Open your terminal and run:
+
+```shell
+mkdir apple_silicon_server_terraform
+cd apple_silicon_server_terraform
+```
+
+3. Create a Terraform configuration file: Inside this directory, create a file named `resources.tf`:
+
+ ```shell
+ touch resources.tf
+    ```
+
+4. Define the required providers: Open the `resources.tf` file and add the following configuration to define the Scaleway provider and set the required Terraform version:
+
+```shell
+terraform {
+  required_providers {
+    scaleway = {
+      source = "scaleway/scaleway"
+    }
+  }
+  required_version = ">=0.13"
+}
+
+```
+
+5. Define the Apple silicon server: Add the following code to define your Apple silicon server (M2-M type) in the same `resources.tf` file:
+
+```terraform
+#resources.tf
+resource "scaleway_apple_silicon_server" "server" {
+    name = "MyAwesomeServer"
+    type = "M2-M"
+    zone = "fr-par-1"
+}
+```
+
+6. Apply the configuration: To apply this configuration, run the following commands in your terminal:
+
+```shell
+#Initialize Terraform
+terraform init
+#Plan the deployment
+terraform plan
+#Create the server
+terraform apply
+```
+
+When prompted, type **yes** to confirm the creation of the resources.
+
+7. Enable Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and a Private Network: To enhance the network setup, you can update the configuration to enable VPC option and attach a Private Network to your Apple silicon server. Update your `resources.tf` file with the following:
+
+```terraform
+#resources.tf
+resource "scaleway_vpc" "vpc01" {
+    name = "MyAwesomeVPC"
+}
+
+resource "scaleway_vpc_private_network" "pn01" {
+    name = "MyAwesomePN"
+    vpc_id = scaleway_vpc.vpc01.id
+}
+
+resource "scaleway_apple_silicon_server" "server" {
+    name = "MyAwesomeServer"
+    type = "M2-M"
+    zone = "fr-par-1"
+    enable_vpc = true
+    private_network {
+          id = scaleway_vpc_private_network.pn01.id
+    }
+}
+```
+8. Apply the configuration update: Run the following command to apply the changes and update the server configuration
+
+```shell
+terraform apply
+```
+
+This will apply the new settings, ensuring that the server is launched within the specified VPC and connected to the Private Network.
+
+### Using Ansible
+
+1. Install Ansible:  If you don't have Ansible installed on your system, you can easily install it using pip, the Python package manager. Run the following command:
+
+```shell
+pip install ansible
+```
+
+2. Install Scaleway Ansible Collection: Scaleway provides an official Ansible collection that enables you to interact with Scaleway resources, such as creating servers. Install this collection using the `ansible-galaxy` command:
+
+```shell
+ansible-galaxy collection install scaleway.scaleway
+```
+
+3. Create a directory: Now that you have Ansible and the Scaleway collection installed, create a directory for your Ansible project. This will help you keep everything organized.
+
+Run the following commands to create and navigate into the project directory:
+
+ ```shell
+ mkdir apple_silicon_server_ansible
+ cd apple_silicon_server_ansible
+    ```
+
+4. Create a playbook: In Ansible, a playbook is a YAML file that defines the tasks to automate. Create a new file for your playbook named `create_applesilicon_server.yml`:
+
+```shell
+touch create_applesilicon_server.yml
+```
+
+5. Define the playbook content: Open the `create_applesilicon_server.yml` file in your preferred text editor. Add the following content to define the task of provisioning an Apple silicon server:
+
+```ansible
+---
+- name: Create Apple silicon server on Scaleway
+  hosts: localhost
+  gather_facts: no
+  tasks:
+    - name: Create an Apple silicon server
+      scaleway.scaleway.scaleway_applesilicon_server:
+        access_key: "{{ scw_access_key }}"
+        secret_key: "{{ scw_secret_key }}"
+        state: present
+        type_: "M2-M"
+        name: "my-applesilicon-server"
+        zone: "fr-par-1"
+        project_id: "{{scw_project_id}}"
+        vpc_enabled: "false"
+      register: applesilicon_server
+```
+
+6. Set up your Scaleway credentials: Replace the placeholders {{ scw_access_key }}, {{ scw_secret_key }}, and {{ scw_project_id }} with your actual credentials. It is a good practice to store these values in environment variables or an Ansible vault for added security. Alternatively, you can use a `.env` file or an external credentials file.
+
+7. Run the playbook: Now that your playbook is ready and your credentials are set, you can run the playbook to create your Apple silicon server.
+
+Execute the following command:
+
+ ```shell
+ ansible-playbook create_applesilicon_server.yml
+    ```
+
+Ansible will authenticate using your credentials, and the playbook will automatically provision the Apple Silicon server based on the defined parameters.
+
+8. Check the output: The playbook will output the details of the created server, including its ID, IP address, status, and other relevant information.
+
+With these steps, you have successfully automated the creation of an Apple silicon server on Scaleway using Ansible. You can now extend the playbook to configure your server or automate additional tasks as needed.
+
+## How to read server info using Terraform
+
+To read server information after creation, you can use the terraform output command, assuming you have defined output variables in your `resources.tf`. For example:
+
+```terraform
+#resources.tf
+output "server_ip" {
+  value = scaleway_apple_silicon_server.server.ip
+}
+```
+
+After applying the configuration, run:
+
+```shell
+terraform output server_ip
+```
+
+## Conclusion
+
+In this tutorial, we have explored how to automate the creation and management of Apple silicon servers on Scaleway using two powerful tools: Terraform and Ansible. While both tools offer significant automation benefits, they each operate in distinct ways, which makes them suitable for different use cases.
+
+### Keys differences
+
+#### Terraform's state management
+
+Terraform maintains a state file that tracks the current status of your infrastructure. This state file acts as the source of truth for the resources created and managed by Terraform, providing you with visibility and control over any changes. This allows Terraform to efficiently handle infrastructure updates and deletions while ensuring consistency across environments.
+
+#### Ansible’s idempotency
+
+Ansible, on the other hand, does not have a built-in state management system. Instead, it focuses on idempotency, meaning that Ansible playbooks can be executed multiple times without causing unwanted side effects. Each run checks whether the desired state is already achieved, and if not, it makes the necessary changes. However, Ansible does not retain a record of resource states, so it might be less efficient for large-scale infrastructure management compared to Terraform.
+
+### Which to choose?
+
+Terraform is an excellent choice for infrastructure provisioning where you need to keep track of your resources and manage dependencies between them. It is especially useful for handling lifecycle management (creation, modification, and deletion) of your infrastructure.
+
+Ansible shines in configuration management, automation, and orchestrating tasks across your infrastructure. It’s ideal for deploying applications, configuring services, and ensuring your systems are in the desired state after provisioning.
+
+You can also combine both tools for optimal results! Use Terraform for provisioning the infrastructure and Ansible for configuring the servers and deploying applications on top of it. This hybrid approach allows you to leverage the best of both worlds.
+
+By following this guide, you now have a solid understanding of how to automate the creation and management of Apple silicon servers on Scaleway, whether you're using Terraform or Ansible. Both tools can greatly streamline your workflow, reduce manual effort, and help you maintain consistency across your infrastructure.
+
+For more advanced topics, consider exploring Terraform’s state management and Ansible’s playbook design to enhance your automation skills further. Happy automating!
+
+
+