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ansible-2.xansible-vault

What does this ansible-vault format mean?

I am reverse-engineering and refactoring ansible code from a developer who has since left the company. In our ansible-vault file, I would love to know what the following items mean and how they add function/value to the yaml--I can't find any documentation in my search: "base: &base" "<<: *base"

Here is my sanitized vault yaml

---
secrets:
  zk:
    password: sdsfl34hgf
  admin:
    password: ldfk43277k
credentials:
  base: &base
    host: "{{ansible_host}}"
    timeout: 30
    transport: cli
  svc_rhelsystemro:
    <<: *base
    username: svc_rhelsystemro
    password: sdsfl34hgf
  svc_rhelsystemrw:
    <<: *base
    username: svc_rhelsystemrw
    password: ldfk43277k
  svc_Network_Automation:
    username: svc_Network_Automation
    password: slk32sd@#$%h
Solution

  • Hopefully you were able to find your answer by now, but I'll post it here for anyone else looking for the same info.

    What you are seeing are YAML anchors: https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/user_guide/playbooks_advanced_syntax.html#yaml-anchors-and-aliases-sharing-variable-values.

    I haven't personally used this functionality, but it essentially allows you to define aliases for complicated structures. In your example base.host, base.timeout, and base.transport can all be referenced at the same time using the *base alias.