SSH connectivity issues with ntc-ansible modules - networking

Question

I am trying to using the ntc-ansible module with Ansible running on Ubuntu (WSL). I have ssh connectivity to my remote device (Cisco 2960X) and I can run ansible playbooks to the same remote switch using the built in Ansible networking modules (ios_command) and it works fine.
Issue:
When I try to run any of the ntc-ansible modules, it fails, unable to connect to the device. Probably something simple, but I have hit a wall. There is something I am missing about how to use ntc-ansible modules. Ansible is seeing the modules as I can look at the docs as was suggested as a test in the readme.
I have ntc-ansible module installed here: /home/melshman/.ansible/plugins/modules/ntc-ansible
I am running my playbooks from here: ~/projects/ansible/
The first time I ran the playbook with the ntc-ansible modules it failed and based on error message and some research I installed sshpass (sudo apt-get install sshpass). But still having ssh problems using ntc-ansible… (playbook and traceback below)
I hear folks taking about an index file, but I can’t find that file? Where does it live and what do I need to do with it?
What is my connection supposed to be setup to be? Local? SSH? Netmiko_ssh?
What should I be using for platform? Cisco_ios? cisco_ios_ssh?
Appreciate any help I can get. I have been running in circles for hours and hours.
Ansible Version Info:
VTMNB17024:~/projects/ansible $ ansible --version
ansible 2.5.3
config file = /home/melshman/projects/ansible/ansible.cfg
configured module search path = [u'/home/melshman/.ansible/plugins/modules', u'/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
ansible python module location = /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/ansible
executable location = /usr/local/bin/ansible
python version = 2.7.12 (default, Dec 4 2017, 14:50:18) [GCC 5.4.0 20160609]
Working playbook (ios_command:) note: ansible_ssh_pass and ansible_user in group var:
- name: Test Net Automation
hosts: ctil-ios-upgrade
connection: local
gather_facts: no
tasks:
- name: Grab run config
ios_command:
commands:
- show run
register: config
- name: Create backup of running configuration
copy:
content: "{{config.stdout[0]}}"
dest: "backups/show_run_{{inventory_hostname}}.txt"
Playbook (not working) using ntc-ansible module (Note: username and password are defined in Group VAR:
- name: Cisco IOS Automation
hosts: ctil-ios-upgrade
connection: local
gather_facts: no
tasks:
- name: GET UPTIME
ntc_show_command:
connection: ssh
platform: "cisco_ios"
command: 'show version | inc uptime'
host: "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
username: "{{ username }}"
password: "{{ password }}"
use_templates: True
template_dir: /home/melshman/.ansible/plugins/modules/ntc-ansible/ntc-templates/templates
Here is the traceback I get when the error occurs:
An exception occurred during task execution. To see the full traceback, use -vvv. The error was: netmiko.ssh_exception.NetMikoTimeoutException: Connection to device timed-out: cisco_ios VTgroup_SW:22
fatal: [VTgroup_SW]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "module_stderr": "Traceback (most recent call last):\n File \"/tmp/ansible_RJRY9m/ansible_module_ntc_save_config.py\", line 279, in \n main()\n File \"/tmp/ansible_RJRY9m/ansible_module_ntc_save_config.py\", line 251, in main\n device = ntc_device(device_type, host, username, password, **kwargs)\n File \"/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/pyntc-0.0.6-py2.7.egg/pyntc/__init__.py\", line 35, in ntc_device\n return device_class(*args, **kwargs)\n File \"/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/pyntc-0.0.6-py2.7.egg/pyntc/devices/ios_device.py\", line 39, in __init__\n self.open()\n File \"/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/pyntc-0.0.6-py2.7.egg/pyntc/devices/ios_device.py\", line 55, in open\n verbose=False)\n File \"build/bdist.linux-x86_64/egg/netmiko/ssh_dispatcher.py\", line 178, in ConnectHandler\n File \"build/bdist.linux-x86_64/egg/netmiko/base_connection.py\", line 207, in __init__\n File \"build/bdist.linux-x86_64/egg/netmiko/base_connection.py\", line 693, in establish_connection\nnetmiko.ssh_exception.NetMikoTimeoutException: Connection to device timed-out: cisco_ios VTgroup_SW:22\n", "module_stdout": "", "msg": "MODULE FAILURE", "rc": 1}

Answer 1

Here is a working solution using ntc_show_command to a Cisco IOS device.
- name: Cisco IOS Automation
hosts: pynet-rtr1
connection: local
gather_facts: no
tasks:
- name: GET UPTIME
ntc_show_command:
connection: ssh
platform: "cisco_ios"
command: 'show version'
host: "{{ ansible_host }}"
username: "{{ ansible_user }}"
password: "{{ ansible_ssh_pass }}"
use_templates: True
template_dir: '/home/kbyers/ntc-templates/templates'
If you are going to use ntc-templates, I probably would not have the '| include uptime' in the 'show version'. In other words, let TextFSM convert the output to structured data first and then grab the uptime from that structured data.
I modified inventory_hostname to ansible_host to be consistent with my inventory format (my inventory_hostname doesn't actually resolve in DNS).
I modified username and password to 'ansible_user' and 'ansible_ssh_pass' to be consistent with my inventory and also to be more consistent with Ansible 2.5/2.6 variable naming.
On your above issue, your exception message does not match your playbook (i.e. are you sure that is the exception you get for that playbook).
Here is my inventory file (I simplified this to remove some unnecessary devices and to hide confidential information)
[all:vars]
ansible_connection=local
ansible_python_interpreter=/home/kbyers/VENV/ansible/bin/python
ansible_user=user
ansible_ssh_pass=password
[local]
localhost ansible_connection=local
[cisco]
pynet-rtr1 ansible_host=cisco1.domain.com
pynet-rtr2 ansible_host=cisco2.domain.com