Molecule: How to pass idempotence step with restarted service?

[yurchenkosv]

Issue Type

• Bug report

Molecule and Ansible details

ansible --version
ansible 2.5.2

molecule --version
molecule, version 2.14.0

Molecule installation method (one of):

• pip

Ansible installation method (one of):

• pip

Desired Behavior

In Ansible role I have task like:

- name: restart sshd service
  systemd:
    name: sshd
    state: restarted

I expect that idempotence step will end without fail, but get an error, because of ansible task always returns "changed" state when restarts service.

--> Scenario: 'default'
--> Action: 'idempotence'
ERROR: Idempotence test failed because of the following tasks:
* [ansible-server-common] => server-common : restart sshd service
An error occured during the test sequence.  Cleaning up

Is there some hack to get idempotence work?

[dj-wasabi]

Maybe: changed_when: False

[retr0h]

Should the service always be restarted with every execution of the role? Seems like the role isn't idempotent, simply b/c it will always restart the service. Instead why not make the task a handler, and only restart when triggered?

[yurchenkosv]

It seems, that I've not completely understood handlers behaviour. Reading ansible docs clarified some things and @retr0h is right, my role isn't idempotent.
Thanks for help and such great instrument like molecule!

[raolivei]

would you guys contribute on how this can be achieved?

[perlun]

@raolivei This document has you covered: https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/user_guide/playbooks_intro.html#handlers-running-operations-on-change

Basically, it lets you define "actions" (=handlers) which you can run when a particular file has changed. This seems to be very useful to me; haven't tested it myself but it definitely seems like the way to go with these kind of things.

[decentral1se]

We also have molecule-notest-idempotence tag to get out jail now :+1:

[perlun]

@decentral1se

We also have molecule-notest-idempotence tag to get out jail now +1

Good point. For reference: https://molecule.readthedocs.io/en/stable/configuration.html#id22

(but in general it's of course better to try and design your Ansible roles to be idempotent, as far as is possible.)

[decentral1se]

"get out of jail" = when Ansible is fighting you (bugs, issue tracker disagreements, etc.)

:)

[perlun]

"get out of jail" = when Ansible is fighting you (bugs, issue tracker disagreements, etc.)

True that. :+1: :laughing:

[perlun]

@decentral1se But it's actually named molecule-idempotence-notest. I tried the other name but it didn't work. :smirk:

[Lirt]

Basically use service/systemd task as a handler and run it using notify only when (for example) configuration file changes.