---
title: "Ansible Controller LXC Setup"
description: "Complete setup guide for LXC 304 (ansible-controller) at 10.10.0.232 — automated OS/Docker updates with Proxmox snapshot rollback across all VMs, LXCs, and physical servers."
type: guide
domain: vm-management
tags: [ansible, proxmox, lxc, automation, updates, snapshots, rollback, systemd]
---

# Ansible Controller LXC Setup

Centralized Ansible controller for automated infrastructure updates with Proxmox snapshot-based rollback.

## LXC Details

- **VMID**: 304
- **Hostname**: ansible-controller
- **IP**: 10.10.0.232
- **SSH alias**: `ansible-controller` or `ansible`
- **OS**: Ubuntu 24.04
- **Resources**: 2 cores, 2GB RAM, 16GB disk
- **Ansible version**: 2.20.4 (from PPA)
- **Collections**: community.general, community.docker (bundled)
- **User**: `cal` runs playbooks, SSH key at `/home/cal/.ssh/homelab_rsa`

## Directory Layout

```
/opt/ansible/
├── ansible.cfg              # Main config (pipelining, forks=5)
├── inventory/
│   └── hosts.yml            # Full infrastructure inventory
├── playbooks/
│   ├── update-all.yml       # Full cycle: snapshot → OS → Docker → health → cleanup
│   ├── os-update-only.yml   # OS packages only (lighter)
│   ├── rollback.yml         # Roll back any host to a snapshot
│   └── check-status.yml     # Read-only health/status check
├── run-update.sh            # Runner script with logging
├── roles/                   # (empty, for future use)
└── logs/                    # Update run logs (12-week retention)
```

## Managed Hosts (15 total)

### Proxmox Host
| Host | IP | User |
|------|----|------|
| pve-node | 10.10.0.11 | root |

### VMs
| Host | IP | VMID | User | Python |
|------|-----|------|------|--------|
| docker-home | 10.10.0.16 | 106 | cal | 3.9 |
| discord-bots | 10.10.0.33 | 110 | cal | 3.9 |
| databases-bots | 10.10.0.42 | 112 | cal | 3.9 |
| docker-sba | 10.10.0.88 | 115 | cal | 3.9 |
| docker-home-servers | 10.10.0.124 | 116 | cal | 3.9 |

### LXCs
| Host | IP | VMID | User | Python |
|------|-----|------|------|--------|
| docker-n8n-lxc | 10.10.0.210 | 210 | root | 3.9 |
| arr-stack | 10.10.0.221 | 221 | root | 3.9 |
| memos | 10.10.0.222 | 222 | root | 3.9 |
| foundry-lxc | 10.10.0.223 | 223 | root | 3.9 |
| gitea | 10.10.0.225 | 225 | root | 3.9 |
| uptime-kuma | 10.10.0.227 | 227 | root | 3.10 |
| claude-discord-coordinator | 10.10.0.230 | 301 | root | 3.12 |
| claude-runner | 10.10.0.148 | 302 | root | 3.12 |

### Physical
| Host | IP | User | Python |
|------|----|------|--------|
| ubuntu-manticore | 10.10.0.226 | cal | 3.12 |

### Excluded
- **Home Assistant** (VM 109): self-managed via HA Supervisor
- **Palworld** (LXC 230): deleted 2026-03-25 (freed IP collision with LXC 301)

## Usage

SSH to the controller and run as `cal`:

```bash
ssh ansible
export ANSIBLE_CONFIG=/opt/ansible/ansible.cfg

# Check status of everything
ansible-playbook /opt/ansible/playbooks/check-status.yml

# Full update cycle (snapshot → update → health check → cleanup)
ansible-playbook /opt/ansible/playbooks/update-all.yml

# Update specific group
ansible-playbook /opt/ansible/playbooks/update-all.yml --limit lxcs
ansible-playbook /opt/ansible/playbooks/update-all.yml --limit docker-home

# Dry run
ansible-playbook /opt/ansible/playbooks/update-all.yml --check

# OS updates only (no Docker)
ansible-playbook /opt/ansible/playbooks/os-update-only.yml

# Skip snapshots
ansible-playbook /opt/ansible/playbooks/update-all.yml -e skip_snapshot=true

# Roll back a host to latest snapshot
ansible-playbook /opt/ansible/playbooks/rollback.yml --limit gitea

# Roll back to specific snapshot
ansible-playbook /opt/ansible/playbooks/rollback.yml --limit gitea -e snapshot=pre-update-2026-03-25
```

## Update Pipeline (update-all.yml)

1. **Snapshot**: Creates `pre-update-YYYY-MM-DD` snapshot on each Proxmox guest via `pvesh`
2. **OS Update**: `apt update && apt upgrade safe && autoremove` (serial: 3)
3. **Docker Update**: Finds compose files, pulls images, restarts changed stacks (serial: 1)
4. **Health Check**: SSH ping, disk space warning (>89%), exited container report
5. **Snapshot Cleanup**: Keeps last 3 `pre-update-*` snapshots per host

## Scheduled Runs

Systemd timer runs every **Sunday at 3:00 AM UTC** with up to 10 min jitter.
`Persistent=true` ensures missed runs execute on next boot.

```bash
# Check timer status
ssh ansible "systemctl status ansible-update.timer"

# View last run
ssh ansible "systemctl status ansible-update.service"

# View logs
ssh ansible "ls -lt /opt/ansible/logs/ | head -5"
ssh ansible "journalctl -u ansible-update.service --no-pager -n 50"
```

## Inventory Groups

- `proxmox_host` — just pve-node
- `vms` — all QEMU VMs
- `lxcs` — all LXC containers
- `physical` — bare-metal servers (manticore)
- `docker_hosts` — any host running Docker compose stacks
- `proxmox_guests` — union of vms + lxcs (snapshotable)

## Adding a New Host

1. Add entry to `/opt/ansible/inventory/hosts.yml` under the appropriate group
2. Include: `ansible_host`, `ansible_user`, `proxmox_vmid`, `proxmox_type` (for guests)
3. Set `ansible_python_interpreter` if Python < 3.9 default
4. Ensure SSH key (`/home/cal/.ssh/homelab_rsa`) is authorized on the target
5. For VMs: ensure NOPASSWD sudo for `cal` user
6. Test: `ansible <hostname> -m ping`

## Setup Prerequisites Fixed During Initial Deployment

- **Python 3.9** installed via deadsnakes PPA on all Ubuntu 20.04 hosts (Ansible 2.20 requires ≥3.9)
- **NOPASSWD sudo** set via `/etc/sudoers.d/cal` on all VMs and manticore
- **qemu-guest-agent** enabled on VM 112 (databases-bots)
- **VM 116 disk** expanded from 31GB→315GB (was 100% full), DNS fixed (missing resolv.conf)
- **IP collision** between LXC 230 (palworld) and LXC 301 (claude-discord-coordinator) resolved by deleting palworld