How to copy a file to remote in `ansible_connection` local? - azure

Question

I am creating an azure vm using ansible using azure_rm_virtualmachine command. For this case the host is localhost (ansible_connection=local). I need to copy a ssh private key which is ansible-vault encrypted. How can i do this?
Here's what is already tried:
Use command and run SCP: problem is the file is still encrypted.
Decrypt the file , scp and encrypt: problem is after decryption if the scp command fails the file is now open decrypted.
Anyone has any idea on how to approach this problem?
FYI: While creating the VM i have added my pub key there so i can access the machine

Answer 1

As far as I understand your use-case, you first create a new VM in Azure, and then you want to send a new private key on that fresh VM. I have two options for you.
Split in 2 plays
In the same playbook, you can have 2 different plays:
---
- name: Provisioning of my pretty little VM in Azure
hosts: localhost
vars:
my_vm_name: myprettyvm
my_resource_group: myprettygroup
…
tasks:
- name: Create the VM
azure_rm_virtualmachine:
resource_group: "{{ my_resource_group }}"
name: "{{ my_vm_name }}"
…
- name: Configure my pretty little VM with
hosts: myprettyvm
vars:
my_priv_key: !vault |
$ANSIBLE_VAULT;1.1;AES256
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
tasks:
- name: Copy my private key
copy:
content: "{{ my_priv_key }}"
dest: /root/.ssh/id_rsa
Delagate to localhost
Only one play in your playbook, but you delegate the provisioning task to localhost.
---
- name: Creation of my pretty little VM in Azure
hosts: myprettyvm
gather_facts: no
vars:
my_vm_name: myprettyvm
my_resource_group: myprettygroup
…
my_priv_key: !vault |
$ANSIBLE_VAULT;1.1;AES256
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
tasks:
- name: Create the VM
azure_rm_virtualmachine:
resource_group: "{{ my_resource_group }}"
name: "{{ my_vm_name }}"
…
delegate_to: localhost
- name: Copy my private key
copy:
content: "{{ my_priv_key }}"
dest: /root/.ssh/id_rsa
Don't forget to set gather_facts to no as host is the VM that does not exist yet. So no fact available.