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Asked: 2024-09-25T22:32:55+05:30 In:

How can I execute a PowerShell script with administrative privileges on a Windows machine using Ansible?

I’ve been diving into Ansible lately, and I’m trying to figure out how to execute a PowerShell script with administrative privileges on a Windows machine. Honestly, I feel like I’m going in circles, and I could really use some help from anyone who’s been down this rabbit hole before.

So, here’s the situation: I have this PowerShell script that I need to run on a Windows server, but it requires admin rights because it modifies some system configurations. I’ve done a bit of research and found that using Ansible is a great way to automate Windows administration, but I’m having trouble getting the script to run with the necessary permissions.

I’ve seen references to the `win_shell` and `win_command` modules, but I’m not sure how to leverage them when it comes to running scripts that need elevated privileges. I also understand that I need to handle the authentication part correctly. Should I be using a specific user account with admin rights in my Ansible playbook, or is there a better approach to achieve this?

Then there’s the whole issue of how to set up Ansible to communicate properly with the Windows machine. Do I need WinRM configured in a certain way to ensure that the admin credentials are passed through? If so, what steps do I need to take to set that up without running into any security issues?

And one more thing — I’ve heard about using a `become` directive along with the `become_user`, but that seems more common in Linux environments. Is that applicable here, or is there a Windows-specific way to handle this?

I’d really appreciate any tips, tricks, or even sample code snippets that you guys could share. This process is really starting to boggle my mind, and I just want to get this PowerShell script running smoothly so I can move on to the next part of my project. Thanks in advance for any insights you can offer!

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    2 Answers






    1. Ansible and PowerShell

      Running PowerShell Scripts with Ansible on Windows

      It sounds like you’re on a bit of a journey with Ansible and PowerShell! Here’s a breakdown to help you get that script running with admin privileges:

      1. Setting Up WinRM

      First off, make sure you have WinRM set up correctly on your Windows machine. You can use the following commands in PowerShell to enable it:

      winrm quickconfig

      Also, ensure that your firewall allows WinRM connections. You might need to allow the default ports (5985 for HTTP and 5986 for HTTPS).

      2. Ansible Inventory

      When defining your target Windows machine in the Ansible inventory, specify the connection type as windows and include the admin credentials needed to run your script:

      my_windows_host ansible_host=192.168.1.10 ansible_user=AdminUser ansible_password=YourPassword ansible_connection=winrm

      3. Using win_shell Module

      To execute your PowerShell script, the win_shell module is your friend. You can run your script by referencing the script path. Wrap it in a script block if needed:

      - name: Run PowerShell script
      win_shell: |
        Start-Process powershell -ArgumentList '-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File C:\Path\To\YourScript.ps1' -Verb RunAs

      4. Handling Admin Privileges

      If the script requires admin rights, you can start the PowerShell process with Start-Process and specify -Verb RunAs. This prompts for elevation.

      5. Using become Directive

      The become directive is not typically used in the Windows context like you would in Linux. Instead, managing user credentials directly (like we discussed) should do the trick! Just ensure that the user has the right permissions.

      6. Example Playbook

      Putting it all together, here’s a tiny example of what your playbook might look like:

      - hosts: my_windows_host
      tasks:
        - name: Run PowerShell script
          win_shell: |
            Start-Process powershell -ArgumentList '-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File C:\Path\To\YourScript.ps1' -Verb RunAs

      7. Testing & Troubleshooting

      Make sure to test this in a secure environment first. If you run into permission issues, double-check the user account and their rights.

      Hope this helps you get over the hump! Best of luck with your project!


    2. To execute a PowerShell script with administrative privileges on a Windows machine using Ansible, you’ll want to utilize the `win_shell` or `win_command` modules. Both of these modules allow you to run commands directly on Windows targets. However, to ensure the script runs with elevated privileges, you should explicitly set the connection parameters in your Ansible playbook. Start by defining a specific user account that has administrator rights. You can do this by specifying the `ansible_user` and `ansible_password` variables in your inventory file or playbook. Additionally, ensure that your Windows machines are configured to accept remote connections over WinRM, and that you’ve provided the correct configurations to allow authentication with the specified admin credentials.

      For WinRM to work properly, you should confirm that it’s set up to use HTTPS for secure communication, which involves generating a self-signed certificate if necessary. In your Ansible playbook, you can leverage the `become` directive, even though it is more commonly used in Linux environments. Setting `become: yes` and using `become_user: Administrator` can help, but bear in mind that your user account should already have the permissions required to perform the actions dictated by your PowerShell script without needing further elevation. Finally, you may include a task like the following: - name: Execute PowerShell script
      win_shell: powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File C:\path\to\script.ps1       to execute your script while bypassing execution policy restrictions that could prevent it from running.

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