Hi Team,

I need step-by-step process to setup ansible or use ansible to patch AIX server and also to resolve AIX vulnerabilities by using ansible.

Hi Subba !
First, you need to install Ansible on your controller node and do the required setup for it, post that, download/install AIX specific Ansible collection power_aix, available at the following locations:

RedHat Automation Hub v2.0.3:
https://cloud.redhat.com/ansible/automation-hub/ibm/power_aix

Ansible Galaxy v2.0.3:
https://galaxy.ansible.com/download/ibm-power_aix-2.0.3.tar.gz

GitHub v2.0.3:
https://github.com/IBM/ansible-power-aix/raw/dev-collection/builds/ibm-power_aix-2.0.3.tar.gz

Once this is done, you'll be able to use the content from our collection.

For vulnerabilities part, you can use the flrtvc module, like this :

- name: Download patches for security vulnerabilities
  ibm.power_aix.flrtvc:
    apar: sec
    path: /usr/sys/inst.images
    download_only: true

- name: Install both sec and hyper patches for all filesets starting with devices.fcp
  ibm.power_aix.flrtvc:
    filesets: devices.fcp.*
    path: /usr/sys/inst
    save_report: true
    verbose: true
    force: false
    clean: false

 
For patching, there are multiple modules like emgr, suma etc..
You can use them as per your requirements.

Demo tasks for suma and emgr :

- name: Check, download and install to latest SP of TL 7.2.4 using suma module.
  ibm.power_aix.suma:
    action: download
    oslevel: '7200-04'
    last_sp: true
    extend_fs: false

- name: Install ifix package from file generated with epkg using emgr module
  ibm.power_aix.emgr:
    action: install
    ifix_package: /usr/sys/inst.images/IJ22714s1a.200212.AIX72TL04SP00-01.epkg.Z
    working_dir: /usr/sys/inst.images
    from_epkg: true
    extend_fs: true

If you're just getting started you might consider attending this training:

Ansible on IBM Power Workshop: https://www.ibm.com/training/course/ansible-on-ibm-power-workshop-QZC51G

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Chris Gibson
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