Install Apache Tomcat 9 on Debian 10 using Ansible

Apache Tomcat is a free, open source HTTP server designed to serve Java web pages. Tomcat is an implementation of Java Servlet, JavaServer Pages, Java Expression Language and Java WebSocket technologies. It is widely deployed and supports a variety of mission-critical web applications around the world. This tutorial will discuss how to easily install Tomcat on Debian 10 Linux using Ansible.

The standard method for installing Tomcat on a Linux system (such as Debian) is manual and time-consuming. I wrote an Ansible role to simplify the process. A link to the Github project is shared below.

Set the role of tomcat

I will introduce the steps to install Tomcat in this role on a Debian 10 system.

Step 1: Install Ansible

The main dependency on your workstation is Ansible. Install Ansible on your Linux system using the following share command.

###### CentOS  ######
sudo yum -y install epel-release && sudo yum -y install ansible

###### Fedora  ######
sudo dnf -y install ansible

###### Ubuntu / Linux Mint ######
sudo apt-get install -y  software-properties-common
sudo apt-add-repository --yes --update ppa:ansible/ansible
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y ansible

###### Debian ######
sudo apt-get install -y software-properties-common
echo "deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ansible/ansible/ubuntu trusty main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ansible.list
sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 93C4A3FD7BB9C367
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ansible

###### Arch/Manjaro ######
$ sudo pacman -S ansible

###### macOS ######
sudo easy_install pip
sudo pip install ansible

Confirm that the installation is correct:

$ ansible --version 
ansible 2.9.2
  config file = /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg
  configured module search path = [u'/home/debian/.ansible/plugins/modules', u'/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/ansible
  executable location = /usr/bin/ansible
  python version = 2.7.16 (default, Apr  6 2019, 01:42:57) [GCC 8.3.0]

Step 2: Clone the Ansible role from Github

The role of tomcat is Publicly available on Github Used to. Clone it to your workstation.

cd /tmp/
git clone https://github.com/jmutai/tomcat-ansible.git
cd tomcat-ansible

Update your inventory, for example:

$ vim hosts
[tomcat-nodes]
192.168.20.55 # Add Server IP address, one line per server

Update variables in script file-set Tomcat version, remote user and Tomcat UI access credentials

$ vim tomcat-setup.yml
- name: Tomcat deployment playbook
  hosts: tomcat-nodes       # Inventory hosts group / server to act on
  become: yes               # If to escalate privilege
  become_method: sudo       # Set become method
  remote_user: root         # Update username for remote server
  vars:
    tomcat_ver: 9.0.30                          # Tomcat version to install
    ui_manager_user: manager                    # User who can access the UI manager section only
    ui_manager_pass: [email protected]      # UI manager user password
    ui_admin_username: admin                    # User who can access bpth manager and admin UI sections
    ui_admin_pass: [email protected]          # UI admin password
  roles:
    - tomcat

Begin_method is required when using a non-root remote user.

become: yes
become_method: sudo

Step 3: Install Apache Tomcat 9 on Debian 10 using Ansible

After updating all values, you can run the script against the node.

Script executed as root-use ssh key:

$ ansible-playbook -i hosts tomcat-setup.yml

Script executed as root user-password:

$ ansible-playbook -i hosts tomcat-setup.yml --ask-pass

Script executed as sudo user-password:

$ ansible-playbook -i hosts tomcat-setup.yml --ask-pass --ask-become-pass

Script executed as sudo user-using ssh key and sudo password:

$ ansible-playbook -i hosts tomcat-setup.yml --ask-become-pass

Script executed as sudo user-using ssh key and passwordless sudo:

$ ansible-playbook -i hosts tomcat-setup.yml --ask-become-pass

Successful installation output will display output similar to the following.

PLAY [Tomcat deployment playbook] **********************************************************************************************************************

TASK [Gathering Facts] *********************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [deb01]

TASK [tomcat : Add the OS specific variables] **********************************************************************************************************
ok: [deb01] => (item=/tmp/tomcat-ansible/roles/tomcat/vars/Debian.yml)

TASK [tomcat : include_tasks] **************************************************************************************************************************
included: /tmp/tomcat-ansible/roles/tomcat/tasks/tomcat-setup-Debian.yml for deb01

TASK [tomcat : Ensure the system can use the HTTPS transport for APT.] *********************************************************************************
ok: [deb01]

TASK [tomcat : Install APT HTTPS transport.] ***********************************************************************************************************
skipping: [deb01]

TASK [tomcat : Install basic packages] *****************************************************************************************************************
[WARNING]: Updating cache and auto-installing missing dependency: python-apt

changed: [deb01]

TASK [tomcat : Install Default Java (Debian/Ubuntu)] ***************************************************************************************************
changed: [deb01]

TASK [tomcat : Add tomcat group] ***********************************************************************************************************************
changed: [deb01]

TASK [tomcat : Add "tomcat" user] **********************************************************************************************************************
changed: [deb01]

TASK [tomcat : Download Tomcat] ************************************************************************************************************************
changed: [deb01]

TASK [tomcat : Create a tomcat directory] **************************************************************************************************************
changed: [deb01]

TASK [tomcat : Extract tomcat archive] *****************************************************************************************************************
changed: [deb01]

TASK [tomcat : Copy tomcat service file] ***************************************************************************************************************
changed: [deb01]

TASK [tomcat : Start and enable tomcat] ****************************************************************************************************************
changed: [deb01]

PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************************************************************************************
deb01                      : ok=13   changed=9    unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=1    rescued=0    ignored=0