Ansible playbook cannot work and other tests are normal

Can you run the playbook with the -vvv option?

Is the Cisco device asking for public key authentication when ansible tries to connect?

Hi Craig, Thank you very much for your reply.
"Is the Cisco device asking for public key authentication when ansible tries to connect?" No, it didnt

Please see the below debug message:
kueve@ubuntu:~/playbook$ ansible-playbook show-version.yaml -vvv
ansible-playbook [core 2.12.2]
  config file = /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg
  configured module search path = ['/home/kueve/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible
  ansible collection location = /home/kueve/.ansible/collections:/usr/share/ansible/collections
  executable location = /usr/bin/ansible-playbook
  python version = 3.8.10 (default, Mar 15 2022, 12:22:08) [GCC 9.4.0]
  jinja version = 2.10.1
  libyaml = True
Using /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg as config file
host_list declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Skipping due to inventory source not existing or not being readable by the current user
script declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
auto declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Skipping due to inventory source not existing or not being readable by the current user
yaml declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Skipping due to inventory source not existing or not being readable by the current user
ini declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Skipping due to inventory source not existing or not being readable by the current user
toml declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
[WARNING]: Unable to parse /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as an inventory source
host_list declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
script declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
auto declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Parsed /home/kueve/inventory/hosts inventory source with yaml plugin
host_list declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/hosts.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
script declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/hosts.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
auto declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/hosts.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
yaml declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/hosts.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
toml declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/hosts.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
[WARNING]:  * Failed to parse /home/kueve/inventory/hosts.save with ini plugin: Invalid host pattern 'all:' supplied,
ending in ':' is not allowed, this character is reserved to provide a port.
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible/inventory/manager.py", line 290, in parse_source
    plugin.parse(self._inventory, self._loader, source, cache=cache)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible/plugins/inventory/ini.py", line 136, in parse
    raise AnsibleParserError(e)
[WARNING]: Unable to parse /home/kueve/inventory/hosts.save as an inventory source
redirecting (type: modules) ansible.builtin.ios_command to cisco.ios.ios_command
Skipping callback 'default', as we already have a stdout callback.
Skipping callback 'minimal', as we already have a stdout callback.
Skipping callback 'oneline', as we already have a stdout callback.

PLAYBOOK: show-version.yaml ***********************************************************************************************
1 plays in show-version.yaml

PLAY [Cisco show version example] *****************************************************************************************
META: ran handlers

TASK [run show version on the routers] ************************************************************************************
task path: /home/kueve/playbook/show-version.yaml:8
redirecting (type: action) ansible.builtin.ios to cisco.ios.ios
redirecting (type: action) ansible.builtin.ios to cisco.ios.ios
<192.168.1.24> ESTABLISH LOCAL CONNECTION FOR USER: kueve
<192.168.1.24> EXEC /bin/sh -c '( umask 77 && mkdir -p "` echo /home/kueve/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-84695s00rv4en `"&& mkdir "` echo /home/kueve/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-84695s00rv4en/ansible-tmp-1650825551.0115597-84700-188661813625544 `" && echo ansible-tmp-1650825551.0115597-84700-188661813625544="` echo /home/kueve/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-84695s00rv4en/ansible-tmp-1650825551.0115597-84700-188661813625544 `" ) && sleep 0'
redirecting (type: modules) ansible.builtin.ios_command to cisco.ios.ios_command
Using module file /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible_collections/cisco/ios/plugins/modules/ios_command.py
<192.168.1.24> PUT /home/kueve/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-84695s00rv4en/tmpyt_2dl5_ TO /home/kueve/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-84695s00rv4en/ansible-tmp-1650825551.0115597-84700-188661813625544/AnsiballZ_ios_command.py
<192.168.1.24> EXEC /bin/sh -c 'chmod u+x /home/kueve/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-84695s00rv4en/ansible-tmp-1650825551.0115597-84700-188661813625544/ /home/kueve/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-84695s00rv4en/ansible-tmp-1650825551.0115597-84700-188661813625544/AnsiballZ_ios_command.py && sleep 0'
<192.168.1.24> EXEC /bin/sh -c '/usr/bin/python3 /home/kueve/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-84695s00rv4en/ansible-tmp-1650825551.0115597-84700-188661813625544/AnsiballZ_ios_command.py && sleep 0'
<192.168.1.24> EXEC /bin/sh -c 'rm -f -r /home/kueve/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-84695s00rv4en/ansible-tmp-1650825551.0115597-84700-188661813625544/ > /dev/null 2>&1 && sleep 0'
The full traceback is:
  File "/tmp/ansible_ios_command_payload_6k1ltxmp/ansible_ios_command_payload.zip/ansible_collections/cisco/ios/plugins/module_utils/network/ios/ios.py", line 94, in get_capabilities
    capabilities = Connection(module._socket_path).get_capabilities()
  File "/tmp/ansible_ios_command_payload_6k1ltxmp/ansible_ios_command_payload.zip/ansible/module_utils/connection.py", line 200, in __rpc__
    raise ConnectionError(to_text(msg, errors='surrogate_then_replace'), code=code)
fatal: [192.168.1.24]: FAILED! => {
    "changed": false,
    "invocation": {
        "module_args": {
            "commands": [
                "show version | incl Version"
            ],
            "interval": 1,
            "match": "all",
            "provider": null,
            "retries": 10,
            "wait_for": null
        }
    },
    "msg": "not a valid RSA private key file"
}

PLAY RECAP ****************************************************************************************************************
192.168.1.24               : ok=0    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0

kueve@ubuntu:~/playbook$
kueve@ubuntu:~/playbook$

Thanks.

Can you successfully SSH to the device from the Ubuntu box?

Yes, please see the below
kueve@ubuntu:~/playbook$ ssh cisco@192.168.1.24
Password:

SW24#exit
Connection to 192.168.1.24 closed.
kueve@ubuntu:~/playbook$

Long shot but can you try changing your host file Cisco Vars section:

ansible_connection=network_cli
ansible_network_os=ios
ansible_user=cisco
ansible_password=cisco123
ansible_become=yes
ansible_become_method=enable
ansible_become_password=cisco

Select allOpen in new window

Thanks Craig. Please see the below. Not work yet
kueve@ubuntu:~/inventory$ cat hosts

all:
 children:
   local:
     hosts:
       127.0.0.1
     vars:
       ansible_connection: local
       ansible_user: devnet
       ansible_pass: devnet
       ansible_sudo_pass: devnet
   cisco:
     hosts:
       192.168.1.24

     vars:
       ansible_connection=network_cli
       ansible_network_os=ios
       ansible_user=cisco
       ansible_password=cisco123
       ansible_become=yes
       ansible_become_method=enable
       ansible_become_password=cisco



kueve@ubuntu:~$ ansible show-interface.yaml
[WARNING]: Unable to parse /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as an inventory source
[WARNING]:  * Failed to parse /home/kueve/inventory/hosts.save with ini plugin: Invalid host pattern 'all:'
supplied, ending in ':' is not allowed, this character is reserved to provide a port.
[WARNING]: Unable to parse /home/kueve/inventory/hosts.save as an inventory source
[WARNING]:  * Failed to parse /home/kueve/inventory/hosts.save.1 with ini plugin: Invalid host pattern 'all:'
supplied, ending in ':' is not allowed, this character is reserved to provide a port.
[WARNING]: Unable to parse /home/kueve/inventory/hosts.save.1 as an inventory source
[WARNING]: Could not match supplied host pattern, ignoring: show-interface.yaml
[WARNING]: No hosts matched, nothing to do
usage: ansible [-h] [--version] [-v] [-b] [--become-method BECOME_METHOD] [--become-user BECOME_USER]
               [-K | --become-password-file BECOME_PASSWORD_FILE] [-i INVENTORY] [--list-hosts] [-l SUBSET]
               [-P POLL_INTERVAL] [-B SECONDS] [-o] [-t TREE] [--private-key PRIVATE_KEY_FILE] [-u REMOTE_USER]
               [-c CONNECTION] [-T TIMEOUT] [--ssh-common-args SSH_COMMON_ARGS]
               [--sftp-extra-args SFTP_EXTRA_ARGS] [--scp-extra-args SCP_EXTRA_ARGS]
               [--ssh-extra-args SSH_EXTRA_ARGS] [-k | --connection-password-file CONNECTION_PASSWORD_FILE] [-C]
               [--syntax-check] [-D] [-e EXTRA_VARS] [--vault-id VAULT_IDS]
               [--ask-vault-password | --vault-password-file VAULT_PASSWORD_FILES] [-f FORKS] [-M MODULE_PATH]
               [--playbook-dir BASEDIR] [--task-timeout TASK_TIMEOUT] [-a MODULE_ARGS] [-m MODULE_NAME]
               pattern

Define and run a single task 'playbook' against a set of hosts

positional arguments:
  pattern               host pattern

optional arguments:
  --ask-vault-password, --ask-vault-pass
                        ask for vault password
  --become-password-file BECOME_PASSWORD_FILE, --become-pass-file BECOME_PASSWORD_FILE
                        Become password file
  --connection-password-file CONNECTION_PASSWORD_FILE, --conn-pass-file CONNECTION_PASSWORD_FILE
                        Connection password file
  --list-hosts          outputs a list of matching hosts; does not execute anything else
  --playbook-dir BASEDIR
                        Since this tool does not use playbooks, use this as a substitute playbook directory.This
                        sets the relative path for many features including roles/ group_vars/ etc.
  --syntax-check        perform a syntax check on the playbook, but do not execute it
  --task-timeout TASK_TIMEOUT
                        set task timeout limit in seconds, must be positive integer.
  --vault-id VAULT_IDS  the vault identity to use
  --vault-password-file VAULT_PASSWORD_FILES, --vault-pass-file VAULT_PASSWORD_FILES
                        vault password file
  --version             show program's version number, config file location, configured module search path, module
                        location, executable location and exit
  -B SECONDS, --background SECONDS
                        run asynchronously, failing after X seconds (default=N/A)
  -C, --check           don't make any changes; instead, try to predict some of the changes that may occur
  -D, --diff            when changing (small) files and templates, show the differences in those files; works
                        great with --check
  -K, --ask-become-pass
                        ask for privilege escalation password
  -M MODULE_PATH, --module-path MODULE_PATH
                        prepend colon-separated path(s) to module library
                        (default=~/.ansible/plugins/modules:/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules)
  -P POLL_INTERVAL, --poll POLL_INTERVAL
                        set the poll interval if using -B (default=15)
  -a MODULE_ARGS, --args MODULE_ARGS
                        The action's options in space separated k=v format: -a 'opt1=val1 opt2=val2'
  -e EXTRA_VARS, --extra-vars EXTRA_VARS
                        set additional variables as key=value or YAML/JSON, if filename prepend with @
  -f FORKS, --forks FORKS
                        specify number of parallel processes to use (default=5)
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -i INVENTORY, --inventory INVENTORY, --inventory-file INVENTORY
                        specify inventory host path or comma separated host list. --inventory-file is deprecated
  -k, --ask-pass        ask for connection password
  -l SUBSET, --limit SUBSET
                        further limit selected hosts to an additional pattern
  -m MODULE_NAME, --module-name MODULE_NAME
                        Name of the action to execute (default=command)
  -o, --one-line        condense output
  -t TREE, --tree TREE  log output to this directory
  -v, --verbose         verbose mode (-vvv for more, -vvvv to enable connection debugging)

Privilege Escalation Options:
  control how and which user you become as on target hosts

  --become-method BECOME_METHOD
                        privilege escalation method to use (default=sudo), use `ansible-doc -t become -l` to list
                        valid choices.
  --become-user BECOME_USER
                        run operations as this user (default=root)
  -b, --become          run operations with become (does not imply password prompting)

Connection Options:
  control as whom and how to connect to hosts

  --private-key PRIVATE_KEY_FILE, --key-file PRIVATE_KEY_FILE
                        use this file to authenticate the connection
  --scp-extra-args SCP_EXTRA_ARGS
                        specify extra arguments to pass to scp only (e.g. -l)
  --sftp-extra-args SFTP_EXTRA_ARGS
                        specify extra arguments to pass to sftp only (e.g. -f, -l)
  --ssh-common-args SSH_COMMON_ARGS
                        specify common arguments to pass to sftp/scp/ssh (e.g. ProxyCommand)
  --ssh-extra-args SSH_EXTRA_ARGS
                        specify extra arguments to pass to ssh only (e.g. -R)
  -T TIMEOUT, --timeout TIMEOUT
                        override the connection timeout in seconds (default=10)
  -c CONNECTION, --connection CONNECTION
                        connection type to use (default=smart)
  -u REMOTE_USER, --user REMOTE_USER
                        connect as this user (default=None)

Some actions do not make sense in Ad-Hoc (include, meta, etc)
ERROR! No argument passed to command module
kueve@ubuntu:~$

You didn't use the correct command last time. You did:

ansible show-interface.yaml

Select allOpen in new window

You need to do:

ansible-playbook show-interface.yaml

Select allOpen in new window

Thanks. I did it wrong. now corrected it, but it still cannot work. As I changed a little, I re-run the command as below:
kueve@ubuntu:~/inventory$ cat hosts

all:
 children:
   local:
     hosts:
       127.0.0.1
     vars:
       ansible_connection: local
       ansible_user: devnet
       ansible_pass: devnet
       ansible_sudo_pass: devnet
   cisco:
     hosts:
       192.168.1.23:
       192.168.1.24:
     vars:
       ansible_connection=network_cli
       ansible_network_os=ios
       ansible_user=cisco
       ansible_password=cisco123
       ansible_become=yes
       ansible_become_method=enable
       ansible_become_password=cisco


kueve@ubuntu:~/inventory$
kueve@ubuntu:~/inventory$ cd
kueve@ubuntu:~$ cd playbook
kueve@ubuntu:~/playbook$ ansible-playbook show-interface.yaml
[WARNING]: Unable to parse /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as an inventory source

PLAY [Show interfaces] *********************************************************************************************

TASK [use ios commands] ********************************************************************************************
fatal: [192.168.1.23]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "msg": "Connection type ssh is not valid for this module"}
fatal: [192.168.1.24]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "msg": "Connection type ssh is not valid for this module"}

PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************************************************
192.168.1.23               : ok=0    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0  
192.168.1.24               : ok=0    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0  

kueve@ubuntu:~/playbook$
kueve@ubuntu:~/playbook$ ansible-playbook show-interface.yaml -vvv
ansible-playbook [core 2.12.2]
  config file = /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg
  configured module search path = ['/home/kueve/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible
  ansible collection location = /home/kueve/.ansible/collections:/usr/share/ansible/collections
  executable location = /usr/bin/ansible-playbook
  python version = 3.8.10 (default, Mar 15 2022, 12:22:08) [GCC 9.4.0]
  jinja version = 2.10.1
  libyaml = True
Using /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg as config file
host_list declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Skipping due to inventory source not existing or not being readable by the current user
script declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
auto declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Skipping due to inventory source not existing or not being readable by the current user
yaml declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Skipping due to inventory source not existing or not being readable by the current user
ini declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Skipping due to inventory source not existing or not being readable by the current user
toml declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as it did not pass its verify_file() method
[WARNING]: Unable to parse /home/kueve/inventory/ansible.cfg.save as an inventory source
host_list declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
script declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
auto declined parsing /home/kueve/inventory/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Parsed /home/kueve/inventory/hosts inventory source with yaml plugin
redirecting (type: action) cisco.ios.ios_command to cisco.ios.ios
Skipping callback 'default', as we already have a stdout callback.
Skipping callback 'minimal', as we already have a stdout callback.
Skipping callback 'oneline', as we already have a stdout callback.

PLAYBOOK: show-interface.yaml **************************************************************************************
1 plays in show-interface.yaml

PLAY [Show interfaces] *********************************************************************************************
META: ran handlers
redirecting (type: action) cisco.ios.ios_command to cisco.ios.ios

TASK [use ios commands] ********************************************************************************************
task path: /home/kueve/playbook/show-interface.yaml:6
redirecting (type: action) cisco.ios.ios_command to cisco.ios.ios
redirecting (type: action) cisco.ios.ios_command to cisco.ios.ios
redirecting (type: action) cisco.ios.ios_command to cisco.ios.ios
fatal: [192.168.1.23]: FAILED! => {
    "changed": false,
    "msg": "Connection type ssh is not valid for this module"
}
redirecting (type: action) cisco.ios.ios_command to cisco.ios.ios
redirecting (type: action) cisco.ios.ios_command to cisco.ios.ios
fatal: [192.168.1.24]: FAILED! => {
    "changed": false,
    "msg": "Connection type ssh is not valid for this module"
}

PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************************************************
192.168.1.23               : ok=0    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0  
192.168.1.24               : ok=0    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0  

What if you try:
ansible-playbook -i hosts show-interface.yaml -vvv 

Please see the below:

Ansible couldn't find the inventory file. Try:
ansible-playbook -i ~/inventory/hosts show-interface.yaml -vvv 

it shows ssh issue. so that i ssh it, but not issue with ssh. Looks like the error could tell thr true.

Great, It starts to work. You are a very good expert in many fields!

There are some error (pink highlighted). Can we remove it? Please see the below

The warnings are just info. They tell you that various inventory files can't be parsed for various reasons, such as the INI plugin can't parse YAML files, so that's normal. If you run the command with the -i hosts switch it will only parse the hosts file as the inventory so less warnings will show, but I wouldn't really worry about it.

Finally resolved. Thank you very much!