RHCE 9.0 Practice Exam: Creating a Web Content Directory Using Ansible

📌 Article Overview

This tutorial is designed for RHCE 9.0 certification candidates and explains how to use Ansible to create a web content directory with the correct permissions, symbolic links, and access configurations.

💡 What You Will Learn:

✅ How to create a web content directory using Ansible
✅ How to set permissions, group ownership, and special permissions (SGID)
✅ How to create symbolic links in Apache’s web root directory
✅ How to verify web content accessibility via HTTP

📜 1. Task Requirements

📍 1.1. Problem Statement

1. Create an Ansible Playbook named /home/greg/ansible/webcontent.yml.
2. Run the playbook on all hosts in the dev group.
3. Ensure the following directory structure and configuration:
   • Create /webdev directory with:
     • Owner: webdev
     • Permissions: 2775 (SGID set, owner & group can read/write/execute, others can read/execute)
   • Create a symbolic link:
     • /var/www/html/webdev → /webdev
   • Create an index.html file inside /webdev:

Verify that accessing http://172.25.250.9/webdev/ (or equivalent) displays:

Development

Content:

Development

📜 2. Gathering Information

Before writing the playbook, verify web root permissions and SELinux contexts.

📍 2.1. Check Apache Web Root Directory

$ ansible dev -a 'ls -ldZ /var/www/html'

📌 Expected Output

drwxr-xr-x. root root system_u:object_r:httpd_sys_content_t:s0 /var/www/html

✅ The directory should have the correct SELinux context (httpd_sys_content_t).

📜 3. Writing the Ansible Playbook

📍 3.1. Create the Playbook File

$ vim /home/greg/ansible/webcontent.yml

📄 Add the Following Content

---
- name: Create Web Directory and Configure Web Content
  hosts: dev
  become: yes
  tasks:

    - name: Create /webdev directory
      ansible.builtin.file:
        path: /webdev
        state: directory
        owner: webdev
        group: webdev
        mode: '2775'

    - name: Create a symbolic link from /var/www/html/webdev to /webdev
      ansible.builtin.file:
        src: /webdev
        dest: /var/www/html/webdev
        state: link

    - name: Create index.html with Development content
      ansible.builtin.copy:
        content: 'Development\n'
        dest: /webdev/index.html
        mode: '0644'
        setype: httpd_sys_content_t

📌 Explanation:

• Creates /webdev with the correct owner, group, and SGID permission (2775).
• Creates a symbolic link (/var/www/html/webdev → /webdev).
• Creates an index.html file inside /webdev with proper SELinux context (httpd_sys_content_t).

💾 Save and exit: (ESC → :wq)

📜 4. Running the Playbook

📍 4.1. Execute the Playbook

$ ansible-navigator run /home/greg/ansible/webcontent.yml -m stdout

📌 Expected Output

PLAY [Create Web Directory and Configure Web Content] *************************

TASK [Create /webdev directory] ***********************************************
changed: [node1]
changed: [node2]
changed: [node3]

TASK [Create a symbolic link from /var/www/html/webdev to /webdev] ************
changed: [node1]
changed: [node2]
changed: [node3]

TASK [Create index.html with Development content] *****************************
changed: [node1]
changed: [node2]
changed: [node3]

PLAY RECAP ********************************************************************
node1 : ok=3 changed=3 unreachable=0 failed=0
node2 : ok=3 changed=3 unreachable=0 failed=0
node3 : ok=3 changed=3 unreachable=0 failed=0

✅ The directory structure, symbolic link, and index file were successfully created.

📜 5. Verifying Web Content

📍 5.1. Check Directory and File Permissions

$ ansible dev -m shell -a 'ls -ld /webdev'

📌 Expected Output

drwxrwsr-x.  webdev webdev 2775 /webdev

$ ansible dev -m shell -a 'ls -ld /var/www/html/webdev'

📌 Expected Output

lrwxrwxrwx. root root /var/www/html/webdev -> /webdev

📍 5.2. Verify Web Page Content

$ curl http://node1/webdev/

📌 Expected Output

Development

✅ If the output matches, the web directory setup is correct.

📜 6. Common Issues & Troubleshooting

🔴 Issue 1: Web Directory /webdev Not Created

✅ Solution:

If missing, manually create:

$ ansible dev -m shell -a 'mkdir -p /webdev && chown webdev:webdev /webdev'

Ensure Ansible has the necessary permissions:

$ ansible dev -m shell -a 'ls -ld /webdev'

🔴 Issue 2: Symbolic Link /var/www/html/webdev Not Created

✅ Solution:

If missing, re-run:

$ ansible dev -m shell -a 'ln -s /webdev /var/www/html/webdev'

Verify if the symbolic link exists:

$ ansible dev -m shell -a 'ls -ld /var/www/html/webdev'

🔴 Issue 3: Web Page Not Loading

✅ Solution:

Check SELinux Context:

$ ls -ldZ /webdev/index.html

If incorrect, fix it:

$ restorecon -Rv /webdev/index.html

Check Firewall Rules:

$ firewall-cmd --list-services

If http is missing, add it:

$ firewall-cmd --add-service=http --permanent
$ firewall-cmd --reload

Check Apache Configuration:

$ systemctl status httpd

If not running, restart it:

$ systemctl restart httpd

🚀 Congratulations! You have successfully used Ansible to configure a web content directory for RHCE 9.0! 🚀
📢 If you found this guide helpful, share it with your RHCE 9.0 study group! 📢

🔥 Good luck on your RHCE 9.0 exam! 🔥