Debian – Environment Variables Not Being Passed to Grafana Backup Tool Container

Issue:

I’m encountering an issue where environment variables defined in my docker-compose.yml file (e.g., GRAFANA_URL, GRAFANA_TOKEN, etc.) are not being passed to the Grafana Backup Tool container when deployed using Ansible. The container appears to start successfully, but attempts restart many times cause of connection denials.

Code Snippets:

---
- name: Deploy Grafana Backup Tool with Scheduled Backups via Git
hosts: master
become: true
vars:
  backup_tool_repo: "https://github.com/ysde/grafana-backup-tool.git"
  backup_tool_version: "master" # Specify a branch, tag, or commit as needed
  backup_image_name: "grafana_backup_tool"
  backup_container_name: "grafana_backup_tool"
  grafana_network: "home_automation_network"
  backup_schedule_time: "0 4 * * *" # Adjust this to your desired backup schedule

tasks:
  - name: Install Git
    ansible.builtin.package:
      name: git
      state: present

  - name: Ensure backup directory exists and has correct permissions
    ansible.builtin.file:
      path: /home/sktech/backups/grafana/backups/
      state: directory
      owner: "1337" # Adjust as necessary, ensuring it matches the container's user
      group: "1337" # Adjust as necessary; could be the user's group or another appropriate value
      mode: "0755"

  - name: Create grafana tool Data Directory Exists
    file:
      path: "{{ grafana_script_path }}"
      state: directory
      mode: "0755"

  - name: Clone Grafana Backup Tool Repository
    ansible.builtin.git:
      repo: "{{ backup_tool_repo }}"
      dest: "{{ grafana_script_path }}"
      version: "{{ backup_tool_version }}"
      force: yes # This will reset the local copy to match the remote repository

  - name: Create Dockerfile for Grafana Backup Tool
    ansible.builtin.copy:
      dest: "{{ grafana_script_path }}/Dockerfile"
      content: |
        FROM python:3.9-alpine
        LABEL maintainer="[email protected]"

        ENV RESTORE=false
        ENV ARCHIVE_FILE=""

        # Add repository for edge packages
        RUN echo "@edge http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community" >> /etc/apk/repositories 
            && apk --no-cache add python3-dev libffi-dev gcc libc-dev py3-pip py3-cffi py3-cryptography ca-certificates bash git

        WORKDIR /opt

        # Clone the Grafana backup tool
        RUN echo "Cloning the Grafana backup tool..." 
            && git clone https://github.com/ysde/grafana-backup-tool.git grafana-backup-tool 
            && echo "Cloning completed."

        WORKDIR /opt/grafana-backup-tool

        # Pre-create the _OUTPUT_ directory and ensure it has the right permissions
        RUN echo "Creating _OUTPUT_ directory..." 
            && mkdir -p /opt/grafana-backup-tool/_OUTPUT_ 
            && echo "Directory _OUTPUT_ created."

        RUN echo "Setting ownership for _OUTPUT_ directory..." 
            && chown -R 1337:1337 /opt/grafana-backup-tool/_OUTPUT_ 
            && echo "Ownership set."

        RUN echo "Setting permissions for _OUTPUT_ directory..." 
            && chmod -R 755 /opt/grafana-backup-tool/_OUTPUT_ 
            && echo "Permissions set."

        # Ensure correct permissions for the rest of grafana-backup-tool
        RUN echo "Setting permissions for the grafana-backup-tool directory..." 
            && chmod -R a+r /opt/grafana-backup-tool 
            && find /opt/grafana-backup-tool -type d -print0 | xargs -0 chmod a+rx 
            && echo "Permissions for grafana-backup-tool directory set."

        # Install the Grafana backup tool
        RUN echo "Installing the Grafana backup tool..." 
            && pip3 --no-cache-dir install . 
            && echo "Installation completed."

        # Adjust ownership of the entire grafana-backup-tool directory
        RUN echo "Adjusting ownership for the entire grafana-backup-tool directory..." 
            && chown -R 1337:1337 /opt/grafana-backup-tool 
            && echo "Ownership adjusted."

        USER 1337

        CMD ["sh", "-c", "grafana-backup save"]

      mode: "0644"

  - name: Adjust Permissions for Backup Directory on Host
    ansible.builtin.shell:
      cmd: "chown -R 1337:1337 /home/sktech/backups/grafana/backups/ && chmod -R 755 /home/sktech/backups/grafana/backups/"
    ignore_errors: yes

  - name: Build Grafana Backup Tool Docker Image and Capture Output
    ansible.builtin.shell:
      cmd: "docker build -t {{ backup_image_name }}:latest {{ grafana_script_path }} > /tmp/docker_build.log 2>&1"
    args:
      chdir: "{{ grafana_script_path }}"
    register: docker_build_result

  - name: Read Docker Build Log
    ansible.builtin.slurp:
      src: "/tmp/docker_build.log"
    register: docker_build_log_content

  - name: Decode and Display Docker Build Log
    ansible.builtin.debug:
      msg: "{{ docker_build_log_content['content'] | b64decode }}"

  - name: Ensure Grafana Backup Tool Directory Exists
    ansible.builtin.file:
      path: "/home/sktech/backups/grafana"
      state: directory
      mode: "0755"

  - name: Create Docker Compose File for Grafana Backup Tool
    ansible.builtin.copy:
      content: |
        version: '3.8'
        services:
          grafana_backup_tool:
            container_name: "{{ backup_container_name }}"
            image: "{{ backup_image_name }}:latest"
            volumes:
              - "{{ grafana_backup_directory }}/backups:/opt/grafana-backup-tool/_OUTPUT_"
            networks:
              - "{{ grafana_network }}"
            environment:
              - GRAFANA_URL:"{{ grafana_url }}"
              - GRAFANA_TOKEN:"{{ grafana_token }}"
        networks:
          {{ grafana_network }}:
            external: true
      dest: "{{ composes_path }}/grafana-backup-tool-compose.yml"
      mode: "0644"

  - name: Deploy Grafana Backup Tool Container With Environment Variables
    ansible.builtin.shell:
      cmd: "docker-compose -f '{{ composes_path }}/grafana-backup-tool-compose.yml' up -d"
      chdir: "{{ composes_path }}"

  - name: Debug environment variables inside the container
    ansible.builtin.command:
      cmd: docker exec {{ backup_container_name }} env
    register: docker_env_output

  - name: Show environment variables from container
    ansible.builtin.debug:
      msg: "{{ docker_env_output.stdout }}"

  - name: Setup Backup Cron Job
    ansible.builtin.cron:
      name: "Scheduled Grafana Backup"
      cron_file: "grafana_backup"
      user: "root"
      job: "docker exec {{ backup_container_name }} grafana-backup save"
      minute: "0"
      hour: "4"
      day: "*"
      weekday: "*"
      month: "*"
      state: present

  - name: Trigger Immediate Backup
    ansible.builtin.command:
      cmd: "docker exec {{ backup_container_name }} grafana-backup save"
    ignore_errors: yes
#*Remember:**
#
# Replace `~/.env` with the actual path to your `.env` file containing credentials.
# This playbook ensures credentials are handled securely within the container, avoiding exposure in the #mage or playbook itself.
# Make sure the `.env` file has appropriate permissions (600) to restrict

• Logs

requests.exceptions.ConnectionError: HTTPConnectionPool(host='localhost', port=3000): Max retries exceeded with url: /api/health (Caused by NewConnectionError('<urllib3.connection.HTTPConnection object at 0x7f6b77a8a640>: Failed to establish a new connection: [Errno 111] Connection refused'))
sktech@debian-server:~/Composes$

localhost means that the vars are not passing to the env of the container`

here is the proof

/opt/grafana-backup-tool $ env
HOSTNAME=5670030ba225
PYTHON_PIP_VERSION=23.0.1
SHLVL=1
HOME=/
GPG_KEY=E3FF2839C048B25C084DEBE9B26995E310250568
PYTHON_GET_PIP_URL=https://github.com/pypa/get-pip/raw/dbf0c85f76fb6e1ab42aa672ffca6f0a675d9ee4/public/get-pip.py
TERM=xterm
PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin
LANG=C.UTF-8
ARCHIVE_FILE=
RESTORE=false
PYTHON_VERSION=3.9.18
PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_VERSION=58.1.0
PWD=/opt/grafana-backup-tool
PYTHON_GET_PIP_SHA256=dfe9fd5c28dc98b5ac17979a953ea550cec37ae1b47a5116007395bfacff2ab9
/opt/grafana-backup-tool $

In this Ansible playbook the influx variables are passing correctly into the env of the container

- name: Deploy InfluxDB Container
  hosts: master
  become: true
  tasks:
    - name: Ensure InfluxDB Data Directory Exists
      file:
        path: "{{ general_cont_path }}/influxdb/data"
        state: directory
        mode: "0755"

    - name: Create Docker Compose File for InfluxDB
      copy:
        content: |
          version: '3.8'
          services:
            influxdb:
              container_name: influxdb
              image: influxdb:latest
              ports:
                - "8086:8086"
              volumes:
                - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro
                - influxdb_data:/var/lib/influxdb
                - /home/sktech/Backups/db_backups/:/backups

              restart: unless-stopped
              environment:
                - INFLUXDB_DB="{{ influx_db }}""
                - INFLUXDB_USER="{{ influxdb_user }}""
                - INFLUXDB_USER_PASSWORD="{{ influxdb_user_password }}""
                - INFLUXDB_ADMIN_ENABLED=true
                - INFLUXDB_ADMIN_USER=root
                - INFLUXDB_ADMIN_PASSWORD="{{ influxdb_admin_password }}""
              networks:
                - home_automation_network
          volumes:
            influxdb_data:
              name: influxdb_data
              driver: local
              driver_opts:
                type: none
                device: "{{ general_cont_path }}/influxdb/data"
                o: bind
          networks:
            home_automation_network:
              external: true
        dest: "{{ composes_path }}/influxdb-compose.yml"
        mode: "0644"

    - name: Deploy InfluxDB Container Using Docker Compose
      community.general.docker_compose:
        project_src: "{{ composes_path }}"
        files:
          - influxdb-compose.yml
        state: present
        pull: yes
        restarted: yes

-INFO
The vars are correctly syntaxed i have checked the grafana_backup_tool.yml compose and they are passed correctly there.

Question:

What could be causing the environment variables not to be passed correctly to the container when using Ansible with Docker Compose? Any insights or suggestions for further troubleshooting would be greatly appreciated.

Expected Outcome:

I’m aiming to have the environment variables defined in docker-compose.yml successfully available within the running Grafana Backup Tool container, enabling it to connect to Grafana and perform backups as intended.

Troubleshooting Steps:

• Verified Variable Definitions: I’ve confirmed that the environment variables are correctly defined in the environment section of the grafana_backup_tool service within my docker-compose.yml file. I’ve replaced placeholders like {{ grafana_url }} with their actual values.

• Checked Docker Logs: I’ve inspected the docker build logs and container logs for any errors related to access denial and there was as shown above.

• Tested Manually: I’ve successfully passed the environment variables manually using docker exec command, confirming that the container can indeed process them. This suggests the issue lies in how Ansible and Docker Compose are interacting.I have test ls env and the values where passed.

• Isolated the Problem: I’ve narrowed down the issue to the Ansible task responsible for deploying the container using community.general.docker_compose.

• OFFICIAL DOCS OF GRAFANA BACKUP TOOL

  OFFICIAL DOCS OF GRAFANA BACKUP TOOL