feat: add role fingerprints to syslog

richm · richm · commit db75ead2467c · 2026-04-27T12:52:30.000-06:00
Feature: Add a fingerprint string to the system log to indicate when the role began
successfully, and when the role finished successfully.  The fingerprint string indicates
the role name, a timestamp, and the platform.

Reason: Users can see when the role was used and if it was used successfully.  This
information from the system log can be collected by log scanners and aggregators
for further analysis.

Result: The role logs fingerprints to the system log.

This also adds a test to check if the fingerprints were written upon a successful
role invocation.

Signed-off-by: Rich Megginson &lt;rmeggins@redhat.com&gt;
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.10.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.10.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.11.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.11.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.12.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.12.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.13.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.13.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.14.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.14.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:invalid-extension
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:python-syntax-error
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.15.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.15.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:invalid-extension
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:python-syntax-error
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.16.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.16.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:invalid-extension
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:python-syntax-error
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.17.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.17.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:invalid-extension
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.18.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.18.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:invalid-extension
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.19.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.19.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:invalid-extension
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.20.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.20.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:invalid-extension
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.21.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.21.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:invalid-extension
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.22.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.22.txt
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:invalid-extension
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.9.txt b/.sanity-ansible-ignore-2.9.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang
 plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license
diff --git a/library/sr_fingerprint.py b/library/sr_fingerprint.py
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+
+from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
+
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+DOCUMENTATION = """
+---
+module: sr_fingerprint
+short_description: Write a message string to syslog using Ansible C(module.log) function.
+description:
+    - Writes the given string to the system log using Ansible C(module.log) function.
+    - Intended for role-internal or diagnostic use.
+author: Rich Megginson (@richm)
+options:
+    sr_message:
+        description: Text to record in syslog.
+        type: str
+        required: true
+"""
+
+EXAMPLES = """
+- name: Record a fingerprint message in syslog
+  sr_fingerprint:
+    sr_message: "system_role:ROLENAME"
+"""
+
+RETURN = r""" # """
+
+from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
+
+import datetime
+
+
+def _local_iso8601_no_microseconds():
+    """System local wall clock with local tz offset, ISO 8601, seconds only."""
+    try:
+        utc = datetime.timezone.utc
+    except AttributeError:
+        import time
+
+        return time.strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S%z", time.localtime())
+    # Prefer the local clock interpreted in the system timezone (not UTC displayed).
+    now = datetime.datetime.now()
+    astimezone = getattr(now, "astimezone", None)
+    if astimezone is not None:
+        try:
+            return astimezone().replace(microsecond=0).isoformat()
+        except (OSError, TypeError, ValueError):
+            pass
+    return datetime.datetime.now(utc).astimezone().replace(microsecond=0).isoformat()
+
+
+def run_module():
+    module_args = dict(
+        sr_message=dict(type="str", required=True),
+    )
+
+    module = AnsibleModule(
+        argument_spec=module_args,
+        supports_check_mode=True,
+    )
+
+    log_message = "%s %s" % (
+        module.params["sr_message"],
+        _local_iso8601_no_microseconds(),
+    )
+
+    if module.check_mode:
+        module.exit_json(
+            changed=False,
+            message="Check mode: message not logged - [%s]" % log_message,
+        )
+
+    module.log(log_message)
+
+    # we don't actually change anything, so we're not changed - writing a log message
+    # is not considered a change
+    # also, we don't want to report changed every time the role runs
+    module.exit_json(changed=False)
+
+
+def main():
+    run_module()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -407,3 +407,9 @@
     state: "{{ 'started' if __timesync_is_booted else omit }}"
     enabled: true
   when: timesync_mode == 3
+
+- name: Record role success fingerprint
+  sr_fingerprint:
+    sr_message: >-
+      success system_role:timesync ansible_version={{ ansible_version.full }}
+      {{ ansible_facts['distribution'] }}-{{ ansible_facts['distribution_version'] }}
diff --git a/tasks/set_vars.yml b/tasks/set_vars.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@
   when: __timesync_required_facts |
     difference(ansible_facts.keys() | list) | length > 0
 
+- name: Record role begin fingerprint
+  sr_fingerprint:
+    sr_message: >-
+      begin system_role:timesync ansible_version={{ ansible_version.full }}
+      {{ ansible_facts['distribution'] }}-{{ ansible_facts['distribution_version'] }}
+
 - name: Determine if system is ostree and set flag
   when: not __timesync_is_ostree is defined
   block:
diff --git a/tests/tests_default.yml b/tests/tests_default.yml
@@ -2,5 +2,30 @@
 - name: Ensure that the role runs with default parameters
   hosts: all
   tasks:
+    - name: See if /dev/log exists for the fingerprint check
+      ansible.builtin.stat:
+        path: /dev/log
+      register: __register_dev_log
+
+    - name: Set the start time for the journal search
+      ansible.builtin.set_fact:
+        __journal_start_time: "{{ ansible_facts['date_time']['date'] ~ ' ' ~ ansible_facts['date_time']['time'] }}"
+      when: __register_dev_log.stat.exists
+
     - name: Run linux-system-roles.timesync
       include_tasks: tasks/run_role_with_clear_facts.yml
+
+    # look for the exact module invocation, not some other message that might contain the string
+    - name: Check system journal contains role fingerprints
+      ansible.builtin.shell:
+        executable: /bin/bash
+        cmd: >-
+          set -eo pipefail;
+          journalctl --since "{{ __journal_start_time }}" --no-pager |
+          grep -v " Invoked with" | grep "sr_fingerprint.*begin system_role:timesync" ||
+          { echo ERROR: BEGIN fingerprint not found; exit 1; };
+          journalctl --since "{{ __journal_start_time }}" --no-pager |
+          grep -v " Invoked with" | grep "sr_fingerprint.*success system_role:timesync" ||
+          { echo ERROR: SUCCESS fingerprint not found; exit 1; }
+      changed_when: false
+      when: __register_dev_log.stat.exists

Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
`@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@`
`1`	`1`	`plugins/modules/timesync_provider.sh shebang`
`2`	`2`	`plugins/modules/timesync_provider.yml validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license`
	`3`	`+plugins/modules/sr_fingerprint.py validate-modules:missing-gplv3-license`