splunk-forwarder

name	splunk_forwarder
description	Maintains the ansible/roles/splunk_forwarder Ansible role that configures the Splunk universal forwarder's deployment-server pointer and local splunk user, as part of the Linux SOE. Use when checking or fixing Splunk forwarder deployment-server configuration.

splunk_forwarder

Maintains ansible/roles/splunk_forwarder/. See docs/ARCHITECTURE.md for the shared conventions (role layout, audit vs. remediate via --check --diff, safety rules, branch + PR contribution workflow).

ansible/roles/splunk_forwarder/README.md documents this role's full configuration surface (every defaults/main.yml variable, with its original inline comments, rendered as a single reference). Read it before proposing or explaining how to configure this role — it reflects the role's actual current defaults even if a variable summary elsewhere in this file has drifted out of sync with the role.

What the role actually does

Encoded in ansible/roles/splunk_forwarder/defaults/main.yml:

• splunk_deployment_server is unset by default — the deployment-server and user config templates only take effect once it's set. splunk_deployment_server_check (default true) verifies reachability.
• splunk_user_uid (default 4445) — a local splunk user is created at this UID if no local/remote user already exists; set to undefined/none instead to get a system account.
• splunk_user_password_hash is expected from vault, unset by default.
• splunk_phonehome_secs (default 600) is the forwarder's check-in interval.
• splunk_deployment_config_file/splunk_user_config_file let a host override the role-provided default templates.

This role is sourced from the myllynen/rhel-ansible-roles import (see git log -- ansible/roles/splunk_forwarder) rather than hand-authored for this repo. Unlike the original reference domains (e.g. timesync, usbguard_setup), it applies state declaratively via standard Ansible modules and does not add its own assert-based drift checks on top — an audit here is exactly what --check --diff reports from the underlying modules, nothing more.

What to do

This role is off by default in ansible/configure_rhel.yml — every role there (active or not) is gated by a single configure_rhel_domains list variable (when: "'<name>' in configure_rhel_domains"), and splunk_forwarder isn't in the default value of that list. Nothing needs editing in the playbook itself to turn it on: pass the full desired domain list via -e, e.g. -e '{"configure_rhel_domains": [...the default 20..., "splunk_forwarder"]}' (see .claude/skills/configure_rhel/SKILL.md for the current default list to extend, and why it has to be the full list, not just the addition — -e replaces the variable's value, it doesn't merge into it). --tags splunk_forwarder alone is not enough — the domains list and --tags/--skip-tags are separate, ANDed gates, both verified independently: a role only runs if it's in configure_rhel_domains and matches the requested tags. Some roles (this one — check its defaults/main.yml and task file) also have their own internal enable flag or required variable on top of that, which still needs setting the same as before. Flag all of this to the user before assuming the commands below will do anything.

Audit (read-only, safe to run any time):

ansible-playbook ansible/configure_rhel.yml --tags splunk_forwarder --check --diff

Summarize the diff output and any failed tasks in plain language.

Remediate (modifies the system — only after the user explicitly asks): first summarize what will change from the --check --diff output, then run the same command without --check:

ansible-playbook ansible/configure_rhel.yml --tags splunk_forwarder

Propose a change to the role itself: never edit and commit directly. On a branch named soe/splunk_forwarder/<short-desc>, edit ansible/roles/splunk_forwarder/, validate locally (--syntax-check, ansible-lint roles/splunk_forwarder/, and --check --diff against a real/test host if available), then push and open a PR titled [splunk_forwarder] <what changed> with the --check --diff output in the body. Then stop — a human reviews and merges; see docs/ARCHITECTURE.md's "Contribution workflow".

Wiring into the SOE

This role has a row in .claude/skills/soe/SKILL.md's domain table. It's present (not commented out) in ansible/configure_rhel.yml's roles: list, gated by configure_rhel_domains — off by default, on via -e — see the caveat at the top of "What to do" above and .claude/skills/configure_rhel/SKILL.md. It is not referenced by any of the other playbooks (load_balancer_setup.yml, nfs_client_setup.yml, nfs_server_setup.yml, update_rhel.yml, connect_linux.yml) either. This repo no longer uses ansible/site.yml; see docs/ARCHITECTURE.md.