EX294 Manage task execution and roles Practice Question
An administrator wants to ensure a role's tasks are executed only on certain hosts. Which approach should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse variable scoping (host_vars/group_vars) with conditional execution, assuming that setting variables for a host or group inherently limits task execution to those hosts, when in fact variables only provide data and do not control task flow without an explicit 'when' condition.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use a 'when' condition in the role's tasks
Ansible's 'when' clause allows conditional execution of tasks based on variables such as inventory hostname, group membership, or custom facts. By using a 'when' condition that checks the target host's identity (e.g., 'ansible_hostname' or 'inventory_hostname'), the administrator can ensure that the role's tasks run only on specific hosts, without modifying inventory structure or using separate variable files.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Set host_vars for each target host
Why it's wrong here
Host variables supply per-host data, not task targeting; roles run wherever the play applies them. Restricting execution requires a conditional in the play or role, such as a when clause on group membership. Host vars would be the right choice for host-specific values like IP addresses or ports.
- ✗
Set group_vars for the target group
Why it's wrong here
Group variables supply data to hosts in a group; they do not limit which hosts receive the role's tasks. The play still applies the role to every targeted host. Group vars are correct when you need shared values, such as a common database name, across a group.
- ✓
Use a 'when' condition in the role's tasks
Why this is correct
A 'when' condition evaluates host facts or variables at runtime, so tasks run only where the predicate is true. This satisfies the stem's constraint of restricting a role's tasks to certain hosts, though it filters per task rather than limiting which hosts the role targets.
- ✗
Use tags on the role
Why it's wrong here
Tags applied to a role restrict which tasks within it run, not which hosts execute the role. It is tempting because tags control task selection, but host targeting requires the role's play to specify hosts or a host pattern in the playbook.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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