Creating a Multi-Machine Vagrant Environment

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Creating a Multi-Machine Vagrant Environment

By using a "Vagrantfile within a Vagrantfile" structure, we can create code that allows Vagrant to provision an environment comprised of multiple machines. This lets us create Vagrant environments that closely mimic production, separating out databases, services, applications, and more as needed. In this hands-on lab, we use the LXC provider to create two different machines and establish that the machines can communicate.

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Lab Info

Level

Beginner

Last updated

Jul 29, 2025

Duration

30m

Challenge

Create Two Machines

Move into the website directory and initialize a Vagrantfile:
```
cd website
vagrant init
```

Update the Vagrantfile so two containers are created:

vim Vagrantfile

Vagrant.configure("2") do |config|
  config.vm.box = "fgrehm/trusty64-lxc"
  config.vm.provider "lxc"
  config.vm.define "web" do |web|
  end
  config.vm.define "db" do |db|
  end
end

Challenge

Configure the Private Network

Still editing your Vagrantfile, add a private network to each guest:

Vagrant.configure("2") do |config|
  config.vm.box = "fgrehm/trusty64-lxc"
  config.vm.provider "lxc"
  config.vm.define "web" do |web|
    web.vm.network "private_network", ip: "192.168.2.110", lxc__bridge_name: "brdg"
  end
  config.vm.define "db" do |db|
    db.vm.network "private_network", ip: "192.168.2.111", lxc__bridge_name: "brdg"
  end
end

Save and exit the file.

Challenge

Test the Environment
1. Deploy the environment:
  
  vagrant up
2. Log in to the web guest:
  
  vagrant ssh web
3. View the IP of the guest:
  
  ifconfig
4. ping the db from the web guest:
  
  ping 192.168.2.111

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