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Ansible is an open-source automation tool and configuration management framework that is designed to simplify and streamline IT operations. It allows system administrators, DevOps engineers, and IT professionals to automate tasks, configure systems, and manage infrastructure through code. Ansible is known for its simplicity and agentless architecture, making it a popular choice for orchestrating and managing systems. Here's an overview of Ansible:
Key Concepts:
1. Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Ansible follows the IaC approach, where infrastructure configurations are defined and managed as code. This allows for version control, collaboration, and automation.
2. Playbooks: Playbooks are YAML files that define a series of tasks and configuration instructions. Ansible playbooks are used to automate and orchestrate tasks on target systems.
3. Modules: Ansible provides a wide range of modules that are executed on remote target systems to perform specific tasks. Modules are included in playbooks to configure system settings, install packages, manage files, and more.
4. Inventory: Ansible uses an inventory file to list and categorize the systems it will manage. The inventory file can be static or dynamic and allows for grouping of hosts and specifying variables for each host.
5. Tasks: Tasks are individual actions or commands specified within a playbook. Each task corresponds to a module and is executed on target systems to achieve specific objectives.
6. Roles: Roles are a way to organize and encapsulate related tasks and configuration into reusable units. Roles help in modularizing playbooks and making them more maintainable.
7. Facts: Ansible collects system information from target hosts, referred to as facts. Facts can be used in playbooks for conditional statements and variable assignments.
8. Ad-Hoc Commands: Ansible also allows for running ad-hoc commands without the need for a playbook. This is useful for quick, one-time tasks.
Key Features:
1. Agentless: Ansible does not require any agent or additional software to be installed on the target systems. It communicates with remote hosts using SSH or other protocols.
2. Idempotent: Ansible ensures that tasks are idempotent, meaning that running the same task multiple times results in the same system state. This makes it safe to automate tasks without side effects.
3. Extensibility: Ansible can be extended through custom modules and plugins. Users can write their own modules to suit specific needs.
4. Parallel Execution: Ansible can execute tasks on multiple hosts in parallel, making it efficient for managing large and distributed environments.
5. Integration: Ansible can integrate with various services, tools, and cloud platforms, making it versatile for automation in diverse ecosystems.
6. Reporting and Logging: Ansible provides detailed reporting and logging of playbook execution, allowing for auditing and monitoring of changes.
7. Community and Ecosystem: Ansible has an active and large community of users and contributors. The Ansible Galaxy is a repository of pre-built roles and playbooks created and shared by the community.
Use Cases:
- Configuration Management: Automate and manage the configuration of servers and systems. - Application Deployment: Deploy and manage applications and services across various environments. - Provisioning: Automate the provisioning of virtual machines, cloud instances, and other resources. - Orchestration: Orchestrate complex workflows and tasks across multiple systems. - Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): Integrate Ansible into CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and deployment.
Ansible is widely used in IT operations, DevOps, and software development to streamline and automate routine tasks, reduce manual errors, and improve system and application management. It is a powerful tool for achieving Infrastructure as Code and automating infrastructure provisioning and configuration.
Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform
Red Hat® Ansible® Automation Platform is a foundation for building and operating automation across an organization. The platform includes all the tools needed to implement enterprise-wide automation.
What is Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform?
Ansible Automation Platform provides an enterprise framework for building and operating IT automation at scale, from hybrid cloud to the edge. It enables users across an organization to create, share, and manage automation—from development and operations to security and network teams.
IT managers can provide guidelines on how automation is applied to individual teams, and automation creators can write tasks that use existing knowledge. Ansible Automation Platform provides a more secure and stable foundation for deploying end-to-end automation.