Ansible is an open tool that allows you to automate processes. In addition, its function is to scale automation as the project grows. Examples of activities include a new version of a deployment distributed among a dozen machines, applications or upgrading docker versions on the same machines. Ansible allows you to manage hundreds or even thousands of servers simultaneously. This makes it easy to scale the infrastructure and ensure its business continuity.
The ideal process for automation is cyclic operations. They are aimed at administrative tasks such as Backups, configuring environments on Docker, adding new users or their roles or tasks that need to be performed immediately when the appropriate criteria are met. The automated monitoring system detects the problem, classifies it and implements a pre-designed remedial plan. We can create all this and many other processes using Ansible.
Ansible is an open-source tool, which means it is available to anyone and can be developed and modified by the development community worldwide. Automation tools such as Ansible rule out the latency and problems that can come with performing tedious, time-consuming tasks manually. IT teams, while often resembling Superheroes, are not designed to perform such monotonous and tedious tasks.
It is an easy-to-use tool, as the configuration of tasks and processes is done through simple scripts, written in YAML. It does not require the installation of additional agents on hosts, making it easy to deploy and maintain.
It is based on a client-server model, which allows multiple hosts to be managed by a single server. This makes it easy to manage large infrastructures, regardless of their size.
It enables remote management of hosts over the network, allowing tasks and configuration processes to be performed without physical access to the hosts.
Ansible is a way to manage a large number of hosts without having to manually type them into the inventory file. It’s a multi-platform tool, which means it allows you to manage Linux, Windows or macOS.
It is an open-source tool, available to anyone. It can be developed and modified by a community of developers around the world. Many extensions and additional tools are also available. The open source code also allows for easier integration on other network devices.
Solutions that automate operations have a number of benefits:
In addition, the tool is a popular and mature solution. It uses a common format so administrative, DevOps and development teams can use it without the obstacles they often face in communicating with each other.
An interesting fact about ansible is that it is a tool based on the “push” model, meaning that changes are made from a central server to other hosts, instead of the other way around as in the case of “pull” tools, where hosts download changes from the server. This feature allows quick and efficient deployment of changes on large infrastructures, as it avoids the need to scan each host separately to detect required updates.
Experience is needed to realize the full potential of Ansible. Without it, automation may cause more harm than good.
The ease of scripting processes in Ansible carries the danger of exposing oneself to new attack vectors, looping the script or the occurrence of configuration drift. In addition, lack of experience in process automation can lead to playbooks that are suboptimal and even threaten the stability of applications or infrastructure.
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It is a tool that is used to automate IT tasks, allowing you to manage system configurations and install and update them remotely on multiple servers and devices simultaneously. Ansible is based on the idea of “push,” meaning that tasks are sent from a central server to remote devices, where they are executed. This tool allows you to define tasks in a simple scripting language (YAML) and run them via the command line.
Instead, Ansible Automation Platform is a comprehensive automation, IT infrastructure management platform developed by Red Hat. Ansible Automaton Platform consists of several tools, including Ansible, ansible Tower and ansible Galaxy.
It is a good tool for automating network infrastructure or server management tasks, especially when it comes to repeatedly performing the same or similar activity on many different servers or devices.
It can be a useful tool if:
It is a tool for automating the management of IT infrastructure. It benefits from the so-called. Infrastructure as Code (IaC), which means that infrastructure is described using code rather than manually created configurations. This makes it easy to manage large volumes of machines and services.
Gathering facts is the process by which ansible retrieves information about the hosts on which it is to perform tasks. Ansible automatically performs gathering facts before running the playbook to access system information such as operating system version, list of installed packages, configuration settings. This information is then stored in variables that can be used in the playbook to dynamically determine what tasks are to be performed on a given host.