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Introduction

Ansible provides open-source automation that reduces complexity and runs everywhere. Here are some use cases

  1. Eliminate repetition
  2. Manage and maintain system configuration

Ansible uses playbook to automate the tasks. You declare the desire state of your system in the playbook and ansible ensures that the system remains in the system.

Advantages

  1. Agentless - No need to install any agent to automate the system
  2. Scalable - Easily scalable in any environment including cloud infrastructures.

Ansible Concepts

  • Control Node

    • This is the machine where you run Ansible commands in CLI tools.
    • You can use any computer that meets the software requirements.
    • You can run ansible as a container. Ansible uses the image in the container is called as execution environment.
    • An execution environment image contains the following packages as standard:
    • ansible-core, ansible-runner, python and ansible content dependencies

  • Managed Node

    • These are the target device which you want to manage.
    • We don't need to install in these machines.

  • Plays (Basic unit of Ansible execution)

    • This is nothing but an ordered list of tasks can be run repeatedly.
    • Play contains variables, roles, tasks and defines how to iterate over them.

  • Playbooks

    • Playbook contains play. It is written in YAML.
    • ansible-playbook command operates on this file.

  • Roles

    • A reusable ansible content (tasks, variables, plugins etc.,) can be used in the play.
    • To use any roles, it must be imported into the play.

  • Tasks

    • Action to be applied to the managed nodes.

  • Handlers

    • This is the task, but executed only when notified by the previous task which results in a changed status.

  • Modules

    • The code copies to each managed nodes and executes to accomplish the task by Ansible.

  • Plugins

    • Piece of code that expand Ansible's core capabilities. It can control how to you connect managed nodes, filter the data etc.,

  • Collections

    • It is a format of ansible content such as roles, plugins, playbooks etc.,
    • You can install collections using Ansible Galaxy.