ANSIBLE

Why is Ansible Popular?

• Agentless Architecture:Unlike Puppet and Chef, Ansible does not require an agent to be installed on target systems. It uses SSH (Linux) and WinRM (Windows), reducing overhead and security concerns.
• Simple & Human-Readable YAML Syntax Ansible uses YAML-based Playbooks, making it easy to write and understand automation scripts.
• Idempotency: Ensures that operations are only performed when necessary, preventing unintended changes.
• Scalability: Easily manages thousands of nodes across hybrid, multi-cloud, and on-premises environments.
• Community & Enterprise Support:Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform provides enterprise features, while a strong open-source community contributes to its growth.

Ansible Use Cases in DevOps Automation

• Configuration Management:
• Automates OS configurations, firewall settings, and software installations..
• Example: Configuring web servers (Nginx, Apache), databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL), and security settings.
• Application Deployment:
• Deploys applications consistently across multiple environments.
• Example: Deploying Java, Python, or Node.js applications in CI/CD pipelines.
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Manages AWS, Azure, and GCP resources.
• Manages cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP) using Ansible modules.
• Example: Creating EC2 instances, configuring VPC, setting up IAM roles.
• Orchestration: Automates multi-server workflows.
• Automates workflows across multiple servers.
• Automates workflows across multiple servers.
• Security & Compliance: Enforces security policies and updates patches.
• Enforces security policies, applies patches, and performs automated audits.
• Example: Configuring firewalls, updating security patches.
• CI/CD Integration: Works with Jenkins, GitHub Actions, and GitLab CI/CD.
• Automates build, testing, and deployment in CI/CD pipelines.
• Example: Integrating with Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI/CD.