ANSIBLE
Ansible
is an open-source automation tool used for configuration management,
application deployment, and task automation. It is designed to be simple to set
up and use, yet powerful enough to manage complex deployments and IT
environments. Ansible is a software tool that provides simple but
powerful automation for cross-platform computer support. It is primarily
intended for IT professionals, who use it for application deployment, updates
on workstations and servers, cloud provisioning, configuration management,
intra-service orchestration, and nearly anything a systems administrator or
devops professionals does on a weekly or daily basis. Ansible doesn't depend on
agent software and has no additional security infrastructure, so it's easy to
deploy.
How Ansible
works
In Ansible, there are
two categories of computers: the control node and managed
nodes. The control node is a computer that runs Ansible. There must be at
least one control node, although a backup control node may also exist. A
managed node is any device being managed by the control node.
Ansible works by
connecting to nodes (clients, servers, or whatever you're configuring) on a
network, and then sending a small program called an Ansible module to
that node. Ansible executes these modules over SSH and removes them when
finished. The only requirement for this interaction is that your Ansible
control node has login access to the managed nodes. SSH keys are the most common way to
provide access, but other forms of authentication are also supported.
Basic Concepts:
1.
Playbooks:
o
Playbooks are YAML files where you
define your automation tasks. Each playbook consists of one or more plays, and
each play applies a set of tasks to a group of hosts.
2. Inventory:
o
The inventory is a file that defines
the hosts and groups of hosts upon which Ansible will operate. It can be a
static file or dynamically generated.
3. Tasks:
o Tasks are the actions executed by Ansible modules within a play. Each task typically calls a module to perform a specific function
1.
Roles:
o
Roles are a way to organize
playbooks and tasks into reusable components. Each role can include variables,
tasks, files, templates, and handlers.
2.
Variables:
o
Variables are used to store values
that can be reused throughout playbooks and roles. They make playbooks more
flexible and easier to maintain.
3.
Handlers:
o
Handlers are similar to tasks but
are only run when notified. They are often used to restart services after a
configuration change.
How Ansible Works:
- Define Inventory:
- Create an inventory file listing all the hosts you
want to manage.
- Write Playbooks:
- Write playbooks to define the tasks and configurations
to be applied to the hosts.
- Run Playbooks:
- Execute the playbooks using the ansible-playbook
command to apply the configurations to the managed hosts.
Ansible
Simplified
In layman terms, Ansible is a tool
that helps you automate tasks on multiple computers. It's like having a remote
control for your computers, allowing you to do things like installing software,
updating settings, and starting or stopping services without having to manually
log into each computer and do it yourself.
Here’s a simple analogy:
Ansible as a Remote Control for Your
Computers:
- Imagine You Have
Multiple Computers:
- Let’s say you have a bunch of computers, and you need
to install a program on all of them. Doing it manually on each one would
take a lot of time.
- Using a Remote
Control:
- Instead of going to each computer, you use a remote
control (Ansible) to send instructions to all of them at once. You write
down what you want to do (like installing a program) in a simple script.
- Script as a Set
of Instructions:
- This script, called a playbook, is written in plain
English-like language so it’s easy to understand. It lists all the steps
that need to be done.
- Sending
Instructions:
- With one click, Ansible sends these instructions to
all the computers. It uses a built-in communication method (like SSH) to
connect to each computer and run the instructions.
- No Special Setup
Needed:
- The computers don’t need any special software
installed to receive these instructions, just a way to communicate (like
SSH, which is usually already set up).
- Consistency and
Efficiency:
- This way, you ensure that all your computers are set
up exactly the same way without having to repeat the process manually,
saving you a lot of time and effort.
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