Setup Ansible Linux Instance and Application deployment on Instances

Topics

• What is Ansible?

• Configuration of instances.

• Architecture: Push-Based vs Pull-Based.

• Install Ansible on Instance.

• Host Inventory file in Ansible Instance.

• Ansible Roles, Modules.

• Playbooks of Ansible.

• Implementation.

Ansible Overview

Ansible is a powerful automation tool that simplifies complex configuration tasks and system management. It enables users to automate their IT infrastructures with ease, from application deployment to orchestration and beyond.

Key Features:

• Simplicity: Ansible uses a straightforward, human-readable language (YAML) for its automation scripts, making it accessible to those new to automation.

• Agentless: It manages machines remotely without the need for any agents or custom security infrastructure, leveraging SSH for Linux/Unix systems and WinRM for Windows.

• Flexibility: Ansible can handle a wide range of tasks, from managing configurations and deploying applications to orchestrating multi-tier workflows.

• Efficiency: It executes tasks in a sequential order, allowing for efficient management of dependencies and minimizing resource usage.

Benefits:

• Ease of Use: Its simple syntax and task-based execution model make it easy to learn and use.

• Scalability: Ansible scales from managing a single host to thousands, adapting to both small-scale and large-scale deployments.

• Security: It uses SSH and WinRM, standard, secure protocols, to communicate with managed nodes, ensuring secure execution of tasks.

• Customization and Extensibility: Users can create custom modules and plugins, extending Ansible's capabilities to meet unique needs.

Important Terms

• Control Node: - A system on which Ansible is installed. You run Ansible commands such as ansible or ansible-inventory on a control node.

• Inventory:- A list of managed nodes that are logically organized. You create an inventory on the control node to describe host deployment to Ansible.

• Module in Ansible: - A module is a standalone script that Ansible executes either locally or remotely to perform specific tasks like changing a database password or spinning up a cloud instance. Modules interact with that machine's APIs, or remote systems and provide a defined interface for accepting arguments and returning information to Ansible in JSON format. Each module can be utilized by the Ansible API, ansible, or ansible-playbook programs.

• Playbook Ansible:- A playbook in Ansible is like a recipe that defines the tasks needed to manage system configuration using Ansible automation. It is written in YAML format and consists of plays, which are sets of tasks executed in a specific order. Each task typically calls an Ansible module to perform actions like installing software, creating users, or configuring servers. Playbooks make it easy to automate tasks on remote systems efficiently and are designed to be human-friendly and reusable.