Unlock the power of automation with Ansible and Ansible Playbooks in this comprehensive course designed to elevate your IT infrastructure management skills. Through step-by-step guidance, you will master Ansible's agentless architecture, efficient task execution, and powerful automation capabilities to streamline your workflows.
Your journey begins with an introduction to Ansible, its core components, and environment setup, including configuring nodes and controllers. Progressively, you’ll dive into ad-hoc commands, modules for file management, and package installations across diverse OS families. Advanced sections cover playbook creation, debugging, and dynamic inventory handling, providing you with practical skills to automate real-world IT tasks.
You'll explore sophisticated playbook concepts, such as variables, loops, conditional statements, and templates, to create reusable, adaptable automation scripts. Additionally, delve into error handling, privilege escalation, and integrating third-party plugins for enhanced functionality. A dedicated section on security teaches you how to use Ansible Vault to encrypt sensitive information securely.
Ideal for system administrators, DevOps engineers, and IT professionals, this course equips you with the tools and knowledge to implement efficient automation practices. No prior experience with Ansible is required, but basic Linux command-line skills are recommended.
Overview
Syllabus
- Introduction
- In this module, we will explore the foundational concepts of Ansible. You will gain insights into its capabilities, understand the differences between its core and community editions, and learn how its architecture facilitates secure and efficient automation.
- Environment Setup
- In this module, we will guide you through setting up the environment required for Ansible. From provisioning servers to configuring the controller node and understanding Ansible's agentless operations, this section ensures a strong foundation for further automation.
- Ad-Hoc Commands with Modules
- In this module, we will focus on Ansible's ad-hoc commands, an essential feature for executing tasks quickly and efficiently. You’ll learn how to leverage modules and handle complex commands with quotations and arguments.
- Ansible Ad-Hoc Command to Work with Files
- In this module, we will delve into file management using Ansible ad-hoc commands. By mastering the file-related modules, you will learn to handle tasks such as file creation, modification, and retrieval across managed nodes seamlessly.
- Installing Packages on Different OS Families
- In this module, we will learn to install software packages on different OS families using Ansible. You will gain hands-on experience with yum and apt modules to ensure consistent package management across diverse environments.
- Executing Ansible Ad-Hoc Commands on Ansible Controller Node or on Localhost
- In this module, we will explore how to run Ansible ad-hoc commands on the controller node itself. This knowledge is essential for tasks requiring local execution or testing configurations before deployment.
- Understanding the Output of Ansible Ad-Hoc Commands Output
- In this module, we will focus on the idempotent nature of Ansible tasks. You will understand why predictable outputs are critical in automation and how to interpret task results to ensure reliable execution.
- Executing Ansible Ad-Hoc Commands with Your User ID and Password
- In this module, we will guide you through executing ad-hoc commands with real-time user credentials. Learn how Ansible manages authentication securely and efficiently while maintaining compliance with best practices.
- Ansible Inventory File(s)
- In this module, we will explore Ansible inventory files. You will learn how to structure inventories to handle multiple environments, categorize hosts, and optimize automation workflows.
- Ansible Configuration File(s)
- In this module, we will focus on Ansible configuration files. You will understand how configuration settings are applied and how to manage these files to customize Ansible behavior effectively.
- Shell Scripts with Ansible Ad-Hoc Commands
- In this module, we will learn to enhance automation capabilities by embedding Ansible commands in shell scripts. This powerful combination enables you to handle intricate tasks with ease and precision.
- Ansible Facts
- In this module, we will explore Ansible facts. You will learn how to use default facts and create custom facts to gather detailed information about your infrastructure for better automation strategies.
- Introduction to Playbooks
- In this module, we will be introduced to Ansible playbooks, a cornerstone of automation. You will understand their structure, create your first playbook, and learn to verify syntax before execution.
- Basic Concepts to Develop Playbooks
- In this module, we will cover foundational concepts for developing playbooks. From variables to YAML scripting, you will gain the skills to create adaptable and efficient automation scripts.
- Registered and setfacts Variables
- In this module, we will delve into variable management in playbooks. Learn to register task outputs and redefine variables mid-playbook for seamless and dynamic automation workflows.
- Operations on Variables
- In this module, we will explore various operations on variables in playbooks. You will learn to manipulate data using operators and filters, enhancing your ability to create dynamic and responsive playbooks.
- Conditional Statements
- In this module, we will master conditional statements in playbooks. From when clauses to in-line logic, you’ll learn to create adaptable and context-aware automation scripts.
- Ansible Playbooks to Practice on Basic Concepts
- In this module, we will practice creating basic playbooks. These exercises will reinforce your understanding of core playbook concepts and help you apply them in real-world scenarios.
- Ansible Facts (Default Facts) and Systemd Facts
- In this module, we will deepen our understanding of Ansible facts. Learn to gather and utilize system-level information for advanced playbook automation.
- Usage of become and become_user
- In this module, we will learn about privilege escalation in Ansible. You will understand how to execute tasks as different users or with elevated privileges safely and efficiently.
- Installing Packages | Task Reusability with import_tasks and include_tasks
- In this module, we will explore task reusability. Learn how to use import_tasks and include_tasks to streamline your playbook development and ensure maintainability.
- Handlers
- In this module, we will cover handlers, a powerful feature in Ansible. You’ll learn to create and manage handlers to execute tasks based on specific triggers, adding flexibility to your automation.
- Usage of Tags to Execute Required Tasks
- In this module, we will focus on the use of tags in playbooks. You will learn to execute only the necessary tasks, improving efficiency and precision in automation.
- Error Handling
- In this module, we will learn error-handling strategies in Ansible. From basic error handling to advanced constructs like block and rescue, you’ll ensure robust and fail-safe automation.
- Ansible Logging
- In this module, we will explore Ansible logging. You’ll learn to capture task outputs and playbook execution details in log files, enabling effective debugging and auditing.
- Usage of remote_src , deletegate_to, and run_once Options for Ansible Playbooks
- In this module, we will explore advanced options like remote_src, delegate_to, and run_once. These features enable precise task control and efficient resource utilization.
- Simple Real-Time Ansible Playbook
- In this module, we will create a comprehensive playbook combining various advanced features. You will see how to use tags, blocks, and handlers together to solve real-world automation challenges.
- Loops for Ansible Playbooks
- In this module, we will explore the power of loops in playbooks. Learn to handle repetitive tasks and work with data structures like lists and dictionaries to simplify automation.
- Working with Templates
- In this module, we will learn to work with the template module. You’ll create dynamic, environment-specific configuration files that adapt seamlessly to changing requirements.
- Introduction to Plugin
- In this module, we will introduce Ansible plugins. You’ll understand how plugins extend functionality and streamline complex automation scenarios.
- Working with Third-Party or Ansible Community Collections or Modules
- In this module, we will explore third-party collections and modules. Learn to expand Ansible’s capabilities by integrating community-contributed resources effectively.
- Ansible Dynamic Inventory with Plugins
- In this module, we will focus on dynamic inventory management. Discover how to use plugins to manage AWS resources dynamically and streamline inventory handling.
- Ansible Roles
- In this module, we will explore Ansible roles. Learn how to simplify playbook organization by structuring tasks into reusable roles for improved clarity and scalability.
- Ansible Vault
- In this module, we will learn about Ansible Vault. You’ll gain the skills to encrypt sensitive information and manage secrets securely within your automation workflows.
- Raw Module
- In this module, we will explore the Raw module. Learn to manage systems without Python installed and execute commands directly on target nodes efficiently.
- Ansible Project Setup for Real Time to Work with Servers
- In this module, we will set up a real-time Ansible project. From directory structures to secure authentication methods, you’ll prepare a robust foundation for managing live server environments.
Taught by
Packt - Course Instructors
