Class Notes on Ansible

Lecture 1: Introduction to Ansible

- Definition: Ansible is an open-source automation tool used for configuration management,

application deployment, and task automation.

- Importance: Simplifies IT automation, reduces complexity, and enhances productivity.

- Key Components: Ansible Core, Ansible Modules, Ansible Playbooks.

Lecture 2: Ansible Architecture

- Components: Control Node, Managed Nodes, Inventory, Modules, Plugins.

- Working: Ansible uses SSH for communication and executes tasks via modules.

- Configuration: Ansible.cfg file for setting default configurations.

Lecture 3: Ansible Installation

- Installation Methods: Using package managers (apt, yum), via pip, and from source.

- Control Node Setup: Steps to set up Ansible on the control node.

- Managed Nodes: Configuring managed nodes for SSH access.

Lecture 4: Ansible Inventory

- Definition: A list of managed nodes (hosts) that Ansible communicates with.

- Types: Static inventory, Dynamic inventory.

- Configuration: Writing an inventory file, grouping hosts, using variables.

Lecture 5: Ansible Modules

- Definition: Reusable, standalone scripts that Ansible uses to perform tasks.

- Types: Core modules, Custom modules.

- Usage: Commonly used modules like file, copy, yum, apt, service.

Lecture 6: Ansible Playbooks

- Definition: YAML files that define the tasks to be executed on managed nodes.

- Structure: Hosts, Tasks, Variables, Handlers, Roles.

- Example: Writing and executing a simple playbook.

Lecture 7: Ansible Roles

- Definition: A way to organize playbooks and other files for modularization.

- Structure: Defaults, Vars, Files, Templates, Tasks, Handlers, Meta.

- Usage: Creating and using roles, Ansible Galaxy.

Lecture 8: Advanced Ansible Features

- Ansible Vault: Encrypting sensitive data.

- Ansible Tower: A web-based solution for enterprise-level automation.

- Best Practices: Writing efficient playbooks, debugging and testing, optimizing performance.