What is Ansible? Complete Guide to Ansible Automation Platform, Benefits, and Comparison with Other Tools

Ansible has revolutionized IT automation by providing a simple, agentless, and powerful platform for configuration management, application deployment, and orchestration. This comprehensive guide explores what makes Ansible the preferred choice for DevOps teams worldwide, comparing it with other automation tools, and introducing the Ansible Automation Platform ecosystem including Ansible Hub, Navigator, and more.

What is Ansible?

Ansible is an open-source automation platform that simplifies complex IT tasks including configuration management, application deployment, cloud provisioning, and orchestration. Created by Michael DeHaan in 2012 and acquired by Red Hat in 2015, Ansible has become the de facto standard for infrastructure automation.

Key Characteristics

• Agentless: No software installation required on managed nodes
• Simple: Uses human-readable YAML syntax
• Powerful: Manages everything from small deployments to enterprise infrastructure
• Idempotent: Safe to run multiple times without unintended side effects
• Extensible: Thousands of modules and plugins available
• Secure: Uses SSH for communication, no additional ports or daemons

How Ansible Works

Architecture Overview

┌─────────────────────┐
│  Control Node       │  (Your laptop or automation server)
│  - Ansible Engine   │
│  - Playbooks        │
│  - Inventory        │
└──────────┬──────────┘
           │
           │ SSH/WinRM
           │
    ┌──────┴──────┬──────────┬──────────┐
    │             │          │          │
┌───▼────┐  ┌────▼───┐  ┌──▼─────┐  ┌─▼──────┐
│ Node 1 │  │ Node 2 │  │ Node 3 │  │ Node N │
│ Linux  │  │ Linux  │  │Windows │  │ Cloud  │
└────────┘  └────────┘  └────────┘  └────────┘
  Managed Nodes (No agent required)

Core Components

• Control Node: Machine where Ansible is installed and runs from
• Managed Nodes: Target servers managed by Ansible (agentless)
• Inventory: List of managed nodes organized into groups
• Modules: Units of code that perform specific tasks
• Playbooks: YAML files defining automation tasks
• Plugins: Extend Ansible functionality (callbacks, filters, lookups)
• Collections: Distribution format for Ansible content

Execution Flow

1. Read Playbook → Parse YAML syntax
2. Gather Facts → Collect system information from nodes
3. Execute Tasks → Run modules on managed nodes via SSH
4. Return Results → Display success/failure/changed status
5. Run Handlers → Execute triggered handlers (if any)

Why Ansible is Powerful

1. Agentless Architecture

Unlike Puppet, Chef, or SaltStack, Ansible requires no agent installation on managed nodes. This provides:

• Zero Footprint: No additional software consuming resources on servers
• No Maintenance Overhead: No agents to update or troubleshoot
• Immediate Start: Manage any SSH-enabled server instantly
• Better Security: No additional attack surface or open ports
• Lower Costs: No per-node licensing or agent infrastructure

2. Simple and Human-Readable

Ansible uses YAML (Yet Another Markup Language) which is easy to read and write:

- name: Install and start Nginx
  hosts: webservers
  become: yes
  tasks:
    - name: Install Nginx
      apt:
        name: nginx
        state: present
    
    - name: Start Nginx service
      service:
        name: nginx
        state: started

Compare this to equivalent Puppet code:

node 'webserver' {
  package { 'nginx':
    ensure => 'installed',
  }
  service { 'nginx':
    ensure  => 'running',
    enable  => true,
    require => Package['nginx'],
  }
}

3. Idempotency

Ansible ensures operations are idempotent – running the same playbook multiple times produces the same result without unintended changes:

# First run: Creates user
- name: Ensure user exists
  user:
    name: appuser
    state: present

# Second run: No changes (user already exists)
# Third run: Still no changes

# Result: Always "ok" or "changed", never duplicates or errors

4. Push-Based Model

Ansible uses a push model where the control node initiates changes:

• Immediate Execution: Changes happen when you run playbooks
• Predictable: No agents polling at random intervals
• Control: You decide when changes occur
• Auditable: Clear timeline of what changed and when

5. Extensive Module Library

Ansible includes 5000+ modules for:

• Cloud Platforms: AWS, Azure, GCP, DigitalOcean, VMware
• Containers: Docker, Kubernetes, Podman
• Network Devices: Cisco, Juniper, Arista, F5
• Databases: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis
• Monitoring: Nagios, Datadog, New Relic
• Version Control: Git, SVN
• Windows: PowerShell, Registry, IIS, MSSQL

6. Parallel Execution

Ansible executes tasks across multiple nodes simultaneously:

# Executes on 50 servers in parallel (default)
ansible-playbook deploy.yml

# Increase parallelism
ansible-playbook deploy.yml -f 100  # 100 forks

# Rolling updates
- hosts: webservers
  serial: 5  # Update 5 servers at a time

Ansible vs Other Automation Tools

Ansible vs Puppet

Ansible vs Chef

Ansible vs SaltStack

Ansible vs Terraform

Note: Ansible and Terraform are complementary – use Terraform to provision infrastructure, then Ansible to configure it.

Key Benefits of Ansible

1. Rapid Deployment and Time-to-Value

# Install Ansible
pip install ansible

# Create inventory
echo "192.168.1.10" > inventory

# Run ad-hoc command (no playbook needed)
ansible all -i inventory -m ping

# Total time: < 5 minutes

2. Cost-Effective

• Open Source: Ansible Engine is free
• No Per-Node Licensing: Unlike some competitors
• Lower Infrastructure Costs: No agent servers needed
• Reduced Training Costs: Easy to learn
• Faster Development: Less time writing automation code

3. Flexibility and Versatility

Ansible handles diverse automation scenarios:

• Configuration Management: Manage system configs across servers
• Application Deployment: Deploy apps with zero downtime
• Orchestration: Coordinate complex multi-tier deployments
• Provisioning: Create cloud resources (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Security Automation: Patch management, compliance
• Network Automation: Configure switches, routers, firewalls
• CI/CD Integration: Works with Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions

4. Strong Community and Ecosystem

• Ansible Galaxy: 25,000+ pre-built roles
• Active Community: 60,000+ GitHub stars
• Red Hat Support: Enterprise backing and resources
• Regular Updates: New modules and features constantly
• Extensive Documentation: Comprehensive official docs

5. Multi-Platform Support

# Linux
- hosts: linux_servers
  tasks:
    - name: Install Apache
      apt:
        name: apache2

# Windows
- hosts: windows_servers
  tasks:
    - name: Install IIS
      win_feature:
        name: Web-Server

# Network Devices
- hosts: cisco_switches
  tasks:
    - name: Configure VLAN
      ios_vlan:
        vlan_id: 100

Ansible Automation Platform

Red Hat's Ansible Automation Platform is the enterprise version that extends the open-source Ansible Engine with additional components for production environments.

Components of Ansible Automation Platform

1. Automation Controller (formerly AWX/Tower)

Web-based UI and REST API for enterprise automation:

• Visual Dashboard: Monitor automation jobs in real-time
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Control who can run what
• Job Scheduling: Schedule playbooks like cron jobs
• Centralized Logging: All job outputs in one place
• Credential Management: Securely store SSH keys and passwords
• API: REST API for integration with other tools
• Workflow Builder: Create complex multi-playbook workflows
• Inventory Management: Dynamic inventories from cloud providers

2. Automation Hub

Enterprise content repository for certified Ansible collections:

• Certified Content: Red Hat-tested and supported collections
• Partner Content: Certified collections from vendors (Cisco, VMware, AWS)
• Private Collections: Host your organization's custom collections
• Content Signing: Cryptographically signed content for security
• Version Control: Manage collection versions
• Access Control: Control who can access what content

Automation Hub vs Ansible Galaxy

3. Automation Mesh

Overlay network for scaling automation across distributed environments:

• Multi-Site Automation: Manage infrastructure across data centers
• Firewall Traversal: Automation through firewalls without VPN
• Hop Nodes: Relay automation to isolated networks
• Resilient: Automatic failover if nodes go down
• Scalable: Support thousands of nodes efficiently

4. Automation Services Catalog

Self-service portal for end users to run approved automation:

• User-Friendly: Non-technical users can run playbooks
• Pre-Approved Workflows: Curated automation tasks
• Request System: Submit requests, track progress
• Integration: Works with ServiceNow, Jira

5. Automation Analytics

Insights and reporting on automation usage:

• Metrics: Job success rates, execution times
• ROI Calculation: Time and cost savings
• Trending: Identify automation patterns
• Compliance Reports: Demonstrate audit compliance

Ansible Navigator

Ansible Navigator is a modern, text-based user interface for running and developing Ansible content using execution environments.

What is Ansible Navigator?

Navigator provides:

• Interactive Mode: Explore playbooks, collections, inventory interactively
• Execution Environments: Run Ansible in containers for consistency
• Mode Switching: Switch between interactive and standard modes
• Content Inspection: Browse available modules and plugins
• Playbook Visualization: See task execution flow

Using Ansible Navigator

# Install
pip install ansible-navigator

# Run playbook with navigator
ansible-navigator run playbook.yml

# Interactive mode
ansible-navigator

# Inside navigator:
:run playbook.yml          # Run playbook
:collections               # List collections
:doc ping                  # View module documentation
:inventory                 # Browse inventory
:config                    # View configuration

Key Features

1. Execution Environments

Run Ansible in consistent, containerized environments:

# Create execution environment image
ansible-builder create

# Run with specific execution environment
ansible-navigator run playbook.yml --execution-environment-image my-ee:latest

2. Interactive Exploration

# Navigate playbook structure interactively
:run playbook.yml
  → View tasks
  → Inspect variables
  → See task results in real-time

3. Artifact Replay

# Save execution for later review
ansible-navigator run playbook.yml --mode stdout --playbook-artifact-enable true

# Replay saved execution
ansible-navigator replay playbook-artifact-2024-01-15T10:30:00.json

Ansible Content Collections

Collections are the new standard for distributing Ansible content, replacing individual roles.

What are Collections?

A collection is a distribution format that can contain:

• Modules
• Plugins (filters, lookups, callbacks)
• Roles
• Playbooks
• Documentation

Using Collections

# Install from Ansible Galaxy
ansible-galaxy collection install community.general

# Install from Automation Hub (requires token)
ansible-galaxy collection install ansible.posix --server https://cloud.redhat.com/api/automation-hub/

# Install from requirements file
# requirements.yml
---
collections:
  - name: community.general
    version: ">=5.0.0"
  - name: ansible.posix

# Install
ansible-galaxy collection install -r requirements.yml

Popular Collections

• ansible.builtin: Core Ansible modules
• community.general: Most common community modules
• ansible.posix: POSIX system modules
• community.docker: Docker management
• kubernetes.core: Kubernetes automation
• amazon.aws: AWS cloud modules
• azure.azcollection: Azure cloud modules
• google.cloud: GCP cloud modules
• cisco.ios: Cisco network devices

Ansible Use Cases

1. Configuration Management

- name: Standardize server configuration
  hosts: all
  tasks:
    - name: Set timezone
      timezone:
        name: America/New_York

    - name: Configure NTP
      template:
        src: ntp.conf.j2
        dest: /etc/ntp.conf

2. Application Deployment

- name: Deploy web application
  hosts: webservers
  tasks:
    - name: Pull latest code from Git
      git:
        repo: https://github.com/company/app.git
        dest: /var/www/app

    - name: Install dependencies
      pip:
        requirements: /var/www/app/requirements.txt

    - name: Restart application
      systemd:
        name: webapp
        state: restarted

3. Cloud Provisioning

- name: Provision AWS infrastructure
  hosts: localhost
  tasks:
    - name: Create VPC
      ec2_vpc_net:
        name: prod-vpc
        cidr_block: 10.0.0.0/16

    - name: Launch EC2 instances
      ec2:
        instance_type: t3.medium
        image: ami-12345678
        count: 3

4. Security and Compliance

- name: Security hardening
  hosts: all
  tasks:
    - name: Ensure SSH root login disabled
      lineinfile:
        path: /etc/ssh/sshd_config
        regexp: '^PermitRootLogin'
        line: 'PermitRootLogin no'

    - name: Install security patches
      apt:
        upgrade: dist
        update_cache: yes

5. Network Automation

- name: Configure Cisco switches
  hosts: cisco_switches
  tasks:
    - name: Configure VLANs
      ios_vlan:
        vlan_id: 100
        name: production

    - name: Configure interface
      ios_interface:
        name: GigabitEthernet0/1
        description: Uplink to core

Getting Started with Ansible

Installation

# On control node (Ubuntu/Debian)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ansible

# Or via pip (recommended for latest version)
pip install ansible

# Verify installation
ansible --version

Basic Workflow

# 1. Create inventory file
cat > inventory << EOF
[webservers]
web1.example.com
web2.example.com

[databases]
db1.example.com
EOF

# 2. Test connectivity
ansible all -i inventory -m ping

# 3. Run ad-hoc command
ansible webservers -i inventory -m shell -a "uptime"

# 4. Create playbook
cat > site.yml << EOF
---
- name: Configure webservers
  hosts: webservers
  become: yes
  tasks:
    - name: Install Nginx
      apt:
        name: nginx
        state: present
EOF

# 5. Run playbook
ansible-playbook -i inventory site.yml

Summary

Ansible has become the automation tool of choice for several compelling reasons:

• Simplicity: YAML syntax, no programming required
• Agentless: No software to install on managed nodes
• Powerful: Manages infrastructure, applications, networks, cloud
• Idempotent: Safe to run repeatedly
• Versatile: Works across platforms, clouds, and devices
• Enterprise-Ready: Ansible Automation Platform adds enterprise features
• Modern Tooling: Navigator, Execution Environments, Collections
• Community-Driven: Extensive modules and support

Whether you're automating a few servers or managing global infrastructure, Ansible provides the tools and ecosystem to succeed. The open-source Ansible Engine gives you powerful automation capabilities, while the Ansible Automation Platform adds the governance, scalability, and support needed for enterprise deployments.

Start with simple playbooks, leverage the community through Galaxy and Hub, and grow your automation practice with confidence using Ansible's proven, production-ready platform.