What is Ansible and how can it help with configuration management?

What is Ansible and how can it help with configuration management?

Ansible is an open-source automation tool that helps with configuration management, application deployment, and task automation. It uses a simple language called YAML to describe automation jobs.

Can you explain how Ansible works in a typical configuration management scenario?

Sure! In a typical scenario, you define your desired system state in Ansible playbooks. Ansible then connects to your servers via SSH, applies the configurations, and ensures that the systems are in the desired state.

What are some advantages of using Ansible over other configuration management tools?

Ansible is agentless, meaning it doesn't require any software to be installed on the target machines. It's also easy to learn, has a large community, and integrates well with cloud providers.

Are there any prerequisites for using Ansible?

Yes, you need to have Python installed on the target machines, and you should be familiar with basic command-line operations.