EEdukron DevOps Library
Configuration ManagementIntermediate14 submodules

Ansible Configuration Automation

Use Ansible inventories, playbooks, modules, variables, facts, handlers, roles, templates, Vault, and dynamic inventory to configure systems consistently after infrastructure exists.

How this module works

From concept to production evidence

Describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Learning outcomes

  • Explain Ansible execution and inventory
  • Write idempotent plays and tasks
  • Use variables, facts, handlers, roles, and templates
  • Protect secrets with Vault
  • Integrate dynamic Azure inventory with Terraform outputs

Flow diagram

Ansible Configuration Automation end-to-end flow

Use this sequence as the operating backbone for every submodule note and hands-on exercise.

  1. 01
    Discover inventoryAnsible Configuration Automation stage 1: discover inventory with an auditable result before the next stage begins.
  2. 02
    Gather factsAnsible Configuration Automation stage 2: gather facts with an auditable result before the next stage begins.
  3. 03
    Resolve variablesAnsible Configuration Automation stage 3: resolve variables with an auditable result before the next stage begins.
  4. 04
    Run idempotent tasksAnsible Configuration Automation stage 4: run idempotent tasks with an auditable result before the next stage begins.
  5. 05
    Notify handlersAnsible Configuration Automation stage 5: notify handlers with an auditable result before the next stage begins.
  6. 06
    Verify convergenceAnsible Configuration Automation stage 6: verify convergence with an auditable result before the next stage begins.

Integrated hands-on lab

Configure Azure hosts with Ansible

  1. Create static and dynamic inventory
  2. Build a reusable role
  3. Template a service configuration
  4. Protect a secret with Vault
  5. Run twice and prove idempotency

Complete module contents

14 full submodule notes

Read in order
01

Ansible architecture

Ansible architecture defines the major responsibilities, boundaries, and control flow that engineers use before selecting an implementation detail within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes
02

Inventory

Inventory provides a concrete platform capability that must be configured, secured, validated, observed, and owned throughout its lifecycle within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes
03

Playbooks

Playbooks provides a concrete platform capability that must be configured, secured, validated, observed, and owned throughout its lifecycle within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes
04

Tasks

Tasks provides a concrete platform capability that must be configured, secured, validated, observed, and owned throughout its lifecycle within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes
05

Modules

Modules turns a manual or repeated decision into versioned, parameterized, testable, and observable execution within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes
06

Variables

Variables turns a manual or repeated decision into versioned, parameterized, testable, and observable execution within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes
07

Facts

Facts provides a concrete platform capability that must be configured, secured, validated, observed, and owned throughout its lifecycle within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes
08

Handlers

Handlers provides a concrete platform capability that must be configured, secured, validated, observed, and owned throughout its lifecycle within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes
09

Roles

Roles provides a concrete platform capability that must be configured, secured, validated, observed, and owned throughout its lifecycle within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes
10

Templates

Templates turns a manual or repeated decision into versioned, parameterized, testable, and observable execution within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes
11

Vault

Vault provides a concrete platform capability that must be configured, secured, validated, observed, and owned throughout its lifecycle within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes
12

Dynamic inventory

Dynamic inventory provides a concrete platform capability that must be configured, secured, validated, observed, and owned throughout its lifecycle within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes
13

Ansible with Azure

Ansible with Azure provides a concrete platform capability that must be configured, secured, validated, observed, and owned throughout its lifecycle within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes
14

Terraform + Ansible

Terraform + Ansible provides a concrete platform capability that must be configured, secured, validated, observed, and owned throughout its lifecycle within Ansible Configuration Automation. It is not an isolated definition: its value appears when it supports describe desired configuration through idempotent modules, select hosts from trustworthy inventory, separate data from tasks, notify handlers only on change, protect secrets, and test repeat execution.

Open full notes