Setup Remote Hosts in Ansible
Learn how to set up remote hosts in Ansible, configure them for efficient communication with a control node, and execute playbooks seamlessly across these remote hosts
In this lab, you will learn how to configure and manage remote hosts in Ansible on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). You’ll be adding a remote host to Ansible, configuring SSH key-based authentication for password-less login, and running Ansible playbooks to automate tasks across remote hosts. By the end of this lab, you will have a better understanding of how Ansible works and how it is helpful for the automation of tasks.
Learning Outcomes:
Learn to add and configure remote hosts on an ansible server or control node.
Configure SSH key-based authentication for password less login
Execute ad-hoc Ansible commands to check connectivity and perform tasks on remote systems.
Write and run basic Ansible playbooks to automate tasks on remote systems.
Verify remote system status, including uptime and reachability using Ansible modules.
Key Concepts:
SSH Key Authentication: Setting up SSH key pairs for secure, password-less authentication between the control node and remote hosts.
Ad-Hoc Commands: Using simple Ansible commands to check the status of systems, such as pinging or checking uptime.
Playbooks: Writing YAML files that contain a sequence of tasks to be executed across multiple systems.
Modules: Understanding Ansible modules that allow the execution of various tasks on remote hosts, such as ping and uptime.
Control Node and Managed Nodes: Differentiating between the node running Ansible (control node) and the remote systems being managed (managed nodes).
Why This Lab is Important:
Ansible simplifies managing multiple remote hosts, making it easier to maintain and automate tasks across large infrastructures.
Using SSH key-based authentication ensures secure, password-less access to remote systems, enhancing security and streamlining automation.
Automating repetitive tasks like checking system uptime or running playbooks significantly reduces manual effort and minimises human error.
Once configured, Ansible can manage hundreds or thousands of hosts without additional complexity, making it ideal for large-scale infrastructure management.
Mastering basic tasks like remote host setup and playbook execution lays the groundwork for more advanced automation and orchestration scenarios in Ansible.