Use vmWare Workstation to create 3 RHEL 9 servers:

• control.example.local (Server with GUI)

• ansible1.example.local (minimal install)

• ansible2.example.local (minimal install)

• The latest version of RHEL can be obtained for free from the Red Hat Developers web site 

• The machines require Internet access

Create an account for the ansible user and add it to sudoers. 

Setup your Ansible Control Node-Part 1

Setup your Ansible Control Node-Part 2

Utilities and Productivity Tools: GitHub, VIM for YAML, and TMUX.

Using YAML code to write an Asible playbook with multiple plays and then implementing the playbook using the ansible-navigator command (Ansible runnning withing a container image --AKA Execution Environment)

Managing Variables and Secrets: storing variables in lists; storing secrets in vaults; storing module results in registers; implementing variables, registers, and secrets in a playbook; troubleshooting playbook errors. 

Playbook files are downloadable from the GitHub Repository : https://github.com/professoryousif/ansible 

Files include: user.yml, dbservers.yml, and secret.yml (valut password for secret.yml is redhat)

Implementing Task Control using Loops: This is a lecture comparing simple loops using Python Lists with simple items Vs. Using lists with dictionaries and key-value pairs nested under each dictionary item in a list. 

Implementing Task Control Using Conditionals: Understanding the idempotent nature of Ansible tasks; Understanding the Notify-Handlers structure

Rules to remember: Handlers run in the order specified by the handlers section of the play and NOT in the order in which they are listed by notify statements | Handlers run after all the tasks under  the tasks section of a play  have been processed | If a task that includes notify doesn't report a change, the handler doesn't run. (hence conditional 🤓)

Handling Task Failure: (Lecture)

ignore_errors: yes | force_handlers: yes | changed_when: false | changed_when | 

block: rescue: always:

Modifying and Copying Files to Managed Hosts: The following modules form the builtin collection are used in this playbook: fetch, copy, lineinfile, blockinfile, debug, command, and pause modules. 

You can download the depl_files.yml from my GitHub Repository: https://github.com/professoryousif/ansible 

Deploying Custom Configuration Files with Jinja2 Templates-Example 1

Deploying Custom Configuration Files with Jinja2 Templates-Example 2

Including and Importing Files: Creating  sub-directories for tasks and plays :: Parameterize task files with variables :: Import task files when using loops.  Download the lab files from my GitHub Repository at : https://github.com/professoryousif/ansible 

Creating Roles

Deploying Roles from External Content Sources 

Getting Roles and Modules from Content Collections  :: Ansible Galaxy :: Community Content Collections 

Managing Software and Subscriptions

Managing Scheduled Jobs

Managing Boot Process and Default Boot Targets