Introduction
In the ever-evolving landscape of IT automation, staying ahead of the curve is essential for businesses of all sizes. Ansible, a leading automation platform, has taken a significant step forward in simplifying and streamlining automation with the introduction of Ansible validated content. This new initiative is designed to provide a trusted and expert-driven approach to automation across a wide array of use cases, spanning infrastructure, networking, cloud, security, and edge computing.
Announced during AnsibleFest 2022, Ansible validated content is a game-changer for automation enthusiasts. It offers a comprehensive set of pre-built YAML content, such as playbooks and roles, that are specifically crafted to address the most common automation challenges. Whether you are an experienced automation architect or just embarking on your automation journey, Ansible validated content provides you with the tools and knowledge needed to succeed.
The Two Pillars of Automation Success
To excel in automation, two critical components are necessary:
1. A Rich Ecosystem of Integrations: Your IT portfolio comprises a diverse range of platforms, and your automation tools need to seamlessly integrate with them. This integration ensures that you can automate a wide variety of tasks across your IT environment.
2. Subject Matter Expertise: Building effective automation requires a deep understanding of how to interact with your platforms and systems. This expertise comes from hands-on experience and best practices.
For several years, Red Hat’s Ansible Certified Content has been instrumental in fulfilling the first need. It has grown exponentially, with numerous partners contributing to an expanding collection of Ansible modules that support a wide range of platforms.
However, having access to integrations is only part of the equation. Since the release of Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.3 brings Ansible validated content to the forefront, translating subject matter expertise into actionable automation. It answers the question of how to automate tasks effectively, drawing from the insights and guidance of experts with real-world experience.
The Significance of Ansible Validated Content
Regardless of where you stand in your automation journey, Ansible validated content offers a range of benefits:
1. Opinionated Approach: It provides expert guidance on foundational use cases to focus on initially, making it easier for you to get started with automation.
2. Platform Expertise: Ansible validated content offers expert guidance on how to approach specific platforms, ensuring that you’re following best practices.
3. Interoperability: These validated contents can be used as building blocks to consistently automate across different parts of your IT infrastructure.
4. Learning Opportunity: Ansible validated content uses the Ansible language, which is known for its readability and transparency, making it a fantastic learning resource.