Introduction
In the vibrant Ansible Community Day Berlin 2023 setting, I had the pleasure of conversing with Daniel Schier, a seasoned IT craftsman and dedicated Ansible enthusiast. As an early adopter of Ansible, Daniel’s journey through the Ansible ecosystem provides valuable insights into the growth and evolution of this powerful automation tool.
Daniel Schier
Daniel Schier, also known as an IT craftsman and DevOps Engineer, is a multifaceted professional with a deep passion for open-source technologies. His involvement with Ansible spans over a decade, making him a valuable contributor to the Ansible community. Beyond his contributions, Daniel is a content creator, sharing his knowledge and experiences through his blog, which covers a wide spectrum of topics, including Ansible, Podman, Kubernetes, and more.
The Beginnings of an Ansible Journey
Daniel’s journey with Ansible began when he found himself thrust into the role of sole administrator for a substantial e-commerce platform worth hundreds of millions of euros. In the face of this immense challenge, he needed a reliable automation tool to maintain the [00:01:00] service effectively. While considering options like Puppet, Chef, and Salt, Ansible emerged as the most convenient and user-friendly choice.
His Ansible journey started approximately 11 to 12 years ago with Ansible version 1.3, and his initial foray involved automating web servers, a challenging but rewarding task. This pivotal moment marked the beginning of Daniel’s deep dive into the world of Ansible automation.
Ansible Community Day: A Gathering of Minds
At Ansible Community Day Berlin 2023, Daniel expressed his enthusiasm for the event, praising the exceptional talks and the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals. The vibrant atmosphere and the chance to meet fellow Ansible enthusiasts left a lasting impression, and it’s evident that events like these play a crucial role in fostering the Ansible community’s growth.
The Future of Ansible: Declarative and Beyond
When discussing the future of Ansible, Daniel emphasized the importance of a more declarative approach. He envisions Ansible becoming even more focused on declarative automation, streamlining the process for users. Additionally, he hopes for advancements in testing capabilities, particularly in areas like kernel parameter testing and cloud environments.
One of Daniel’s intriguing ideas for the future of Ansible is the development of a pull agent, especially relevant in the context of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and cloud environments. While ansible-pull exists, Daniel envisions an enhanced, more versatile solution that can cater to evolving needs.
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
As our conversation concluded, Daniel shared exciting events on the horizon for Ansible enthusiasts. In October and November, there are several noteworthy events, including the TUX Tage in Germany, where Daniel will be a featured partici