Why it matters

Ansible is the widely-used config management tool. Understanding enables server automation.

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The architecture

Inventory: list of target hosts + groups.

Playbook: YAML declaring tasks (install package, copy file, restart service).

Modules: pre-built task implementations (apt, systemd, template).

Ansible componentsInventorytarget hostsPlaybookYAML tasksModulestask implementationsSSH-based push model; no agents to install and update on targets
Ansible structure.
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How it works end to end

Push model: control node SSHes to targets. Runs Python modules.

Roles: reusable playbook units.

Vault: encrypt secrets in Git-safe format.

Ansible Tower / AWX: web UI, RBAC, scheduling.