Scripting and Automation Developer with Ansible Salary in 2024

Where is Ansible used?

DevOps Dance Off

• Managing a server farm like it's a ballet - Ansible choreographs installations, updates, and all that jazz without missing a beat.

Configuration Conundrums

• Like Mary Poppins for your configs - Ansible swoops into your systems, straightening out settings with a spoonful of YAML.

Continuous Deployment Disco

• Ansible's the DJ in the house, spinning up the latest app versions to keep the party live in production environments. Groovy!

Security Salsa

• Ansible shakes its hips to security rhythms, enforcing policies and patching holes faster than you can say 'Cha Cha Cha'!

Ansible Alternatives

Puppet

Configuration management tool used for deploying, configuring, and managing servers. It automates repetitive tasks and enables deployment at scale.

node 'example.com' {
  include apache
}

• Model-driven approach with dependency management.

• Comprehensive reporting and auditing features.

• High scalability due to compiled catalogs.

• Steep learning curve for new users.

• Slower than some competitors due to heavy design.

• Puppet code can become complex at scale.

Chef

It's a powerful automation platform that transforms infrastructure into code, allowing users to automate how they build, deploy, and manage their infrastructure.

package 'ntp' do
  action :install
end

• Flexible with a strong community and mature product.

• Integration with major cloud providers.

• Robust tooling and testing frameworks available.

• Requires Ruby knowledge for advanced use.

• Initial setup and configuration can be involved.

• Master-agent model may not fit all environments.

SaltStack

Designed for IT automation, config management, and remote task execution. It uses YAML for its configuration files and is known for its speed.

httpd:
  pkg.installed:
    - name: apache2

• Fast and scalable due to asynchronous execution.

• Flexible and easily extensible through custom modules.

• Good for both configuration management and remote execution.

• Can be less intuitive than other configuration languages.

• Less mature than Puppet or Chef with a smaller community.

• Documentation can be less comprehensive.

Quick Facts about Ansible

The Birth of Ansible: One Man's Distaste for Complexity

In a world crammed with convoluted automation tools, one software engineer named Michael DeHaan decided he'd had enough. In 2012, he put on his coding cape and concocted Ansible. His mission was simple: make software automation a walk in the park. Little did he know, his creation would soon become the go-to for sysadmins who preferred sipping coffee over scripting nightmares.

Radical Simplicity: The Human-Readable Playbook Revolution

When Ansible strutted onto the scene, it flipped the script on the status quo. Before Ansible, automation scripts were as cryptic as hieroglyphics to the untrained eye. But with Ansible's human-readable YAML playbooks, even mere mortals could command complex deployments with a few keystrokes. Behold the power of simplicity:

---
- hosts: all
  tasks:
  - name: Say hello
    ansible.builtin.debug:
      msg: "Hello, simplicity!"

Sprinting Through Versions: From Baby Steps to Giant Leaps

Ansible hit the ground running and hasn't slowed down since. From its initial release, it sprinted through versions faster than a developer chasing pizza on release night. Each iteration brought new features, reaching milestones like the Ansible Tower in 2014, and by the time 2020 rolled around, the tool was at version 2.10, flaunting its ever-expanding capabilities and plugins by the dozens. Now, if only version updates were as smooth as Ansible's learning curve!

What is the difference between Junior, Middle, Senior and Expert Ansible developer?

Top 10 Ansible Related Tech

1. 
   

   YAML Ain't Markup Language (YAML)

   
   

   
   So, you want to dabble in Ansible, huh? Well, saddle up partner, because YAML is the horse you're gonna ride! It's the backbone of Ansible Playbooks and pretty much looks like a grocery list that got a degree in computer science. You'll write tasks in YAML like you're dictating a letter to your computerized butler, telling it what you want done without the sass.

   
   ---
   - hosts: webservers
     tasks:
     - name: Ensure the cow says hello
       command: /usr/bin/cowsay 'Hello, World!'

1. 
   

   Python

   
   

   
   Let's be real, Python is the Swiss Army knife for, well, everything! For Ansible, it's like the wizard behind the curtain pulling all the levers. You'll need to brush up on your snake-charming skills if you want to contribute to Ansible's core code or write custom modules. It’s both beginner-friendly and as powerful as a love potion.

   
   # Custom Ansible module in Python example
   #!/usr/bin/python
   from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
   def run_module():
       module_args = dict(
           message=dict(type='str', required=True)
       )
       result = dict(
           changed=False,
           original_message='',
           message=''
       )
       module = AnsibleModule(
           argument_spec=module_args,
           supports_check_mode=True
       )
       result['original_message'] = module.params['message']
       result['message'] = module.params['message'][::-1]
       module.exit_json(**result)
   if __name__ == '__main__':
       run_module()

1. 
   

   Jinja2

   
   

   
   Think of Jinja2 as the magical hat that pulls rabbits out of YAML files. It's the templating language for Ansible playbooks that helps you create configurations as unique as a snowflake in a Florida summer. Basically, it's where you add a sprinkle of logic to your otherwise static files, turning them into dynamic masterpieces.

   
   # An example of a Jinja2 template
   server {
       listen 80;
       server_name {{ inventory_hostname }};
       root {{ nginx_root }};
   }

1. 
   

   Version Control Systems (Git)

   
   

   
   You surely wanna keep track of the rollercoaster ride of changes in your Ansible code, right? Git is like the time machine for your codebase, allowing you to travel back when your code was still beautiful and bug-free. It's essential for collaboration, just like coffees are for early morning meetings.

   
   # Clone an Ansible repository
   git clone git@github.com:yourusername/ansible-playbooks.git
   
   # Create a new branch for your changes
   git checkout -b my-amazing-feature

1. 
   

   Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)

   
   

   
   Imagine deploying your code with the confidence of a squirrel jumping across trees – that's what CI/CD gives you. Tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, and GitHub Actions let your code waltz gracefully into production after passing the test gauntlet. It’s the chess grandmaster in the realm of automation!

   
   # A simple GitHub Actions workflow example for Ansible testing
   name: CI
   on: [push]
   
   jobs:
     build:
       runs-on: ubuntu-latest
       steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
       - name: Run Ansible Lint
         run: ansible-lint . 

1. 
   

   Docker

   
   

   
   Ah, Docker - the container maestro, making sure your Ansible playbooks can run in the same cozy environment across different machines. Think of containers as virtual lunchboxes for your apps – they keep everything nice, tidy, and consistent. No more "But it works on my machine!" excuses, okay?

   
   # Run an Ansible playbook inside a Docker container
   docker run --rm -v $(pwd):/ansible/playbooks ansible/ansible-runner ansible-playbook your-playbook.yml

1. 
   

   Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

   
   

   
   Here's the thing: Ansible and RHEL go together like peanut butter and jelly. Red Hat's the parent of Ansible, so they've got some special bonding. If you're in a corporate setting, mastering RHEL will have people leaning on you like you're the last pillar in a crumbling temple.

1. 
   

   Cloud Services

   
   

   
   Cloud services like AWS, Azure, and GCP are like the golden buffets of the computing world. And Ansible? It's your VIP pass to automate deployments across these platforms. Conjure up servers in the cloud like a wizard casting spells, without even breaking a sweat. Abracadabra, instance provisioned!

1. 
   

   Virtualization Tools (Vagrant, VirtualBox)

   
   

   
   If you love fiddling with machines but hate the mess, virtualization tools like Vagrant and VirtualBox are your digital playgrounds. They're like playing the Sims but for servers - you can build, destroy, and rebuild virtual environments faster than you can say "Oops!" Perfect for testing out your Ansible escapades.

   
   # Spin up a Vagrant box to use with Ansible
   vagrant init ubuntu/bionic64
   vagrant up
   vagrant ssh

1. 
   

   Monitoring and Logging Tools (ELK, Grafana)

   
   

   
   Now you don't wanna just set up and forget your systems, do you? Monitoring and logging tools like ELK (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana) Stack and Grafana are like the neighborhood watch for your infrastructure. They'll keep an eye on your setups, and alert if anything funky happens. It's like having a guardian angel for your servers – but with more graphs.