Chapter 1. Introduction to hardening Ansible Automation Platform

Use the following guidance to install, configure, and maintain Ansible Automation Platform 2.6 on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and to perform related security operations and compliance assessments.

Ansible is an open source, command-line IT automation software application written in Python. You can use Ansible to configure systems, deploy software, and orchestrate advanced workflows to support application deployment, system updates, and more.

Ansible’s main strengths are simplicity and ease of use. It also has a strong focus on security and reliability, featuring minimal moving parts. It uses secure, well-known communication protocols such SSH, HTTPS, and WinRM for transport and uses a human-readable language that is designed for getting started quickly without extensive training.

Ansible Automation Platform enhances the Ansible language with enterprise-class features, such as Role-Based Access Controls (RBAC), centralized logging and auditing, credential management, job scheduling, and complex automation workflows. With Ansible Automation Platform you get certified content from our robust partner ecosystem; added security; reporting, analytics, and life cycle technical support to scale automation across your organization. Ansible Automation Platform simplifies the development and operation of automation workloads for managing enterprise application infrastructure life cycles. It works across multiple IT domains including operations, networking, security, and development, across diverse hybrid environments.