Ansible WorkshopCape Town DevOps 2015-07-04

Manual Server setup

1. Install Apache on Webserver01.2. Add virtualhost for demo.shoppingsite.com.3. Configure the SSL cert.4. Make sure it is the wildcard cert.5. Deploy the latest version of the site.6. Update the config file to point to demo DB.

Manual Server setup

1. Erm… Which one is Webserver01?2. What user should I run this as?3. Does someone have Dave’s number, he’s on

leave and has the sudo password.4. WHY IS THE DEMO SITE DOWN, I’M

SHOWING IT TO A VERY IMPORT PROSPECTIVE CLIENT!!!!!

Manual Server setup

1. Manually configuring == error prone + slow.2. Snowflake servers: unique and special in

their own way.3. *someone* always did something without

documenting it.

Devs vs Operations

1. Devs don’t understand what they are building for.

2. Operations have to deploy and run this mess.

Leads to conflict and blame games.

Automatic Server setup

1. Repeatable.2. No meatsack human errors.3. History saved in version control.4. Quick to spin up new servers.5. Automatically documented.6. Organizational memory.

Which one to use?

Q: Should I use Chef, Puppet, Ansible or Salt?

A: “Yes!” ~ @mattstratton

Ansible vs Puppet / Chef

● Easy to start, low learning curve.● No extra installs on nodes, just need ssh.● Simple control machine setup.● Don’t need to learn Ruby.

● Perception that Docker users prefer it.

Vagrant + Virtualbox

● Spin up VMs easily.● Handover to automation tools.● Make environment part of project source.● Quick onboarding of new developers.