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Terminology

  • Control Node: Any machine with Ansible installed, can run commands and playbooks (can't be a Windows computer)
  • Managed Nodes: The network devices you manage trough Ansible. Sometimes called hosts. Ansible is not installed on managed nodes
  • Inventory: A list of managed nodes. Can specify information like IP address for each managed node and can organize them by creating and nesting groups
  • Modules: The units of code Ansible executes. Each module has a particular use (e.g. administering users, managing VLAN interfaces, etc.). A single module can be invoked by a task, or several can be invoked by a playbook
  • Tasks: The units of action in Ansible. You can execute a single task once with an ad-hoc command.
  • Playbooks: Ordered lists of tasks, saved so they can run those tasks repeatedly. Can include variables as well as tasks. Written in YAML.