Introduction

Learn how to set up the Ansible Automation Platform (AAP) on IBM Z and LinuxONE with Red Hat Linux Enterprise.

In this introduction, find out more about:

  • AAP platform components

  • Installing AAP on a single LPAR and on multiple LPAR

  • The use case described in this paper.

If you already have the AAP platform installed, you can go directly to the use case, which starts at Developing your own private collection.

AAP platform components

The AAP platform has the following components:

  • Ansible Automation Controller (AAC)

  • Private Automation Hub (PAH)

  • Event Driven Ansible Controller (EDA)

  • PostgreSQL (DATA)


Introduction Scenario

The AAC is a platform with a web front-end where you can manage your Ansible playbook automations.

The AAC can be connected to the PAH to curate and use Ansible collections for your automations from the Community (Ansible Galaxy) and from the Red Hat certified and private collections.

The Event Driven Controller (EDA) allows you to trigger automations in the AAC by reacting to user-defined events, such as Webhooks, file changes and so on.

In the graphic Introduction scenario above, the AAC is responsible for executing the automations. The execution can be delegated to a separate node, called the Execution Node. An Execution Node can run in a different network behind gateways. To reach the Execution Node you can deploy Hop Nodes to help out. Hop Nodes are part of the Ansible Automation Mesh.

Scope

This use case describes two installation paths:

  • Single LPAR: All AAP components are installed on a single LPAR with no virtualization. The database is also installed on the same LPAR and is shared between the components. This installation is for proof of concept purposes and quick installations.

  • Multiple LPARs: All AAP components are installed on separate LPARs with no virtualization. The database is also installed on the separate LPAR and is shared between the components. This installation is for production environments.

For both installation paths:

  • Each component is only installed once. For information about high availability refer to the official documentation.

  • The AAC executes the Ansible playbooks automations itself and does not delegate them to the Ansible Automation Mesh.

Use-case

The use-case applies to both installation paths and covers parts of:

  • Creating an automation on the AAC and executing it.

  • Creating a basic private/custom Ansible collection, pushing it to the PAH and using it on the AAC.

  • Creating a rulebook on the EDA to react to webhooks triggering automations in AAC.