How to use Ansible Tower?

Here is an overview of how to use Ansible Tower:

1. Installation: Install and configure the Ansible Tower server software either on-premises or using Ansible Tower cloud. Ensure prerequisites like Ansible is installed.
2. Inventory: Create an inventory of your managed hosts and group them logically for organization. Inventory can be manually added or synced from a CMDB.
3. Credentials: Add and store credentials like SSH keys, passwords, certificates needed for Ansible to access your hosts. Credential permissions can be set.
4. Projects: Set up source code projects in Tower by pointing to local Git/SVN repositories containing your Ansible playbooks.
5. Templates: Create job templates that map Ansible playbook code to an inventory to be executed. Set needed privilege escalation, variables etc.
6. Workflows: Design workflows to link playbooks and templates together for complex deployments. Set conditions, notifications etc.
7. Schedule jobs: Schedule template runs at later times or set recurring schedules. Useful for automated patchings, backups etc.
8. Launch jobs: Launch templates manually to instantly run Ansible jobs when needed. The web GUI shows real-time output and status.
9. Users and teams: Create users and teams, set permissions on who can access and manage which environments and credentials.
10. Monitor activity: View dashboard, activity stream and logs to monitor job runs, troubleshoot failures and track Ansible activity.
11. Integrations: Use Tower REST API and webhooks to integrate with other tools like Jenkins, ServiceNow etc.

Overall, Ansible Tower allows you to centralize and control your entire Ansible infrastructure and operations from a single, secured and scalable platform.

In this article, we will delve into the key features and benefits of Ansible Tower, exploring how it addresses the challenges of modern IT operations. From configuration management and application deployment to dynamic inventory management and compliance auditing, Ansible Tower offers a comprehensive solution for organizations seeking to enhance efficiency, consistency, and scalability in their automation initiatives.

Join us on a journey through the capabilities of Ansible Tower, as we uncover real-world use cases, examine its role in prominent organizations, and showcase the transformative power it brings to IT automation. Whether you are an IT professional looking to optimize workflows or a decision-maker evaluating automation solutions, Ansible Tower promises to be a compelling force in reshaping the future of IT operations.