Network Automation with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform and Exam

This course is designed for network administrators, network automation engineers, and infrastructure automation engineers who are responsible for deploying, managing, and automating the network infrastructure of their organization or enterprise.

• Prepare a development environment for Ansible network automation
• Write and troubleshoot effective Ansible Playbooks for network automation
• Gather information about network infrastructure configuration for infrastructure awareness and configuration backup
• Automate specific network administration use cases, including configuration of routers and switches, ports, VLANs, SNMP monitoring, and routing protocols
• Use Ansible Playbooks to manage devices from various hardware vendors, including Cisco, Juniper, and Arista
• Centrally manage Ansible content in Git and run it centrally with automation controller
• Reuse existing, tested network automation code with Ansible Roles, Ansible Content Collections, and Ansible validated content

Introducing Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform

Describe the fundamental concepts of Ansible and how it is used, and install development tools from Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform

Implementing an Ansible Playbook

Create an inventory of managed nodes, write a simple Ansible Playbook, and run the playbook to automate tasks on those nodes

Managing and Running Playbooks

Manage automation code in version control and run Ansible Playbooks from a centrally managed automation controller

Managing Variables and Facts

Write playbooks that use variables to simplify management of the playbook and facts to reference information about managed nodes

Implementing Task Control

Manage task control and task errors in Ansible Playbooks

Simplifying Playbooks with Roles and Ansible Content Collections

Use Ansible Roles and Ansible Content Collections to develop playbooks more quickly and to reuse Ansible code

Automating Network Automation Tasks

Automate common network administration tasks, discussing recommended practices and approaches to cross-vendor automation

Comprehensive Review

Demonstrate skills learned in this course by installing, optimizing, and configuring Ansible for the management of network devices and infrastructure

• Experience with network administration, including a solid understanding of TCP/IP, routers, and managed switches
• Familiarity with managing network devices from the command line, preferably with one or more of Cisco IOS, IOS XR, or NX-OS; Juniper Junos; or Arista EOS
• Knowledge equivalent to Red Hat System Administration I (RH124) or better is recommended
• Prior Ansible knowledge is not required

Technology Considerations

• For virtual or self-paced learners:
  • Internet access is required to run the exercises and labs
  • BYOD/BYDW is not supported

• For classroom learners:

• Internet access is not required
• BYOD/BYDW is not supported

EX457 Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ansible Network Automation exam

Recommended next Course or Exam

• Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ansible Network Automation exam (EX457)
• Developing Advanced Automation with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform (DO374)

Impact on the Organization

Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform has as much potential to improve operational efficiency for network automation and administration as it does for traditional system administration automation. By effectively using the Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, the network administration team can improve the efficiency, repeatability, quality, and consistency of its work and the organization's network infrastructure. In addition, by using Ansible, the same tools used to manage Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Microsoft Windows systems can be used to manage network infrastructure, enabling cross-platform commonality of tools and easier auditing of automation. This course is optimized for learners who are already experienced network administrators, but who do not have much experience with Ansible.

Impact on the Individual

As a result of attending this course, you will be able to use Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform to write Ansible Playbooks and launch them to manage the routers, switches, and other devices in your network infrastructure. You will have experience with using Ansible to automate several common use cases and have a basic understanding of how to write playbooks that can target devices made by different network hardware vendors supported by Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform.