Configuration Management Architecture Models

• We have two kinds of servers

  • CM Server (Configuration Managment): CM Software is installed
  • Nodes: These are the machines where we want to deploy applications

• We have two kinds of Architectural models for CM

  • PUSH:
    • CM Server communicates with nodes whenever there is work to be done
    • Internal Behavior:
      • Server needs to login into node
      • Execute the script
      • Push requires server a valid user credentials
    • Examples:
      • Ansible
      • Salt
  • PULL
    • Node communicates with CM Server asking about the work to be done periodically.
    • Internal Behavior:
      • Node will communicate with server, For this to happen on nodes agents are installed.
    • Examples:
      • Chef
      • Puppet

Ansible’s Top level View

• Ansible is a push based CM
• Ansible requires no agents to be installed on nodes
• Ansible requires a user credential to be connected to nodes
• Ansible requirements
  • Ansible can be installed on any machine (*nix) and this is not necessarily a Server with huge configuration.
  • Ansible nodes require python to be installed.
  • If Ansible node is
    • Linux or Mac: SSH Credentials are required
    • Windows: Win-rm Credentials are required.