Difference Between Ansible & Ansible Automation Platform

Ansible is a free and user-friendly option for system admins with small or medium-sized server groups. It lets them automate chores and ensure all their servers are configured the same way.

Ansible Automation Platform goes beyond the basics. It’s a full-featured solution built for big companies and complex environments. It offers features like central control, strong access management, and performance tracking, and works seamlessly with other tools. With professional support available, it’s ideal for organizations that need powerful automation that can grow with them.

Below are key highlights from system admin perspective

Feature	Ansible	Ansible Automation Platform
Purpose	Configuration management and automation	Comprehensive automation solution
Core Components	Ansible Engine	Ansible Engine, Automation Controller, Automation Hub, Automation Services Catalog, Automation Analytics
Installation	Simple installation on a control node	Enterprise-grade installation and deployment
Scalability	Suitable for small to medium environments	Designed for enterprise-level scalability
User Interface	Command-line interface (CLI)	Web-based user interface and dashboards
Content Management	Manual management of playbooks and roles	Centralized repository for certified and custom content (Automation Hub)
Execution	Executes playbooks on demand	Centralized execution with job templates, schedules, and workflows (Automation Controller)
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)	Limited to inventory and playbook permissions	Advanced RBAC with detailed access controls and approvals
Analytics and Reporting	Basic logging	In-depth analytics, reporting, and insights (Automation Analytics)
Integrations	Limited native integrations	Extensive integrations with other enterprise tools and platforms
Support	Community support	Enterprise support with SLAs from Red Hat
Customization	Custom playbooks and modules	Customizable automation workflows and catalogs
Cost	Free and open-source	Subscription-based enterprise offering

Components difference between ansible and AAP:

Feature/Component	Ansible	Ansible Automation Platform (AAP)
Core Automation Engine	Ansible Engine	Ansible Engine
Playbooks	YAML files defining automation tasks	YAML files defining automation tasks
Roles	Reusable, organized sets of tasks	Reusable, organized sets of tasks
Modules	Individual units of work executed by Ansible	Individual units of work executed by Ansible
Inventories	Static and dynamic inventory files	Static and dynamic inventory files
Variables	Parameters to customize playbooks and roles	Parameters to customize playbooks and roles
Templates	Jinja2 templates for generating configuration files	Jinja2 templates for generating configuration files
Handlers	Tasks triggered by other tasks	Tasks triggered by other tasks
Facts	System information gathered automatically	System information gathered automatically
Command-Line Tools	Tools like ansible, ansible-playbook, ansible-vault	Tools like ansible, ansible-playbook, ansible-vault
Ad-Hoc Commands	Execute single tasks without writing playbooks	Execute single tasks without writing playbooks
Vault	Encrypt sensitive data	Encrypt sensitive data
Ansible Galaxy	Community repository for roles and collections	Community repository for roles and collections
Documentation	Extensive documentation and community resources	Extensive documentation and community resources
Version Control	Integration with Git	Integration with Git
Testing Framework	Ansible Molecule	Ansible Molecule
Execution Environments	N/A	Containerized Ansible runtimes ensuring consistency
Web-Based User Interface	N/A	Automation Controller (formerly Ansible Tower)
Job Scheduling	N/A	Automation Controller provides scheduling of jobs
Monitoring and Logging	Basic logging	Detailed logging, monitoring, and notifications via Automation Controller
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)	Basic permissions via inventory and playbooks	Advanced RBAC with detailed access controls
Automation Analytics	N/A	In-depth analytics and reporting on automation activities
Content Collections	Pre-packaged collections from Ansible Galaxy	Pre-packaged collections with certified content from Automation Hub
Automation Hub	Community-driven role and collection repository	Centralized repository for certified and custom content
Automation Services Catalog	N/A	Self-service catalog for end-users to initiate automation tasks
Compliance and Security	Ansible Vault for encrypting sensitive data	Enhanced security features and compliance reports
Support	Community support	Enterprise support with SLAs from Red Hat
Scalability	Suitable for small to medium environments	Designed for large-scale, enterprise-level environments
Integrations	Limited native integrations	Extensive integrations with enterprise tools and platforms
Custom Workflows	N/A	Customizable workflows and job templates via Automation Controller
Lifecycle Management	Basic automation lifecycle capabilities	Comprehensive lifecycle management with tools for planning, deployment, and maintenance

meenakande

Hey there! I’m a proud mom to a wonderful son, a coffee enthusiast ☕, and a cheerful techie who loves turning complex ideas into practical solutions. With 14 years in IT infrastructure, I specialize in VMware, Veeam, Cohesity, NetApp, VAST Data, Dell EMC, Linux, and Windows. I’m also passionate about automation using Ansible, Bash, and PowerShell. At Trendinfra, I write about the infrastructure behind AI — exploring what it really takes to support modern AI use cases. I believe in keeping things simple, useful, and just a little fun along the way

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