ArthTask — 11.2

Microsoft automates to achieve more with the Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform

Most of the time we see such an image when we start our laptop/desktop. Also, we do lots of stuff on it, but we don’t think about how it automates all the things together? how it provides continuous integrity to users? ?? We don’t think 😬😬.

So in this article, we will see how Microsoft provides continuous integrity. For providing such type of integrity, Microsoft used RedHat Ansible. Ansible is the Automation tool.

Now before going to the case study, let’s know more about Ansible.

What is Ansible?

Ansible is a software tool that provides simple but powerful automation for cross-platform computer support. It is primarily intended for IT professionals, who use it for application deployment, updates on workstations and servers, cloud provisioning, configuration management, intra-service orchestration, and nearly anything a systems administrator does on a weekly or daily basis. Ansible doesn’t depend on agent software and has no additional security infrastructure, so it’s easy to deploy.

How Ansible Works?

1.Efficient Architecture :

Ansible works by connecting to our nodes and pushing out small programs, called “Ansible Modules” to them. These programs are written to be resource models of the desired state of the system. Ansible then executes these modules (over SSH by default), and removes them when finished.

2.SSH Keys:

Passwords are supported, but SSH keys with ssh-agent are one of the best ways to use Ansible. Though if you want to use Kerberos, that’s good too. Lots of options! Root logins are not required, we can log in as any user, and then su or sudo to any user.

3.PLAYBOOKS :

Playbooks can finely orchestrate multiple slices of our infrastructure topology, with very detailed control over how many machines to tackle at a time. This is where Ansible starts to get most interesting.

Ansible’s approach to orchestration is one of finely-tuned simplicity, as we believe our automation code should make perfect sense to we years down the road and there should be very little to remember about special syntax or features.

Now proceed to the case study :

Overview :

To support its strategic mission, Microsoft has set a goal of end-to-end digitization. This effort simplifies processes and experiences for end users across all of its infrastructure teams managing services and applications. As part of this shift, the company is focused on building a culture of success, supported by automation technology.

Using Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform and working closely with Red Hat Consulting, Microsoft created a standardized, centralized network automation environment that reduces routine, repeatable tasks and complexity. DevOps teams across the company can now focus on sharing knowledge, building skills, and creating innovative technology solutions.

What Microsoft wants to give facilities to their clients?

Microsoft needed to address increasing complexity across their corporate network infrastructure — comprised of tens of thousands of endpoints — that connects Microsoft locations worldwide.

Their issues were compounded as code created by development and engineering teams was not version-controlled or peer-reviewed, leading to duplication and quality issues.

Solution :

Using Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform and working with Red Hat Consulting, Microsoft created a standardized, centralized network automation environment that reduces routine, repeatable tasks and complexity.

1.Standardized network automation at scale

Microsoft has used its staged Ansible environments to automate routine, time-consuming engineering tasks, such as the delivery of logic-based changes to ensure services are available to customers. Events in the network trigger other workflows, such as advanced telemetry, ticketing, logging, and analytics. Automating also helps the company follow a phased, iterative approach to code creation that protects code quality with scheduled releases of tested, verified network configurations.

Standardizing on a user-friendly automation solution has not only helped Microsoft solve complexity by creating a single source of truth for services, dependencies, and integrations, but also made it easier for non-engineers to focus on service creation with peer-reviewed code. DevOps teams can now work more efficiently to create new, valuable features and services for end-users while maintaining production performance

2.Saved thousands of hours of operational work

Implementing Ansible has helped Microsoft save thousands of work hours per year, including several weeks’ worth of work by reducing production downtime and network configuration defects. By completing code peer reviews and gated check-ins through preproduction environments, the company has reduced the number of defects and bugs introduced into its production environment.

This approach ultimately reduces major incidents and outages, improving network quality

Result :

Microsoft has evolved its automation journey from manual scripting and changes to a continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) approach supported by a centralized, service-based architecture. Their DevOps teams can now focus on sharing knowledge, building skills, and creating innovative technology solutions.

Thoughts of Microsoft’s Manager when they/team see the successful result of Ansible :

“Every single process, service, and application at Microsoft is going through digitization and optimization. We are investing in automating all of our critical business processes. So technology is important. It’s critical. But culture comes first.”

-LUDOVIC HAUDUC