RHCE Part 1: Linux Automation with Ansible (RH294, RHEL 10)

RHCE Part 1: Linux Automation with Ansible (RH294, RHEL 10): a intermediate Rhce course preparing for RHCE with 36 hours of lessons and hands-on labs. Modules: Introduce Ansible and the development tools, Configure managed nodes and inventories, Implement playbooks, Manage variables and facts, Protect secrets with Ansible Vault, Implement task control, Deploy files to managed nodes, Manage large playbooks, Roles and Content Collections, Git and VS Code workflow, Troubleshoot Ansible.

Modules

1. Introduce Ansible and the development tools
2. Configure managed nodes and inventories
3. Implement playbooks
4. Manage variables and facts
5. Protect secrets with Ansible Vault
6. Implement task control
7. Deploy files to managed nodes
8. Manage large playbooks
9. Roles and Content Collections
10. Git and VS Code workflow
11. Troubleshoot Ansible

Labs

• RH294 Ch 2: Managed Nodes and Inventories — WebAsha is moving its servers to Ansible. Set up the project on control so the `devops` automation account can reach all four nodes with SSH keys and become root without a password.
• RH294 Ch 1: Ansible Configuration and ansible-navigator — The nodes are already reachable as `devops` with SSH keys and `~/ansible/inventory` exists (node1 in `dev`, node2 in `test`). Configure Ansible and ansible-navigator for the project, run your first ad-hoc commands and learn to look things up in the execution environment.
• RH294 Ch 3: Write and Run Playbooks — The project in `~/ansible` is ready (inventory groups `dev`=node1, `test`=node2, `prod`=node3+node4, `webservers` contains `prod`; ansible.cfg and ansible-navigator.yml exist). Write playbooks that build the web servers and an admin account, and run them with ansible-navigator and ansible-playbook.
• RH294 Ch 4: Variables, Facts and Magic Variables — The project in `~/ansible` is ready (groups `dev`=node1, `test`=node2, `prod`=node3). Describe the environment with group and host variables, then use registered results, facts, custom facts and magic variables in playbooks.
• RH294 Ch 5: Ansible Vault — The project in `~/ansible` is ready (groups `dev`=node1, `test`=node2). Keep passwords out of plain text: create and change vaulted files, and use them in a playbook that creates accounts with hashed passwords. Two files are waiting in the project: `api.yml` (plain text) and `old-secrets.yml` (vaulted, password `oldpass`).
• RH294 Ch 6: Loops, Conditions, Handlers and Errors — The project in `~/ansible` is ready (groups `dev`=node1, `test`=node2, `prod`=node3). Control which tasks run, when services restart, and how failures are handled.
• RH294 Ch 7: Deploy Files with Templates and File Modules — The project in `~/ansible` already reaches node1 (group `dev`) and node2 (group `prod`). Write one or more playbooks that push WebAsha's standard files to the nodes using Jinja2 templates and the file modules. Each node also has `/etc/webasha/app.conf` that needs editing in place.
• RH294 Ch 8: Host Patterns, Imports and Tags — The inventory in `~/ansible` has node1 in `dev` and node2, node3 in `prod`. Split the work into small playbooks and task files, then tie them together with a master `site.yml`.
• RH294 Ch 9: Create and Install Roles — WebAsha wants its message-of-the-day logic in a reusable role, and its security team publishes a `baseline` role as a tarball at `http://utility/roles/baseline.tar.gz`. node1 is in `dev`, node2 in `prod`.
• RH294 Ch 9: Content Collections and RHEL System Roles — Modules outside ansible-core come from collections. utility serves collection tarballs at `http://utility/collections/` (no internet needed). Install the ones you need into the project, then use them — and a RHEL system role — on node1 (`dev`) and node2 (`prod`).
• RH294 Ch 10: Git, VS Code and ansible-navigator — The team keeps its Ansible code in Git at `http://utility/git/webasha-infra.git` (it already has `ansible.cfg` and an inventory with node1 and node2). Work the way the team does: clone, edit in VS Code, run in the execution environment, commit and push.
• RH294 Ch 11: Troubleshoot Playbooks — A colleague left five playbooks in `~/ansible` that do not work. Find and fix the problems with `--syntax-check`, the error messages, check mode and ansible-lint. node1 is in `dev`, node2 in `prod`.
• RH294 Part 1 Review: Timed Practice Exam — Timed review of the whole RH294 track — give yourself 60 minutes. `~/ansible` already has ansible.cfg and the inventory (`dev`: node1, `test`: node2, `prod`: node3 node4, `webservers` = prod). Content lives on utility: collections at `http://utility/collections/`, a role at `http://utility/roles/sysbanner.tar.gz` and an empty Git repository `http://utility/git/review.git`. Write every playbook in `~/ansible`.

FAQ

How long is RHCE Part 1: Linux Automation with Ansible (RH294, RHEL 10)?

About 36 hours of guided lessons plus hands-on labs, at your own pace.

Do I need my own lab setup?

No. Every lab runs in your browser on a real machine provided by AI WebAsha.

Does it prepare for RHCE?

Yes. The modules and labs follow the RHCE objectives and include mock exam practice.