Set Up and Manage a Multi-Node Environment with Ansible

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Set Up and Manage a Multi-Node Environment with Ansible

In this lab, you’ll practice setting up Ansible for automation, managing system configurations, and deploying a web server cluster. You’ll begin by configuring the Ansible server and managed nodes, establishing secure, passwordless communication between them. Then, you’ll automate user and firewall settings and deploy Apache/Nginx with virtual hosts to serve static content. By the end, you’ll have a fully automated infrastructure with web servers installed, configured, and accessible via a browser.

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Lab Info

Level

Beginner

Last updated

Oct 16, 2025

Duration

1h 15m

Challenge

Configure Ansible Control and Managed Nodes

You will first learn how to manage an Ansible control node and a managed node by establishing secure communication between them. You will enable password authentication on the managed hosts by modifying the SSH daemon configuration file. Then, you will configure "passwordless" authentication by generating an SSH key and setting up SSH key-based authentication. Finally, you will then verify the connection between the host and the node.
Challenge

Automate Basic System Configuration with Ansible Playbook

Learn how to automate key system administration tasks on managed hosts using Ansible. You will create and execute Ansible playbooks to check system updates, configure users and groups, manage firewall settings, and control system services. Additionally, you will verify configurations using ad-hoc commands.
Challenge

Automate Apache Deployment with Ansible: Virtual Hosts & Static Content

In this challenge, you will create an Ansible playbook to automate the deployment of the Apache web server across managed nodes. You will configure virtual hosts using Jinja2 templates, ensuring that each host serves static content from a specified document root. Additionally, you will implement service management to ensure that Apache starts automatically after a reboot. Finally, you will verify the deployment by accessing the configured web servers through a browser, confirming that the virtual hosts are correctly set up and serving content.
Challenge

The Last Challenge

Welcome to the final challenge! This is your last chance to experiment in the environment. Clicking Finish Lab will end this little world that flittered into existence just for you.

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