Ansible Infrastructure as Code Optimization for Global Logistics

A global logistics company headquartered in the Pacific Northwest that satisfies the increasingly sophisticated needs of international trade through customized solutions and seamless, integrated information systems. The company provides consolidation and forwarding of air or ocean freight, customs brokerage, vendor consolidation, cargo insurance, time-definite transportation, order management, warehousing, distribution and customized logistics solutions.

The client had invested in Ansible automation to accelerate their infrastructure provisioning and configuration but faced challenges with their AWX deployment which lacked enterprise-grade features required for production use. Their Ansible automation environment was running an outdated version of AWX (v1.0.1) with significant limitations:

• No high availability for AWX infrastructure

• Inadequate backup and disaster recovery capabilities

• Poor security practices with no TLS encryption

• Fragmented organizational approach to Ansible automation

• Lack of monitoring of the AWX environment

• PostgreSQL database deficiencies including outdated software and

storage configuration

• Inconsistent inventory and credential management

• Limited knowledge transfer and expertise across teams

CONVX was engaged to perform a comprehensive \"health check\" of the existing Ansible automation infrastructure. Our Red Hat Certified Architects conducted a detailed assessment of the client\'s environment and developed actionable recommendations for transitioning to an enterprise-quality, scalable, and secure production environment.

The CONVX team delivered:

1. Thorough Infrastructure Assessment

• Evaluated the AWX deployment architecture, configuration, and

usage

• Analyzed the PostgreSQL database configuration and backup

methodology

• Assessed integration with critical systems (GitLab, CMDB, VMware,

Azure)

• Identified security vulnerabilities and operational risks

2. Strategic Migration Plan to Ansible Tower

• Designed a clear migration path from AWX to Red Hat Ansible Tower

• Created phased implementation approach to minimize disruption

• Integrated with existing Azure AD for authentication and

authorization

3. Enterprise Architecture Recommendations

• Designed clustered Ansible Tower architecture for high

availability

• Developed PostgreSQL clustering strategy and separation from

application tier

• Implemented proper security measures including SSL/TLS encryption

4. Operational Best Practices

• Defined monitoring strategy using existing BigBrother monitoring

infrastructure

• Established backup and disaster recovery procedures

• Created standardized naming conventions and access control models

• Implemented Ansible development lifecycle and CI/CD integration

Technical Environment

• Operating Systems: Oracle Linux 6.x, Oracle Solaris 10.x/11.x, Red

Hat Enterprise Linux 6.x/7.x

• Infrastructure: VMware vSphere 6.0, vRA 7.0.1, Microsoft Azure

• Source Control: GitLab

• CI/CD: Jenkins

• Monitoring: BigBrother

• Logging: LogRhythm

• CMDB: Xtraction Ivanti

• Identity Management: Azure Active Directory

• Storage: Hitachi SAN

By implementing CONVX\'s recommendations, the client transformed their Ansible automation infrastructure:

• Enhanced Reliability: Migration to Ansible Tower clustering

provided enterprise-grade high availability

• Improved Security: Implementation of SSL/TLS, secure

authentication, and proper access control model

• Streamlined Operations: Standardized approach to Ansible usage

across teams with proper version control

• Future-Proof Architecture: Clear upgrade path for ongoing

maintenance and feature enhancements

• Operational Maturity: Integration with monitoring, logging, and

backup systems for proper operational oversight

• Knowledge Transfer: Recommendations for Red Hat training courses

to expand automation expertise throughout the organization

The client has since expanded their usage of Ansible for automation across multiple environments, leveraging Infrastructure as Code principles to accelerate their digital transformation initiatives.