Compare Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform and community Ansible projects

If automation initiatives are your priority, Ansible Automation Platform can help your team save time. With a DIY build, they will need to manage disparate community tools and navigate the complexities of open source development models. Your teams will also have to manage vulnerabilities without service-level agreement (SLA) support.

If you’re automating at the scale of hundreds of machines, Ansible Automation Platform is built for you. It’s an ideal option if you are focused on multi-datacenter automation infrastructure (servers, applications, and network and security infrastructure), managing a cloud platform (public, private, and hybrid clouds), or creating complex automation objectives (such as automating IT operations, tiered deployments, and edge environments).

If you’re concerned about continuity during patches and upgrades, Ansible Automation Platform allows for in-place upgrades and the ability to test releases without affecting functionality. It includes guaranteed SLA support for compatibility, upgrades, and security vulnerabilities. By contrast, with DIY you’re on your own for upgrades and maintenance.

Automation can play a critical role in managing risks to your IT systems, especially if your business operates in a regulated space and must follow strict compliance rules. Ansible Automation Platform offers certified content collections, including partner content, that provide automation building blocks. Relying on trusted content collections is one way to reduce security and compliance risks. A DIY build of Ansible does not come with these assurances.

A DIY build can rely on bespoke institutional knowledge, leaving your automation strategy in a bad place if one or two key experts leave your organization. With Ansible Automation Platform, you get a supported platform that  greatly reduces the risk that all of your automation knowledge will be tied to a small team or individual. You can also bring automation to everyone with a self-service interface, where users can launch pre-approved jobs without needing technical expertise.

Ansible Automation Platform includes training opportunities to help employees boost their skills and gain certifications, furthering their development and career potential. For managers, this incentive can help retain top talent. You also gain the possibility for career growth for your team.