Linux Fundamentals for IT Professionals using Ubuntu 20x

Your outline for the advanced course on server automation using Ansible and Python on Linux provides a comprehensive roadmap that covers both theoretical and practical aspects of these technologies. The course seems to be designed for experienced application developers, data engineers, and testers who have some familiarity with Linux commands but want to deepen their knowledge in automation. Here's a refined version of your outline with some additional suggestions:

Overview of Ansible for Server Automation

1. Introduction to Overview of Ansible for Server Automation

   • Explanation of what Ansible is and its role in server automation.
   • Brief discussion on the benefits of using Ansible for configuration management.

2. Setup Ansible on Ubuntu 20

   • Installing Ansible on a local machine.
   • Verifying Ansible installation with the ansible --version command.

3. Provision EC2 Instances to learn Ansible

   • Setting up AWS EC2 instances for the purpose of this course.
   • Using Ansible to manage these instances.

4. Run first command using Ansible on Multiple Instances using inline inventory

   • Basic operations with inline inventory for simple setup.

5. Run first command using Ansible on Multiple Instances using inventory file

   • Using an explicit inventory file to manage a larger number of instances.

6. Update Ansible Hosts Files on AWS EC2 Reboots

   • Strategies to handle reboots and changes in EC2 instances.

7. Overview of Ansible help, man page, and official documentation

   • How to use Ansible's built-in help system for troubleshooting and reference.

8. Add User and Group Manually in Linux

   • Command line steps to add users and groups on a local machine.

9. Add Group on remote instances using ansible

   • Using Ansible to manage group membership remotely.

10. Adding User using Ansible user module on remote servers

    • Creating new users on remote systems with the user module.

11. Add Folder on remote systems using Ansible file module

    • Using the file module to create directories on remote machines.

12. Copy authorized keys using Ansible copy module

    • Securely managing SSH keys with Ansible's copy module.

13. Setup Project Structure for Ansible Playbooks using Visual Studio Code

    • Organizing your playbooks and inventory files effectively.

14. Create and Run first ansible playbook

    • Writing a basic Ansible playbook and executing it against the inventory.

15. Define Variables for Credentials to run Ansible Playbooks

    • Securing sensitive data using variables and best practices for credential management.

16. Develop Ansible Playbook to Mange Users

    • Advanced user management with Ansible playbooks.

17. Getting Started with Developing Ansible Roles

    • Introduction to roles and how they can be used for more modular playbooks.

18. Develop and Validate Ansible Playbook with Role

    • Creating a role-based playbook and validating its functionality.

19. Adding more tasks to the Ansible Role and Troubleshooting the issues

    • Enhancing roles with additional tasks and debugging techniques.

20. Create Ansible Playbook with Variables

    • Using variables in playbooks for dynamic configuration.

21. Using Lists and Loops in Ansible Playbooks

    • Writing more dynamic playbooks using lists and loops.

22. Taking the Course to Completion

    • Encourage students to complete all the labs, exercises, and study materials provided in the course.

23. Overview of Ansible Best Practices

    • Discuss Ansible best practices for production environments. Ansible Python (Python) on Linux

24. Introduction to Python on Linux

    • Brief explanation of why use both Ansible and Python for server automation.

25. Setup

    • Installing Python and any necessary packages or environments needed for the course.

26. Basic Python Commands

    • Basic Python commands and understanding of Python scripts, functions, and modules.

27. Python Scripts and Automation

    • Writing Python scripts that can automate server tasks such as file uploads, downloads, system updates, backups, etc.

28. Version Control with Git

    • Introduction to version control and its importance in software development and how it can be integrated with Ansible and Python scripting.

29. Python Web Frameworks (Flask/Django)

    • Introduction to web frameworks Flask and Django for building lightweight RESTful services or larger scale web applications.

30. Automated Testing with Python

    • Writing test scripts in Python to validate the functionality of the server automation tasks performed by Ansible playbooks.

31. Python Security Best Practices

    • Introduction to Python security best practices for writing secure Python code and understanding how to maintain good security hygiene standards, protocols, procedures, etc.

32. Final Project: Full Server Automation Stack

    • Students will combine their knowledge of Ansible, Python, and possibly version control with Git to create a full server automation stack for their final project. Prerequisites:

• A computer with at least 8 GB of RAM, a quad-core processor, and sufficient disk space for the purpose of this course.
• Basic understanding and familiarity with Linux commands and environment.
• Access to AWS (Amazon Web Services) or similar cloud provider services for setting up EC2 instances for use in the course. Logistics:
• A computer equipped with a modern web browser like Google Chrome.
• A reliable high-speed internet connection.
• Course materials provided, including labs, exercises, and study study guides. This outline can serve as a comprehensive guide for creating an effective advanced course focused on Ansible and Python for server automation on Linux systems. It's designed to be practical and theoretical, covering both the theory of how these tools work and the practical application of these tools in real-world scenarios.