Description: Configuration Drift in Ansible refers to the process of ensuring that a system’s configuration matches a previously defined desired state. This concept is fundamental in system administration and task automation, as it allows system administrators and developers to maintain the consistency and integrity of infrastructure. In Ansible, this is achieved through the use of ‘playbooks’, which are configuration files that describe the desired state of systems. When a playbook is executed, Ansible evaluates the current configuration of the systems and makes the necessary modifications to align it with the desired state. This approach not only saves time and reduces errors, but also facilitates scalability and change management in complex environments. Ansible’s ability to perform configuration reconciliation in an idempotent manner, meaning it can be run multiple times without changing the outcome beyond the first application, is one of its most notable features, ensuring that systems remain in the desired state regardless of how many times the configuration is applied.
