Ansible is a tool that automates repetitive tasks in IT, such as managing configurations, deploying applications, and orchestrating systems. It is a user-friendly, open-source solution that doesn't require any extra software to be installed on the systems it manages.

IT teams can use Ansible to create easy-to-read playbooks, written in YAML, which describe how a system should be set up. Playbooks can be used to automate a wide range of tasks, from installing software and managing files to provisioning infrastructure and interacting with cloud providers.

Ansible's main benefit is that it can manage systems consistently and reliably. By defining the desired state of a system in a playbook, IT teams can ensure that all systems are configured identically, and changes are made in a controlled, auditable manner.

DevOps and IT automation specialists commonly use Ansible, and it has a substantial, active user community.

Ansible uses a client-server architecture to manage systems. It is built as a configuration management tool that utilizes a declarative language to define how a system should be set up.

When an Ansible playbook is run, Ansible connects to the target systems using SSH or WinRM, and carries out the tasks defined in the playbook, bringing the systems to the desired state in a specific order.

Ansible uses a push-based model where the control machine, which is the machine from which the user runs the playbook, sends the configuration to the target systems. The control machine must have Ansible installed.

An agentless architecture is one of Ansible's main benefits. Unlike other configuration management tools, Ansible doesn't require any software to be installed on the target systems, making it easy to use and set up.

Ansible provides a large collection of pre-built modules, referred to as "Ansible modules," that IT teams can use to perform tasks such as managing files, installing packages, and working with cloud providers. These modules enable IT teams to carry out tasks consistently across different systems.

Overall, Ansible streamlines IT automation by providing a user-friendly, agentless solution that ensures systems are managed consistently and reliably.