You’re not alone if you ask, “Is Ansible certification worth it?”
Many IT professionals, system administrators, and DevOps engineers wonder the same thing.
After all, you’re busy — juggling:
- System administration tasks
- Configuration management,
- Network security
- Cloud projects.
Is pursuing an Ansible certification worth your time, effort, and money?
Here’s the short answer: yes, it’s worth it — but only if you’re serious about:
- Taking your career to the next level
- Boosting your automation expertise
- Showing potential employers you can handle real-world deployments and systems with confidence.
Access to comprehensive programs and resources, like Yellow Tail Tech’s Ansible Automation Certification Prep Track, is crucial for achieving Ansible certification, as it enables you to fill skill gaps and stay updated with evolving technologies.
In this guide, we’ll break everything down for you so you’ll know:
- What Ansible is and how it works
- The types of Ansible certifications available (like the well-known Red Hat Certified Engineer)
- The top benefits of certification, from opening career doors to improving daily work
- The challenges you might face along the way — and how to navigate them
- How to use Ansible automation in real-world projects
- A helpful FAQ section to answer your biggest questions
By the end, you’ll have a clear and honest picture of whether going after an Ansible certification aligns with your career goals, how it can help you boost productivity, and why so many companies using DevOps practices are seeking certified professionals right now.
What Is Ansible?
Ansible is one of today’s most popular automation tools in IT.
It lets you automate complex system administration tasks like:
- Configuring IP addresses
- Deploying applications
- Managing configuration files
- Securing sensitive data with Ansible vault.
At the center of Ansible are Ansible playbooks — easy-to-read files that outline what to do across your systems. Ansible playbooks are key components for automating and managing multi-machine deployments through reusable and repeatable templates.
Whether you’re a network engineer, DevOps engineer, or developer, Ansible helps you automate repetitive work, manage cloud resources like AWS, and keep your infrastructure consistent and secure.
Understanding command line commands in a Red Hat Enterprise Linux environment is crucial for effective system setup and automation. Additionally, commands significantly execute instructions for automation tasks within Ansible and other DevOps practices.
Types of Ansible Certifications
We usually refer to the Red Hat certification family when discussing Ansible certification, especially the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE). This certification exam tests your ability to use the Ansible Automation Platform to solve real-world IT challenges, from system configuration to service deployment.
Preparing for certification exams is crucial to successfully passing evaluations and gaining industry recognition.
Other certifications and training programs like Yellow Tail Tech’s Ansible Automation for Sysadmins Track can prepare you to master Ansible modules, roles, Ansible Tower, and more, giving you the credentials you need to stand out to potential employers.
Benefits of Ansible Certification
So why should you get certified? Here’s what certification helps you achieve:
- Advance your career goals by showing potential employers you have verified automation, deployment, and management skills
- Gain automation expertise so you can automate tasks, connect systems, and reduce manual work
- Boost productivity by relying on Ansible automation instead of time-consuming manual processes
- Open doors to new job opportunities in DevOps, network security, cloud management, and beyond
- Prove your knowledge with an industry-recognized credential after passing the certification exam
- Enhance credibility with peers, stakeholders, and customers by demonstrating your commitment to professional development
- Improve operational efficiency of your organization by optimizing software development and IT infrastructure through certified skills.
Career Opportunities
The Red Hat Ansible Certification can open doors to career opportunities in DevOps, system administration, and network engineering. With the increasing demand for automation and configuration management, certified professionals can expect to find job prospects in top companies and organizations.
The certification helps professionals gain a deep understanding of:
- Ansible playbooks
- Ansible configuration
- The Ansible automation platform
These benefits make students proficient in managing cloud infrastructure and automating system administration tasks.
The value of these certifications lies in their real-world experience and expertise, allowing professionals to boost productivity and efficiency in their work.
Certification Exam
The Red Hat Ansible Certification exam is a hands-on, performance-based exam where you receive assigned, real-world tasks on a live system using Ansible.
The exam can assess the candidate’s ability to manage cloud infrastructure, automate system administration tasks, and configure Ansible roles and modules. The certification exam is a crucial step in obtaining the credential, and candidates must prepare thoroughly to pass the exam.
The exam format and content simulate real-world scenarios, allowing candidates to demonstrate their practical skills and knowledge.
Preparation and Training
Candidates can use Red Hat and AWS’ various training programs and resources to prepare for the certification exam.
These programs provide hands-on experience with Ansible playbooks, Ansible configuration, and the Ansible automation platform, as well as expert instruction and guidance.
Candidates can also practice with sample questions and exercises to gain a deeper understanding of the exam format and content. Additionally, candidates can join online communities and forums to connect with other professionals and gain insights into the certification process.
The training and preparation process helps candidates develop a deep understanding of Ansible modules, Ansible vault, and Ansible tower, making them proficient in automating system administration tasks and managing cloud infrastructure.
Is Ansible Certification Worth It?
Let’s return to the main question: is Ansible certification worth it?
If you want to:
- Become a key player in DevOps practices
- Stay competitive in a fast-moving IT world
- Automate tasks that are eating up your time
- Add a Red Hat Certified credential to your resume
- Build confidence with configuration management, automation, and deployment tools
- Enhance your professional growth with advanced certification programs like AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional and Google Cloud Professional DevOps Engineer.
Then, yes — Ansible certification is worth it.
Real-World Applications of Ansible Certification
Here’s where certified professionals make a difference:
- Automating system administration tasks like user creation, software installation, and network configuration
- Managing large-scale cloud deployments across platforms like AWS
- Protecting sensitive information with Ansible vault
- Using Ansible Tower to oversee enterprise-level automation workflows
- Helping companies improve network security, reduce errors, and boost productivity
- Understanding how Ansible Roles are created and structured to facilitate replication of configurations and enhance troubleshooting efficiency
- Creating structured file hierarchies for efficient deployment and collaboration among engineers
- Using Ansible playbooks as template files for configuration, emphasizing reusability and structure
- Highlighting the importance of troubleshooting in Ansible and DevOps practices to ensure effective system management
With certification, you’ll be ready to create, deploy, configure, connect, and manage systems efficiently, making you an asset to any IT team.
Industry Recognition
Many recognize and say the Red Hat Ansible Certification is a benchmark of expertise and knowledge in DevOps, system administration, and network engineering.
Potential employers value the certifications, and certified professionals can expect to find job prospects in top companies and organizations. The certifications demonstrate a deep understanding of Ansible playbooks, Ansible configuration, and the Ansible automation platform, as well as expertise in managing cloud infrastructure and automating system administration tasks.
The industry recognition of these certifications is a testament to their value and relevance in the job market, and certified professionals can expect to gain a competitive edge in their careers.
Common Challenges in Achieving Ansible Certification
It’s not always easy, though. Here’s what you should prepare for:
- Time commitment: You’ll need hours for training, hands-on practice, and study
- Complex topics: Mastering Ansible modules, roles, and configuration management takes effort
- Exam pressure: The certification exam tests both knowledge and hands-on ability
- Keeping your skills sharp: Technologies evolve, so staying up-to-date on Ansible automation and DevOps practices is key
- Networking skills: Modern IT roles, including Network Administrators, require enhanced networking skills to manage contemporary tasks, and certifications like CKA emphasize networking components.
With the proper preparation (and the right support from programs like Yellow Tail Tech’s), you can handle these challenges and get ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ansible still relevant?
Yes! Ansible remains a go-to tool for companies that want to improve efficiency, security, and scalability.
How many days will it take to learn Ansible?
You can learn the basics in a few days, but certification preparation may take several weeks or months of practice.
Does Ansible have a certification?
Yes — the most recognized is the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE), which focuses on Ansible skills.
Is Ansible difficult to learn?
Not really. While you’ll need to understand some technical concepts, Ansible playbooks are easy to read and write.
Ready to Get Certified?
If you’re ready to acquire automation skills, impress potential employers, and achieve your career goals, Ansible certification is the right next step — and Yellow Tail Tech is here to help.
Certification can help professionals deliver valuable services that meet business objectives.
We offer expert-led training designed to help you pass the certification exam, master Ansible automation, and confidently take on real-world projects.
Book a 10-minute intro call today to learn how we can help you succeed!
