Centralized RBAC with the Gateway API in AAP 2.6
By Luca Berton · Published 2024-01-01 · Category: installation
How AAP 2.6 centralizes role-based access control (RBAC) through the platform gateway API for unified identity and access management.
Introduction
AAP 2.6 centralizes role-based access control (RBAC) through the platform gateway API, providing a single point for managing users, teams, roles, and permissions across all platform components.
Why Centralized RBAC Matters
In previous versions, RBAC was managed separately for each component: • Automation Controller had its own roles and permissions • Automation Hub had separate access controls • Event-Driven Ansible managed its own users
This led to: • Inconsistent access policies across components • Administrative overhead managing multiple RBAC systems • Risk of permission drift between components
How Gateway RBAC Works
Unified Identity Management
The platform gateway serves as the central identity provider:
Centralized Role Definitions
Define roles once, apply everywhere:
Standardized API
The ansible.platform collection uses the Gateway API for configuration-as-code:
Migration from Component-Level RBAC
When upgrading to AAP 2.6, the installer automatically: Migrates users from controller to gateway Preserves team memberships and role assignments Maps component-level permissions to gateway roles Maintains administrator privileges
Best Practices Audit before upgrading — Review existing RBAC across all components Standardize roles — Define consistent roles that apply across the platform Use configuration-as-code — Manage RBAC through the ansible.platform collection Regular reviews — Schedule periodic access reviews
Conclusion
Centralized RBAC through the gateway API simplifies administration and improves security posture. It's one of the most impactful architectural improvements in the AAP 2.x series.
For more Ansible tutorials and guides, explore the complete article collection on Ansible Pilot.
Related Articles • Ansible Template Guide • Ansible Roles Guide
Category: installation