Introduction

Red Hat has announced that Ansible Automation Platform 2.6 is the last release that supports RPM-based installation. Starting with AAP 2.7, only containerized installations will be available. This article helps you plan and execute your migration.

Timeline

  • AAP 2.5 (Sept 2025) — RPM deprecation first announced
  • AAP 2.6 (Oct 2025) — Last RPM-installable release (RHEL 9 only)
  • AAP 2.7 (expected 2026) — Containerized only

Why Containerized?

Red Hat's move to containerized installations provides:

  • Consistency — Same deployment model across environments
  • Isolation — Better dependency management
  • Portability — Run on RHEL, OpenShift, or other container platforms
  • Easier upgrades — Container image updates vs package management
  • Modern architecture — Aligned with cloud-native practices

Migration Options

Option 1: Lift and Shift

AAP 2.6 supports a documented process to move your entire instance:

1. Export existing configuration, jobs, and data

2. Deploy containerized AAP 2.6

3. Import everything into the new environment

4. Validate and switch over

Option 2: Fresh Containerized Install

For organizations wanting a clean start:

1. Deploy a new containerized AAP 2.6 environment

2. Recreate job templates and workflows

3. Migrate credentials and inventories

4. Rebuild EDA rulebooks

Option 3: OpenShift Deployment

For organizations already using OpenShift:

1. Deploy AAP Operator on OpenShift

2. Configure the platform via Custom Resources

3. Migrate data from RPM-based installation

4. Leverage OpenShift's built-in HA and scaling

Pre-Migration Checklist

``yaml

pre_migration_tasks:

- name: Document current topology

notes: "Record all hosts, services, and configurations"

- name: Inventory all job templates

notes: "Export job templates, workflows, and schedules"

- name: Backup credentials

notes: "Document credential types and secrets management"

- name: Map integrations

notes: "List all external integrations (SCM, vault, ITSM)"

- name: Test containerized deployment

notes: "Set up a parallel environment for testing"

``

Conclusion

Don't wait until AAP 2.7 to start planning. Use the AAP 2.6 timeframe to test containerized deployments, validate your migration process, and ensure a smooth transition.

For more Ansible tutorials and guides, explore the [complete article collection](/articles) on Ansible Pilot.