AAP 2.6 vs 2.5 Architecture: Complete Platform Comparison (2026)
By Luca Berton · Published 2024-01-01 · Category: installation
In-depth comparison of Ansible Automation Platform 2.6 vs 2.5 architecture. Covers platform gateway evolution, new automation dashboard, self-service portal.
AAP 2.5 introduced the platform gateway — the unified entry point that fundamentally changed how AAP components interact. AAP 2.6 builds on that foundation with three major new platform services (automation dashboard, self-service portal, Lightspeed assistant) plus significant changes to deployment models, APIs, and Configuration as Code. Here's every architectural difference.
Platform Services: 2.5 vs 2.6
What 2.5 Introduced (Still in 2.6)
AAP 2.5 was the architectural pivot — it added the platform gateway as a unified front end that sits in front of all other services:
┌─────────────────────┐
Users/API ────────► │ Platform Gateway │
│ (unified auth, │
│ RBAC, routing) │
└──────┬──────────────┘
│
┌────────────┼────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
┌────────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌─────────┐
│ Controller │ │ Hub │ │ EDA │
└────────────┘ └──────────┘ └─────────┘Key 2.5 changes that carry forward:
• Centralized authentication through the gateway
• Unified RBAC across all components
• Single URL entry point for the entire platform
• Gateway API (/api/gateway/v1/)
What 2.6 Adds
AAP 2.6 adds three new services on top of the 2.5 gateway architecture:
┌─────────────────────────────┐
Users ────────────► │ Platform Gateway │
└──────┬──────────────────────┘
│
┌──────────┬──────────┼──────────┬───────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
┌─────────┐┌────────┐┌─────────┐┌──────────┐┌──────────┐
│Dashboard ││Lightsp.││Self-Svc ││Controller││ Hub │
│(NEW) ││Assist. ││Portal ││ ││ │
│ ││(NEW) ││(NEW) ││ ││ │
└─────────┘└────────┘└─────────┘└──────────┘└──────────┘
│ │
┌────┘ ┌─────┘
▼ ▼
┌─────────┐┌────────┐
│ EDA ││ Redis │
└─────────┘└────────┘| New Service | Purpose | Architectural Impact | |-------------|---------|---------------------| | Automation Dashboard | On-premise analytics, ROI tracking, usage reporting | Self-contained service; reads metrics from controller/gateway; exports PDF/CSV | | Lightspeed Intelligent Assistant | GenAI chatbot integrated in platform UI | Connects to Red Hat AI models; runs within gateway UI; validated resource linking | | Self-Service Portal | Simplified automation launcher for non-Ansible users | Separate UI; syncs job templates from controller; guided forms auto-generated |
See also: AAP 2.6 Tested Deployment Models: Growth & Enterprise Topologies Guide
Component-by-Component Comparison
Platform Gateway
| Feature | AAP 2.5 | AAP 2.6 |
|---------|---------|---------|
| Unified entry point | ✅ Introduced | ✅ Maintained |
| Centralized RBAC | ✅ | ✅ Enhanced |
| Service accounts | ❌ | ✅ NEW — non-human identities for API access |
| Environment variable standard | Component-specific (CONTROLLER_, HUB_, EDA_) | Unified AAP_ prefix across all components |
| Enterprise auth migration | Manual reconfiguration | ✅ Automated SAML/LDAP/OIDC migration |
| IAM migration | Manual | ✅ Automated users/teams/roles/permissions |
Automation Controller
| Feature | AAP 2.5 | AAP 2.6 | |---------|---------|---------| | Job execution | ✅ | ✅ | | ansible-core (default EE) | 2.16 | 2.16 (2.19 in tech preview) | | Optional EE with ansible-core 2.18 | ❌ | ✅ Available | | EDA job labels | ❌ | ✅ Jobs triggered by EDA are labeled | | Receptor mesh | ✅ | ✅ |
Automation Hub
| Feature | AAP 2.5 | AAP 2.6 |
|---------|---------|---------|
| Collection hosting | ✅ | ✅ |
| EE image registry | ✅ | ✅ |
| Platform management collections | Basic | ✅ Expanded — ansible.platform enhancements |
Event-Driven Ansible (EDA)
| Feature | AAP 2.5 | AAP 2.6 | |---------|---------|---------| | Rulebook activation | ✅ | ✅ | | External secret management | ❌ | ✅ NEW — HashiCorp Vault, etc. | | Editable project URLs | ❌ | ✅ NEW | | EDA-triggered job labeling | ❌ | ✅ NEW | | Kafka multi-topic support | ❌ | ✅ NEW — wildcards supported | | Decision environment support | ✅ | ✅ Enhanced |
User Interface
| Feature | AAP 2.5 | AAP 2.6 | |---------|---------|---------| | Unified UI | ✅ (via gateway) | ✅ Refreshed — cleaner, more responsive | | Mobile/tablet responsive | Partial | ✅ Full responsive design | | Accessibility | Basic | ✅ Enhanced WCAG compliance | | Integrated AI assistant | ❌ | ✅ Lightspeed chatbot in UI | | Self-service portal UI | ❌ | ✅ Separate simplified interface |
Deployment Architecture Changes
Installation Methods
| Method | AAP 2.5 | AAP 2.6 | |--------|---------|---------| | Containerized (Podman on RHEL) | ✅ Recommended | ✅ Recommended | | OpenShift Operator | ✅ | ✅ | | RPM | ⚠️ Deprecated (announced) | ⚠️ Last version — removed in 2.7 |
OS Support
| OS | AAP 2.5 | AAP 2.6 | |----|---------|---------| | RHEL 8 | ✅ (RPM only) | ❌ Dropped | | RHEL 9 | ✅ | ✅ | | RHEL 10 | ❌ | ✅ NEW |
Tested Topologies
Both versions offer growth and enterprise topologies. The key change: AAP 2.6 provides improved, opinionated reference architectures with clearer documentation and simplified inventory files.
| Topology | AAP 2.5 | AAP 2.6 | |----------|---------|---------| | Container growth | ✅ | ✅ Improved docs | | Container enterprise | ✅ | ✅ Improved docs | | Operator growth | ✅ | ✅ | | Operator enterprise | ✅ | ✅ | | RPM growth | ✅ | ✅ (last version) | | RPM enterprise | ✅ | ✅ (last version) |
Database Requirements
| Requirement | AAP 2.5 | AAP 2.6 | |-------------|---------|---------| | Managed DB | PostgreSQL 15 | PostgreSQL 15 | | External DB | PostgreSQL 13-15 | PostgreSQL 15, 16, or 17 | | ICU support (external) | Not required | ✅ Required |
See also: AWX vs Ansible Tower vs AAP: Key Differences Explained (2026)
API Changes
Environment Variable Standardization
AAP 2.5 used component-specific prefixes:
# AAP 2.5
CONTROLLER_HOST=https://controller.example.com
CONTROLLER_USERNAME=admin
CONTROLLER_PASSWORD=secret
HUB_HOST=https://hub.example.com
EDA_HOST=https://eda.example.comAAP 2.6 standardizes to a single prefix:
# AAP 2.6
AAP_HOST=https://gateway.example.com
AAP_USERNAME=admin
AAP_PASSWORD=secretBackward compatibility: Component-specific variables still work but are deprecated.
Configuration as Code
AAP 2.6 ships with enhanced ansible.platform collection for managing all AAP components:
# AAP 2.6 CaC approach
- name: Configure AAP via gateway API
hosts: localhost
collections:
- ansible.platform
tasks:
- name: Create organization
ansible.platform.organization:
name: "Engineering"
state: present
- name: Create team
ansible.platform.team:
name: "DevOps"
organization: "Engineering"
- name: Create project
ansible.platform.project:
name: "Infrastructure"
organization: "Engineering"
scm_type: git
scm_url: "https://github.com/org/infra-playbooks.git"
Service Accounts
New in 2.6 — non-human identities for CI/CD and API integrations:
- name: Create service account
ansible.platform.service_account:
name: "ci-pipeline"
description: "Jenkins CI integration"
organization: "Engineering"Technology Preview in 2.6
| Feature | Status | Description | |---------|--------|-------------| | Lightspeed + MCP | Tech Preview | Model Context Protocol integration | | Development Workspaces | Tech Preview | Browser-based Ansible development | | ansible-core 2.19 | Tech Preview | Next ansible-core version | | AI Inventory Generation | Developer Preview | Describe topology → generate inventory |
See also: Install Ansible Automation Platform in Red Hat Ansible OpenShift Platform operator via Operator
Upgrade Path: 2.5 → 2.6
Since AAP 2.5 already has the platform gateway, upgrading to 2.6 is simpler than upgrading from 2.4:
| What | Migrated Automatically | |------|----------------------| | Users, teams, roles | ✅ Already in gateway (2.5) | | Enterprise auth (SAML/LDAP/OIDC) | ✅ Already in gateway (2.5) | | Job templates, projects, inventories | ✅ Controller data preserved | | Collections, EEs | ✅ Hub data preserved | | EDA rulebooks | ✅ EDA data preserved |
New post-upgrade tasks:
Update environment variables from CONTROLLER_/HUB_/EDA_ to AAP_
Configure new services (dashboard, self-service portal, Lightspeed)
Update external integrations to use gateway API
FAQ
Is the 2.5 → 2.6 upgrade disruptive?
Minimal disruption. Since 2.5 already introduced the gateway architecture, 2.6 is an incremental upgrade. The new services (dashboard, portal, Lightspeed) are additive — they don't change existing functionality.
Do I need to change my playbooks when upgrading to 2.6?
No. The default execution environment still uses ansible-core 2.16. Your existing playbooks continue working unchanged. The optional ansible-core 2.18 EE is available for testing newer features.
What's the biggest architectural difference between 2.5 and 2.6?
AAP 2.5 was the foundational architecture change (introducing the gateway). AAP 2.6 is about expanding services on that foundation — adding analytics (dashboard), GenAI (Lightspeed), and self-service capabilities (portal) without changing the core architecture.
Can I run 2.6 without the new services?
Yes. The automation dashboard, Lightspeed assistant, and self-service portal are optional. Your existing controller, hub, and EDA workflows work the same without enabling them.
When should I migrate from RPM to containerized?
Now. AAP 2.6 is the last version with RPM support. Start planning your migration immediately — AAP 2.7 will only support containerized and OpenShift deployments.
Conclusion
AAP 2.6 is an evolutionary release that adds three new services on top of the 2.5 gateway architecture: automation dashboard for ROI measurement, Lightspeed assistant for AI-powered support, and self-service portal for scaling automation to non-Ansible users. The core architecture remains the same, making 2.5 → 2.6 a smooth upgrade. The most urgent action is migrating from RPM to containerized — 2.6 is your last chance.
Related Articles
• AAP 2.6 Install Guide • AAP 2.6 Upgrade Guide • AAP 2.6 Tested Deployment Models • What's New in AAP 2.6 • AAP 2.6 Self-Service Portal • AAP 2.6 Automation Dashboard • AAP 2.6 Lightspeed AssistantCategory: installation