01•Nov 15•5 min
Using Ansible Vault with Environment Variables
Tired of typing --vault-password-file? Learn how to use the ANSIBLE_VAULT_PASSWORD_FILE environment variable or ansible.cfg to streamline your Ansible workflow.
Practical SQL Server Automation
Stop Babysitting Servers.Start Automating.
Learn how to build safe, repeatable Ansible and PowerShell automation in isolated sandboxes before touching production.
Free, lab-tested SQL Server automation guides by a 20-year production DBA.
Luke Campbell — Production DBA & Educator
“Practical SQL Server automation for DBAs and engineers who value their time.”
20+
Years Experience
68
Free Tutorials
100%
Lab-Tested
Author
Ansible Collection
The Safe Roadmap to Automation
How to Build Production-Grade Automation
Never guess in production. Follow a proven 3-step framework to test every playbook before touching live databases.
STEP 01
Spin Up Your Sandbox
Build a zero-risk lab environment that mirrors your own SQL Server infrastructure on your laptop or local VM host.
STEP 02
Adapt & Test Playbooks
Take playbooks and scripts, adapt them for your environment, and test them thoroughly in your sandbox, dev, or QA environment first.
STEP 03
Automate Production Safely
Deploy verified, lab-tested automation to production with complete confidence and zero surprises.
The Library
Recent Automation Guides
02•Nov 8•7 min
How to Automate Ansible Vault with a Password File
Typing --ask-vault-pass everytime you need to run a playbook is tiresome. Learn how to use an Ansible vault password file to remove this step and enable true unattended automation. A simple, secure 4-step guide.
03•Nov 1•8 min
What is Inline Vault Encryption? A Guide to Using ansible-vault encrypt_string
Stop encrypting entire YAML files. Learn to use ansible-vault encrypt_string to protect individual passwords while keeping your config readable for collaboration.
bash — sql_ag_patch.yml
Luke@Lab:~$ansible-playbook sql_ag_patch.yml
PLAY RECAP ---> ok=23 changed=9 failed=0 | 14 minutes, 0 errors
Every guide reads like this — with something running in your lab, not just read-about.
“
Always test in your sandbox and lower environments first, not production. Sandboxes build confidence; guessing leads to incidents.
The AutomateSQL Philosophy
Luke Campbell • 20-Year Production DBA