How do you handle exceptions and errors that occur during or after the automation and configuration process?

1 Identify the source and scope of the error

The first step in handling any error or exception is to identify where and why it occurred, and how it affects your system or network. You can use various methods and tools to troubleshoot and diagnose the problem, such as logs, debug mode, error messages, or test cases. Depending on the tool you are using, you may have different options and levels of verbosity to control the output and feedback of your automation and configuration tasks. For example, Ansible has a --check option that allows you to run a dry run of your playbook and see the potential changes and errors without actually applying them. You should also check the documentation and forums of your tool for any known issues or solutions.

2 Handle the error gracefully

Once you have identified the source and scope of the error, you should decide how to handle it in a way that minimizes the impact and risk to your system or network. Depending on the nature and severity of the error, you may have different options and strategies to handle it, such as retrying, skipping, aborting, or notifying. For example, Puppet has a fail function that allows you to abort the execution of a manifest and display a custom message if a certain condition is not met. You should also use error handling mechanisms that are built-in or available in your tool, such as exception blocks, handlers, or custom modules. For example, Ansible has a block-rescue-always structure that allows you to execute different tasks depending on whether a block of tasks succeeds or fails.