Controller-as-code: GitOps patterns for Ansible automation platforms

In this talk, Kedar Vijay Kulkarni explains how ATCasC introduced "Controller-as-Code" and how the approach evolved into a widely adopted standard for managing Ansible Automation Controllers (1.1M+ downloads and counting). He walks through a practical, repeatable operating model that replaces ClickOps with Git-backed, reviewable configuration promoted across dev/test/prod. Topics include structuring config, validation in CI, secrets and credentials hygiene, multi-tenant RBAC boundaries, drift detection, safe rollback, and what failed along the way. Key takeaways include:
• PR→validate→promote workflow template
• Patterns for RBAC and separation of duties
• Drift prevention and recovery techniques