New Training: Agent vs. Agentless Orchestration Tools

In this 6-video skill, CBT Nuggets trainer Chuck Keith covers popular DevOps tools like Ansible, Puppet, and Chef. Learn how these tools can be used for configuration management, network automation, and network programability. Watch this new Cisco training.

Watch the full course: Cisco CCNP Enterprise Core

This training includes:

• 6 videos

• 1 hour of training

You’ll learn these topics in this skill:

• Ansible Network Automation

• Puppet Network Automation

• Chef Network Automation

• Ansible Lab

• Puppet Bolt Lab

• SaltStack

What is the Difference Between Agent and Agentless Tools?

An agentless tool is one in which there is no process performing the given task on a system. So, you don't have to deploy and manage software on the system. A device or platform performs the task and the system accesses information about it, typically through a user account. This access is usually provided over a standard communication protocol, such as SNMP, WMI or SSH.

While it is called "agentless," there really is an agent. It is simply embedded in a device or platform. Agentless tools eliminate the problems inherent when deploying and managing software. Though they often don't provide enough information.

An agent-based tool, on the other hand, requires you to deploy software on the system, which then performs the task. The advantages and disadvantages of these types of tools are the opposite of agentless ones: you can get more information, but you have to deploy and manage software in order to get it.