EX294 Implement advanced Ansible automation Practice Question
A playbook uses serial: 2 and sets any_errors_fatal: true. The first batch of 2 hosts both fail. What happens?
⚠ Common exam trap
In Red Hat RHCE exams, candidates are often tested on the interaction between `serial` and `any_errors_fatal`, trapping those who assume `serial` batches always run independently, forgetting that `any_errors_fatal` forces a global abort on the first failure.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The playbook aborts and no further batches run.
When `any_errors_fatal: true` is set and a batch of hosts fails, Ansible immediately aborts the entire playbook run for all remaining hosts, regardless of the `serial` setting. Since the first batch of 2 hosts both fail, no further batches are executed. This behavior is designed to prevent cascading failures in critical deployments.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The playbook continues with the next batch.
Why it's wrong here
any_errors_fatal causes the play to abort as soon as any host fails, so subsequent batches never run. It tempts because serial normally processes batches sequentially and continues, but any_errors_fatal overrides that behaviour and stops the entire play.
- ✓
The playbook aborts and no further batches run.
Why this is correct
With any_errors_fatal set, a task failure on any host halts the entire play for all hosts. Since both hosts in the first serial batch of two fail, the play aborts immediately, so the remaining batches never execute.
- ✗
The playbook marks the batch as unreachable and continues.
Why it's wrong here
any_errors_fatal aborts the entire play once any host fails, so the run stops rather than continuing; unreachable status applies to connection failures, not task errors. It tempts because serial batches are independent, but any_errors_fatal overrides that and halts all remaining hosts.
- ✗
The playbook retries the failed hosts.
Why it's wrong here
Ansible does not retry failed hosts automatically; any_errors_fatal halts the play immediately when the first batch fails. It tempts because retries exist via until and retries on individual tasks, but those apply per task, not to failed hosts across the play.
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