For an organization that needs vendor-backed support, choose Ansible Automation Platform’s Automation Controller; for a community-managed deployment and direct access to the upstream project, consider AWX. “Ansible Tower” is the former name for Automation Controller, so the choice is not between two unrelated products: Automation Controller is derived from selected AWX releases and packaged as part of Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform.
What is the difference between AWX and Ansible Tower?
AWX is the open community upstream project for Automation Controller. Ansible Tower was the earlier name for Automation Controller, Red Hat’s supported enterprise automation controller within Ansible Automation Platform.
The Ansible Collaborative FAQ describes AWX as a frequently released project where development happens, and says Automation Controller is made from selected AWX releases that are hardened for supportability. It characterizes AWX as community-supported and Ansible Automation Platform as supported by Red Hat. Read the Ansible Collaborative FAQ.
That relationship does not guarantee that every AWX feature appears immediately in Automation Controller, or that all product releases have the same support period. Compare the specific releases you plan to run rather than assuming feature or lifecycle parity.
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AWX vs Automation Controller at a glance
| Decision area | AWX | Automation Controller (formerly Ansible Tower) |
|---|---|---|
| Product role | Community upstream project | Enterprise controller within Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, based on selected AWX releases |
| Support | Community-supported, according to the official FAQ | Red Hat-supported as part of Ansible Automation Platform, according to the official FAQ |
| Release approach | Frequently released, with active upstream development | Selected releases hardened for supportability |
| Feature alignment | Depends on the exact AWX release | Depends on the exact Automation Controller release; do not assume one-to-one or immediate parity |
| Current version mapping and lifecycle | Not established here; check the release information for the version under consideration | Not established here; check the product documentation and support terms for the version under consideration |
When should you choose AWX?
AWX may fit teams that want to use the community upstream project and are prepared to operate it with community support. Its documentation describes a web interface, REST API, and task engine for managing Ansible automation. Documented capabilities include launching jobs, viewing real-time playbook output, role-based access control (RBAC), delegating credential use without exposing credentials, and keeping a record of changes and launched jobs. See the AWX 24.6.1 documentation.
Those capabilities are documented for AWX, not a promise that they are identical in every release or match a particular Automation Controller version. The AWX documentation site also warns that its latest guide can describe functionality unavailable in older releases. Verify the documentation for the versions you intend to deploy.
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AWX is a better fit when
- Your team accepts community support rather than requiring Red Hat support.
- You want to work with the upstream project and can evaluate its frequent release pace against your own operational requirements.
- Your team can manage deployment, upgrades, access controls, credentials, and automation governance itself.
When should you choose Automation Controller?
Choose Automation Controller when your organization requires Red Hat support for its automation controller as part of Ansible Automation Platform. The official FAQ describes the controller as selected AWX releases hardened for long-term supportability and delivered within the platform; consult Red Hat for the support scope and terms that apply to your intended subscription and release. Check the official FAQ.
Automation Controller is a better fit when
- Vendor-backed support is a requirement for production operations.
- You need an enterprise offering whose releases are selected and prepared for supportability.
- Your organization is evaluating the broader Ansible Automation Platform, rather than adopting an upstream project alone.
Historical Ansible Tower 3.7.5 documentation described Tower as part of an annual Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform subscription. That is version-specific historical information, not current pricing or a statement of present subscription terms. View the Tower 3.7.5 licensing documentation.
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How should you compare features and versions?
Start by listing the functions and operational requirements you actually need, then check them against the documentation and release information for the exact AWX and Automation Controller versions under consideration. The available documentation does not establish a current release mapping, lifecycle schedule, or detailed release-by-release feature parity.
- Identify required capabilities. Note needs such as job execution, API access, real-time output, RBAC, credential delegation, and job or change history.
- Check both version-specific guides. Confirm each required capability and any relevant limitations in the documentation for the exact releases, rather than comparing a current guide for one product with an older guide for the other.
- Confirm support and lifecycle requirements. If you need a defined vendor support arrangement, verify the applicable Automation Controller and Ansible Automation Platform terms with Red Hat. For AWX, plan around community support and the project’s release information.
- Test the operational workflow. Validate how your team will manage projects, inventories, credentials, permissions, job launches, and upgrades in the chosen environment.
AWX documentation also describes a command-line client for AWX and Red Hat Ansible Tower. It can configure and launch jobs, inspect run status and output, and manage objects such as organizations, users, and teams. Check the CLI documentation for compatibility with your target controller and release. Read the Tower CLI documentation.
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What security and governance work is still required?
A controller does not replace sound change-management practices. AWX’s security guide recommends source control, branching, and mandatory code review. It treats the launched playbook, inventory, and credentials as the automation source of truth. Review the AWX security guide.
- Keep automation code and changes in source control, using branches and required reviews.
- Define who can access organizations, teams, inventories, and job templates through RBAC.
- Manage credential access deliberately; delegation can allow job execution without exposing credentials to the user launching a job, but permissions still need careful configuration.
- Use job and change history as operational records, alongside your team’s broader audit and change-control processes.
These are documented AWX features and recommendations; verify their behavior in your selected release and establish the governance policies your organization requires.
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How to make the decision
- Choose AWX if community support is acceptable and your team wants to operate the upstream project.
- Choose Automation Controller if Red Hat support and the enterprise Ansible Automation Platform offering are requirements.
- For either option, confirm exact-version capabilities, support terms, and operational fit before committing. The name “Tower” refers to the former product name, not a separate current alternative to AWX.
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