Review: Published Solution Guides
Reviewed: July 22, 2026
Scorecard
| Rank |
Solution Guide |
Score |
Verdict |
| 1 |
AAP HA/DR on OpenShift |
9.8/10 |
Reference-grade implementation guide with validated test scenarios, observed SLAs, and production-hardened failover runbooks |
| 2 |
Windows Certificate Rotation with AI Risk Analysis |
9.8/10 |
Elite AIOps guide: three decision paths, three test scenarios with syntax-highlighted output, arcade demo, video, observability callout, graceful fallback, and success metrics |
| 3 |
Zero Trust Architecture with Ansible |
9.6/10 |
Five integrated use cases demonstrating defense-in-depth: OPA policy gates, SPIFFE workload identity, JIT credentials, and break-glass recovery with phased implementation roadmap |
| 4 |
AI-Assisted Ansible Developer Experience |
9.5/10 |
Comprehensive DevTools guide with four installation methods, MCP integration, and enterprise maturity model from individual to governed |
| 5 |
OpenShift EDA + Kafka Event Pipeline |
9.2/10 |
Deep integration guide: full Kafka/Serverless/EDA pipeline with custom credential types, alternative architectures, and strong validation |
| 6 |
AIOps with Splunk and EDA |
8.9/10 |
Deepest multi-use-case guide; three integration patterns with strong validation and troubleshooting |
| 7 |
Automated Incident Remediation with IBM Instana |
8.9/10 |
Dual-path architecture (EDA vs native); per-use-case operational impact and unusually complete validation |
| 8 |
High-Availability AAP with EDB PostgreSQL DR |
8.7/10 |
Reference-grade VM-based DR architecture with diagrams, runbooks, and failback procedures |
| 9 |
Unlock AIOps with ServiceNow LEAP and Ansible MCP server |
8.7/10 |
Strong LEAP/MCP governance story with MTTR focus, customer evidence, multi-agent visibility |
| 10 |
AIOps automation with Ansible |
8.5/10 |
Strong foundational reference architecture; best systems narrative, observability catalog, and playbook source mapping |
| 11 |
AI Infrastructure automation with Ansible |
7.3/10 |
Clear two-collection story (infra.ai + redhat.ai); needs framework alignment and deeper validation |
| 12 |
Intelligent Assistant with Red Hat AI Inference Server |
6.9/10 |
Strong hands-on RHAIIS + Lightspeed hookup; weakest framework alignment of published guides |
How This Was Scored
Each guide was evaluated against the quality scoring model from the Best Practices for Writing Solution Guides:
| Category |
Weight |
| Outcome Clarity |
20% |
| Architecture Clarity |
20% |
| Technical Executability |
25% |
| Validation/Testability |
15% |
| Production Readiness Info |
10% |
| Business Framing |
10% |
Score each category 1-5. Multiply by weight. Final score out of 10. Any category below 3 means revise before publishing.
Guide Reviews
1. High Availability and Disaster Recovery for AAP on OpenShift
File: README-AAP-HA-DR-OpenShift.md
Score: 9.8 / 10
| Category |
Score |
| Outcome Clarity (20%) |
5 |
| Architecture Clarity (20%) |
5 |
| Technical Executability (25%) |
5 |
| Validation/Testability (15%) |
5 |
| Production Readiness (10%) |
5 |
| Business Framing (10%) |
4 |
| Stats: ~8,500 words |
12+ YAML blocks |
1 clickable architecture image + 1 Mermaid diagram |
6 major sections with appendix |
Validated test scenarios table |
Strengths:
- Extraordinary depth: full operator Subscriptions, CNPG Cluster CRs with production-tuned PostgreSQL parameters, complete AAP CR with node scheduling
- Validated test scenarios with observed SLAs – pod recovery (6-59s), DB failover (33-44s), node failure (~7min), full region DR (11-79s)
- Two failover procedures (controlled switchover vs emergency) with exact
oc patch commands and step-by-step token flow
- Day 2 operations section: backup/restore, DB maintenance, certificate rotation, monitoring stack with key metrics and alert thresholds
- Known Issues section documents real bugs with workarounds (metrics service, stale OAuth2 secret, ODF RGW pg_num)
- Planning section on physical placement, distance, and external dependencies is unusually thoughtful for a technical guide
- Appendix A provides full ODF RGW multisite bootstrap with
radosgw-admin commands and upstream bug references
Weaknesses:
- No demos, videos, or interactive walkthroughs
- Business framing is present (persona table, maturity path) but lacks quantified cost/MTTR savings
- The guide is extremely long – may benefit from being split into “Architecture + Planning” and “Implementation” documents
- Missing KB blockquote under the title
Suggestions:
- Add a brief executive summary or “Quick Start” at the top for architects who need the architecture without the full implementation
- Consider a companion reference card (one-pager) with the validated SLA table and failover cheat sheet
- Add a cost/resource estimate section (node count, storage, operator overhead)
2. Windows Certificate Rotation with AI Risk Analysis
File: README-AIOps-Windows-Cert-Rotation.md
Score: 9.8 / 10
| Category |
Score |
| Outcome Clarity (20%) |
5 |
| Architecture Clarity (20%) |
5 |
| Technical Executability (25%) |
4.75 |
| Validation/Testability (15%) |
5 |
| Production Readiness (10%) |
5 |
| Business Framing (10%) |
5 |
| Stats: ~4,400 words |
7 YAML blocks |
1 hero image + 1 Mermaid diagram + 6 screenshots |
Arcade embed + YouTube video |
4 walkthrough steps (with 3a/3b branching) |
3 validation test paths with custom ansible-output syntax highlighting |
Observability platform callout |
Strengths:
- Three-path AI decision routing (PROCEED, SCHEDULE, ESCALATE) is the most sophisticated workflow logic in any guide – demonstrates real-world AI judgment, not just “ask AI and do what it says”
- Three complete validation test paths with curl commands and syntax-highlighted expected output using custom
ansible-output Prism language
- Graceful fallback: rescue block escalates when AI is unavailable, rotation job remains available for manual launch
- “Measuring Success” table with 6 quantifiable metrics and where to find them – sets the standard for ROI evidence
- Arcade interactive demo AND YouTube video – both available inline
- Per-stage operational impact table with clear “why” column
- Cost notes (under $0.01/call) address a real concern about AI API usage
- Production readiness callout for Dynatrace/IBM Instana connects the demo simulation to real-world observability deployment
- Business value and Technical value promoted to h3 headings – immediately scannable without blending into the TOC
- Decision routing (PROCEED/SCHEDULE/ESCALATE) broken into three distinct bullets for clarity
Weaknesses:
- Mermaid diagram uses inline
style F fill:#f9f,stroke:#333 (minor convention deviation, renders well visually)
- No link to a source repo with the full playbooks – readers must assemble from excerpts
Suggestions:
- Add a link to a GitHub repo with the complete playbook set when available
- Consider removing the inline
style directive from the Mermaid diagram (or keep it – it looks good)
File: README-ZTA.md
Score: 9.6 / 10
| Category |
Score |
| Outcome Clarity (20%) |
5 |
| Architecture Clarity (20%) |
5 |
| Technical Executability (25%) |
5 |
| Validation/Testability (15%) |
5 |
| Production Readiness (10%) |
4.5 |
| Business Framing (10%) |
4 |
| Stats: ~7,800 words |
12+ YAML/bash code blocks |
5 integrated use cases |
Per-use-case validation suites |
9-row troubleshooting table |
Phased implementation roadmap with success criteria |
Measuring Success metrics table |
Strengths:
- Five integrated use cases that build on each other: verification -> JIT credentials -> policy enforcement -> workload identity -> defense-in-depth. The progression tells a coherent story
- OPA policy enforcement at two rings (platform gateway + in-playbook) is the most sophisticated authorization model in any guide
- SPIFFE/SPIRE workload identity verification is unique across all guides – cryptographic proof that the automation platform is legitimate
- Defense-in-depth use case with deliberate lockout scenario and tested break-glass recovery is exceptional – teaches incident response, not just happy-path automation
- Comprehensive validation test suite with deny/allow scenarios for every use case, including “wrong user”, “wrong VLAN”, “wrong SPIFFE ID” negative tests
- Phased implementation roadmap (Crawl/Walk/Run) with specific week estimates and success criteria for each phase
- Measuring Success table with baseline vs. target metrics and measurement methods
- Source code repository linked directly (nmartins0611/zta-workshop-aap)
- Credential lifecycle timeline table showing exactly what happens from T+0 to T+301s
Weaknesses:
- No Mermaid architecture diagram (workflow patterns described in text only)
- No demos, videos, or interactive walkthroughs (workshop link is good but not an embedded demo)
- Business Framing relies on bold percentages in Summary rather than a dedicated ROI Recap section
- Empty HTML anchor tags (
<h2 id="..."></h2>) clutter the source but don’t affect rendering
Suggestions:
- Add a Mermaid diagram showing the defense-in-depth rings and OPA policy enforcement flow
- Consider recording a demo of the break-glass recovery scenario – it’s the most dramatic and teachable moment
- Add an embedded Arcade walkthrough for the workshop if available
4. AI-Assisted Ansible Developer Experience
File: README-Ansible-DevTools.md
Score: 9.5 / 10
| Category |
Score |
| Outcome Clarity (20%) |
4.5 |
| Architecture Clarity (20%) |
5 |
| Technical Executability (25%) |
5 |
| Validation/Testability (15%) |
4 |
| Production Readiness (10%) |
5 |
| Business Framing (10%) |
5 |
| Stats: ~4,800 words |
3 Mermaid diagrams + multiple code blocks (bash, JSON, YAML) |
4 installation methods with step-by-step |
MCP server configuration section |
Comprehensive comparison table |
Strengths:
- Four installation methods (uv/pip, RPM, Dev Container, Dev Spaces) with clear “best for” guidance and honest tradeoffs
- Three Mermaid diagrams: delivery method progression, tool lifecycle (Create/Test/Deploy), and MCP architecture
- MCP section covers both Ansible Devtools MCP server and AAP MCP server with configuration examples for Claude Code, VS Code, and
.mcp.json
- End-to-end development workflow showing scaffold -> lint -> inventory check -> run on AAP -> troubleshoot loop
- Comparison table across 11 dimensions is immediately actionable for decision-makers
- Maturity path goes to four levels (Crawl through “Fly”) – first guide to do so, appropriate for the topic
- Both upstream (community) and downstream (Red Hat supported) paths documented side by side
Weaknesses:
- Borderline solution vs. tutorial – the framing around “enterprise developer experience” saves it, but the guide could be read as “how to install ADT”
- Validation is relatively simple (
adt --version + smoke test) compared to the complexity of what’s being set up
- No screenshots of the Dev Container or Dev Spaces experience in action
- Missing KB blockquote under the title
Suggestions:
- Add a screenshot or two showing the dev container experience (VS Code with Ansible extension running inside the container)
- Strengthen the validation section with a more meaningful test (e.g., scaffold a role, lint it, run molecule)
- Add a “Common questions from leadership” FAQ addressing cost justification for Dev Spaces infrastructure
5. OpenShift EDA + Kafka Event Pipeline
File: README-OpenShift-EDA-Kafka.md
Score: 9.2 / 10
| Category |
Score |
| Outcome Clarity (20%) |
4 |
| Architecture Clarity (20%) |
5 |
| Technical Executability (25%) |
5 |
| Validation/Testability (15%) |
5 |
| Production Readiness (10%) |
4 |
| Business Framing (10%) |
4 |
| Stats: ~5,200 words |
15+ YAML/shell blocks |
1 Mermaid diagram |
7 numbered walkthrough steps |
Per-stage validation table + 7-row troubleshooting table |
Strengths:
- Complete pipeline from Kubernetes API to EDA: APIServerSource -> KafkaSink -> Kafka -> EDA -> AAP job template, all with deployable CRs
- Custom credential type for Kafka with field definitions and injector configuration – uncommonly detailed
- Alternative architecture comparison (direct KafkaSink vs KafkaChannel + Subscription) with strengths/limitations table
- CloudEvents table documenting the three event types captured with their triggers and payloads
- Full EDA rulebook with three condition rules and a catch-all debug rule
- Honest scoping: “This guide builds the foundational event pipeline” with Maturity Path showing the path to automated governance
Weaknesses:
- The immediate outcome is “log namespace events” – deliberately basic, but a reader might feel underwhelmed after deploying Kafka + Serverless + EDA
- No demos, videos, or interactive walkthroughs
- No quantified business value (time savings, audit compliance improvement)
- Missing KB blockquote under the title
Suggestions:
- Add a “What you can build on this” section with 2-3 concrete examples (e.g., auto-apply network policies to new namespaces, alert on label violations)
- Consider adding a simple governance action in a “bonus step” to show immediate value beyond logging
- Add cost/resource notes for the Kafka + Serverless stack (storage, operator overhead)
6. AIOps with Splunk and Event-Driven Ansible
File: README-AIOps-Splunk-ITSI.md
Score: 8.9 / 10
| Category |
Score |
| Outcome Clarity (20%) |
5 |
| Architecture Clarity (20%) |
4 |
| Technical Executability (25%) |
4 |
| Validation/Testability (15%) |
5 |
| Production Readiness (10%) |
4 |
| Business Framing (10%) |
5 |
| Stats: ~6,800 words |
15 YAML blocks |
1 hero image + 1 architecture image |
17 walkthrough subsections |
Strengths:
- Three integration patterns (ITSI/MLTK, generic webhook, network OSPF) in a single guide with a repeatable story
- Deep Splunk operational detail – MLTK adaptive-interval behavior, aggregation policy pitfalls, ITSI source field nuances
- Unusually thorough validation: per-stage checklists, scripted webhook injection, OSPF scenario matrix, and a wide troubleshooting sheet
- Closed-loop completeness from detect through correlate, enrich, remediate, and episode closure
- Strong business framing with retail KPI severity scenario and persona table anchored to measurable pain
Weaknesses:
- TOC includes “Incident Response Timeline” with no matching section (dead anchor)
- Same
aiops_splunk_predict.png reused for the webhook pipeline section – risks confusing readers
- Phase 1 of the ITSI remediation playbook is placeholder text; not all referenced collections appear in Prerequisites
- Missing KB blockquote under the title per repo convention
Suggestions:
- Fix or remove the dead “Incident Response Timeline” TOC entry
- Provide a distinct diagram (or clear caption) separating predictive ITSI topology from generic webhook flow
- Unify Prerequisites with every module used in excerpts (add
f5networks.f5_modules, amazon.aws)
File: README-Instana-AIOps.md
Score: 8.9 / 10
| Category |
Score |
| Outcome Clarity (20%) |
4 |
| Architecture Clarity (20%) |
5 |
| Technical Executability (25%) |
4 |
| Validation/Testability (15%) |
5 |
| Production Readiness (10%) |
4 |
| Business Framing (10%) |
5 |
| Stats: ~4,300 words |
8 YAML blocks |
1 hero image + 2 architecture diagrams |
8 numbered steps + 3 use cases + optional AI section |
Strengths:
- Two integration patterns (EDA webhook vs Instana native automation framework) with “when to use which” comparison table
- Concrete integration surface: webhook URL/payload field table, full rulebook, Host Agent REST annotation loop
- Per-stage and per-use-case operational impact levels, rollback warnings, and approval-gate maturity guidance
- Strong validation: checklist-by-stage verification, deterministic synthetic POST test, and troubleshooting grid
- Business + engineering alignment: personas, demos, ROI recap, and measurable success metric table
Weaknesses:
- “Integration Architecture” section name deviates from the framework’s standard “[Topic] Workflow” convention
- Minor typo: “an governed” should be “a governed” in the Overview
- DB idle-connection playbook excerpt stops short of showing the full kill-query step
- Architecture diagrams are present but no Mermaid renderings for interactive exploration on the site
Suggestions:
- Fix the “an governed” typo in the Overview
- Add a subtitle or alias so “Integration Architecture” maps to the framework’s Workflow section for reviewers
- Consider adding a Mermaid version of the dual-path topology for inline rendering on GitHub Pages
8. High-Availability AAP with EDB PostgreSQL DR
File: README-EDB.md
Score: 8.7 / 10
| Category |
Score |
| Outcome Clarity (20%) |
4.5 |
| Architecture Clarity (20%) |
5 |
| Technical Executability (25%) |
4 |
| Validation/Testability (15%) |
4 |
| Production Readiness (10%) |
4 |
| Business Framing (10%) |
4.5 |
| Stats: ~7,130 words |
1 YAML block |
3 Mermaid diagrams (architecture, data flow, failover sequence) |
6 phases, 23 titled substeps |
Strengths:
- Reference-grade architecture: Mermaid diagrams (dual-DC topology, steady-state data flow, failover sequence) plus sizing and component tables
- Operational honesty about failover impact on sessions, in-flight jobs, EDA activations, and DNS TTL
- End-to-end scope from infrastructure provisioning through production cutover, plus an Operational Runbook section
- Strong validation surface: per-stage checklist, health-check scripts, failback procedure, and troubleshooting table
- Clear “Who Benefits” and Crawl/Walk/Run tables connecting engineering work to stakeholder language
Weaknesses:
- Unified INI inventory example for DC2 may have grouping issues that could cause install failures if copied literally
- Failover testing alternates between
pg_ctl promote and EFM-orchestrated behavior without a clear single authority
- Unlike other AAP guides, there is no featured Automation Hub collection table (fine for the topic, but a convention gap)
- Missing KB blockquote under the title
Suggestions:
- Validate and fix the unified inventory INI grouping so DC2 host/variable assignments are unambiguous
- Add a short “Support and boundaries” note clarifying Red Hat vs EDB support scope
- For 3-5 key commands (
podman ps, efm cluster-status, pg_is_in_recovery), show verbatim expected output
9. Unlock AIOps with ServiceNow LEAP and Ansible MCP server
File: README-AIOps-ServiceNow.md
Score: 8.7 / 10
| Category |
Score |
| Outcome Clarity (20%) |
5 |
| Architecture Clarity (20%) |
4.5 |
| Technical Executability (25%) |
4 |
| Validation/Testability (15%) |
4 |
| Production Readiness (10%) |
5 |
| Business Framing (10%) |
5 |
| Stats: ~3,800 words |
2 YAML blocks |
1 hero image + 1 SVG architecture diagram + 1 Mermaid diagram |
4 walkthrough steps + 4 verification artifacts |
Strengths:
- Complete framework alignment: all sections present and well-organized
- Two executable YAML artifacts: governed template-as-code and ITSM correlation with multi-agent rationale
- Multi-agent visibility narrative with clear “when to skip” guidance
- Dedicated MCP deployment topology section with trust boundaries, TLS/mTLS, and token rotation
- Real-world customer reference (Mutua Madrileña: 50% incident reduction)
Weaknesses:
- Walkthrough steps are UI-navigation-oriented rather than API/CLI-oriented
- Multi-agent visibility narrative could benefit from a concrete two-agent scenario example
Suggestions:
- Add a short API-based alternative for Step 2 (connector setup)
- Add a concrete multi-agent scenario showing two agents updating the same incident
10. AIOps automation with Ansible
File: README-AIOps.md
Score: 8.5 / 10
| Category |
Score |
| Outcome Clarity (20%) |
4 |
| Architecture Clarity (20%) |
5 |
| Technical Executability (25%) |
4 |
| Validation/Testability (15%) |
3 |
| Production Readiness (10%) |
4.5 |
| Business Framing (10%) |
4.5 |
| Stats: ~7,500 words |
8 YAML blocks |
6+ substantive workflow/concept images |
4 pipeline phases with 16 numbered substeps |
Strengths:
- Strong systems narrative: clear contrast between deterministic EDA scaling and AI-in-the-middle architecture
- Risk-aware layering with operational impact matrix and Crawl/Walk/Run framing
- Comprehensive reference tables for event types, observability tools, message queues, and AI endpoints
- “Where Do Good Playbooks Come From?” section maps four playbook sources to maturity stages
Weaknesses:
- Validation lacks verbatim sample outputs – weaker as a standalone cookbook
- No single explicit “Solution Walkthrough” heading; depth is spread across sections 1-4
- AAP YAML snippets embed HTML emoji in
name fields, which breaks copy-paste as valid YAML
Suggestions:
- Add verbatim expected output for each pipeline stage
- Sanitize YAML examples so template names are plain strings suitable for copy-paste
- Insert the KB blockquote under the H1 per publishing standards
11. AI Infrastructure automation with Ansible
File: README-IA.md
Score: 7.3 / 10
| Category |
Score |
| Outcome Clarity (20%) |
4 |
| Architecture Clarity (20%) |
4 |
| Technical Executability (25%) |
4 |
| Validation/Testability (15%) |
3 |
| Production Readiness (10%) |
3 |
| Business Framing (10%) |
3 |
| Stats: ~1,927 words |
3 YAML blocks |
1 workflow screenshot |
~8-10 major phases |
Strengths:
- Clear two-collection story (
infra.ai for provisioning, redhat.ai for model serving) with Automation Hub links
- Multiple integration paths: CLI inventory vs AAP EC2 sync, curl vs Ansible module for validation
- Honest scope note that AWS is an example while
infra.ai supports other targets
Weaknesses:
- Missing canonical Overview, Prerequisites, and Maturity Path sections per the framework
- Validation has no verbatim expected output and no troubleshooting table
- No persona table, no quantified business pain
Suggestions:
- Add an Overview section with a problem statement and consolidated Prerequisites table
- Expand Validation with sample success output and a 3-5 row troubleshooting table
- Add persona mapping and business framing
12. Intelligent Assistant with Red Hat AI Inference Server
File: README-Intelligent-Assistant-RHAIIS.md
Score: 6.9 / 10
| Category |
Score |
| Outcome Clarity (20%) |
4 |
| Architecture Clarity (20%) |
3 |
| Technical Executability (25%) |
3 |
| Validation/Testability (15%) |
4 |
| Production Readiness (10%) |
3 |
| Business Framing (10%) |
4 |
| Stats: ~1,625 words |
0 YAML blocks (2 YAML snippets in ~~~ fences) |
Arcade demo + 1 GPU screenshot |
~12-14 major operations |
Strengths:
- Tight integration target: connects RHAIIS container flags required for Lightspeed
- Actionable OpenShift wiring: Kubernetes Secret keys and AAP CR spec.lightspeed fields
- Concrete validation with curl test and expected answer text
- Rich Arcade demo embed for visual learners
Weaknesses:
- Missing framework sections: no Overview, Solution (components/personas), Workflow/Architecture, or Maturity Path
- No formal architecture diagram
- YAML snippets use
~~~ fences instead of ` ```yaml `
Suggestions:
- Add an Overview with problem statement and a Workflow section with a simple diagram
- Fix
podman run formatting; convert ~~~ to ` ```yaml `
- Add a Validation heading with a troubleshooting table
Cross-Cutting Observations
What changed since the May 2026 review:
- Four new guides scored 9.2-9.8, raising the quality bar significantly
- Windows Cert Rotation is the new standard for AIOps validation (three decision paths, three test scenarios)
- AAP HA/DR on OpenShift is the deepest single guide in the collection and introduces the “validated test scenarios with observed SLAs” pattern – all other guides should aspire to this level of production evidence
- Mermaid adoption is now standard – all new guides use Mermaid diagrams (the convention rule change is paying off)
- MCP coverage is growing – DevTools and ServiceNow guides both document MCP server integration
Patterns that work well across guides:
- Per-stage operational impact tables (Windows, OpenShift-EDA, HA/DR, EDB)
- Mermaid diagrams for workflow visualization (all new guides)
- Alternative architecture comparison tables (OpenShift-EDA: KafkaSink vs Channel)
- Validated test scenarios with timing data (HA/DR)
- Three-path decision logic with AI (Windows Cert)
- Arcade + video demos (Windows Cert, ServiceNow)
Recurring gaps across guides:
- Source repo links – many guides show code excerpts but don’t link to a full runnable repo
- Cost/resource estimates – only Windows Cert and DevTools address this consistently
- Inline mermaid styles – Windows Cert uses a
style directive (minor, renders well)
- YAML copy-paste fidelity – AIOps guide still embeds HTML emoji in YAML
name fields
- ansible-output highlighting – now available site-wide; other guides with playbook output should adopt it
Ranking rationale:
- HA/DR on OpenShift (9.8) ties with Windows Cert Rotation for the top spot – HA/DR wins on raw depth and validated SLAs, Windows wins on AIOps sophistication and multimedia
- Windows Cert Rotation (9.8) is the reference standard for AIOps guides: event-driven detection, AI judgment, governed execution, ITSM audit trail, and custom syntax highlighting
- DevTools (9.5) is the broadest developer-focused guide with four installation paths and MCP integration
- OpenShift-EDA (9.2) is a strong foundational guide limited only by its deliberately basic immediate outcome
- The original top guides (Splunk, Instana, EDB, ServiceNow) remain strong but are now joined by guides that raise the bar on executable depth and production evidence