Red Hat’s Policy-as-Code a hit with customers and partners

“As AI enabled workflows move at machine speed, we are giving our customers a powerful tool to ensure policies are enforced and compliance is documented,” says Chip McClelland, Director for Automation at Red Hat APAC.

At Red Hat Summit 2025 and Ansible Fest, cutting-edge innovations in open source as well as customer and partner success stories are expected to be among the highlights. In the 2024 summit, Red Hat introduced an automated Policy-as-Code (PaC) approach for AI. This year, there could be more announcements on how Red Hat plans to build on this.

PaC ia a new capability on the Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform. The capability will help enforce policies and compliance across hybrid cloud estates that increasingly include a varied and growing number of AI applications.

Prior to the Red Hat Summit 2025, Chip McClelland, Director for Automation at Red Hat APAC shared with CRN Asia how partners and customers in the region have responded to Policy-as-Code as well as the challenges with AI and open source that Red Hat is hoping to address.

It's been a year since Red Hat introduced PaC approach for AI was announced at the Red Hat Summit 2024. How are partners and customers reacting to this?

It's been really exciting to see how partners and customers are reacting to automated PaC since we introduced it at Red Hat Summit last year. The feedback has been positive. A lot of them tell us that this approach will make compliance and governance easier, especially as they scale AI workloads across hybrid cloud environments. Instead of constantly playing catch-up with evolving regulations, they can now automate policy enforcement and stay ahead of the game—while keeping their infrastructure in check.

For example, financial services customers are adopting automated PaC solutions to streamline compliance across complex hybrid environments, reducing manual interventions and freeing up resources to scale their AI initiatives. This is just one example of how automated policy as code is helping organizations transform their IT operations to support AI growth efficiently.

Automation has always been a key part of enterprise IT, and AI is the natural next step in that journey. AI is shaping up to be one of the most transformative technologies of our time, but with that comes added complexity. As businesses rush to adopt and scale AI workloads, managing the sprawl across hybrid cloud environments becomes a real challenge. That’s where automated policy as code comes in—it helps bring structure and governance to AI-generated applications and systems, ensuring compliance without slowing down innovation. As AI enabled workflows move at machine speed, we are giving our customers a powerful tool to ensure policies are enforced and compliance is documented.

What are customers and partners' biggest challenges with AI and open source that Red Hat is hoping to address this year?

We see a few major challenges that customers and partners run into when trying to integrate AI with open-source solutions.

We believe that automation is a pre-requisite to successful AI implementation. Automated processes are documented in structured playbooks that are fertile training grounds for AI models. The level of automation maturity is a key predictor of AI implementation success.

First, scaling AI without compromising security—as AI workloads grow, security and governance become even more important. No one wants to introduce unnecessary risks, so having automated policy as code helps organizations stay compliant without adding a ton of manual work.

Then there’s keeping infrastructure reliable under heavy workloads. AI can be demanding, and IT teams need systems that can scale seamlessly without unexpected downtime. That’s why we embed automation into operations—so businesses can maintain stability and efficiency as they scale. Our Ansible Automation Platform plays a huge role in making sure workflows run smoothly.

And finally, managing hybrid cloud automation without added complexity. Businesses want automation that works across multiple environments, without skyrocketing costs or added headaches. Our automation solutions, including Ansible, help simplify operations, reduce costs, and make AI adoption much more manageable.

Automation and AI aren’t just support tools anymore—they’re strategic drivers of innovation. Our goal is to help organizations turn complexity into opportunity, making their AI-driven operations more scalable, secure, and efficient.

How does the Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization Engine integrate with automation tools like Ansible to simplify VM management and migration?

Think of Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization as your all-in-one platform for managing virtual machines (VMs) while also making automation a breeze. The real game-changer here is how seamlessly it integrates with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform to simplify VM management and migration.

For IT teams, this means way less manual work. Instead of provisioning, scaling, or decommissioning VMs one by one, Ansible automates the whole process at scale—keeping everything consistent and reducing the chances of human error.

When it comes to migration, we know that’s often a headache. But with the Migration Toolkit for Virtualization (MTV) and Ansible working together, businesses can move VMs from other platforms with minimal downtime and fewer disruptions. It’s all about making the transition smooth and hassle-free.

And let’s not forget efficiency—Ansible lets teams define infrastructure as code (IaC), so they can automate network configurations, security policies, and resource allocation. That means fewer repetitive tasks and more time for strategic projects. This is particularly important for Day 2 operations where Ansible can automate VM lifecycle tasks easily once they have been migrated to OpenShift.

This integration helps businesses stay agile. Whether workloads spike or IT teams need to scale resources quickly, automation ensures everything runs smoothly without sacrificing performance. It’s all about reducing complexity and helping organizations move towards a more efficient, resilient IT setup.

Lastly, can you share some real-world examples of automation in hybrid cloud environments that streamline processes, cut costs, and enhance service delivery?

Automation in hybrid cloud environments has been a game-changer for so many organizations. Let me give you a few real-world examples:

• ADP (Global Payroll Leader): ADP, a leading provider of payroll and human capital management solutions, automated its IT operations across multiple cloud platforms. This has reduced manual errors, enhanced scalability, and ensured seamless service delivery, enabling the company to support its growing AI initiatives efficiently.
• JPMorgan Chase (Global Financial Institution): The banking giant leverages Red Hat’s Ansible Automation Platform to streamline critical processes such as infrastructure provisioning, compliance enforcement, and threat detection. This approach has enabled them to maintain agility and resilience in their highly complex hybrid infrastructure.
• Southwest Airlines (Leading U.S. Airline): Automation plays a key role in optimizing IT operations for Southwest Airlines, from fleet management systems to customer-facing applications. The airline has significantly cut operational costs, minimized downtime, and improved the passenger experience by ensuring real-time system updates and proactive maintenance.

At the end of the day, automation isn’t just about saving time, it’s about building resilience, ensuring scalability, and setting the stage for continuous innovation. These companies are proof that when done right, automation can be a real competitive advantage.