PNDA uses SaltStack for deployment automation. A good place to start is the SaltStack Get Started Guide. Here you will learn the fundamentals of SaltStack.
Next, read about the SaltStack Components that form the basis of Salt: the Salt Master, the minions that receive commands from the master, modules, formulas, grains and more.
Once you've understood the principles, you could then go to the SaltStack walk-through where you will install Salt and can begin experimenting with it.
As an alternative to installing software locally, it is possible to use the SaltStack Demo Environment, which leverages VirtualBox and Vagrant. In less than an hour you can be up and ready to go!