What?

Whenever a compatible OpenShift Service Mesh (OSSM) Subscription resource is present, we will not attempt to take ownership or overwrite its changes. Instead, we will report this situation in the Ingress Cluster Operator’s status.

Why?

This epic addresses a problem with the shared OperatorGroup in `openshift-operators` namespace. When `installPlanApproval` is set to `Manual` for any operator installed in `openshift-operators`, it forces manual approval mode for all other operators in that namespace. Because the CIO enforces manual approval mode on the compatible subscription, all operators in `openshift-operators` end up in manual mode, preventing them from receiving automatic updates.

How?

The CIO logic should follow these guidelines:

IF a compatible (installedCSV == expected CSV) Subscription is present, AND the installed operator supports the expected Istio control plane version, AND a supported `GatewayClass` resource is created:
1. Do not overwrite the Subscription's spec.
2. Report the presence of a compatible, non-owned Subscription.

Notes

• Related slack thread: link.