Feature Overview

• As an infrastructure owner, I want a repeatable method to quickly deploy the initial OpenShift cluster.

• As an infrastructure owner, I want to install the first (management, hub, “cluster 0”) cluster to manage other (standalone, hub, spoke, hub of hubs) clusters.

Goals

• Enable customers and partners to successfully deploy a single “first” cluster in disconnected, on-premises settings

Requirements

4.11 MVP Requirements

• Customers and partners needs to be able to download the installer
• Enable customers and partners to deploy a single “first” cluster (cluster 0) using single node, compact, or highly available topologies in disconnected, on-premises settings
• Installer must support advanced network settings such as static IP assignments, VLANs and NIC bonding for on-premises metal use cases, as well as DHCP and PXE provisioning environments.
• Installer needs to support automation, including integration with third-party deployment tools, as well as user-driven deployments.
• In the MVP automation has higher priority than interactive, user-driven deployments.
• For bare metal deployments, we cannot assume that users will provide us the credentials to manage hosts via their BMCs.
• Installer should prioritize support for platforms None, baremetal, and VMware.
• The installer will focus on a single version of OpenShift, and a different build artifact will be produced for each different version.
• The installer must not depend on a connected registry; however, the installer can optionally use a previously mirrored registry within the disconnected environment.

Use Cases

• As a Telco partner engineer (Site Engineer, Specialist, Field Engineer), I want to deploy an OpenShift cluster in production with limited or no additional hardware and don’t intend to deploy more OpenShift clusters [Isolated edge experience].
• As a Enterprise infrastructure owner, I want to manage the lifecycle of multiple clusters in 1 or more sites by first installing the first  (management, hub, “cluster 0”) cluster to manage other (standalone, hub, spoke, hub of hubs) clusters [Cluster before your cluster].
• As a Partner, I want to package OpenShift for large scale and/or distributed topology with my own software and/or hardware solution.
• As a large enterprise customer or Service Provider, I want to install a “HyperShift Tugboat” OpenShift cluster in order to offer a hosted OpenShift control plane at scale to my consumers (DevOps Engineers, tenants) that allows for fleet-level provisioning for low CAPEX and OPEX, much like AKS or GKE [Hypershift].
• As a new, novice to intermediate user (Enterprise Admin/Consumer, Telco Partner integrator, RH Solution Architect), I want to quickly deploy a small OpenShift cluster for Poc/Demo/Research purposes.

Questions to answer…

Out of Scope

Out of scope use cases (that are part of the Kubeframe/factory project):

• As a Partner (OEMs, ISVs), I want to install and pre-configure OpenShift with my hardware/software in my disconnected factory, while allowing further (minimal) reconfiguration of a subset of capabilities later at a different site by different set of users (end customer) [Embedded OpenShift].
• As an Infrastructure Admin at an Enterprise customer with multiple remote sites, I want to pre-provision OpenShift centrally prior to shipping and activating the clusters in remote sites.

Background, and strategic fit

• This Section: What does the person writing code, testing, documenting need to know? What context can be provided to frame this feature.

Assumptions

1. The user has only access to the target nodes that will form the cluster and will boot them with the image presented locally via a USB stick. This scenario is common in sites with restricted access such as government infra where only users with security clearance can interact with the installation, where software is allowed to enter in the premises (in a USB, DVD, SD card, etc.) but never allowed to come back out. Users can't enter supporting devices such as laptops or phones.
2. The user has access to the target nodes remotely to their BMCs (e.g. iDrac, iLo) and can map an image as virtual media from their computer. This scenario is common in data centers where the customer provides network access to the BMCs of the target nodes.
3. We cannot assume that we will have access to a computer to run an installer or installer helper software.

Customer Considerations

• ...

Documentation Considerations

Questions to be addressed:

• What educational or reference material (docs) is required to support this product feature? For users/admins? Other functions (security officers, etc)?
• Does this feature have doc impact?
• New Content, Updates to existing content, Release Note, or No Doc Impact
• If unsure and no Technical Writer is available, please contact Content Strategy.
• What concepts do customers need to understand to be successful in [action]?
• How do we expect customers will use the feature? For what purpose(s)?
• What reference material might a customer want/need to complete [action]?
• Is there source material that can be used as reference for the Technical Writer in writing the content? If yes, please link if available.
• What is the doc impact (New Content, Updates to existing content, or Release Note)?

References

• Bootable Ephemeral Installer Image for Disconnected Cluster 0 Deployments