Feature Overview (aka. Goal Summary)  

Bifrost (RHEL image mode) is going to be TP with RHEL 9.4. MicroShift should support this also as TP. We can consider this as MVP focusing on the scope of the below mentioned requirements.

Goals (aka. expected user outcomes)

Users can utilize MicroShift on RHEL Image Mode, so that a fully self contained image that can be used for an offline/airgappaed zero touch installation of MicroShift on an empty node.

Another goal is to determine the missing pieces for GA release and ensure those are tracked.

Requirements (aka. Acceptance Criteria):

1. RHEL image mode with MicroShift in it can be build using a Container file like "FROM ... RUN dnf install microshift ....", including artefacts needed at runtime "e.g. pull secret"
2. Required container images can be embedded (depending on RHEL support for that 
3. Customer workload can be added (e.g. via container file “COPY ….” of the necessary manifests. Incl. workload container images
4. Additional drivers / packages that might be needed (e.g. for NVIDIA GPU support) can also be installed / added / configured. 
5. All of the above for both X86 and ARM
6. CI testing for at least req #1-3 

Questions to Answer (Optional):

1. Can we add update and rollback to the scope?

Out of Scope

1. ?

Background

n/a

Customer Considerations

There might be customers who want to use this in production very early, as image mode solves some problems of image builder (FIPS compliance, rpm modularity). In that case, we would need to process a support exception.

Documentation Considerations

Provide information that needs to be considered and planned so that documentation will meet customer needs.  If the feature extends existing functionality, provide a link to its current documentation. Initial completion during Refinement status.

Needs to be added to the doc as third installation options (rpm, ostree, image mode)

Interoperability Considerations

In the long term, all other projects which deal with MicroShift cluster lifecycle management (AAP, ACM, FlightCTL) need to adjust / switch to image mode.