Feature Overview

This feature aims to address the current gaps and pain points in HCP for Baremetal and Disconnected Installs.. It encompasses enhancements to the mirroring process, TLS management, troubleshooting, HostedClusters ICSP/IDMS handling, Assisted Service peculiarities, Backup and Restore functionality, and improvements in UI clarity and documentation comprehensiveness.

Goals

The primary goal is to streamline and simplify the user experience in managing the HCP, particularly in disconnected environments. This includes making the mirroring process more intuitive, enhancing TLS management for image pulling/pushing, simplifying troubleshooting processes, clearly documenting the transition from ImageContentSourcePolicy to ImageDigestMirrorSet and ImageTagMirrorSet, addressing Assisted Service issues, and establishing a robust backup and restore mechanism.

Requirements

• Mirroring Enhancements: Improve the `oc-mirror` tool to support IDMS and enhance user understanding and usage.
• TLS Management Improvements: Simplify the process for managing TLS certificates for image pulling/pushing across the MGMT and Hosted Clusters.
• Add Troubleshooting Mechanisms with Documentation: Make troubleshooting more accessible to users, including understanding custom catalogs and OLM hierarchy.
• HostedClusters ICSP/IDMS Handling: Address complexities in ICSP/IDMS management in Hypershift environments, ensuring clarity in documentation.
• Assisted Service Fixes: Resolve peculiarities with RootFS and LiveISO in disconnected environments, preventing issues with CoreOS versions.
• UI and Documentation Clarity: Enhance the UI to clearly support configurations like ICSP and update the documentation to cover missing flags and configurations. 

Use Cases

• A system administrator setting up a disconnected HCP environment will benefit from clearer mirroring instructions and improved tooling, which will reduce setup time and complexity.
• An operator updating TLS certificates will find streamlined processes that minimize downtime and ensure secure communication.
• A developer troubleshooting HCP issues will have access to simplified guides and tools, enabling faster resolution of issues.
• A support persona looking to help the customer with issues in disconnected would benefit from a clear guide.

Out of Scope

• Changes that affect the core architecture of HCP are not related to the identified pain points (especially disconnected).

Background and Strategic Fit

This feature is crucial for enhancing the usability and reliability of HCP in Baremetal disconnected environments, particularly for customers operating in disconnected setups. It addresses critical feedback and observed challenges, aligning with the strategic goal of making HCP a robust and user-friendly platform.

Customer Considerations

• Customers require clear, concise documentation and tooling that guides them through complex processes with ease.

Documentation Considerations

• Update the existing HCP and Hypershift (upstream) documentation to reflect the new changes.
• Provide step-by-step guides for the new mirroring process, TLS management, troubleshooting, and ICSP/IDMS handling.
• Include detailed use cases and scenarios to help users understand the application and benefits of the new features.
• Assess the need for new content or updates to existing content, including release notes detailing the changes.