Feature Overview

This feature introduces a Cluster API (CAPI) infrastructure provider for Nutanix, establishing a modern, Kubernetes-native approach for creating and managing OpenShift Container Platform (OCP) clusters. By replacing the legacy Machine API (MAPI), this enhancement aligns the Nutanix platform with the strategic direction of OpenShift. It provides users with a more consistent, declarative, and robust mechanism for cluster lifecycle management across all supported installation methods.

Goals

The primary user for this feature is the Cluster Administrator or Platform Engineer.

• Enable the deployment of new OCP clusters on Nutanix using the CAPI provider via Installer-Provisioned Infrastructure (IPI), Assisted Installer, and Agent-based Installer (ABI).
• Replace the existing MAPI provider with the new CAPI provider for cluster creation and management on Nutanix.
• Provide a declarative, Kubernetes-native API for managing the lifecycle (create, scale, destroy) of Nutanix machines within an OpenShift cluster.
• Ensure the Nutanix installation experience is consistent with other platforms that have already adopted CAPI.

User Scenarios

• As a Platform Engineer, I want to automate OCP cluster provisioning on Nutanix using the same CAPI tooling and Custom Resources (CRs) that I use for other cloud providers, so that I can reduce operational complexity and maintain a unified management strategy across our hybrid cloud environment.

Requirements

Functional Requirements

• The CAPI provider must support the creation, scaling (via MachineSets), and deletion of worker nodes.
• The initial release should strive for feature parity with the existing MAPI-based installer, covering common networking, storage, and machine configuration options.
• The solution must cleanly handle the installation and lifecycle of the Nutanix CAPI provider components within the cluster.

Non-Functional Requirements

• Testing: Comprehensive end-to-end (e2e) tests must be implemented to validate CAPI-based installations for IPI, Assisted Installer, and ABI on Nutanix.
• Documentation:
• Technology Preview (TP) documentation must be created, detailing the new CAPI-based installation process and highlighting any differences from the MAPI approach.
• General Availability (GA) documentation must be fully updated across all relevant guides (Installation Overview, Installing on Nutanix, etc.).

• Security: The CAPI provider must adhere to OCP security standards, including secure management of Nutanix Prism credentials.
• Performance: Cluster provisioning and machine scaling operations should have performance characteristics that are on par with, or better than, the existing MAPI implementation.
• Upgradability: A clear and validated process must exist for upgrading OCP clusters that were initially deployed using the Nutanix CAPI provider.

Questions to Answer

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Out of Scope

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Links

• OCPSTRAT-915: Remove Terraform from the Nutanix installer 
• OCPSTRAT-764: Leverage Cluster API functionality in OpenShift (rather than MAPI)
• CAPI Roadmap:[ CAPI Implementation Roadmap|https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1W60ai6MWG8tuuP0QT5r7FihzvFPNjGLN8jaKojSD084/edit#slide=id.g346927e78ea_0_24]
• Existing Documentation:[ Installing a cluster on Nutanix|https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/openshift_container_platform/4.19/html-single/installing_on_nutanix/index]