1. Proposed title of this feature request

Need feature to configure the frequency by which CVO queries openshift.com for update

1. Summary of the Request:

The Cluster Version Operator (CVO) currently polls api.openshift.com every 15 seconds to check for available OpenShift updates. This polling frequency is hardcoded and cannot be modified by users or administrators.

We request the introduction of a configurable parameter that allows cluster administrators to adjust the polling interval, or disable it entirely, especially for clusters operating in bandwidth-sensitive or proxied environments.

2. Problem Statement / Current Behavior:

In the current implementation, the CVO contacts the OpenShift Update Service (https://api.openshift.com/api/upgrades_info/v1/graph) every 15 seconds. This value is defined directly in the CVO source code and is not exposed as a configurable setting:

🔗 Hardcoded interval in CVO source

There is no supported mechanism to customize this behavior via configuration files, environment variables, or ClusterVersion custom resource (CR).

3. Business Need / Customer Impact:

Customers running OpenShift clusters in on-premise environments with restricted or proxied internet access are experiencing unintended pressure on their proxy infrastructure. Specifically:

• Frequent polling by CVO generates excessive outbound traffic through corporate proxies.

• This behavior triggers security alerts, rate-limiting, or unnecessary logging overhead.

• In bandwidth-constrained or air-gapped deployments, the value of frequent polling is minimal or counterproductive.

For highly regulated or resource-sensitive environments, customers need greater control over how often CVO reaches out to external services.

4. Proposed Enhancement:

Introduce a configurable field or mechanism to customize the polling interval for CVO’s update checks. Options may include:

• A new field in the ClusterVersion CR:

  spec:
    updateCheckInterval: 5m 

4. List any affected packages or components.

CVO