Narrative

The Red Hat build of Keycloak Server Guide currently includes a Chapter 17. Importing and Exporting Realms covering the different approaches for importing and exporting realms using JSON files.
Although RHBK has documented this, it is currently not clear on how to do this when RHBK is deployed in OpenShift environments, hence not even supported.

Not having the ability to export and import realms anymore when using OpenShift is considered a regression by many customer for their transition from RH-SSO to RHBK.

While typically a Database 'dump' is recommended to fully copy the RH SSO / RHBK instances between environments, there are several scenarios where customers might choose to perform an export / import instead.

Examples include, but are not limited to, when transitioning data between different Databases (e.g. a customer is using MS SQL and would then like to migrate to PostgreSQL) or if the customer would like to migrate a single realm only instead of their entire configuration. It's something quite common that many customers can do in RH-SSO today.

The import part could be partially mitigated today by the RealmImport CR, however this assumes that customers have been able to successfully export their configuration, which they cannot do. Additionally, several customers might use the Operator but not the CR's other than the required Keycloak one.

Value Proposition

• Ability to export and import RHBK realms should work and be supported, regardless the chosen RHBK deployment mode.
• Unlocks a limitation for RH-SSO customers wanting to migrate to RHBK.

Goals

• Provide ability to export one or more realms when deploying RHBK as containers on OpenShift
• Provide ability to export one or more realms when deploying RHBK using the Operator
• Provide ability to import one or more realms when deploying RHBK as containers on OpenShift
• Provide ability to import one or more realms when deploying RHBK using the Operator

Non Goals

• Ability to export or import realms while RHBK is running; no traffic/updates can happen during the export or import