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Chapter 6. Updating hosted control planes

Updates for hosted control planes involve updating the hosted cluster and the node pools. For a cluster to remain fully operational during an update process, you must meet the requirements of the Kubernetes version skew policy while completing the control plane and node updates.

6.1. Requirements to upgrade hosted control planes

The multicluster engine for Kubernetes Operator can manage one or more OpenShift Container Platform clusters. After you create a hosted cluster on OpenShift Container Platform, you must import your hosted cluster in the multicluster engine Operator as a managed cluster. Then, you can use the OpenShift Container Platform cluster as a management cluster.

Consider the following requirements before you start updating hosted control planes:

  • You must use the bare metal platform for an OpenShift Container Platform cluster when using OpenShift Virtualization as a provider.
  • You must use bare metal or OpenShift Virtualization as the cloud platform for the hosted cluster. You can find the platform type of your hosted cluster in the spec.Platform.type specification of the HostedCluster custom resource (CR).

You must upgrade the OpenShift Container Platform cluster, multicluster engine Operator, hosted cluster, and node pools by completing the following tasks:

  1. Upgrade an OpenShift Container Platform cluster to the latest version. For more information, see "Updating a cluster using the web console" or "Updating a cluster using the CLI".
  2. Upgrade the multicluster engine Operator to the latest version. For more information, see "Updating installed Operators".
  3. Upgrade the hosted cluster and node pools from the previous OpenShift Container Platform version to the latest version. For more information, see "Updating a control plane in a hosted cluster" and "Updating node pools in a hosted cluster".

Additional resources

6.2. Setting channels in a hosted cluster

You can see available updates in the HostedCluster.Status field of the HostedCluster custom resource (CR).

The available updates are not fetched from the Cluster Version Operator (CVO) of a hosted cluster. The list of the available updates can be different from the available updates from the following fields of the HostedCluster custom resource (CR):

  • status.version.availableUpdates
  • status.version.conditionalUpdates

The initial HostedCluster CR does not have any information in the status.version.availableUpdates and status.version.conditionalUpdates fields. After you set the spec.channel field to the stable OpenShift Container Platform release version, the HyperShift Operator reconciles the HostedCluster CR and updates the status.version field with the available and conditional updates.

See the following example of the HostedCluster CR that contains the channel configuration: 

spec:
  autoscaling: {}
  channel: stable-4.y 1
  clusterID: d6d42268-7dff-4d37-92cf-691bd2d42f41
  configuration: {}
  controllerAvailabilityPolicy: SingleReplica
  dns:
    baseDomain: dev11.red-chesterfield.com
    privateZoneID: Z0180092I0DQRKL55LN0
    publicZoneID: Z00206462VG6ZP0H2QLWK
1
Replace <4.y> with the OpenShift Container Platform release version you specified in spec.release. For example, if you set the spec.release to ocp-release:4.16.4-multi, you must set spec.channel to stable-4.16.

After you configure the channel in the HostedCluster CR, to view the output of the status.version.availableUpdates and status.version.conditionalUpdates fields, run the following command: 

$ oc get -n <hosted_cluster_namespace> hostedcluster <hosted_cluster_name> -o yaml

Example output

version:
  availableUpdates:
  - channels:
    - candidate-4.16
    - candidate-4.17
    - eus-4.16
    - fast-4.16
    - stable-4.16
    image: quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release@sha256:b7517d13514c6308ae16c5fd8108133754eb922cd37403ed27c846c129e67a9a
    url: https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2024:6401
    version: 4.16.11
  - channels:
    - candidate-4.16
    - candidate-4.17
    - eus-4.16
    - fast-4.16
    - stable-4.16
    image: quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release@sha256:d08e7c8374142c239a07d7b27d1170eae2b0d9f00ccf074c3f13228a1761c162
    url: https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:6004
    version: 4.16.10
  - channels:
    - candidate-4.16
    - candidate-4.17
    - eus-4.16
    - fast-4.16
    - stable-4.16
    image: quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release@sha256:6a80ac72a60635a313ae511f0959cc267a21a89c7654f1c15ee16657aafa41a0
    url: https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2024:5757
    version: 4.16.9
  - channels:
    - candidate-4.16
    - candidate-4.17
    - eus-4.16
    - fast-4.16
    - stable-4.16
    image: quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release@sha256:ea624ae7d91d3f15094e9e15037244679678bdc89e5a29834b2ddb7e1d9b57e6
    url: https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:5422
    version: 4.16.8
  - channels:
    - candidate-4.16
    - candidate-4.17
    - eus-4.16
    - fast-4.16
    - stable-4.16
    image: quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release@sha256:e4102eb226130117a0775a83769fe8edb029f0a17b6cbca98a682e3f1225d6b7
    url: https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:4965
    version: 4.16.6
  - channels:
    - candidate-4.16
    - candidate-4.17
    - eus-4.16
    - fast-4.16
    - stable-4.16
    image: quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release@sha256:f828eda3eaac179e9463ec7b1ed6baeba2cd5bd3f1dd56655796c86260db819b
    url: https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2024:4855
    version: 4.16.5
  conditionalUpdates:
  - conditions:
    - lastTransitionTime: "2024-09-23T22:33:38Z"
      message: |-
        Could not evaluate exposure to update risk SRIOVFailedToConfigureVF (creating PromQL round-tripper: unable to load specified CA cert /etc/tls/service-ca/service-ca.crt: open /etc/tls/service-ca/service-ca.crt: no such file or directory)
          SRIOVFailedToConfigureVF description: OCP Versions 4.14.34, 4.15.25, 4.16.7 and ALL subsequent versions include kernel datastructure changes which are not compatible with older versions of the SR-IOV operator. Please update SR-IOV operator to versions dated 20240826 or newer before updating OCP.
          SRIOVFailedToConfigureVF URL: https://issues.redhat.com/browse/NHE-1171
      reason: EvaluationFailed
      status: Unknown
      type: Recommended
    release:
      channels:
      - candidate-4.16
      - candidate-4.17
      - eus-4.16
      - fast-4.16
      - stable-4.16
      image: quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release@sha256:fb321a3f50596b43704dbbed2e51fdefd7a7fd488ee99655d03784d0cd02283f
      url: https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:5107
      version: 4.16.7
    risks:
    - matchingRules:
      - promql:
          promql: |
            group(csv_succeeded{_id="d6d42268-7dff-4d37-92cf-691bd2d42f41", name=~"sriov-network-operator[.].*"})
            or
            0 * group(csv_count{_id="d6d42268-7dff-4d37-92cf-691bd2d42f41"})
        type: PromQL
      message: OCP Versions 4.14.34, 4.15.25, 4.16.7 and ALL subsequent versions
        include kernel datastructure changes which are not compatible with older
        versions of the SR-IOV operator. Please update SR-IOV operator to versions
        dated 20240826 or newer before updating OCP.
      name: SRIOVFailedToConfigureVF
      url: https://issues.redhat.com/browse/NHE-1171

6.3. Updating the OpenShift Container Platform version in a hosted cluster

Hosted control planes enables the decoupling of updates between the control plane and the data plane.

As a cluster service provider or cluster administrator, you can manage the control plane and the data separately.

You can update a control plane by modifying the HostedCluster custom resource (CR) and a node by modifying its NodePool CR. Both the HostedCluster and NodePool CRs specify an OpenShift Container Platform release image in a .release field.

To keep your hosted cluster fully operational during an update process, the control plane and the node updates must follow the Kubernetes version skew policy.

6.3.1. The multicluster engine Operator hub management cluster

The multicluster engine for Kubernetes Operator requires a specific OpenShift Container Platform version for the management cluster to remain in a supported state. You can install the multicluster engine Operator from OperatorHub in the OpenShift Container Platform web console.

See the following support matrices for the multicluster engine Operator versions:

The multicluster engine Operator supports the following OpenShift Container Platform versions:

  • The latest unreleased version
  • The latest released version
  • Two versions before the latest released version

You can also get the multicluster engine Operator version as a part of Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management (RHACM).

6.3.2. Supported OpenShift Container Platform versions in a hosted cluster

When deploying a hosted cluster, the OpenShift Container Platform version of the management cluster does not affect the OpenShift Container Platform version of a hosted cluster.

The HyperShift Operator creates the supported-versions ConfigMap in the hypershift namespace. The supported-versions ConfigMap describes the range of supported OpenShift Container Platform versions that you can deploy.

See the following example of the supported-versions ConfigMap: 

apiVersion: v1
data:
    server-version: 2f6cfe21a0861dea3130f3bed0d3ae5553b8c28b
    supported-versions: '{"versions":["4.17","4.16","4.15","4.14"]}'
kind: ConfigMap
metadata:
    creationTimestamp: "2024-06-20T07:12:31Z"
    labels:
        hypershift.openshift.io/supported-versions: "true"
    name: supported-versions
    namespace: hypershift
    resourceVersion: "927029"
    uid: f6336f91-33d3-472d-b747-94abae725f70
Important

To create a hosted cluster, you must use the OpenShift Container Platform version from the support version range. However, the multicluster engine Operator can manage only between n+1 and n-2 OpenShift Container Platform versions, where n defines the current minor version. You can check the multicluster engine Operator support matrix to ensure the hosted clusters managed by the multicluster engine Operator are within the supported OpenShift Container Platform range.

To deploy a higher version of a hosted cluster on OpenShift Container Platform, you must update the multicluster engine Operator to a new minor version release to deploy a new version of the Hypershift Operator. Upgrading the multicluster engine Operator to a new patch, or z-stream, release does not update the HyperShift Operator to the next version.

See the following example output of the hcp version command that shows the supported OpenShift Container Platform versions for OpenShift Container Platform 4.16 in the management cluster: 

Client Version: openshift/hypershift: fe67b47fb60e483fe60e4755a02b3be393256343. Latest supported OCP: 4.17.0
Server Version: 05864f61f24a8517731664f8091cedcfc5f9b60d
Server Supports OCP Versions: 4.17, 4.16, 4.15, 4.14

6.4. Updates for the hosted cluster

The spec.release value dictates the version of the control plane. The HostedCluster object transmits the intended spec.release value to the HostedControlPlane.spec.release value and runs the appropriate Control Plane Operator version.

The hosted control plane manages the rollout of the new version of the control plane components along with any OpenShift Container Platform components through the new version of the Cluster Version Operator (CVO).

6.5. Updates for node pools

With node pools, you can configure the software that is running in the nodes by exposing the spec.release and spec.config values. You can start a rolling node pool update in the following ways:

  • Changing the spec.release or spec.config values.
  • Changing any platform-specific field, such as the AWS instance type. The result is a set of new instances with the new type.
  • Changing the cluster configuration, if the change propagates to the node.

Node pools support replace updates and in-place updates. The nodepool.spec.release value dictates the version of any particular node pool. A NodePool object completes a replace or an in-place rolling update according to the .spec.management.upgradeType value.

After you create a node pool, you cannot change the update type. If you want to change the update type, you must create a node pool and delete the other one.

6.5.1. Replace updates for node pools

A replace update creates instances in the new version while it removes old instances from the previous version. This update type is effective in cloud environments where this level of immutability is cost effective.

Replace updates do not preserve any manual changes because the node is entirely re-provisioned.

6.5.2. In place updates for node pools

An in-place update directly updates the operating systems of the instances. This type is suitable for environments where the infrastructure constraints are higher, such as bare metal.

In-place updates can preserve manual changes, but will report errors if you make manual changes to any file system or operating system configuration that the cluster directly manages, such as kubelet certificates.

6.6. Updating node pools in a hosted cluster

You can update your version of OpenShift Container Platform by updating the node pools in your hosted cluster. The node pool version must not surpass the hosted control plane version.

The .spec.release field in the NodePool custom resource (CR) shows the version of a node pool.

Procedure

  • Change the spec.release.image value in the node pool by entering the following command: 

    $ oc patch nodepool <node_pool_name> -n <hosted_cluster_namespace> --type=merge -p '{"spec":{"nodeDrainTimeout":"60s","release":{"image":"<openshift_release_image>"}}}' 1 2
    1
    Replace <node_pool_name> and <hosted_cluster_namespace> with your node pool name and hosted cluster namespace, respectively.
    2
    The <openshift_release_image> variable specifies the new OpenShift Container Platform release image that you want to upgrade to, for example, quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release:4.y.z-x86_64. Replace <4.y.z> with the supported OpenShift Container Platform version.

Verification

  • To verify that the new version was rolled out, check the .status.conditions value in the node pool by running the following command: 

    $ oc get -n <hosted_cluster_namespace> nodepool <node_pool_name> -o yaml

    Example output

    status:
 conditions:
 - lastTransitionTime: "2024-05-20T15:00:40Z"
       message: 'Using release image: quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release:4.y.z-x86_64' 1
       reason: AsExpected
       status: "True"
       type: ValidReleaseImage

    1
    Replace <4.y.z> with the supported OpenShift Container Platform version.

6.7. Updating a control plane in a hosted cluster

On hosted control planes, you can upgrade your version of OpenShift Container Platform by updating the hosted cluster. The .spec.release in the HostedCluster custom resource (CR) shows the version of the control plane. The HostedCluster updates the .spec.release field to the HostedControlPlane.spec.release and runs the appropriate Control Plane Operator version.

The HostedControlPlane resource orchestrates the rollout of the new version of the control plane components along with the OpenShift Container Platform component in the data plane through the new version of the Cluster Version Operator (CVO). The HostedControlPlane includes the following artifacts:

  • CVO
  • Cluster Network Operator (CNO)
  • Cluster Ingress Operator
  • Manifests for the Kube API server, scheduler, and manager
  • Machine approver
  • Autoscaler
  • Infrastructure resources to enable ingress for control plane endpoints such as the Kube API server, ignition, and konnectivity

You can set the .spec.release field in the HostedCluster CR to update the control plane by using the information from the status.version.availableUpdates and status.version.conditionalUpdates fields.

Procedure

  1. Add the hypershift.openshift.io/force-upgrade-to=<openshift_release_image> annotation to the hosted cluster by entering the following command: 

    $ oc annotate hostedcluster -n <hosted_cluster_namespace> <hosted_cluster_name> "hypershift.openshift.io/force-upgrade-to=<openshift_release_image>" --overwrite 1 2
    1
    Replace <hosted_cluster_name> and <hosted_cluster_namespace> with your hosted cluster name and hosted cluster namespace, respectively.
    2
    The <openshift_release_image> variable specifies the new OpenShift Container Platform release image that you want to upgrade to, for example, quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release:4.y.z-x86_64. Replace <4.y.z> with the supported OpenShift Container Platform version.

  2. Change the spec.release.image value in the hosted cluster by entering the following command: 

    $ oc patch hostedcluster <hosted_cluster_name> -n <hosted_cluster_namespace> --type=merge -p '{"spec":{"release":{"image":"<openshift_release_image>"}}}'

Verification

  • To verify that the new version was rolled out, check the .status.conditions and .status.version values in the hosted cluster by running the following command: 

    $ oc get -n <hosted_cluster_namespace> hostedcluster <hosted_cluster_name> -o yaml

    Example output

    status:
 conditions:
 - lastTransitionTime: "2024-05-20T15:01:01Z"
        message: Payload loaded version="4.y.z" image="quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release:4.y.z-x86_64" 1
        status: "True"
        type: ClusterVersionReleaseAccepted
#...
version:
      availableUpdates: null
      desired:
      image: quay.io/openshift-release-dev/ocp-release:4.y.z-x86_64 2
      version: 4.y.z

    1 2
    Replace <4.y.z> with the supported OpenShift Container Platform version.

6.8. Updating a hosted cluster by using the multicluster engine Operator console

You can update your hosted cluster by using the multicluster engine Operator console.

Important

Before updating a hosted cluster, you must refer to the available and conditional updates of a hosted cluster. Choosing a wrong release version might break the hosted cluster.

Procedure

  1. Select All clusters.
  2. Navigate to Infrastructure Clusters to view managed hosted clusters.
  3. Click the Upgrade available link to update the control plane and node pools.

6.9. Limitations of managing imported hosted clusters

Hosted clusters are automatically imported into the local multicluster engine for Kubernetes Operator, unlike a standalone OpenShift Container Platform or third party clusters. Hosted clusters run some of their agents in the hosted mode so that the agents do not use the resources of your cluster.

If you choose to automatically import hosted clusters, you can update node pools and the control plane in hosted clusters by using the HostedCluster resource on the management cluster. To update node pools and a control plane, see "Updating node pools in a hosted cluster" and "Updating a control plane in a hosted cluster".

You can import hosted clusters into a location other than the local multicluster engine Operator by using the Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management (RHACM). For more information, see "Discovering multicluster engine for Kubernetes Operator hosted clusters in Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management".

In this topology, you must update your hosted clusters by using the command-line interface or the console of the local multicluster engine for Kubernetes Operator where the cluster is hosted. You cannot update the hosted clusters through the RHACM hub cluster.

Additional resources

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