Chapter 1. Preparing to install on IBM Cloud
The installation workflows documented in this section are for IBM Cloud® infrastructure environments. IBM Cloud® classic is not supported at this time. For more information about the difference between classic and VPC infrastructures, see the IBM® documentation.
1.1. Prerequisites
- You reviewed details about the OpenShift Container Platform installation and update processes.
- You read the documentation on selecting a cluster installation method and preparing it for users.
1.2. Requirements for installing OpenShift Container Platform on IBM Cloud
Before installing OpenShift Container Platform on IBM Cloud®, you must create a service account and configure an IBM Cloud® account. See Configuring an IBM Cloud® account for details about creating an account, enabling API services, configuring DNS, IBM Cloud® account limits, and supported IBM Cloud® regions.
You must manually manage your cloud credentials when installing a cluster to IBM Cloud®. Do this by configuring the Cloud Credential Operator (CCO) for manual mode before you install the cluster. For more information, see Configuring IAM for IBM Cloud®.
1.3. Choosing a method to install OpenShift Container Platform on IBM Cloud
You can install OpenShift Container Platform on IBM Cloud® using installer-provisioned infrastructure. This process involves using an installation program to provision the underlying infrastructure for your cluster. Installing OpenShift Container Platform on IBM Cloud® using user-provisioned infrastructure is not supported at this time.
See Installation process for more information about installer-provisioned installation processes.
1.3.1. Installing a cluster on installer-provisioned infrastructure
You can install a cluster on IBM Cloud® infrastructure that is provisioned by the OpenShift Container Platform installation program by using one of the following methods:
- Installing a customized cluster on IBM Cloud®: You can install a customized cluster on IBM Cloud® infrastructure that the installation program provisions. The installation program allows for some customization to be applied at the installation stage. Many other customization options are available post-installation.
- Installing a cluster on IBM Cloud® with network customizations: You can customize your OpenShift Container Platform network configuration during installation, so that your cluster can coexist with your existing IP address allocations and adhere to your network requirements.
- Installing a cluster on IBM Cloud® into an existing VPC: You can install OpenShift Container Platform on an existing IBM Cloud®. You can use this installation method if you have constraints set by the guidelines of your company, such as limits when creating new accounts or infrastructure.
- Installing a private cluster on an existing VPC: You can install a private cluster on an existing Virtual Private Cloud (VPC). You can use this method to deploy OpenShift Container Platform on an internal network that is not visible to the internet.
- Installing a cluster on IBM Cloud VPC in a restricted network: You can install OpenShift Container Platform on IBM Cloud VPC on installer-provisioned infrastructure by using an internal mirror of the installation release content. You can use this method to install a cluster that does not require an active internet connection to obtain the software components.
