Preparing to install on vSphere

Prerequisites

• You reviewed details about the OKD installation and update processes.

• You read the documentation on selecting a cluster installation method and preparing it for users.

• If you use a firewall and plan to use Telemetry, you configured the firewall to allow the sites required by your cluster.

• You reviewed your VMware platform licenses. Red Hat does not place any restrictions on your VMware licenses, but some VMware infrastructure components require licensing.

Choosing a method to install OKD on vSphere

You can install OKD with the Assisted Installer. This method requires no setup for the installer, and is ideal for connected environments like vSphere. Installing with the Assisted Installer also provides integration with vSphere, enabling autoscaling. See Installing an on-premise cluster using the Assisted Installer for additional details.

You can also install OKD on vSphere by using installer-provisioned or user-provisioned infrastructure. Installer-provisioned infrastructure is ideal for installing in environments with air-gapped/restricted networks, where the installation program provisions the underlying infrastructure for the cluster. You can also install OKD on infrastructure that you provide. If you do not use infrastructure that the installation program provisions, you must manage and maintain the cluster resources yourself.

See the Installation process for more information about installer-provisioned and user-provisioned installation processes.

Installer-provisioned infrastructure installation of OKD on vSphere

Installer-provisioned infrastructure allows the installation program to preconfigure and automate the provisioning of resources required by OKD.

• Installing a cluster on vSphere: You can install OKD on vSphere by using installer-provisioned infrastructure installation with no customization.

• Installing a cluster on vSphere with customizations: You can install OKD on vSphere by using installer-provisioned infrastructure installation with the default customization options.

• Installing a cluster on vSphere with network customizations: You can install OKD on installer-provisioned vSphere infrastructure, with network customizations. You can customize your OKD 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 vSphere in a restricted network: You can install a cluster on VMware vSphere infrastructure in a restricted network by creating an internal mirror of the installation release content. You can use this method to deploy OKD on an internal network that is not visible to the internet.

User-provisioned infrastructure installation of OKD on vSphere

User-provisioned infrastructure requires the user to provision all resources required by OKD.

• Installing a cluster on vSphere with user-provisioned infrastructure: You can install OKD on VMware vSphere infrastructure that you provision.

• Installing a cluster on vSphere with network customizations with user-provisioned infrastructure: You can install OKD on VMware vSphere infrastructure that you provision with customized network configuration options.

• Installing a cluster on vSphere in a restricted network with user-provisioned infrastructure: OKD can be installed on VMware vSphere infrastructure that you provision in a restricted network.

Uninstalling an installer-provisioned infrastructure installation of OKD on vSphere

• Uninstalling a cluster on vSphere that uses installer-provisioned infrastructure: You can remove a cluster that you deployed on VMware vSphere infrastructure that used installer-provisioned infrastructure.