This comprehensive workshop provides hands-on experience with deploying OpenShift 4.19/4.20/4.21 on bare metal infrastructure, covering both connected and disconnected environments. The workshop follows a structured knowledge graph approach, guiding participants through essential concepts, multiple installation methods, and advanced post-deployment configurations.
Built on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS (RHCOS) immutable operating system and Kubernetes 1.32/1.33/1.34 container orchestration, this workshop enables participants to master enterprise-grade OpenShift deployments with advanced storage, networking, and optional features like OpenShift Virtualization and OpenShift AI.
For your convenience, you may fork this repository and use it as a reference guide when implementing your own bare metal deployments using OpenShift.
OpenShift empowers users to deploy and manage containerized workloads with enterprise-grade scalability, robust security, and flexibility across diverse infrastructures - from connected cloud environments to air-gapped edge deployments.
During this workshop, we will explore common deployment and management activities that platform administrators and infrastructure engineers encounter in their day-to-day workflows, with a focus on practical, production-ready configurations.
Those responsible for the day-to-day management of bare metal infrastructure and supporting environments for OpenShift.
Key Responsibilities Include:
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Provisioning hardware and configuring BIOS, firmware, and network settings
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Ensuring the stability and performance of the underlying infrastructure
This workshop follows a knowledge graph approach with 7 comprehensive modules, designed to accommodate both connected and disconnected deployment scenarios:
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Platform Architecture: Components & benefits of OpenShift 4.19/4.20/4.21
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Installation Methods: Assisted vs Agent-based installer comparison
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Workshop Learning Path: Structured approach to bare metal mastery
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C1: Red Hat Account & Resources - Pull secrets & tools acquisition
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C2: Hardware & DNS Planning - Inventory & network requirements
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C3: Boot Preparation - BIOS configuration & discovery methods
After completing the foundation modules, choose your deployment path based on your environment:
Cloud-guided Installation with Web-based UI
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D1: Red Hat Console Access - Web-based configuration interface
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D2: Cluster Configuration - Network, nodes, and feature settings
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D3: Discovery ISO Generation - Custom boot media creation
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D4: Hardware Discovery - Automatic detection & validation
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D5: Installation Monitoring - Real-time progress tracking
Air-gapped Installation with CLI-based Approach
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E1: install-config.yaml - Declarative configuration management
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E2: agent-config.yaml - Node-specific settings and roles
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E3: Mirror Registry Setup - Disconnected image storage
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E4: Agent ISO Creation - Self-contained installation media
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E5: Offline Installation - Complete air-gapped deployment
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Prepare storage infrastructure for ODF
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Install and configure the Local Storage Operator
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Deploy and configure OpenShift Data Foundation
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Configure the OpenShift Image Registry with ODF backend
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Secondary networks overview and use cases
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Configuring advanced networks using Nmstate
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Exposing networks through NetworkAttachmentDefinitions
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Production networking best practices
This workshop emphasizes several advanced OpenShift deployment capabilities:
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No Bootstrap Node Required: Both installation methods eliminate the need for temporary bootstrap infrastructure
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Virtual IP Management: Built-in load balancer functionality without external dependencies
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Automatic Hardware Discovery: Intelligent detection and validation of bare metal resources
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Standard HA Cluster: 3 control plane + 2+ worker nodes for production workloads
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Compact Cluster: 3 nodes serving dual control plane + worker roles for resource-constrained environments
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Two-Node with Arbiter: 2 control plane + arbiter for edge/cost-sensitive deployments (4.19+)
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Connected vs Disconnected: Full support for both internet-connected and air-gapped deployments
Interested in contributing to this workshop? We welcome contributions from the community! Please see our Contributing Guide for detailed information on:
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Setting up your development environment
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Repository structure and organization
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Using our utility scripts and Makefile
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Content guidelines and best practices
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Building and testing locally
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Submitting changes
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And more!
We use GitHub Actions for automated deployments and provide several utility scripts to make development easier. Check out the Contributing Guide to get started.
This edition of the OpenShift 4.19/4.20/4.21 Bare Metal Deployment Workshop has been developed using the following software versions:
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Warning
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OpenShift 4.18 is approaching End of Life. New deployments should target 4.19, 4.20, or 4.21. Always verify current support status at the Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform Life Cycle Policy. |
| OpenShift Version | Kubernetes Version | Support Status | Release Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
1.31 |
Approaching EOL — Check lifecycle |
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1.32 |
Full Support |
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1.33 |
Full Support |
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1.34 |
Full Support |
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4.22 (upcoming) |
1.35 |
Not yet released — Track on lifecycle page |
— |
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Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS: Latest immutable OS foundation
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OpenShift Data Foundation: 4.20/4.21 for enterprise storage
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OpenShift Virtualization: 4.21 (Optional module)
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OpenShift AI: 3.x (Optional module)
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Assisted Installer: 2026 Documentation - Connected environments
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Agent-based Installer: 4.21 Documentation - Disconnected environments
This lab guide is based on the East Region RTO Workshop Template.
For more details, visit: red-hat-se-rto.github.io/se-redhat-rto-workshop-template/
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OpenShift 4.21 Documentation - Current version
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OpenShift 4.20 Documentation - Previous version
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OpenShift 4.19 Documentation - Previous version
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Assisted Installer 2026 Documentation - Connected installations
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Agent-based Installer Documentation - Disconnected installations
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OpenShift Life Cycle Policy - Support status for all versions
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Red Hat Demo Platform (RHDP) - Lab environments
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Red Hat Hybrid Cloud Console - Assisted Installer access
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OpenShift Data Foundation - Enterprise storage solution