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Prerequisites

Choosing a method to install OpenShift Container Platform on VMC

You can install OpenShift Container Platform on VMC by using installer-provisioned or user-provisioned infrastructure. The default installation type uses installer-provisioned infrastructure, where the installation program provisions the underlying infrastructure for the cluster. You can also install OpenShift Container Platform 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.

The steps for performing a user-provisioned infrastructure installation are provided as an example only. Installing a cluster with infrastructure you provide requires knowledge of the VMC platform and the installation process of OpenShift Container Platform. Use the user-provisioned infrastructure installation instructions as a guide; you are free to create the required resources through other methods.

Installer-provisioned infrastructure installation of OpenShift Container Platform on VMC

Installer-provisioned infrastructure allows the installation program to pre-configure and automate the provisioning of resources required by OpenShift Container Platform.

  • Installing a cluster on VMC: You can install OpenShift Container Platform on VMC by using installer-provisioned infrastructure installation with no customization.

  • Installing a cluster on VMC with customizations: You can install OpenShift Container Platform on VMC by using installer-provisioned infrastructure installation with the default customization options.

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

User-provisioned infrastructure installation of OpenShift Container Platform on VMC

User-provisioned infrastructure requires the user to provision all resources required by OpenShift Container Platform.

VMware vSphere infrastructure requirements

You must install the OpenShift Container Platform cluster on a VMware vSphere version 6 or 7 instance that meets the requirements for the components that you use.

Table 1. Minimum supported vSphere version for VMware components
Component Minimum supported versions Description

Hypervisor

vSphere 6.5 and later with HW version 13

This version is the minimum version that Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS (RHCOS) supports. See the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 supported hypervisors list.

Storage with in-tree drivers

vSphere 6.5 and later

This plugin creates vSphere storage by using the in-tree storage drivers for vSphere included in OpenShift Container Platform.

If you use a vSphere version 6.5 instance, consider upgrading to 6.7U3 or 7.0 before you install OpenShift Container Platform.

You must ensure that the time on your ESXi hosts is synchronized before you install OpenShift Container Platform. See Edit Time Configuration for a Host in the VMware documentation.

Uninstalling an installer-provisioned infrastructure installation of OpenShift Container Platform on VMC