Capabilities

Cockpit MicroShift is a host-based install surface for single-node MicroShift. It is not a generic OpenShift installer.

What It Does Well

• drives MicroShift installation from a Cockpit plugin instead of a loose SSH session
• supports two operator entry patterns:
  • install onto an existing RHEL host
  • create a local libvirt guest first, then install inside it
• owns the local runtime, validation, artifact rendering, and status tracking
• shows generated install inputs and provisioning plans before deployment
• records kubeconfig access details and exposes a local inventory view
• supports destroy and clean rebuild for local create-host deployments

Supported Path

Dimension	Current path
Cluster shape	single-node MicroShift
Architecture	x86_64
Target patterns	existing host or local libvirt guest
Host OS	RHEL 9 and RHEL 10
Networking	static host and guest networking
Package access	preconfigured repos or RHSM activation key flow
Local virtualization	libvirt/KVM with dir or logical pools

important

The create-host path is a provisioning convenience. Once the VM exists, the MicroShift install follows the same host-based RPM model used by existing-host deployments.

Where The Boundary Stops

Do not treat the plugin as proof that these are solved:

• multi-node OpenShift deployment
• cloud-provider integrations
• generic DHCP-driven guest bring-up
• fleet lifecycle management beyond the local inventory model
• aggressive cleanup of an existing remote host

The plugin is about single-node MicroShift installation and follow-up, not a general platform control plane.

When It Fits

Use this project when the operator wants:

• fewer shell-driven install steps
• a review step before touching the target host
• one Cockpit surface for install status, inventory, and kubeconfig access
• optional local guest provisioning without losing the documented RPM install model

If the actual requirement is larger-scale OpenShift lifecycle management, this is the wrong product choice by design.