Overview

Organizations operating in restricted or secure environments often rely on air-gapped installations of IBM API Connect on Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform (OCP). These installations are typically facilitated through a bastion host, which acts as a bridge between the internet and the isolated network to mirror product images and CASE files into a local registry.

As part of IBM’s ongoing effort to simplify deployment workflows and enhance version alignment, a key improvement has been introduced in how EnterpriseDB (EDB / PostgreSQL) images are managed within air-gapped installations.

Existing Approach

In previous releases of API Connect (prior to version 10.0.11.0), administrators were required to handle the EDB component separately during air-gapped deployments.

This meant downloading, mirroring, and installing an independent EDB CASE (ibm-cloud-native-postgresql) alongside the other components such as

• API Connect CASE
  

• IBM Cloud Pak Foundational Services CASE
  

• IBM DataPower Operator CASE
  
  

While functional, this multi-CASE approach introduced additional overhead in mirroring and version control. Ensuring compatibility between API Connect and EDB versions required extra validation and maintenance effort, particularly in automated or large-scale environments.

What’s New

Starting with IBM API Connect version 10.0.11.0 and later, the EDB images are now fully bundled within the API Connect CASE.
This architectural enhancement removes the dependency on a standalone EDB CASE, resulting in a more streamlined and reliable installation process.

Key Highlights

• Integrated EDB images: No separate CASE download or mirroring required.
  

• Simplified workflows: One unified CASE handles all necessary components.
  

• Improved consistency: EDB version alignment is maintained automatically within the APIC release.
  

• Reduced complexity: Fewer manual steps and lower maintenance overhead during setup.
  

Impact on Existing Deployments