1). IBM Cloud Pak Foundational Services is a set of capabilities that are used by multiple Cloud Paks. This includes capabilities like service operand dependency management, security (namespace scoping, certificates) and key integration components such as Identity and Access Manager that helps customers set up single-signon, even across multiple Paks in the cluster. The foundation services are deployed only once in a cluster and shared by all Cloud Pak's deployed in that cluster.
2) An Operator is essentially software that runs in a Kubernetes environment and manages the deployment and configuration of an application in that Kubernetes environment. This is a good reference in the Operator Lifecycle Manager project - https://olm.operatorframework.io/docs/concepts/olm-architecture/ to describe some of the core concepts
a short summary:
CustomResourceDefinition (CRD): Custom resources are extensions of the Kubernetes API. Defining a CRD object declares a new Custom Resource with a unique name and schema & represents the new API being introduced in that cluster.
ClusterServiceVersion (CSV): metadata about the Service/Application managed by the Operator [name, icon, description etc.]. Identifies pre-reqs on which other Operators are needed, describes RBAC needed for running the Operator, and Custom Resource(s) it manages
CatalogSource : a collection of Operators - CSVs, CRDs etc. A store that you can query to discover and install operators.
Subscription: essentially indicates which Operator to stand up from a specific CatalogSource
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Cloud Pak for Data Service Operators are "listed" in Catalog Sources,
Operators are deployed via a Subscription
A Service Operand is represented by a "Custom Resource" (CR) that cause the deployments of that selected service in a CPD "instance" namespace
Based on the CR directive, Operators deploy & manage Operands as well as upgrade them when needed. As end users, you primarily interact with these operands
A IBM Cloud Pak for Data deployment instance includes several integrated and dependent applications, consequently the deployment and configuration of those applications requires the corresponding set of Operators to be deployed.
The installation guide details an initial set of Operators to be deployed. Deployment of those Operators will automatically deploy many additional dependent Operators including IBM Cloud Pak foundation services.
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Sriram Srinivasan
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Original Message:
Sent: Tue November 02, 2021 02:29 PM
From: Trish Smith
Subject: Questions for AMA: Setting up Cloud Pak for Data
This is a great AMA thread. Here's my question. The install guide talks about Foundational Services and Operator Subscriptions, what are they and how are they related to Cloud Pak for Data?
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Trish Smith
Original Message:
Sent: Thu October 21, 2021 04:41 PM
From: Shannon Rouiller
Subject: Questions for AMA: Setting up Cloud Pak for Data
We'd like to answer your questions about setting up Cloud Pak for Data.
We've arranged for experts from across IBM to answer your questions right here in this forum thread on November 4th at 2pm Eastern/11am Pacific for a whole hour of AMA (Ask Me Anything). Our topic is Setting up Cloud Pak for Data, so if you have questions, please start posting them as a response to this post. Here are some ideas for topics:
- Planning and preparing, including storage support, planning for high availability and disaster recovery, regulatory compliance, multi-cloud (Azure, AWS, IBM Cloud, etc.)
- Installing the platform, including setting up a private container registry and performing installations in an air-gapped environment, installing on a shared cluster with dedicated nodes, and installing on a shared cluster with a namespace quota.
- Installing the services, including recommended service combinations and best practices for installing services.
- Setting up the platform, including certificates, using shared credentials, and creating a custom route.
- Securing the platform, including user management best practices around SSO and LDAP.
Our experts will hop on the Cloud Pak for Data Community discussion forum on November 4th at 2pm Eastern/11am Pacific and start answering your questions right here in this thread.
To learn more, or to get this AMA on your calendar, go to the event page AMA: Setting up Cloud Pak for Data. This event will take place entirely in the discussion forum, so there is no meeting to join. If you can't be online during the hour, don't worry; you can post your questions in advance and read the responses later.
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Shannon Rouiller
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#CloudPakforDataGroup