When creating Integration Runtime custom resources in the App Connect Operator you have multiple options for how you provide the BAR files which define your integration. You can upload BAR files to the App Connect Dashboard's storage and use them from there, reference BAR files in external repositories such as GitHub or Artifactory, or "bake" BAR files into a custom ace-server-prod image. If you're only using the last two options, then you don't need the storage that is set up with your Dashboard custom resource, but it has been necessary to select a storage type.
To avoid setting up this unnecessary storage, the App Connect Operator 12.4.0 introduces a new option when creating a Dashboard custom resource under spec.storage.type:
The new option, none, allows you to create a Dashboard without setting up StorageClass definitions or any S3 configuration. The Dashboard will not have the "BAR files" page, and you won't be prompted to upload or select a BAR file when creating an Integration Runtime custom resource. If you're pulling BAR files from an external repository you can set their location in spec.barURL as before.
Previously users might have used the ephemeral option when they do not require storage. This uses the file system on a Dashboard pod instead of a persistent volume. However, it is dangerous for users to use this option in a production environment as BAR files will be lost when Dashboard pods are terminated, including on an upgrade. You also cannot scale to more than 1 replica because the files are stored on each pod and not shared. For this reason a warning is placed on a Dashboard custom resource's status when using ephemeral, encouraging its use only in development and testing. When using none, no such warning is attached as it is safe to use this option in production.
As previously, you cannot change storage type after a Dashboard custom resource has been created, to avoid the risk of BAR files being accidentally lost. If you have created a Dashboard with ephemeral storage and want to switch to none, you should delete your existing custom resource and create a new one with this option. If you create it with the same name it will be available at the same URL when ready. This will have no impact on any Integration Runtime custom resources you have created if you were not putting BAR files in the storage.
The App Connect Operator 12.4.0 is available now to try this new option when creating Dashboard custom resources at version 13.0.1.0-r1 or later.