ocp-machine-configuration

name	ocp-machine-configuration
metadata	{"author":"rhoai3-demo","version":"1.0.0","platform-family":"ocp","platform-baseline":"repo","ocp-baseline":"repo","skill-group":"OpenShift Platform"}
description	Use when documenting, reviewing, or rebuilding OpenShift Container Platform machine configuration guidance from official OCP documentation: Machine Config Operator, MachineConfig, MachineConfigPool, MachineConfiguration, KubeletConfig, ContainerRuntimeConfig, PinnedImageSet, node disruption policies, boot image management, rendered machine config pruning, image mode for OpenShift, MachineOSConfig, MachineOSBuild, Machine Config Daemon metrics, systemd, CRI-O, kubelet, kernel, NetworkManager, and RHCOS host configuration. Do NOT use for MachineSet or cloud machine lifecycle; use ocp-machine-management. Do NOT use for pod scheduling and node operations; use ocp-nodes. Do NOT run live MCO operations without the env safety guard and explicit approval.

OCP Machine Configuration

Use this skill to ground OpenShift Machine Config Operator (MCO), RHCOS host configuration, and machine config pool rollout guidance in the official OpenShift Container Platform Machine configuration guide for the active baseline in docs/PLATFORM_BASELINE.md.

Source Grounding

Read references/source-capture.md before using product behavior. Official Red Hat documentation is product authority. This skill covers node OS and runtime configuration after machines exist; it does not replace ocp-machine-management for MachineSet and cloud machine lifecycle, ocp-nodes for scheduling and node operations, or RHOAI skills for accelerator and OpenShift AI component configuration.

Demo Posture

For this AWS-hosted RHOAI demo:

• Treat MCO, MachineConfig, MachineConfiguration, KubeletConfig, ContainerRuntimeConfig, PinnedImageSet, MachineOSConfig, and MCP changes as high-risk platform changes because they can drain or reboot nodes, reload CRI-O, affect upgrades, or block cluster operators.
• Prefer the default OpenShift host configuration unless the demo has a clear, official-doc-backed need for a node OS or runtime change.
• Do not modify control plane machine config pools unless the user explicitly requests a planned control plane operation and ocp-etcd review is included.
• Keep GPU node behavior aligned with rhoai-nvidia-gpu-accelerators; do not use ad hoc MachineConfig tuning as a substitute for NVIDIA GPU Operator, Node Feature Discovery, or supported RHOAI hardware profile configuration.
• Use GitOps only after verifying API shape and rollout impact. Do not invent Ignition, Butane, CRI-O, kubelet, systemd, or kernel settings.

Machine Configuration Model

Use the official docs to frame:

• Machine Config Operator: manages RHCOS host configuration and applies changes to nodes through machine config pools.
• MachineConfig: defines host-level configuration applied to a target role or pool, including files, systemd units, kernel arguments, extensions, and related RHCOS settings.
• MachineConfigPool: groups nodes and tracks rendered machine config rollout, update, degraded, and paused state.
• MachineConfiguration: singleton operator configuration in the openshift-machine-config-operator namespace, including node disruption policy configuration.
• KubeletConfig and ContainerRuntimeConfig: supported custom resources for kubelet and CRI-O settings that generate machine configs.
• PinnedImageSet: an official OCP resource for documented cases where nodes must preload selected images and avoid garbage collection removing them. Do not use it as a general repeatability mechanism for this demo.
• Image mode for OpenShift: builds or applies custom layered RHCOS images with MachineOSConfig and MachineOSBuild when the documented limitations and registry requirements are acceptable.
• Machine Config Daemon metrics and logs: indicate node-level update, drain, pivot, reboot, kubelet, and degraded-state problems.

Workflow

1. Confirm the active OpenShift baseline in docs/PLATFORM_BASELINE.md.
2. Read references/official-doc-extraction.md.
3. Identify whether the task concerns:
   • MachineConfig files, systemd, kernel arguments, extensions, firmware, or host access configuration
   • node disruption policies through MachineConfiguration
   • kubelet settings through KubeletConfig
   • CRI-O settings through ContainerRuntimeConfig
   • PinnedImageSet image preloading
   • boot image management or rendered machine config pruning
   • image mode with MachineOSConfig or MachineOSBuild
   • Machine Config Daemon metrics, logs, drift, pool status, or degraded state
4. For GitOps manifests, verify the target pool, labels, CRD fields, and disruption behavior before writing resources.
5. For live operations, use the repo environment guard and pair this skill with env-manage-resources, env-troubleshoot, or env-deploy-and-evaluate.
6. Validate the output with references/validation-checklist.md.

Related Skills

• Use ocp-machine-management for Machine API, MachineSet, autoscaling, and cloud machine lifecycle.
• Use ocp-nodes for labels, taints, drain, schedulability, node health, and pod placement.
• Use ocp-etcd before any control plane or cluster-wide change that could affect quorum, upgrades, or cluster operator stability.
• Use ocp-node-feature-discovery for specialized hardware labels.
• Use rhoai-nvidia-gpu-accelerators for GPU workers, accelerator profiles, NVIDIA GPU Operator handoff, and RHOAI GPU scheduling intent.
• Use project-gitops-authoring and project-manifest-review for manifests.

References

• references/source-capture.md
• references/official-doc-extraction.md
• references/validation-checklist.md
• examples/machine-config-review-patterns.md