rhcl-update

name	rhcl-update
metadata	{"author":"rhoai3-coding-demo","version":"1.0.0","platform-family":"rhcl","platform-baseline":"repo","ocp-baseline":"repo","skill-group":"OpenShift Platform"}
description	Use when updating Red Hat Connectivity Link within the 1.3.x line or understanding upgrade constraints. Covers supported configurations, OCP version compatibility, dependent operator versions, and the web console update procedure. Note: RHCL 1.4.0 is deprecated per official 1.4 release notes; the demo stays pinned at rhcl-operator.v1.3.4. Do NOT upgrade to 1.4.

RHCL Update

Use this skill to ground Connectivity Link update decisions in official RHCL 1.3 documentation 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.

RHCL 1.4.0 Deprecation Warning

RHCL 1.4.0 is deprecated. Per the official 1.4 release notes (RHBA-2026:25234), clusters running 1.4.0 may experience authentication failures, API key management errors, gateway instability, or gateway pod memory pressure due to integration incompatibilities across OCP and Service Mesh combinations.

Official guidance:

• New installations: Do NOT install RHCL 1.4.0.
• Existing 1.3.x installations: Pin the Connectivity Link and its dependent operators to the latest 1.3.z release. Prevent upgrades to 1.4.0.

This demo pins rhcl-operator.v1.3.4. Do NOT change the Subscription to allow automatic upgrade to 1.4.

Demo Posture

For this demo:

• The Subscription startingCSV is pinned to rhcl-operator.v1.3.4.
• Update approval should be Manual to prevent unintended minor-version jumps.
• The stable channel delivers 1.3.z patch updates; verify the channel does not auto-resolve to 1.4 before approving an InstallPlan.
• Before approving any InstallPlan, confirm the CSV version with oc get installplan -n <ns> and reject plans that resolve to 1.4.x.

Supported Configurations (RHCL 1.3)

OCP Versions

RHCL	OCP	OSD	ROSA	ARO
1.3	4.21, 4.20, 4.19	4.21, 4.20, 4.19	4.21, 4.20, 4.19	4.19

Dependent Operators

RHCL	Service Mesh	cert-manager Operator
1.3	3.2	1.18

Gateway API CRD Constraint

On OCP 4.19+, if updating from a previous OCP version that contains Gateway API CRDs, ensure those resources exactly match the Gateway API version supported by your OCP version before updating RHCL.

Lifecycle

With the release of RHCL 1.4, maintenance support for 1.3 was shortened: maintenance support for 1.3 ends with the release of RHCL 1.5 (previously announced as ending with 1.6). See the Red Hat Connectivity Link Life Cycle Policy for current support dates.

Update Procedure (1.2.x to 1.3)

Prerequisites:

• RHCL 1.2.x installed on OCP 4.19 or later.
• OCP version compatible with RHCL 1.3 (see table above).

Steps (web console):

1. Navigate to Ecosystem > Installed Operators > Red Hat Connectivity Link.
2. Ensure the Update channel is set to stable.
3. If Update approval is Automatic, the update installs immediately.
4. If Update approval is Manual, click Install.
5. Wait for the Connectivity Link Operator deployment to complete.
6. Verify RHCL 1.3 is installed and running.

Validation Signals

oc get csv -n <ns> | grep connectivity
oc get sub -n <ns> -o yaml | grep -E 'currentCSV|installedCSV|startingCSV'
oc get installplan -n <ns>

Healthy state: CSV phase is Succeeded, installedCSV matches the expected 1.3.z version, and no pending InstallPlans resolve to 1.4.x.

Workflow

1. Confirm the active RHCL baseline in docs/PLATFORM_BASELINE.md.
2. Read references/official-doc-extraction.md.
3. Identify whether the task concerns:
   • a 1.3.z patch update within the pinned line
   • verifying supported configuration (OCP, Service Mesh, cert-manager)
   • blocking an unintended upgrade to 1.4
   • understanding the lifecycle and support window for 1.3
4. For Subscription or InstallPlan changes, verify the target CSV version.
5. Validate with the commands above.

Related Skills

• rhcl-install for Connectivity Link core operator installation.
• rhcl-configure for gateway policy deployment.
• rhcl-mcp-config for MCP server registration (RHCL 1.4 Tech Preview).
• rhcl-troubleshoot for diagnostics and recovery.

References

• references/source-capture.md
• references/official-doc-extraction.md