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• OpenShift Install & Configurations using OpenShift Local in windows laptops/desktops
• OpenShift Install & Configurations using OpenShift Local in MacOS laptops/desktops
• OpenShift Install & Configurations using OpenShift Local in Linux laptops/desktops
• OpenShift Install & Configurations using OKD in (Bare Metal / UPI / AWS)
• OpenShift Install & Configurations using Azure Red Hat OpenShift (ARO) at Azure
• OpenShift Install & Configurations using Azure Red Hat OpenShift (ARO) with Azure Az Command line

#	Deployment Method	Platform/Infra	Best Use Case	Automation Level	Notes
1	IPI (Installer-Provisioned Infra)	AWS, Azure, GCP, vSphere	Fast, full-stack automated production setup	Fully automated	Installer provisions infra and installs OpenShift
2	UPI (User-Provisioned Infra)	Bare metal, AWS, Azure, vSphere, OpenStack	Custom environments, on-prem setups	Partially manual	User provisions infra manually
3	OpenShift Local (CRC)	Local laptops/desktops (Windows/macOS/Linux)	Local development and testing	Automated (single-node)	Lightweight, dev/test use only
4	OKD – Guide to Install and Configuration of OKD – Step-by-Step Guide: Installing OKD 4.15 in a Linux VM on macOS	Bare metal, AWS, GCP, OpenStack	Community-driven clusters	Manual (UPI style)	Open-source version of OpenShift
5	OpenShift Dedicated	AWS, GCP	Fully managed OpenShift (SaaS)	Fully managed	Hosted and operated by Red Hat
6	Azure Red Hat OpenShift (ARO) Step-by-Step Guide to Deploy ARO (Azure Red Hat OpenShift)	Azure	Azure-native OpenShift	Fully managed	Joint offering from Microsoft + Red Hat
7	ROSA (Red Hat OpenShift on AWS)	AWS	AWS-native OpenShift with Red Hat support	Fully managed	Managed jointly by AWS and Red Hat
8	IBM Cloud OpenShift	IBM Cloud	OpenShift on IBM cloud	Fully managed	Supports integration with IBM services
9	Assisted Installer	Bare metal, Edge, Disconnected	Simplified UI-based deployment	Semi-automated	Via Red Hat Hybrid Cloud Console
10	Disconnected / Air-Gapped	On-prem, secure networks	Secure/regulated environments	Manual + Mirroring	Requires local registry, image/catalog mirroring
11	Single Node OpenShift (SNO)	Bare metal or VM (single node)	Edge deployments, limited resource use cases	Automated	All OpenShift services on one node (master, infra, and worker)

Can you install and use OpenShift Container Platform (OCP) without buying it?

Yes, you can install and use OCP temporarily without buying it, but with limitations.

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Here’s how you can use OpenShift without buying it:

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1. Use the 60-day Free Trial (OCP Evaluation License)

Red Hat allows you to:

• Install the full OpenShift Container Platform
• Use it for 60 days
• Get full access to features (like the web console, monitoring, operators, etc.)

You need to:

• Register at Red Hat Customer Portal
• Download the installer
• Get a pull secret for access

Get started here

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2. Use OKD (The Free & Open-Source Version of OCP)

Think of OKD as the “community edition” of OpenShift.

• It has most features of OpenShift
• 100% free and open source
• No license or subscription needed
• Great for learning, development, and testing

OKD Website

Guide to Install and Configuration of OKD

Step-by-Step Guide: Installing OKD 4.15 in a Linux VM on macOS

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3. Use OpenShift Local (formerly CodeReady Containers)

A lightweight OpenShift cluster that runs on your laptop (single-node)

• Good for learning and testing
• Works on Linux, macOS, Windows
• Also requires a pull secret, but it’s free to use

OpenShift Local

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Limitations if you don’t pay:

Option	Limitation
OCP Trial	60 days, after which support and access may stop
OKD	No official Red Hat support or enterprise features
OpenShift Local	Single-node only, limited to ~8GB RAM, dev use only

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Conclusion

Use Case	Recommended Option
Learn & experiment	OKD or OpenShift Local
Short-term evaluation	OCP 60-day Trial
Production / Enterprise	Need paid subscription to Red Hat OCP

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Here is a comprehensive list of deployment methods for OpenShift, covering both OpenShift Container Platform (OCP) and OpenShift OKD (community version):

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1. Installer-Provisioned Infrastructure (IPI)

• Description: Red Hat OpenShift installer provisions the infrastructure and installs OpenShift.
• Best for: Automated deployment in supported cloud environments.
• Supported Platforms:
  • AWS
  • Azure
  • GCP
  • vSphere (full stack automation)
• Use Case: Quick start in production or staging with minimal manual setup.

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2. User-Provisioned Infrastructure (UPI)

• Description: User manually provisions the infrastructure; OpenShift is installed on top.
• Best for: Customized infrastructure setups or unsupported cloud/on-prem environments.
• Supported Platforms:
  • Bare metal
  • OpenStack
  • VMware vSphere
  • Cloud platforms with manual setup (AWS, Azure, etc.)
• Use Case: When infrastructure needs full control and customization.

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3. OpenShift Local (Formerly CodeReady Containers)

• Description: Single-node OpenShift cluster for local development.
• Best for: Developers testing or building apps locally.
• Platform:
  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux
• Use Case: Lightweight, personal development environments.

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4. OKD (The Community Distribution of Kubernetes for OpenShift)

• Description: Open-source version of OpenShift (upstream for OCP).
• Deployment:
  • OKD IPI/UPI (similar to OCP)
  • OpenShift on Bare Metal using Fedora CoreOS
• Use Case: Community, testing, or cost-sensitive environments.

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5. OpenShift Dedicated (SaaS)

• Description: Fully-managed OpenShift clusters by Red Hat.
• Platform:
  • AWS
  • GCP
• Use Case: Enterprises wanting managed Kubernetes without managing infrastructure.

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6. Azure Red Hat OpenShift (ARO)

• Description: Jointly managed OpenShift offering by Microsoft and Red Hat.
• Platform: Microsoft Azure
• Use Case: Native Azure integration with OpenShift.

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7. Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS (ROSA)

• Description: Managed OpenShift on AWS, jointly operated by AWS and Red Hat.
• Use Case: Seamless OpenShift and AWS ecosystem integration.

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8. OpenShift on IBM Cloud

• Description: Managed OpenShift clusters on IBM Cloud.
• Use Case: Enterprises using IBM cloud infrastructure and services.

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9. Assisted Installer (for Bare Metal & Hybrid)

• Description: UI/UX based assisted deployment of OpenShift via the Red Hat Hybrid Cloud Console.
• Use Case: Easier deployment for edge, bare metal, and disconnected environments.

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10. Disconnected / Air-Gapped Deployment

• Description: Deploy OpenShift in environments without internet access.
• Requires:
  • Mirror registry
  • Localized image and operator catalogs
• Use Case: Highly secure, regulatory, or air-gapped data centers.

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11. OpenShift on Single Node (SNO)

• Description: Run OpenShift on a single physical or virtual machine.
• Use Case: Edge computing, resource-constrained environments.

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Would you like a comparison table of these methods (features, use cases, pros/cons)?