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Connect Kubernetes to give investigations a current inventory of Deployments, StatefulSets, and DaemonSets. OpenCluster does not currently read live objects, events, or container logs during an investigation.

What OpenCluster uses it for

A Relay in your cluster synchronizes resource changes. OpenCluster derives a bounded list of current workload names from that data and includes it when an investigation starts. The list helps identify relevant services and repositories; it is navigation context, not evidence of a cause.

Prerequisites

  • A Relay deployed in the cluster and connected to OpenCluster.
  • Relay service-account access to the namespaces and resource types you want recorded.
  • The Admin role in OpenCluster.

Access and trust boundary

The Relay connects outbound. OpenCluster does not receive a Kubernetes credential and your API server does not need an inbound route. The Relay’s service account defines the maximum access. An integration namespace allow-list can narrow that access but cannot widen it. For tracked Deployments, StatefulSets, DaemonSets, ConfigMaps, and Secrets, OpenCluster receives identifiers, image references, quantities, versions, and hashes. It does not receive ConfigMap data, Secret data, or environment values through this integration.

Permissions

Grant the Relay read access only in the namespaces this integration should cover. The control plane uses these resource groups: Do not grant create, update, patch, or delete access. This repository does not ship the Relay’s Kubernetes Role or define the exact read verbs behind each advertised live capability. Review the Role included with the Relay version you deploy. A successful OpenCluster verification confirms that the Relay advertised the capabilities; it does not prove the Role is least-privilege.

Connect

1

Create the integration

In Integrations, choose Kubernetes, enter a name, and select the Relay for the cluster.
2

Set the namespace boundary

Optionally enter a comma-separated namespace allow-list. Leave it empty to use all namespaces reachable by the Relay’s service account.
3

Verify the Relay

Select Verify. An active result means the Relay is connected and advertises the Kubernetes read capabilities expected by this integration.

During investigations

OpenCluster includes a bounded list of current workload identities in the initial incident context. It does not include the recorded change history and cannot make live Kubernetes reads from this integration.

Limitations

  • Inventory starts after the integration is connected and the Relay synchronizes.
  • OpenCluster retains the underlying resource-change metadata for the deployment’s configured period; the default is 90 days. That history is not currently available to investigations or operators as a source.
  • Verification still checks that the Relay advertises workload, event, and log read capabilities. Investigations do not currently invoke those live reads.
  • No live pod listing, Kubernetes events, object manifests, or container logs are available during investigations.
  • The investigation inventory contains namespace, workload kind, and workload name. It does not contain live status, image versions, or configuration values.

Troubleshooting

  • Relay is not connected: check the Relay process, outbound network path, and its OpenCluster endpoint.
  • Required capabilities are missing: check Relay version and Kubernetes RBAC, then verify again.
  • Expected workloads are absent: confirm the namespace boundary, service-account permissions, synchronization interval, and Relay connection.

Disconnect

Disable the integration to stop synchronization while retaining existing records. Deletion is refused when retained records depend on it.