Deploying an API Connect cluster by using the CLI

Deploy an API Connect cluster instance on an OpenShift cluster so that you can create, manage, and share APIs. This procedure uses the CLI.

In IBM Cloud Pak® for Integration, you can deploy an instance of an API Connect cluster, or a separately purchased add-on called API Calls. The instructions in this topic apply to both deployments.

Deploying an API Connect cluster (as opposed to deploying individual API Connect subsystems) enables the following benefits:

Single sign-on and identity and access management that is integrated with other instances in your Cloud Pak for Integration installation.
A navigation experience and UI that is consistent with all other instances in your Cloud Pak for Integration installation.
Integrating with Automation assets for asset sharing and reuse.
Integrating with Integration design for co-authoring between App Connect flows and API Connect APIs.
Ability to generate an upgrade plan, which helps you manage all aspects of the Cloud Pak for Integration upgrade.
Kubernetes resources for declaratively creating APIs and API Products.
Seamless integration between APIs and App Connect integration runtimes, and other integration products.

Attention:

API Connect cluster instances do not support changing endpoints after deployment.
API Connect cluster instances include only the API Manager and API Portal subsystems when deployed on s390x.
API Connect cluster instances include only the API Manager, API Portal, and API Analytics subsystems when deployed on ppc64le.

Before you begin

Review Installing and follow the installation procedures that are required for your OpenShift cluster, if not yet completed.

Important: The API Connect cluster and API Manager instances require you to install an appropriate certificate manager. Follow the instructions in Installing the cert-manager Operator for Red Hat OpenShift (in the OpenShift documentation) to fulfill this requirement, if you have not already done so.

Troubleshooting: For a list of possible errors and solutions when deploying an API Connect cluster, see Troubleshooting installation on OpenShift in the API Connect documentation.

Deploying an API Connect cluster instance with all subsystems

Complete the following steps to deploy an API Connect cluster instance with all subsystems:

Log in to your OpenShift cluster with your OpenShift user credentials:
```
oc login
```
If you installed the operators in All namespaces on the cluster mode, you must use a project other than openshift-operators in which to deploy the instance.
- If needed, create a new project:
```
oc new-project <project_name>
```
  For example:
```
oc new-project integration
```
Create an APIConnectCluster YAML file. For example, you can create a file that is called api-management.yaml with the following example configuration. All fields in the example are required. Update the values as indicated:
```
kind: APIConnectCluster
apiVersion: apiconnect.ibm.com/v1beta1
metadata:
  name: api-management
  namespace: integration
spec:
  license:
    accept: false
    license: L-KYAL-S3RCBM
    metric: VIRTUAL_PROCESSOR_CORE
    use: production
  profile: n1xc7.m48
  version: 10.0.11.0
  storageClassName: <storage-class>
```
- For metadata.namespace, enter your project (namespace) name.
- Change the value of spec.license.accept to true if you accept the license agreement. For more information, see Licensing.
- For spec.license.use enter production or nonproduction to match the type of license that you purchased.
- For spec.license.metric enter the unit of measure that is used for your program license:
  - VIRTUAL_PROCESSOR_CORE - If you leave the field blank, this default value is used.
  - MONTHLY_API_CALL - Applies only to the "IBM Cloud Pak for Integration - API Calls" program. For more information about tracking monthly call volume, see Tracking API volume for auditing and compliance.
- For spec.license.license enter the license ID for the API Connect program that you purchased:
  - API Connect - L-RAWZ-DSFFFV
  - API Calls add-on - L-JVUW-LSTB9R
- For spec.profile enter the type of API Connect installation profile that you want. For more information on the available profiles, see API Connect deployment profiles for OpenShift and Cloud Pak for Integration in the API Connect documentation.
- For spec.version enter the API Connect product version or channel to be installed.
- For spec.storageClassName, specify the RWO block storage class to use for persistent storage.
Apply the YAML file to the OpenShift cluster:
```
oc apply -f api-management.yaml
```
Check the status of the API Connect cluster instance by running the following command in the project (namespace) where it was deployed:
```
oc get APIConnectCluster
```

Configuring the instance

Complete basic configuration settings for your instance.

Log in to the IBM Cloud Pak Platform UI. Use the authentication method and credentials set by your administrator.
Click the overflow menu (three-dot icon) for the instance name, and select Cloud Manager.
Log in to Cloud Manager by clicking Cloud Pak user registry. Use the same username and password that you used for logging in to the Platform UI.
Configure a mail server for sending invitations and notifications to users. For more information, see Configuring an email server for notifications in the API Connect documentation.

The instance requires further configuration before you can begin creating APIs. For more information about configuring API Connect cluster features, which are provided by API Connect, see Managing your APIs.

What to do next

When you finish installing the instance, prepare your deployment for disaster recovery, so that your data can be restored if there is an emergency. For more information, see Backing up your Cloud Pak for Integration API Connect deployment.