I am proposing the addition of a new configuration option named never_wipe_images in CRI-O to address the needs of users operating in disconnected environments. This option should ensure that image storage is never wiped, regardless of the circumstances, and provide users with greater control over storage management.

Background

In disconnected environments, where we operate OpenShift without connectivity to an external container registry, it is often crucial to preserve image storage data, even if it is detected to be incomplete or corrupted. The current internal_wipe option allows users to prevent storage wiping at startup by setting it to false. However, there are two main concerns:

• Deprecation of internal_wipe: There are plans to deprecate this option, which would result in storage being wiped at every startup after an upgrade without the ability to override this behavior.
• Wiping in Other Scenarios: Wiping is also performed in scenarios such as failed repair attempts, which are not controlled by the internal_wipe flag.

Proposal

I propose the introduction of a new configuration option, never_wipe_images, which can be set to true or false. When set to true, this option should:

• Prevent image storage from being wiped under any circumstances, including startup and failed repair attempts.
• Override any other flags or conditions that would otherwise trigger a wipe of images.
• Not affect wiping of containers, which still makes sense to be controlled separately.

Benefits

• Flexibility and Control: Users in disconnected environments can maintain image storage integrity without the risk of data loss due to automatic wiping.

Offer to Contribute

I am capable and willing to contribute to the development of this feature by submitting Pull Requests if the proposal is accepted. I believe this addition will greatly benefit users who require strict control over image storage management in CRI-O.

Thank you for considering this proposal. I look forward to your feedback and am eager to collaborate on implementing this feature.