Aicli

aicli User Guide

aicli is a Python CLI client for the Red Hat Assisted Installer API. It simplifies deploying OpenShift clusters by wrapping the assisted-installer service API with a straightforward command-line interface.

Setup & Authentication

SAAS mode (default)

Get an offline token at https://cloud.redhat.com/openshift/token, then set it:

export AI_OFFLINETOKEN=<your_token>

On-premise mode

export AI_URL=http://<AI_IP>:8090

Staging / Integration

aicli --staging ...     # or export AI_STAGING=true
aicli --integration ... # or export AI_INTEGRATION=true

TLS

export AI_CA=<ca_content_or_path>
export AI_CERT=<cert_path>
export AI_KEY=<key_path>

Installation

pip3 install aicli                          # pip
sudo dnf -y copr enable karmab/aicli && sudo dnf -y install aicli  # rpm
# container
alias aicli='podman run --net host -it --rm -e AI_OFFLINETOKEN=$AI_OFFLINETOKEN -v $HOME/.aicli:/root/.aicli -v $PWD:/workdir quay.io/karmab/aicli'

Quick Reference

# Cluster lifecycle
aicli create cluster <name>              # Create cluster (+ infraenv)
aicli list cluster                       # List clusters
aicli info cluster <name>                # Cluster details
aicli update cluster <name> -P key=val   # Update cluster params
aicli start cluster <name>               # Launch install
aicli stop cluster <name>                # Reset/cancel install
aicli wait cluster <name>                # Wait for install to complete
aicli delete cluster <name>              # Delete cluster + infraenv
aicli export cluster <name>              # Export cluster params

# Hosts
aicli list hosts                         # List all hosts
aicli info host <name>                   # Host details
aicli update host <name> -P key=val      # Update hostname/role/disk
aicli wait hosts <infraenv> -n 3         # Wait for N hosts to appear
aicli start hosts <host1> <host2>        # Start day2 host install
aicli stop hosts <host1> <host2>         # Stop host install
aicli delete host <name>                 # Delete host
aicli boot hosts -P paramfile=params.yml # Boot hosts via redfish

# Infraenvs
aicli create infraenv <name>             # Create infraenv
aicli list infraenv                      # List infraenvs
aicli info infraenv <name>               # Infraenv details
aicli update infraenv <name> -P key=val  # Update infraenv
aicli delete infraenv <name>             # Delete infraenv
aicli start infraenv <name>              # Start infraenv hosts install
aicli stop infraenv <name>               # Stop infraenv hosts install

# Binding (late binding workflow)
aicli bind host <host> <cluster>         # Bind host to cluster
aicli unbind host <host>                 # Unbind host
aicli bind infraenv <infraenv> <cluster> # Bind all infraenv hosts
aicli unbind infraenv <infraenv>         # Unbind all infraenv hosts

# ISOs
aicli info iso <infraenv>                # Get discovery ISO URL
aicli download iso <infraenv>            # Download ISO locally
aicli update iso <infraenv> -P key=val   # Update discovery ISO

# Downloads / Assets
aicli download kubeconfig <cluster>      # Download kubeconfig
aicli download kubeadmin-password <cluster>  # Download kubeadmin pwd
aicli download installconfig <cluster>   # Download install-config
aicli download ignition <cluster>        # Download ignition file
aicli download discovery-ignition <infraenv> # Download discovery ignition
aicli download ipxe-script <infraenv>    # Download iPXE script
aicli download initrd <infraenv>         # Download initrd
aicli download manifests <cluster>       # Download manifests
aicli download static-network-config <infraenv> # Download static net cfg

# Manifests
aicli create manifests --dir <dir> <cluster>  # Upload manifests
aicli list manifests <cluster>                # List manifests
aicli delete manifests <cluster>              # Delete manifests

# Events & Validations
aicli list events <cluster>              # List cluster events
aicli list events -f <cluster>           # Follow events live
aicli info validation <cluster>          # Show validation status

# Keywords (discover available params)
aicli list keywords                      # All keywords
aicli list cluster-keywords              # Cluster-specific
aicli list extra-keywords                # Extra/shortcut keywords
aicli list host-keywords                 # Host-specific
aicli list infraenv-keywords             # Infraenv-specific

# Deployment (e2e workflow)
aicli create deployment --pf params.yml <name>  # Full e2e deploy
aicli scale deployment --pf params.yml <name>   # Add day2 workers

# Onprem
aicli create onprem                      # Deploy AI locally via podman
aicli delete onprem                      # Remove local AI deployment

# Service
aicli info service                       # Show AI service info

# ABI credentials
aicli create abi-creds                   # Gather ABI credentials

Parameters

Parameters are passed via -P key=value (repeatable) or --paramfile/--pf pointing to a YAML file.

If a file named aicli_parameters.yml exists in the current directory, it is auto-loaded.

Creating Clusters

Basic cluster

aicli create cluster mycluster

This auto-creates an infraenv named mycluster_infra-env.

With parameters

aicli create cluster -P openshift_version=4.21 -P base_dns_domain=example.com mycluster

SNO (Single Node OpenShift)

aicli create cluster -P sno=true mycluster

Common extra parameters

Custom install config

aicli update cluster mycluster -P installconfig="{'CPUPartitioningMode': 'AllNodes'}"

Custom ignition

# Via parameter
aicli create cluster -P ignition_config_override='{"ignition":...}' mycluster
# Via file
aicli create cluster -P discovery_ignition_file=/path/to/ignition.json mycluster

Custom kernel arguments

# As string (appended)
aicli create cluster -P kernel_arguments="a=xxx b=yyy" mycluster

Static Networking

Provide nmstate data in parameter file under static_network_config:

static_network_config:
- interfaces:
  - name: ens3
    type: ethernet
    state: up
    ipv4:
      enabled: true
      address:
      - ip: 192.168.122.100
        prefix-length: 24
      dhcp: false
  dns-resolver:
    config:
      server:
      - 192.168.122.1
  routes:
    config:
    - destination: 0.0.0.0/0
      next-hop-address: 192.168.122.1
      next-hop-interface: ens3
  mac_interface_map:
  - logical_nic_name: ens3
    mac_address: aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff

Sample files available in the samples/ directory of the aicli repo covering static networking, bonding, and dual stack.

Host Management

Update hostname

aicli update host myhost -P name=newhostname

If multiple hosts share a cluster and match, names are assigned sequentially (name-0, name-1, ...).

Update role

aicli update host myhost -P role=worker

Specify installation disk

aicli update host myhost -P disk=sdb

Skip disk formatting

aicli update host myhost -P skip_disks=[sdb,sdc]

Set node labels

aicli update host myhost -P labels=[productionready,env=prod]

Extra args (kernel args for install)

aicli update host myhost -P extra_args="--append-karg=rd.multipath=default"

Custom ignition on first boot

aicli update host myhost -P ignition_file=/path/to/ignition.json

Bulk update from parameter file

hosts:
- name: master-0.example.com
  role: master
- name: worker-0.example.com
  role: worker
  extra_args: "ip=dhcp6"

aicli update hosts --pf params.yml

Hosts can be matched by name, id (system UUID), or mac (any MAC from inventory).

Deployment Workflow (e2e)

Single-command deployment

aicli create deployment --pf params.yml mycluster

Parameter file for automated deployment with BMC

base_dns_domain: example.com
api_vip: 192.168.122.253
ingress_vip: 192.168.122.252
download_iso_path: /var/www/html
download_iso_cmd: "chown apache.apache /var/www/html/mycluster.iso"
iso_url: http://192.168.122.1/mycluster.iso
bmc_user: admin
bmc_password: password
hosts:
- name: ctlplane-0
  bmc_url: http://192.168.122.1:8000/redfish/v1/Systems/uuid1
- name: ctlplane-1
  bmc_url: http://192.168.122.1:8000/redfish/v1/Systems/uuid2
- name: ctlplane-2
  bmc_url: http://192.168.122.1:8000/redfish/v1/Systems/uuid3

Without BMC info, the workflow pauses and displays the ISO URL for manual boot.

Day2 Operations (Adding Workers)

Create day2 cluster

aicli create cluster mycluster-day2

The -day2 suffix triggers day2 mode automatically.

Day2 workflow

1. aicli info iso mycluster-day2 -- get discovery ISO
2. Boot new nodes with ISO
3. aicli wait hosts mycluster-day2_infra-env -n 1 -- wait for host(s)
4. aicli start hosts <hostname> or aicli start cluster mycluster-day2

Scale deployment (automated day2)

aicli scale deployment --pf scale_params.yml mycluster

Manifests

Upload from directory

aicli create manifests --dir /path/to/manifests mycluster
aicli create manifests --dir /path/to/manifests -o mycluster  # openshift folder

Inline manifests in parameter file

manifests:
- my-manifest.yaml: |
    apiVersion: v1
    kind: ConfigMap
    metadata:
      name: my-config
    data:
      key: value

Disconnected / Custom Registry

aicli create cluster -P registry_url=myregistry.example.com:5000 mycluster

The CA cert is auto-fetched via openssl if reachable; otherwise provide it with -P ca=/path/to/ca.crt.

Onprem Deployment

Deploy Assisted Installer locally using podman:

aicli create onprem
aicli create onprem -P ip=10.0.0.1    # specify IP manually
aicli create onprem -P keep=true      # keep configmap.yml and pod.yml
aicli delete onprem                    # clean up

Typical Step-by-Step Workflow

1. Create cluster: aicli create cluster mycluster -P base_dns_domain=example.com
2. Get ISO: aicli info iso mycluster or aicli download iso mycluster
3. Boot nodes with the discovery ISO
4. Wait for hosts: aicli wait hosts mycluster_infra-env -n 3
5. Update hosts (if needed): aicli update host <host> -P name=<name> -P role=<role>
6. Update cluster (VIPs): aicli update cluster mycluster -P api_ip=x.x.x.x -P ingress_ip=y.y.y.y
7. Start install: aicli start cluster mycluster
8. Wait: aicli wait cluster mycluster
9. Get credentials: aicli download kubeconfig mycluster && aicli download kubeadmin-password mycluster

Global Flags

Output Formats

Most list/info commands support -o json, -o yaml, or -o name:

aicli list clusters -o json
aicli info cluster mycluster -o yaml
aicli list clusters -o name

Aliases

Default OpenShift Version

The current default OpenShift version is 4.21.

Source Code Reference

The aicli source code lives in the working directory at src/ailib/:

• src/ailib/__init__.py -- AssistedClient class (core API logic)
• src/ailib/cli.py -- CLI entry point and argparse definitions
• src/ailib/common/__init__.py -- utility functions (get_overrides, onprem helpers)
• src/ailib/kfish/__init__.py -- Redfish BMC interaction
• src/ailib/mcp.py -- MCP server exposing aicli tools
• samples/ -- example parameter files (static networking, bonding, dual stack, disconnected)