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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIBM Bob self-hosted runs as a customer-managed workload on Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform (OCP). Deploy it with IBM’s bobctl release bundle, then configure a reachable model endpoint, user access, and trusted HTTPS for client workstations. An on-premises installation does not automatically make every dependency local: image delivery, inference, identity, DNS, certificates, storage, and network routes all need to be planned. IBM describes the self-hosted operating model.
What you need to plan before installing
In the self-hosted offering, your organization operates the underlying infrastructure and services; developers use the Bob IDE extensions and bob-shell client experience. That means your team owns OpenShift capacity and availability, networking, storage, upgrades, identity configuration, backups, and operational security. IBM’s overview describes this division of responsibility.
Check OpenShift compatibility and capacity
As listed on IBM’s system-requirements page accessed on October 4, 2026, Bob supports OCP 4.20, 4.21, and 4.22, and Bob workloads must be scheduled on amd64 hardware. Check the live page and release compatibility before implementation because supported versions can change.
IBM’s published Bob Core production planning footprint is 28.1 vCPU, 41.1 GiB RAM, and about 50 GiB of persistent storage. With IBM’s recommended scheduling headroom, the Bob Core figures are about 36.5 vCPU and 53.4 GiB RAM. These are Bob tenant figures, not a complete cluster design or independent benchmark. Add capacity for OpenShift itself, other tenants, high availability, growth, and any licensed add-ons. IBM labels some Z Understand measurements provisional while benchmarking. See IBM’s current system requirements.
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IBM recommends SSD-backed block storage where possible and cautions against high-latency or low-IOPS platforms. Give PostgreSQL and OpenSearch the fastest available block storage, and plan a separate backup destination such as a supported NFS share, enterprise backup repository, or supported object-storage service. Storage guidance and add-on sizing are documented by IBM.
Choose the network and image-delivery pattern
| Consideration | Connected cluster | Air-gapped or restricted cluster |
|---|---|---|
| Bob container images | Pull from IBM Container Registry during installation. | Mirror images to an internal registry, using IBM’s direct or indirect transfer approach. |
| Model inference | Use an endpoint reachable from OpenShift; IBM allows hosted or cloud API model services depending on the deployment pattern. | Inference must use local/on-premises services for the air-gapped deployment paths. |
| Updates | Retrieve updates online. | Transfer and apply offline update bundles. |
| Telemetry default | Enabled by default according to IBM’s current install guide; confirm release-specific settings and organizational policy. | Disabled in the documented air-gapped paths. |
These patterns are not interchangeable in every respect: registry reachability, model hosting, update logistics, and telemetry defaults differ. IBM’s installation guide covers connected and air-gapped installation.
Decide how Bob will authenticate to a model
Bob requires a reachable core inference endpoint. An internal model service can be used when the OpenShift cluster can reach it and it exposes the API expected by Bob’s model gateway. IBM also supports suitable cloud-provider APIs in connected deployment patterns. Consider where inference runs and what network and data boundaries apply; “self-hosted” alone does not mean every model request stays inside your environment.
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IBM recommends using a guardrail model or provider-native safeguards. Identify any core and guardrail endpoints, credentials, and certificate authorities before installation, then validate routing, authentication, and TLS connectivity. Check supported model options and IBM’s model connectivity validation guidance.
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Confirm entitlement, access, and installer prerequisites
Obtain a valid IBM Bob self-hosted entitlement, access to the IBM Bob repository containing the release bundle, and IBM Entitled Container Registry credentials for
cp.icr.ioto obtain backend images. The bundle includes manifests, Helm charts, templates, and thebobctlinstallation script; backend images are obtained separately. Use an administrative workstation that can reach the target cluster. IBM documentsbobctl,oc, Helm 3.14.0 or later, Bash 3.2 or later, and OpenSSL for the workflow. The installer needs cluster-admin privileges or equivalent permissions for required cluster-scoped resources. Review the full prerequisites.IBM separates cluster-scoped resources from namespace-scoped Bob resources so platform or security administrators can review the cluster-level components separately.
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Prepare the selected image path
For a connected installation, ensure the cluster can pull the required images from IBM Container Registry. For a restricted or disconnected environment, mirror the images to an internal registry using the applicable direct or indirect process, and arrange offline update bundles. For air-gapped deployment, arrange an on-premises inference service as well. Follow the release-specific steps in IBM’s install guide.
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Configure cluster capacity, storage, and routes
Choose storage classes and provision the capacity described in the system-requirements guidance, with additional allowance for the OpenShift platform, workload growth, resilience, and any selected add-ons. Confirm that DNS, firewall rules, cluster egress, network policies, proxies, security groups, and TLS trust allow Bob’s workloads to reach the model endpoint and other required services. IBM’s model configuration guidance covers endpoint setup; review the configuration documentation.
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Create the configuration and install
Start from IBM’s configuration template. Set the namespaces, storage class, and model gateway details, and enable only add-ons that are licensed, assigned, and needed. Bob Core is the baseline; options such as RAG/OpenSearch or Z Understand change resource requirements. Then run the
bobctlinstallation workflow for the selected network pattern, following the current release guide rather than adapting commands from another release. Configuration reference · Installation workflow.Rank #4
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Configure identity if you use directory federation
LDAP or Active Directory federation is optional and is configured after installation. Prepare the directory server URL, user and group search bases, bind details if required, and the private CA certificate when using LDAPS. Apply the identity-provider configuration with
bobctl configure-idp. If federation is not needed, IBM’s post-install path allows administrators to manage users directly in Keycloak. See post-install tasks. -
Set up HTTPS and external certificate trust
Bob exposes APIs over HTTPS. A certificate already trusted by enterprise-managed workstations is usually the simplest client experience. If you use a customer-managed certificate or a private/self-signed CA, arrange client trust distribution. IBM documents
bobctl setup-routefor applying an external certificate after installation. Follow IBM’s TLS certificate guide. -
Verify readiness and onboard clients
Wait for the Bob custom resource to report Ready, then give developers the API endpoint, account or federation instructions, and the relevant CA certificate when needed. The endpoint is typically
https://api.<cluster-domain>. ConfiguregatewayUrlinbob-ide;bob-shellalso needs the endpoint and certificate trust. IBM provides operating-system-specific CA import instructions in its self-hosted access guide.What’s actually slowing this PC down?
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What “connect to internal systems” means for Bob
Internal model services
This is the clearest documented internal service integration: point the model gateway at a supported core inference service, and optionally a guardrail service, that is reachable from the OpenShift cluster and compatible with the documented API. Validate credentials, routing, and TLS before relying on the connection. Supported models · Connectivity validation.
LDAP or Active Directory
Directory federation is available as an optional post-install configuration. If you do not federate a directory, the documented fallback is direct user management in Keycloak. IBM’s post-install documentation explains the identity path.
Internal registry and developer workstations
An internal image mirror serves the Bob deployment in restricted networks. Separately, developer workstations must be able to reach the Bob HTTPS route and trust its certificate. Those are distinct connections: the registry supplies images to the cluster, while the route supplies the API to clients. Install options · Client access.
Other business applications
IBM’s deployment documentation cited here does not establish connector procedures for particular source-control, ticketing, or other business applications. Do not assume that deploying Bob on premises automatically connects it to those systems; verify support and configuration instructions for the named integration in the documentation for your Bob version.
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Plan ownership for OpenShift capacity and availability, Bob updates, offline update logistics where relevant, backup and restore, certificate renewal and trust distribution, identity integration, and monitoring. IBM explicitly states that Bob does not provide security event logging capabilities, so configure audit logging, monitoring, and retention through OpenShift and your organization’s security tooling. IBM’s prerequisites and operational notes and self-hosted overview describe these responsibilities.
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