Deploying and configuring the Strimzi Entity Operator

Learn how to deploy and configure the Strimzi Entity Operator in your cluster by configuring your Kafka resource. Deploying the Entity Operator is required if you want to use custom resources to manage Kafka topics and users in your cluster.

The Entity Operator is responsible for managing Kafka users (clients) and Kafka topics in your Kafka cluster. The Entity Operator comprises the following two operators.

Strimzi Topic Operator – An operator application that creates and manages Kafka topics in your Kafka cluster with KafkaTopic resources.
Strimzi User Operator – An operator application that creates and manages Kafka users in your Kafka cluster with KafkaUser resources.

To deploy and configure the Entity Operator you configure your Kafka resource to include the entityOperator property. The entityOperator property can include topicOperator and userOperator properties.

These properties specify which of the two operators are deployed with the Entity Operator. You can choose to deploy either the Topic or User Operator, or deploy both at once.

The following example deploys both the Topic and User Operator with default configurations.

#...
kind: Kafka
spec:
  entityOperator:
    topicOperator: {}
    userOperator: {}

You can further configure all three operators by including additional supported properties in the configuration. The entityOperator property can include the template property that specifies configuration related to pod and deployment templates. The topicOperator and userOperator support various sub-properties that allow you to configure watched namespaces, reconciliation intervals, and others.

The Entity, Topic, and User Operator are deployed by the Strimzi Cluster Operator. On successful deployment, the Cluster Operator creates an Entity Operator deployment and pod. The Topic and User Operator run within the pod in their own containers.

Deploying the Topic or User Operator as standalone components is not supported in CSM Operator.

Deploying and configuring the Strimzi Topic Operator

You deploy and configure the Strimzi Topic Operator by configuring the entityOperator property in your Kafka resource to include topicOperator properties. Deploying the Topic Operator is required if you want to manage Kafka topics with KafkaTopic resources instead of the KafkaAdmin API.

The Topic Operator enables you to manage Kafka topics using KafkaTopic resources. In CSM Operator, you deploy the Topic Operator through the Strimzi Entity Operator. The Entity and Topic Operator are both deployed by the Strimzi Cluster Operator.

To deploy the Topic Operator, you configure the entityOperator property in your Kafka resource to include topicOperator properties. You configure the Topic Operator by specifying additional sub-properties in the topicOperator property.

By default, the Topic Operator watches KafkaTopic resources in the namespace of the Kafka cluster deployed by the Cluster Operator. You can also specify a namespace to watch using the watchedNamespace property.

A single Topic Operator can watch a single namespace. One namespace should be watched by only one Topic Operator. If you are deploying multiple Kafka clusters into the same namespace, enable the Topic Operator for only one Kafka cluster or use the watchedNamespace property to configure the Topic Operators to watch other namespaces

Strimzi must be installed in your cluster. The Strimzi Cluster Operator must be running. See Installation.
For a full list of supported properties, see the EntityTopicOperatorSpec schema reference in the Strimzi API Reference.

Edit the entityOperator property in your Kafka resource to include topicOperator properties.
The following example configures the Topic Operator to watch a specified namespace. Additionally, it configures the reconciliation interval as well as various resource properties.
```
#...
kind: Kafka
spec:
  entityOperator:
    topicOperator:
      watchedNamespace: [***TOPIC NAMESPACE ***]
      reconciliationIntervalMs: 60000
      resources:
        requests:
          cpu: "1"
          memory: 500Mi
        limits:
          cpu: "1"
          memory: 500Mi
```
If you want to deploy the Topic Operator with default configuration, add an empty object ({}).
```
#...
kind: Kafka
spec:
  entityOperator:
    topicOperator: {}
```

Create or update your Kafka resource.

kubectl apply --filename [***YAML CONFIG***] --namespace [***NAMESPACE***]

Verify the status of the deployment.
```
kubectl get pods --namespace [***NAMESPACE***]
```
If deployment is successful, you should see an Entity Operator pod in the output.
```
NAME                                          READY   STATUS    RESTARTS
#...
my-cluster-entity-operator-67947ff779-k5sbv   2/2     Running      0
```
The READY column shows the number of replicas that are ready/expected. Deployment is successful when the STATUS displays as Running.

note
The Topic Operator is running in a container within the Entity Operator pod.

Create and manage Kafka topics with KafkaTopic resources. See Managing topics.

Deploying and configuring the Strimzi User Operator

You deploy and configure the Strimzi User Operator by configuring the entityOperator property in your Kafka resource to include userOperator properties. Deploying the User Operator is required if you want to manage Kafka users with KafkaUser resources instead of the KafkaAdmin API.

The User Operator enables you to manage Kafka users (clients) with KafkaUser resources. In CSM Operator you deploy the User Operator through the Strimzi Entity Operator. The Entity and User Operator are both deployed by the Strimzi Cluster Operator.

To deploy the User Operator, you configure the entityOperator property in your Kafka resource to include userOperator properties. You configure the User Operator by specifying additional sub-properties in the userOperator property.

By default, the User Operator watches KafkaUser resources in the namespace of the Kafka cluster deployed by the Cluster Operator. You can also specify a namespace to watch using the watchedNamespace property. A single User Operator can watch a single namespace. One namespace should be watched by only one User Operator.

Strimzi must be installed in your cluster. The Strimzi Cluster Operator must be running. See Installation.
For a full list of supported properties, see the EntityUserOperatorSpec schema reference in the Strimzi API Reference.

Edit the entityOperator property in your Kafka resource to include userOperator properties.
The following example configures the User Operator to watch a specified namespace. Additionally, it configures the reconciliation interval as well as various resource properties.
```
#...
kind: Kafka
spec:
  entityOperator:
    userOperator:
      watchedNamespace: [***USER NAMESPACE***]
      reconciliationIntervalMs: 60000
      resources:
        requests:
          cpu: "1"
          memory: 500Mi
        limits:
          cpu: "1"
          memory: 500Mi
```
If you want to deploy the User Operator with default configuration, add an empty object ({}).
```
#...
kind: Kafka
spec:
  entityOperator:
    userOperator: {}
```

Create or update your Kafka resource.

kubectl apply --filename [***YAML CONFIG***] --namespace [***NAMESPACE***]

Verify the status of the deployment.
```
kubectl get pods --namespace [***NAMESPACE***]
```
If deployment is successful, you should see an Entity Operator pod in the output.
```
NAME                                          READY   STATUS    RESTARTS
#...
my-cluster-entity-operator-67947ff779-k5sbv   2/2     Running      0
```
The READY column shows the number of replicas that are ready/expected. Deployment is successful when the STATUS displays as Running.

note
The User Operator is running in a container within the Entity Operator pod.

Create and manage Kafka users with KafkaUser resources. See User management.