github.com/openshift/installer@v1.4.17/docs/user/metal/README.md (about)

     1  # Support for Bare Metal Environments
     2  
     3  OpenShift has support for bare metal deployments with either [User
     4  provided infrastructure (UPI)](install_upi.md), or [Installer-provided
     5  infrastructure (IPI)](install_ipi.md).
     6  
     7  The following is a summary of key differences:
     8  
     9  * UPI bare metal
    10    * Provisioning hosts is an external requirement
    11    * Requires extra DNS configuration
    12    * Requires setup of load balancers
    13    * Offers more control and choice over infrastructure
    14  
    15  * IPI bare metal
    16    * Has built-in hardware provisioning components, will provision nodes with RHCOS automatically,
    17      and supports the Machine API for ongoing management of these hosts.
    18    * Automates internal DNS requirements
    19    * Automates setup of self-hosted load balancers
    20    * Supports “openshift-install create cluster” for bare metal environments
    21      using this infrastructure automation, but requires the use of compatible
    22      hardware, as described in [install_ipi.md](install_ipi.md).