Version: 0.4.x

Production Deployment

Private distribution — not yet open source

The W'xOps Portal container image and the supporting Helm charts are hosted on a private registry and are not publicly available.

Resource	Registry	Status
Portal container image	`gitea.xeusnguyen.xyz/platform-team/wxops-portal-v2`	Private
Helm charts (`pinniped`, `portal`)	`https://kubewekend.xeusnguyen.xyz`	Public

An open-source release is planned. Until then, access is granted on a case-by-case basis for enterprise deployments.

To request access or schedule a demo: contact the platform team directly — see the footer of this page for links. Or submited Enterprise Form for quick connecting and demo.

Prerequisites

The following must be in place on the hub cluster before deploying the portal:

Component	Why it's needed
ArgoCD	Manages all platform applications including the portal itself
Traefik (ingress controller)	TCP TLS passthrough for Pinniped; HTTP ingress for portal
cert-manager + a `ClusterIssuer`	TLS certificates for Pinniped and portal (chart uses `ca-issuer` by default)
External Secrets Operator	Syncs portal environment variables from Vault into a K8s Secret
Vault	Stores portal secrets at `secret/platform/service-portal`
Dex (or another OIDC IdP)	Upstream identity provider federated through Pinniped Supervisor
Gitea	Hosts the `gitops-infra` repo (service catalog + scaffolded overlays)
A private registry pull secret (`regcred`) in the `platform` namespace	Required to pull the portal image from the private Gitea registry

Architecture overview

Step 1 — Deploy Pinniped

Pinniped is deployed via Helm using the private chart from kubewekend.xeusnguyen.xyz. In the reference gitops setup it is managed by the security-plane ApplicationSet at sync wave 2, after Vault and cert-manager are ready.

1a — Add the Helm repository

helm repo add kubewekend https://kubewekend.xeusnguyen.xyz
helm repo update

Private repository

This Helm repository requires credentials. Contact the platform team for access.

1b — Configure `values.yaml`

The chart wraps both Pinniped Concierge and Supervisor under a single pinniped: key. Below is the minimal production configuration for a Traefik + cert-manager cluster:

pinniped:
  enabled: true
  installCRDs: true

  namespace:
    create: true
    name: ""           # defaults to "pinniped" → namespaces: pinniped-supervisor, pinniped-concierge

  concierge:
    enabled: true
    replicaCount: 1

    resources:
      requests: { cpu: 100m, memory: 128Mi }
      limits:   { cpu: 100m, memory: 128Mi }

    config:
      noProxy: $(KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST),169.254.169.254,127.0.0.1,localhost,.svc,.cluster.local

    # Impersonation proxy — ClusterIP mode (no public LoadBalancer needed)
    credentialIssuer:
      create: true
      impersonationProxy:
        mode: enabled
        externalEndpoint: "pinniped-concierge-proxy.pinniped-concierge.svc.cluster.local"
        service:
          type: ClusterIP

    # TLS via cert-manager using your existing ClusterIssuer
    tls:
      certManager:
        enabled: true
        issuerRef:
          name: ca-issuer        # ← replace with your ClusterIssuer name
          kind: ClusterIssuer
          group: cert-manager.io
        certificate:
          enabled: true
          secretName: concierge-tls-secret
          dnsNames:
            - "pinniped-concierge-proxy.pinniped-concierge.svc.cluster.local"

    # TCP TLS passthrough via Traefik
    ingress:
      enabled: true
      provider: traefik
      hostname: "pinniped-concierge-proxy.pinniped-concierge.svc.cluster.local"
      traefik:
        entryPoints: [websecure]
        tlsPassthrough: true

    # JWTAuthenticator — validates tokens issued by the Supervisor
    jwtAuthenticator:
      create: true
      name: dex-jwt-authenticator
      issuer: "https://pinniped-supervisor-clusterip.pinniped-supervisor.svc.cluster.local"
      audience: "k3s-cluster"    # ← must be unique per cluster
      certificateAuthorityDataSource:
        kind: Secret
        name: concierge-tls-secret
        key: ca.crt

  supervisor:
    enabled: true
    replicaCount: 1

    resources:
      requests: { cpu: 100m, memory: 128Mi }
      limits:   { cpu: 1000m, memory: 128Mi }

    config:
      noProxy: $(KUBERNETES_SERVICE_HOST),169.254.169.254,127.0.0.1,localhost,.svc,.cluster.local

    # TLS via cert-manager
    tls:
      certManager:
        enabled: true
        issuerRef:
          name: ca-issuer
          kind: ClusterIssuer
          group: cert-manager.io
        certificate:
          enabled: true
          secretName: supervisor-tls-secret
          dnsNames:
            - "pinniped-supervisor-clusterip.pinniped-supervisor.svc.cluster.local"

    # ClusterIP service for internal access
    service:
      public:
        clusterIP:
          enabled: true
          port: 443

    # TCP TLS passthrough via Traefik for browser OIDC flow
    ingress:
      enabled: true
      provider: traefik
      hostname: "pinniped-supervisor-clusterip.pinniped-supervisor.svc.cluster.local"
      traefik:
        entryPoints: [websecure]
        tlsPassthrough: true
        tlsSecretName: supervisor-tls-secret

    # FederationDomain — issuer URL must exactly match jwtAuthenticator.issuer
    federationDomain:
      create: true
      issuer: "https://pinniped-supervisor-clusterip.pinniped-supervisor.svc.cluster.local"
      tlsSecretName: supervisor-tls-secret

    # Identity provider — Dex (swap for github or ldap if needed)
    identityProviders:
      dex:
        create: true
        name: dex
        displayName: "Dex OIDC Authenticator"
        issuer: "https://idp.example.com"   # ← your Dex issuer URL
        additionalScopes: [offline_access, groups, email]
        usernameClaim: email
        groupsClaim: groups
        createClientSecret: true
        clientID: "pinniped-supervisor"
        clientSecret: "replace-with-real-secret"   # ← store in Vault, inject via ESO

1c — Install or sync via ArgoCD

Direct Helm install:

helm upgrade --install pinniped kubewekend/pinniped \
  --namespace pinniped-supervisor \
  --create-namespace \
  -f values.yaml

Via ArgoCD Application (recommended):

apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: security-pinniped
  namespace: argocd
  annotations:
    argocd.argoproj.io/sync-wave: "2"
spec:
  project: infrastructure
  source:
    repoURL: https://gitea.example.com/platform-team/gitops-infra.git
    targetRevision: main
    path: base/security-plane/pinniped
    helm:
      releaseName: pinniped
      valueFiles: [values.yaml]
  destination:
    server: https://kubernetes.default.svc
    namespace: pinniped-supervisor
  syncPolicy:
    automated: { prune: true, selfHeal: true }
    syncOptions: [CreateNamespace=true]

1d — Register the portal as an OIDCClient

warning

The OIDCClient CR name must start with client.oauth.pinniped.dev-.

apiVersion: config.supervisor.pinniped.dev/v1alpha1
kind: OIDCClient
metadata:
  name: client.oauth.pinniped.dev-wxops-portal
  namespace: pinniped-supervisor
spec:
  allowedRedirectURIs:
    - https://portal.example.com/auth/callback
  allowedGrantTypes:
    - authorization_code
    - refresh_token
    - urn:ietf:params:oauth:grant-type:token-exchange
  allowedScopes:
    - openid
    - offline_access
    - username
    - groups
    - pinniped:request-audience

1e — Generate the client secret

warning

Pinniped stores only a bcrypt hash — the plaintext is returned once. Copy it immediately into Vault.

cat <<EOF | kubectl create -o yaml -f -
apiVersion: clientsecret.supervisor.pinniped.dev/v1alpha1
kind: OIDCClientSecretRequest
metadata:
  name: client.oauth.pinniped.dev-wxops-portal
  namespace: pinniped-supervisor
spec:
  generateNewSecret: true
EOF

Store the status.generatedSecret value in Vault under the portal's secret path before proceeding.

Emergency rotation (revokes all previous secrets):

cat <<EOF | kubectl create -o yaml -f -
apiVersion: clientsecret.supervisor.pinniped.dev/v1alpha1
kind: OIDCClientSecretRequest
metadata:
  name: client.oauth.pinniped.dev-wxops-portal
  namespace: pinniped-supervisor
spec:
  generateNewSecret: true
  revokeOldSecrets: true
EOF

Step 2 — Store portal secrets in Vault

The portal's environment variables are injected from a Kubernetes Secret that External Secrets Operator syncs from Vault. Create the KV entry at secret/platform/service-portal (adjust the mount path to match your VAULT_KV_MOUNT):

vault kv put secret/platform/service-portal \
  SESSION_SECRET="$(openssl rand -hex 32)" \
  OIDC_ISSUER_URL="https://pinniped-supervisor-clusterip.pinniped-supervisor.svc.cluster.local" \
  OIDC_CLIENT_ID="client.oauth.pinniped.dev-wxops-portal" \
  OIDC_CLIENT_SECRET="<paste generatedSecret from step 1e>" \
  OIDC_REDIRECT_URI="https://portal.example.com/auth/callback" \
  GITEA_URL="https://gitea.example.com" \
  GITEA_TOKEN="<gitea-service-account-token>" \
  GITEA_CATALOG_OWNER="platform-team" \
  GITEA_CATALOG_REPO="gitops-infra" \
  VAULT_ADDR="https://vault.example.com" \
  VAULT_TOKEN="<vault-portal-policy-token>" \
  WEBHOOK_TOKEN="$(openssl rand -hex 24)"

See Environment Variables for the full reference of every key.

The ExternalSecret that syncs this path is included in the portal Helm chart templates:

apiVersion: external-secrets.io/v1
kind: ExternalSecret
metadata:
  name: platform-service-portal-env
  namespace: platform
spec:
  refreshInterval: 1m
  secretStoreRef:
    name: vault-platform       # ClusterSecretStore pointing to your Vault
    kind: ClusterSecretStore
  target:
    name: platform-service-portal-env
  dataFrom:
    - extract:
        key: service-portal    # → secret/platform/service-portal

Step 3 — Deploy the portal

The portal uses a common Helm chart dependency from kubewekend.xeusnguyen.xyz.

3a — Create the `Chart.yaml`

apiVersion: v2
name: service-portal
version: 1.0.0
dependencies:
  - name: common
    version: 0.3.2
    repository: https://kubewekend.xeusnguyen.xyz
    alias: portal
    condition: portal.enabled

3b — Configure `values.yaml`

portal:
  enabled: true
  fullnameOverride: wxops-service-portal

  image:
    repository: gitea.xeusnguyen.xyz/platform-team/wxops-portal-v2
    tag: latest                 # ← pin to a specific release tag in production
    pullPolicy: Always
  imagePullSecrets:
    - name: regcred             # ← pull secret for the private Gitea registry

  service:
    type: ClusterIP
    port: 80

  ingress:
    enabled: true
    className: traefik
    annotations:
      cert-manager.io/cluster-issuer: "ca-issuer"
    hosts:
      - host: portal.example.com
        paths:
          - path: /
            pathType: ImplementationSpecific
    tls:
      - secretName: service-portal-tls
        hosts:
          - portal.example.com

  # Environment variables pulled from the Vault-synced Secret
  envFrom:
    - secretRef:
        name: platform-service-portal-env

  # FRONTEND_URL is safe to set as a plain env var (not a secret)
  env:
    FRONTEND_URL: "https://portal.example.com"

  resources:
    requests:
      memory: 256Mi
      cpu: 50m
    limits:
      memory: 512Mi

  probes:
    port: http
    disableProbes: [startupProbe]
    livenessProbe:
      httpGet:
        path: /healthz
    readinessProbe:
      httpGet:
        path: /readyz

  # Role + RoleBinding: read Secrets in the portal namespace for cluster discovery
  rbac:
    create: true
    role:
      kind: Role
      rules:
        - apiGroups: [""]
          resources: ["secrets"]
          verbs: ["get", "list", "watch"]
    roleBinding:
      roleRef:
        apiGroup: rbac.authorization.k8s.io
        kind: Role
      subjects:
        - kind: ServiceAccount
          name: wxops-service-portal

  serviceAccount:
    create: true
    name: wxops-service-portal

3c — Sync via ArgoCD Application

apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1
kind: Application
metadata:
  name: platform-service-portal
  namespace: argocd
spec:
  project: infrastructure
  source:
    repoURL: https://gitea.example.com/platform-team/gitops-infra.git
    targetRevision: main
    path: platform/service-portal
    helm:
      releaseName: platform-service-portal
      valueFiles: [values.yaml]
  destination:
    server: https://kubernetes.default.svc
    namespace: platform
  syncPolicy:
    syncOptions: [CreateNamespace=true]

Step 4 — Register spoke clusters

Each spoke cluster requires:

Pinniped Concierge installed with a JWTAuthenticator pointing to the hub Supervisor
Tenant RBAC so Pinniped-issued tokens can list pods/deployments in tenant namespaces
A cluster registration Secret in the hub's wxops-system namespace

4a — JWTAuthenticator on each spoke

apiVersion: authentication.concierge.pinniped.dev/v1alpha1
kind: JWTAuthenticator
metadata:
  name: wxops-jwt-authenticator
spec:
  issuer: https://pinniped-supervisor-clusterip.pinniped-supervisor.svc.cluster.local
  audience: prod-east              # must be unique per cluster
  tls:
    certificateAuthorityData: <base64-encoded Supervisor CA PEM>

4b — Tenant RBAC on each spoke

apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1
kind: ClusterRole
metadata:
  name: wxops-portal-tenant-viewer
rules:
- apiGroups: [""]
  resources: ["pods", "services", "resourcequotas"]
  verbs: ["get", "list"]
- apiGroups: ["apps"]
  resources: ["deployments"]
  verbs: ["get", "list"]
---
apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1
kind: RoleBinding
metadata:
  name: wxops-portal-viewer
  namespace: tenant-<org>
subjects:
- kind: Group
  name: <org>:rocket-team        # Gitea OIDC group in org:team format
  apiGroup: rbac.authorization.k8s.io
roleRef:
  kind: ClusterRole
  name: wxops-portal-tenant-viewer
  apiGroup: rbac.authorization.k8s.io

See Permissions for the full RBAC matrix.

4c — Cluster registration Secret on the hub

Create one Secret per spoke in the hub cluster's wxops-system namespace:

apiVersion: v1
kind: Secret
metadata:
  name: cluster-prod-east
  namespace: wxops-system
  labels:
    wxops.cloud/kind: cluster
  annotations:
    wxops.cloud/cluster-id:                  prod-east
    wxops.cloud/cluster-name:                "Production East"
    wxops.cloud/jwt-authenticator-audience:  prod-east
    wxops.cloud/jwt-authenticator-name:      wxops-jwt-authenticator
    wxops.cloud/issuer-url:                  https://pinniped-supervisor-clusterip.pinniped-supervisor.svc.cluster.local
    wxops.cloud/upstream-idp-name:           "Dex OIDC Authenticator"
    wxops.cloud/upstream-idp-type:           oidc
stringData:
  api-server: "https://api.prod-east.example.com:6443"
  ca-bundle: |
    -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
    <spoke cluster CA PEM>
    -----END CERTIFICATE-----

Step 5 — Supervisor TLS CA

Supervisor certificate	Action
Let's Encrypt / public CA	Nothing — system root pool is used automatically
Internal / private CA	Set `OIDC_CA_BUNDLE` or `OIDC_CA_BUNDLE_FILE` on the portal
Self-signed (dev only)	Set `OIDC_TLS_SKIP_VERIFY=true` — kubeconfig downloads will not work

Verification

After all steps complete:

# Portal pod should be Running
kubectl get pods -n platform -l app.kubernetes.io/name=wxops-service-portal

# Pinniped Supervisor FederationDomain should be Ready
kubectl get federationdomain -n pinniped-supervisor

# OIDCClient should be Ready
kubectl get oidcclient client.oauth.pinniped.dev-wxops-portal \
  -n pinniped-supervisor \
  -o jsonpath='{.status.conditions}' | jq .

# Portal health endpoints
curl -sk https://portal.example.com/healthz
curl -sk https://portal.example.com/readyz

Open https://portal.example.com — you should be redirected to the Pinniped / Dex login flow.

Next steps

Environment Variables — full reference for every backend and frontend variable
Architecture — auth model, hub-spoke topology, security boundaries
Security & Permissions — RBAC matrix for platform and tenant roles

Prerequisites​

Architecture overview​

Step 1 — Deploy Pinniped​

1a — Add the Helm repository​

1b — Configure values.yaml​

1c — Install or sync via ArgoCD​

1d — Register the portal as an OIDCClient​

1e — Generate the client secret​

Step 2 — Store portal secrets in Vault​

Step 3 — Deploy the portal​

3a — Create the Chart.yaml​

3b — Configure values.yaml​

3c — Sync via ArgoCD Application​

Step 4 — Register spoke clusters​

4a — JWTAuthenticator on each spoke​

4b — Tenant RBAC on each spoke​

4c — Cluster registration Secret on the hub​

Step 5 — Supervisor TLS CA​

Verification​

Next steps​