Architecture Overview
Estimated time: ~15 minutes
Learning objectives
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Locate 3scale source and Connectivity Link target namespaces on the shared cluster
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Identify the platform components (Developer Hub, Argo CD, Keycloak, Istio, Kuadrant)
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Contrast APIcast vs Gateway API + EnvoyFilter request paths
This module presents the side-by-side architecture of the migration environment. Both 3scale and Connectivity Link run on the same OpenShift cluster, enabling direct comparison.
Platform components
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
Developer Hub |
Self-service portal: software catalog, templates, documentation, Kuadrant plugin, notifications. |
Keycloak |
Identity provider and SSO. Manages OIDC realms for both 3scale and Connectivity Link. |
Gitea |
Internal Git server. Stores application code and Kubernetes manifests. |
ArgoCD |
GitOps engine. Syncs manifests from Git to the cluster continuously. |
3scale Operator |
Manages the 3scale APIManager, Products, Backends, and Application Plans via CRDs. |
Kuadrant Operator |
Manages Connectivity Link policies: AuthPolicy, OIDCPolicy, RateLimitPolicy, PlanPolicy, APIProduct. |
Istio / Service Mesh |
Data plane for Gateway API. Provides Envoy-based traffic management integrated with Kuadrant. |
Grafana / Kiali |
Observability stack: dashboards (Grafana), service mesh topology (Kiali). |
Kuadrant Console |
OpenShift Console dynamic plugin for API Products, API Keys, traffic, and Grafana deep links. See module 11. |
Migration Toolkit |
Guided 3scale → Connectivity Link wizard. See module 12. |
APIShift |
Same migration path as Migration Toolkit, plus AI models and Developer Hub registration. See module 13. |
Migration strategies overview
The workshop thesis is a set of four strategies: Developer Hub Golden Path, Kuadrant Console, Migration Toolkit, and APIShift (see Home).
Request flow comparison
3scale flow (APIcast)
APIcast validates credentials against the 3scale backend (Redis). MappingRules determine which metric to increment. Application Plans enforce rate limits.
