---
title: "Overview of OpenShift (UConn ITS)"
canonical: "https://kb.uconn.edu/space/IKB/28726984779/Overview%20of%20OpenShift%20(UConn%20ITS)"
format: markdown
---
## Overview of OpenShift

Red Hat OpenShift is an enterprise-grade container application platform built on Kubernetes. It provides a secure, scalable, and standardized way to build, deploy, and run applications using containers.

At UConn, OpenShift allows Faculty and staff to host web applications and services without needing to manage the underlying server hardware or operating system.

> **What you get with OpenShift: **Automated builds from Git, rolling deployments, built-in monitoring, persistent storage, and secure multi-tenant namespaces — all managed by the ITS Platform Team.

![containers-vs-vms-20260506-020459.png](media://a19d9a43-6b49-431d-afa3-f31623f87433)


---

## Access Requirements

To access the OpenShift console, you must be connected to the University network.

| Connection Type | How to Connect |
| --- | --- |
| **On-Campus** | Connect to UConn Secure Wi-Fi or a wired Ethernet port |
| **Off-Campus** | Connect via UConn VPN (Cisco Secure Client) |

> **VPN Required: **Off-campus users must connect to the UConn VPN before accessing OpenShift. For help, visit the ITS Knowledge Base article on Cisco Secure Client.

![image-20260505-191655.png](media://be9ddd08-3f46-41b0-b68b-317d30a7722a)

---

## Accessing the Web Console

Follow these steps to log in to the OpenShift web console:

1. Navigate to [https://apps.uconn.edu](https://apps.uconn.edu) in your web browser.
2. On the login screen, select the **UConn Entra** button.

> **Important: **Do not attempt to use local credentials. Entra is the university's Single Sign-On (SSO) provider.

![image-20260505-191737.png](media://f663fc2c-a73b-470b-9600-94babf7c8000)

3. Enter your **UConn email** and **password** when prompted.

4. Complete the **DUO 2FA** authentication.

---

## Navigation Basics

Once logged in, you will land on the **Projects dashboard**. This interface is designed for quick access to your namespaces:

| Area | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| **Navigation Sidebar** (left) | Access core resources — Workloads, Networking, Storage |
| **Projects List** (center) | View and select your workspaces (e.g., its-ssg-students) |
| **User Menu** (top right) | Manage your profile and retrieve the "Copy Login Command" for CLI usage |

![OpenShift Projects dashboard showing navigation sidebar, projects list, and user menu](media://b8df0b29-cd82-4739-ab3f-469bc696a38f)

---


![platform-layers-20260506-020459.png](media://7ad9b16e-9865-4741-90d4-371af13d087f)


## OC CLI Download

The `oc` command-line tool can be downloaded directly from the UConn OpenShift cluster:

```
https://downloads-openshift-console.apps.opp.its.uconn.edu/arm64/linux/oc.tar
```

> **Tip: **The oc CLI gives you powerful control over your applications — from deploying and scaling to debugging and log inspection.

---

## What's Next

| Guide | Description |
| --- | --- |
| **Requesting Access** | How to request a namespace via the ITS Service Desk |
| **Connecting Bitbucket** | Import your repository and deploy your first app |
| **Assessing Readiness** | Evaluate if your application is ready for OpenShift |

---

*UConn ITS Infrastructure Services — OpenShift Knowledge Base*