bm_sno: support skipping agent ISO rebuilding and remounting

roles/bm_sno/README.md

@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ provision IP via `/etc/hosts` entries managed by the role.
 | `cifmw_bm_agent_live_debug` | bool | `false` | Patch the agent ISO with password, autologin, and systemd debug shell on `tty6` for discovery-phase console access (requires `cifmw_bm_agent_core_password`) |
 | `cifmw_bm_agent_disabled_ifaces` | list | `[]` | Extra NIC names to disable IPv4/IPv6 on during agent-based install. Prevents overlapping-subnet validation failures when multiple NICs share a native VLAN (e.g. `[eno2]`). The interfaces stay link-up but get no IP address; post-install NNCP configures them. |
 | `cifmw_bm_agent_lvms_partition` | dict | `{}` | When set, creates an Ignition partition at install time to cap CoreOS rootfs growth and leave unallocated space for the LVMS StorageClass. Keys: `device` (required, e.g. `/dev/nvme0n1`), `rootfs_mib` (default `150000`), `size_mib` (default `0` = rest of disk), `label` (default `lvmstorage`). See [LVMS partition](#lvms-partition). |
+| `cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia` | bool | `false` | Skip ISO generation, HTTP server start/stop, and VirtualMedia eject/insert when the agent ISO is already mounted in the iDRAC (e.g. via the iDRAC web UI using a local file). When `true` the role goes straight to setting the one-time boot override and waiting for install. The `openshift-install` binary and working directory from the previous run must still be present on disk. |
 
 ## Secrets management
 
@@ -100,6 +101,81 @@ The agent-based deployment is composed of reusable task files under
 | `bm_patch_agent_iso.yml` | Patches the agent ISO ignition with core password, autologin, and debug shell on tty6 (used when `cifmw_bm_agent_live_debug` is true) |
 | `bm_core_password_machineconfig.yml` | Generates a MachineConfig manifest to set the core user password hash post-install |
 
+## Pre-mounted ISO (reuse VirtualMedia mode)
+
+Use this when the agent ISO cannot be served over HTTP from the Ansible
+controller to the iDRAC (for example: the iDRAC is on a network segment
+unreachable from the controller, or VirtualMedia HTTP insertion fails
+persistently). In this case mount the ISO manually in the iDRAC web UI via
+*Virtual Media → Connect Virtual Media → Local File*, then set
+`cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia: true` in your `vars.yaml` (or pass it as an
+extra-var) and re-run the playbook.
+
+### Two-playbook workflow
+
+**Run 1 — generate the agent ISO** (`cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia: false`,
+the default). Let the playbook run until the ISO is written to disk — you
+do not need the VirtualMedia insert to succeed. Abort after the ISO
+generation step if needed:
+
+```yaml
+# vars.yaml
+cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia: false   # default — explicit for clarity
+```
+
+After Run 1, the following artifacts exist in
+`<cifmw_reproducer_basedir>/artifacts/agent-install/`:
+
+- `openshift-install` — binary used for `wait-for` in Run 2
+- `agent.x86_64.iso` — copy this to your local machine and upload via
+  the iDRAC web UI (`Virtual Media → Connect Virtual Media → Local File`)
+- `agent_ssh_key` — cluster SSH key used by the installer
+
+Confirm the iDRAC shows the drive as *Connected* before proceeding.
+
+**Run 2 — boot from the pre-mounted ISO**:
+
+```yaml
+# vars.yaml (or -e on the ansible-playbook command line)
+cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia: true
+```
+
+```bash
+ansible-playbook -i inventory.yaml playbook.yaml \
+  -e cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia=true
+```
+
+This run skips ISO generation, the podman HTTP server, and all VirtualMedia
+eject/insert steps. It powers the host off, sets the UEFI one-time boot
+override to the Virtual Optical Drive, powers the host back on, and waits
+for `openshift-install agent wait-for install-complete`.
+
+### What is skipped with `cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia: true`
+
+- Removing stale agent state from the previous run
+- ISO generation (`openshift-install agent create image`)
+- ISO patching for live debug
+- HTTP server start and stop (podman)
+- VirtualMedia eject before insert
+- VirtualMedia ISO insert
+- VirtualMedia eject after install
+
+### What still runs
+
+- USB boot BIOS check / enable
+- Power-off (so the host boots cleanly from the mounted ISO)
+- SSH key generation (idempotent, reuses existing key)
+- `openshift-install` binary acquisition (skipped when binary already present)
+- Config template generation (idempotent)
+- LVMS MachineConfig generation (idempotent)
+- UEFI VirtualMedia target discovery and one-time boot override
+- Power-on and install wait
+- kubeconfig copy
+
+**Prerequisite**: the `openshift-install` binary and the working directory
+(`<cifmw_reproducer_basedir>/artifacts/agent-install/`) from Run 1 must
+still be present on disk.
+
 ## openshift-install acquisition
 
 The `openshift-install` binary is obtained automatically via one of two

roles/bm_sno/defaults/main.yml

@@ -18,3 +18,11 @@ cifmw_bm_agent_disabled_ifaces: []
 #     size_mib: 0           # 0 = rest of disk
 #     label: lvmstorage
 cifmw_bm_agent_lvms_partition: {}
+
+# Skip ISO generation, HTTP server, and VirtualMedia eject/insert when the
+# agent ISO is already mounted in the iDRAC (e.g. via the iDRAC web UI using
+# a local file). The playbook will go straight to setting the one-time boot
+# override and waiting for the install to complete.
+# The openshift-install binary and work directory from the previous run must
+# still be present (they are not regenerated in this mode).
+cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia: false

roles/bm_sno/tasks/main.yml

@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@
     mode: "0644"
 
 - name: Remove stale agent state from previous runs
+  when: not cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia | bool
   ansible.builtin.file:
     path: "{{ item }}"
     state: absent
@@ -255,32 +256,38 @@
   when: cifmw_bm_agent_disabled_ifaces | default([]) | length > 0
 
 - name: Generate agent ISO
+  when: not cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia | bool
   ansible.builtin.command:
     cmd: "{{ _work_dir }}/openshift-install agent create image --dir {{ _work_dir }}"
 
 - name: Patch agent ISO ignition for discovery-phase console access
-  when: cifmw_bm_agent_live_debug | bool
+  when:
+    - not cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia | bool
+    - cifmw_bm_agent_live_debug | bool
   ansible.builtin.include_tasks: bm_patch_agent_iso.yml
 
 - name: Set controller IP fact
   ansible.builtin.set_fact:
     _controller_ip: >-
       {{ hostvars[inventory_hostname]['nodepool']['interface_ip'] |
-        default(ansible_default_ipv4.address |
+           default(ansible_default_ipv4.address |
         default(ansible_host)) }}
 
 - name: Show ISO URL that iDRAC will fetch
+  when: not cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia | bool
   ansible.builtin.debug:
     msg: "ISO URL for iDRAC: http://{{ _controller_ip }}:{{ _iso_http_port }}/agent.x86_64.iso"
 
 - name: Stop any existing agent-iso-server container
+  when: not cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia | bool
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.command:
     cmd: podman rm -f agent-iso-server
   failed_when: false
   changed_when: false
 
 - name: Serve agent ISO via podman httpd
+  when: not cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia | bool
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.command:
     cmd: >-
@@ -291,17 +298,20 @@
   register: _httpd_start
 
 - name: Check agent-iso-server container is running
+  when: not cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia | bool
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.command:
     cmd: podman ps --filter name=agent-iso-server --format '{{ '{{' }}.Status{{ '}}' }}'
   register: _httpd_status
   changed_when: false
 
 - name: Show container status
+  when: not cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia | bool
   ansible.builtin.debug:
     msg: "agent-iso-server status: {{ _httpd_status.stdout }}"
 
 - name: Wait for HTTP server to respond
+  when: not cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia | bool
   ansible.builtin.uri:
     url: "http://{{ _controller_ip }}:{{ _iso_http_port }}/agent.x86_64.iso"
     method: HEAD
@@ -311,9 +321,11 @@
   until: _http_check.status == 200
 
 - name: Eject any existing VirtualMedia before insert
+  when: not cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia | bool
   ansible.builtin.include_tasks: bm_eject_vmedia.yml
 
 - name: Insert agent ISO via VirtualMedia
+  when: not cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia | bool
   no_log: true
   ansible.builtin.uri:
     url: "https://{{ _bmc_host }}/redfish/v1/Managers/iDRAC.Embedded.1/VirtualMedia/CD/Actions/VirtualMedia.InsertMedia"
@@ -403,9 +415,11 @@
     mode: "0600"
 
 - name: Eject VirtualMedia after install
+  when: not cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia | bool
   ansible.builtin.include_tasks: bm_eject_vmedia.yml
 
 - name: Stop HTTP ISO server
+  when: not cifmw_bm_agent_reuse_vmedia | bool
   become: true
   ansible.builtin.command:
     cmd: podman rm -f agent-iso-server