From b0b798a397f7744ec473ba0101708a51a0d35db1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Doug Szumski <doug@stackhpc.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2025 16:42:34 +0000
Subject: Ironic parameter rework and default NTP server

This patch moves the default Ironic kernel parameters
from templates into variables located in the 'Kernel
Parameters' section. Existing configurations are supported
using existing variables. Default NTP configuration for
the Ironic Python Agent (IPA) was also added in this patch.

Change-Id: I2ef63233eae661ed056bfa215b2875f44e0b6134
Signed-off-by: Doug Szumski <doug@stackhpc.com>
---
 ansible/roles/ironic/defaults/main.yml               | 20 ++++++++++++++++++++
 ansible/roles/ironic/templates/ironic.conf.j2        |  2 +-
 doc/source/reference/bare-metal/ironic-guide.rst     | 16 ++++++++++++++++
 ...ironic-parameter-ntp-rework-672efa37e5cc918f.yaml |  9 +++++++++
 4 files changed, 46 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
 create mode 100644 releasenotes/notes/ironic-parameter-ntp-rework-672efa37e5cc918f.yaml

diff --git a/ansible/roles/ironic/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles/ironic/defaults/main.yml
index e9e2163fe..c7f746cb2 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/ironic/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/ironic/defaults/main.yml
@@ -362,3 +362,23 @@ ironic_copy_certs: "{{ kolla_copy_ca_into_containers | bool or ironic_enable_tls
 # WSGI
 ############
 ironic_wsgi_provider: "uwsgi"
+
+############
+# NTP
+############
+# If set, pass this NTP server via the kernel command line to IPA
+ironic_ntp_server: ""
+
+####################
+# Kernel Parameters
+####################
+ironic_kernel_append_params_default:
+  - "nofb"
+  - "nomodeset"
+  - "vga=normal"
+  - "console=tty0"
+  - "console=ttyS0,{{ ironic_console_serial_speed }}"
+  - "{% if ironic_ntp_server is not none and ironic_ntp_server | length > 0 %}ipa-ntp-server={{ ironic_ntp_server }}{% endif %}"
+
+ironic_kernel_append_params_extras: []
+ironic_kernel_append_params: "{{ (ironic_kernel_append_params_default + ironic_kernel_append_params_extras) | select() | join(' ') }}"
diff --git a/ansible/roles/ironic/templates/ironic.conf.j2 b/ansible/roles/ironic/templates/ironic.conf.j2
index 7ed1a9e9d..9cc4fd78e 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/ironic/templates/ironic.conf.j2
+++ b/ansible/roles/ironic/templates/ironic.conf.j2
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ deploy_logs_storage_backend = local
 deploy_logs_collect = always
 
 [pxe]
-kernel_append_params = nofb nomodeset vga=normal console=tty0 console=ttyS0,{{ ironic_console_serial_speed }}
+kernel_append_params = {{ ironic_kernel_append_params }}
 tftp_root = /var/lib/ironic/tftpboot
 tftp_master_path = /var/lib/ironic/master_images
 tftp_server = {{ api_interface_address }}
diff --git a/doc/source/reference/bare-metal/ironic-guide.rst b/doc/source/reference/bare-metal/ironic-guide.rst
index fbbe00ff2..962ece762 100644
--- a/doc/source/reference/bare-metal/ironic-guide.rst
+++ b/doc/source/reference/bare-metal/ironic-guide.rst
@@ -146,6 +146,22 @@ The port used for conductor's HTTP server is controlled via
 
     ironic_http_port: "8089"
 
+Configure Ironic Python Agent NTP server (optional)
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+The Ironic Python Agent requires that the system clock is set correctly for
+the heartbeat mechanism to work. One way of achieving this is to pass
+the address of an NTP server via the kernel commandline, which is then
+used to set the system clock when IPA first starts. This is not a hard
+requirement, and you may use other methods. For example DHCP, or functionality
+built into the BMC.
+
+If you wish to use this option you can set ``ironic_ntp_server`` in
+``/etc/kolla/globals.yml``. Eg.
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+    ironic_ntp_server: "192.168.33.3"
+
 Revert to plain PXE (not recommended)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Starting with Yoga, Ironic has changed the default PXE from plain PXE to iPXE.
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/ironic-parameter-ntp-rework-672efa37e5cc918f.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/ironic-parameter-ntp-rework-672efa37e5cc918f.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4cb0b07b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/ironic-parameter-ntp-rework-672efa37e5cc918f.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    Adds explicit support for passing through the ``ipa-ntp-server`` setting
+    via the kernel commandline to the Ironic Python Agent.
+
+    You can now also use ``ironic_kernel_append_params`` to provide
+    additional arguments to the kernel command line when booting the Ironic
+    Python Agent.
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