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Causely Operator

The Causely Operator manages version updates for Causely components running in your Kubernetes cluster. It periodically checks for version updates from the Causely backend and, when a new version is available, presents an update button in the UI. You must click the button to apply the update.

Overview​

The operator runs as a Kubernetes deployment and performs the following tasks:

  • Version Synchronization: Polls the Causely Gateway every 60 seconds to check for version updates
  • Update Notifications: Surfaces an update button in the UI when a new version is available, you click it to apply the update to the mediator Deployment and agent DaemonSet
  • Zero Downtime: Uses Kubernetes rolling updates to minimize service disruption

When to Use the Operator​

The operator is useful in scenarios where:

  • You prefer centralized version control from the Causely backend
  • You want a guided, one-click update experience rather than managing Helm upgrades manually
note

The operator is disabled by default. Most users manage versions through Helm upgrades or GitOps workflows.

Enabling the Operator​

Using Helm Values​

Add the following to your causely-values.yaml:

operator:
  enabled: true

Using --set Flag​

You can also enable the operator directly via the --set flag:

helm upgrade causely \
  oci://us-docker.pkg.dev/public-causely/public/causely \
  --namespace=causely \
  --set operator.enabled=true

Verifying the Operator​

After enabling, verify the operator is running:

kubectl get deployment operator -n causely
kubectl get pods -n causely -l app=causely-operator

How It Works​

  1. Polling: The operator periodically connects to the Causely Gateway via gRPC
  2. Version Check: It retrieves the target version configured for your repository
  3. Update Available: If the target version differs from the current deployment, an update button appears in the Causely UI. Clicking it triggers the update for:
    • The mediator Deployment (mediator and ML containers)
    • The agent DaemonSet (agent container)
  4. Rolling Update: Kubernetes handles the rolling update process automatically

Troubleshooting​

Operator Pod Not Starting​

Check if the mediator ConfigMap exists:

kubectl get configmap mediator -n causely

The operator shares configuration with the mediator. Ensure the mediator is properly installed first.

"Version is empty" in Logs​

This indicates no target version is configured in the Causely backend. The operator will continue polling until a version is set.

Permission Errors​

The operator requires permissions to update Deployments and DaemonSets. Verify the RBAC resources are created:

kubectl get clusterrole causely-operator
kubectl get clusterrolebinding causely-operator

Disabling the Operator​

To disable the operator, set operator.enabled: false in your values file and upgrade:

helm upgrade causely \
  oci://us-docker.pkg.dev/public-causely/public/causely \
  --namespace=causely \
  --set operator.enabled=false

This removes the operator Deployment but does not affect the mediator or agent versions.