Istio: restructure Istio midstream fork jobs

[fjglira]

Changes done:

• Remove unit and gencheck because these jobs are being moved to gh actions to avoid the OCP cluster creation to run them: Add unit and gencheck jobs directly on gh actions openshift-service-mesh/istio#839
• Move Istion helm-based integration test as post-submit after team discussion
• Add manual jobs to be able to run Helm-based integration on any PR for testing reasons
• Add specific pipeline_skip_if_only_changed to avoid integration test to be triggered for jobs that only have changes in documentation files, ai folders or .github folder
• Add pipeline definition for the repo, from now on Lint job is going to be executed first (10-15 minutes of execution) and after this job passes, the sail installation integration test jobs are going to be triggered. This avoid running the integration test to run if there are lint issues, saving time and resources

This PR CAN'T be merged until openshift-service-mesh/istio#839 is merged

Summary by CodeRabbit

This PR updates the OpenShift Service Mesh Istio CI setup to reduce unnecessary cluster usage and better control when integration jobs run.

• Moves unit/gencheck coverage out of the midstream Prow jobs by removing those jobs from the Istio CI configs.
• Reworks Istio Helm-based integration jobs so they run as post-submit jobs and adds manual retest variants for triggering them on demand.
• Adds always_run: false and pipeline_skip_if_only_changed rules across integration pipelines so docs-only, metadata-only, and similar non-code changes won’t trigger expensive integration runs.
• Adds a pipeline definition in core-services/pipeline-controller so the istio repository is auto-managed across master and the supported release branches, with lint expected to run before the Sail integration jobs.

[coderabbitai]

No actionable comments were generated in the recent review. 🎉

ℹ️ Recent review info

⚙️ Run configuration

Configuration used: Repository YAML (base), Central YAML (inherited)

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Enterprise

Run ID: 420cc5e4-2edf-4163-999f-1fd570567827

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between c7c2ad4 and 98d8498.

⛔ Files ignored due to path filters (7)

• ci-operator/jobs/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-master-postsubmits.yaml is excluded by !ci-operator/jobs/**
• ci-operator/jobs/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-master-presubmits.yaml is excluded by !ci-operator/jobs/**
• ci-operator/jobs/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.24-presubmits.yaml is excluded by !ci-operator/jobs/**
• ci-operator/jobs/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.26-presubmits.yaml is excluded by !ci-operator/jobs/**
• ci-operator/jobs/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.27-presubmits.yaml is excluded by !ci-operator/jobs/**
• ci-operator/jobs/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.28-presubmits.yaml is excluded by !ci-operator/jobs/**
• ci-operator/jobs/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.30-presubmits.yaml is excluded by !ci-operator/jobs/**

📒 Files selected for processing (7)

• ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-master.yaml
• ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.24.yaml
• ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.26.yaml
• ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.27.yaml
• ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.28.yaml
• ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.30.yaml
• core-services/pipeline-controller/config.yaml

---

Walkthrough

This PR restructures CI job configurations for openshift-service-mesh/istio across master and release branches (1.24, 1.26, 1.27, 1.28, 1.30). It removes unit-and-gencheck jobs, adds postsubmit and retest integration jobs, applies always_run: false with pipeline_skip_if_only_changed gating to skip docs-only changes, and registers the istio repo in pipeline-controller config.

Changes

Istio CI Configuration Updates

Layer / File(s)	Summary
Master branch integration job restructuring ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-master.yaml	Removes unit-and-gencheck; adds postsubmit: true integration jobs (pilot, telemetry, security, ambient, helm) each paired with a non-blocking *-retest job.
Master branch sail job skip gating ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-master.yaml	Adds always_run: false and pipeline_skip_if_only_changed regex to sail-pilot, sail-telemetry, sail-security, sail-ambient job headers.
Release-1.24 skip gating ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.24.yaml	Adds always_run: false and docs-skip regex to integ-helm, integ-security, integ-pilot, integ-telemetry.
Release-1.26 unit removal and skip gating ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.26.yaml	Removes unit-and-gencheck; adds always_run: false and docs-skip regex to integ-helm, integ-security, integ-pilot, integ-telemetry, integ-ambient.
Release-1.27 unit removal and skip gating ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.27.yaml	Removes unit-and-gencheck; adds always_run: false and docs-skip regex to the same five integ jobs.
Release-1.28 unit/gencheck removal and skip gating ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.28.yaml	Removes unit/gencheck; adds always_run: false and docs-skip regex to the same five integ jobs.
Release-1.30 unit/gencheck removal and skip gating ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.30.yaml	Removes unit/gencheck; adds always_run: false and docs-skip regex to the same five integ jobs.
Pipeline-controller repo registration core-services/pipeline-controller/config.yaml	Adds an istio repo entry under openshift-service-mesh with mode.trigger: auto and branch list covering master and release-1.24 through release-1.30.

Estimated code review effort: 2 (Simple) | ~15 minutes

Possibly related PRs

• openshift/release#81402: Both PRs modify core-services/pipeline-controller/config.yaml to add an openshift-service-mesh repo entry with mode.trigger: auto.

Suggested reviewers: danilo-gemoli, psalajova, bmeng

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 15

✅ Passed checks (15 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Description Check	✅ Passed	Check skipped - CodeRabbit’s high-level summary is enabled.
Title check	✅ Passed	The title accurately summarizes the main change: restructuring Istio midstream fork jobs.
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.
Linked Issues check	✅ Passed	Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.
Out of Scope Changes check	✅ Passed	Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.
Stable And Deterministic Test Names	✅ Passed	PASS: The PR only changes CI YAML/job configs; no Ginkgo test definitions or dynamic test titles were added or modified.
Test Structure And Quality	✅ Passed	PR only changes CI/pipeline YAML; no Ginkgo test code, It blocks, or cluster-test logic were modified.
Microshift Test Compatibility	✅ Passed	No new Ginkgo test code was added; the PR only changes CI/job YAML and pipeline wiring, so MicroShift compatibility check is not applicable.
Single Node Openshift (Sno) Test Compatibility	✅ Passed	No new Ginkgo e2e tests were added; the PR only changes CI YAML/job configs, so SNO compatibility review is not applicable.
Topology-Aware Scheduling Compatibility	✅ Passed	Only CI/prow config changed; no deployment/controller manifests or scheduling constraints (affinity, nodeSelector, tolerations, spread) were added.
Ote Binary Stdout Contract	✅ Passed	PR only changes CI/job YAML and pipeline config; no OTE binary/main/suite code or stdout writes were modified.
Ipv6 And Disconnected Network Test Compatibility	✅ Passed	No Ginkgo test code changed; this PR only updates CI/job YAML, so IPv4/disconnected test compatibility is not applicable.
No-Weak-Crypto	✅ Passed	Changed files are CI YAML/pipeline configs only; searches found no MD5/SHA1/DES/RC4/3DES/Blowfish/ECB or custom crypto code.
Container-Privileges	✅ Passed	No privilege-related fields were introduced in the changed YAMLs; scans found none of the flagged settings in any modified manifest.
No-Sensitive-Data-In-Logs	✅ Passed	PASS: Changed CI YAMLs add secret mounts/paths, but I found no new echo/printenv/set -x or other logging that would print creds or PII.

✨ Finishing Touches

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Create PR with unit tests

---

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[openshift-ci]

[APPROVALNOTIFIER] This PR is NOT APPROVED

This pull-request has been approved by: fjglira
Once this PR has been reviewed and has the lgtm label, please assign droslean for approval. For more information see the Code Review Process.

The full list of commands accepted by this bot can be found here.

Details

Needs approval from an approver in each of these files:

• ci-operator/config/openshift-service-mesh/istio/OWNERS [fjglira]
• ci-operator/jobs/openshift-service-mesh/istio/OWNERS [fjglira]
• core-services/pipeline-controller/OWNERS

Approvers can indicate their approval by writing /approve in a comment
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[openshift-merge-bot]

[REHEARSALNOTIFIER]
@fjglira: the pj-rehearse plugin accommodates running rehearsal tests for the changes in this PR. Expand 'Interacting with pj-rehearse' for usage details. The following rehearsable tests have been affected by this change:

Test name	Repo	Type	Reason
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-master-istio-integration-ambient-retest	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Presubmit changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-master-istio-integration-helm-retest	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Presubmit changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-master-istio-integration-pilot-retest	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Presubmit changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-master-istio-integration-security-retest	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Presubmit changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-master-istio-integration-telemetry-retest	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Presubmit changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-master-istio-integration-sail-ambient	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-master-istio-integration-sail-pilot	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-master-istio-integration-sail-security	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-master-istio-integration-sail-telemetry	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.27-integ-ambient	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.27-integ-helm	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.27-integ-pilot	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.27-integ-security	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.27-integ-telemetry	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.26-integ-ambient	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.26-integ-helm	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.26-integ-pilot	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.26-integ-security	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.26-integ-telemetry	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.24-integ-helm	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.24-integ-pilot	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.24-integ-security	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.24-integ-telemetry	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.30-integ-ambient	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed
pull-ci-openshift-service-mesh-istio-release-1.30-integ-helm	openshift-service-mesh/istio	presubmit	Ci-operator config changed

A total of 33 jobs have been affected by this change. The above listing is non-exhaustive and limited to 25 jobs.

A full list of affected jobs can be found here
Prior to this PR being merged, you will need to either run and acknowledge or opt to skip these rehearsals.

Interacting with pj-rehearse

Comment: /pj-rehearse to run up to 5 rehearsals
Comment: /pj-rehearse skip to opt-out of rehearsals
Comment: /pj-rehearse {test-name}, with each test separated by a space, to run one or more specific rehearsals
Comment: /pj-rehearse more to run up to 10 rehearsals
Comment: /pj-rehearse max to run up to 25 rehearsals
Comment: /pj-rehearse auto-ack to run up to 5 rehearsals, and add the rehearsals-ack label on success
Comment: /pj-rehearse list to get an up-to-date list of affected jobs
Comment: /pj-rehearse abort to abort all active rehearsals
Comment: /pj-rehearse network-access-allowed to allow rehearsals of tests that have the restrict_network_access field set to false. This must be executed by an openshift org member who is not the PR author

Once you are satisfied with the results of the rehearsals, comment: /pj-rehearse ack to unblock merge. When the rehearsals-ack label is present on your PR, merge will no longer be blocked by rehearsals.
If you would like the rehearsals-ack label removed, comment: /pj-rehearse reject to re-block merging.

[openshift-ci]

@fjglira: all tests passed!

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