Refactor noble cluster configurations by removing deprecated Argo CD application management files and transitioning to a streamlined Ansible-driven installation approach. Update kustomization.yaml files to reflect the new structure, ensuring clarity on resource management. Introduce new namespaces and configurations for cert-manager, external-secrets, and logging components, enhancing the overall deployment process. Add detailed README.md documentation for each component to guide users through the setup and management of the noble lab environment.

clusters/noble/apps/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# Argo CD — optional applications (non-bootstrap)
+
+**Base cluster configuration** (CNI, MetalLB, ingress, cert-manager, storage, observability stack, policy, Vault, etc.) is installed by **`ansible/playbooks/noble.yml`** from **`clusters/noble/bootstrap/`** — not from here.
+
+**`noble-root`** (`clusters/noble/bootstrap/argocd/root-application.yaml`) points at **`clusters/noble/apps`**. Add **`Application`** manifests (and optional **`AppProject`** definitions) under this directory only for workloads that are additive and do not subsume the Ansible-managed platform.
+
+For an app-of-apps pattern, use a second-level **`Application`** that syncs a subdirectory (for example **`optional/`**) containing leaf **`Application`** resources.

clusters/noble/apps/kustomization.yaml

@@ -1,17 +1,6 @@
-# Plain Kustomize only (namespaces + extra YAML). Helm installs are driven by **ansible/playbooks/noble.yml**
+# Argo CD **noble-root** syncs this directory. Add **Application** / **AppProject** manifests only for
-# (role **noble_platform**) — avoids **kustomize --enable-helm** in-repo.
+# optional workloads that do not replace Ansible bootstrap (CNI, ingress, storage, core observability, etc.).
+# Helm value files for those apps can live in subdirectories here (for example **./homepage/values.yaml**).
 apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
 kind: Kustomization
-
+resources: []
-resources:
-  - kube-prometheus-stack/namespace.yaml
-  - loki/namespace.yaml
-  - fluent-bit/namespace.yaml
-  - sealed-secrets/namespace.yaml
-  - external-secrets/namespace.yaml
-  - vault/namespace.yaml
-  - kyverno/namespace.yaml
-  - headlamp/namespace.yaml
-  - grafana-loki-datasource/loki-datasource.yaml
-  - vault/unseal-cronjob.yaml
-  - vault/cilium-network-policy.yaml

clusters/noble/bootstrap/argocd/apps/README.md

@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-# Argo CD — app-of-apps children (optional GitOps only)
-
-**Core platform is Ansible-managed** — see repository **`ansible/README.md`** and **`ansible/playbooks/noble.yml`**.
-
-This directory’s **`kustomization.yaml`** has **`resources: []`** so **`noble-root`** (if applied) does not reconcile Helm charts or cluster add-ons. **Add `Application` manifests here only** for apps you want Argo to manage (for example, sample workloads or third-party charts not covered by the bootstrap playbook).
-
-| Previous (removed) | Now |
-|--------------------|-----|
-| **`noble-kyverno`**, **`noble-kyverno-policies`**, **`noble-platform`** | Installed by Ansible roles **`noble_kyverno`**, **`noble_kyverno_policies`**, **`noble_platform`** |
-
-If you previously synced **`noble-root`** with the old child manifests, delete stale Applications on the cluster:
-
-```bash
-kubectl delete application -n argocd noble-platform noble-kyverno noble-kyverno-policies --ignore-not-found
-```
-
-Then re-apply **`root-application.yaml`** so Argo matches this repo.

clusters/noble/bootstrap/argocd/apps/kustomization.yaml

@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-# Intentionally empty: core platform (CNI, ingress, storage, observability, policy, etc.) is
-# installed by **ansible/playbooks/noble.yml** — not by Argo CD. Add optional Application
-# manifests here only for workloads you want GitOps-managed.
-apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
-kind: Kustomization
-resources: []

clusters/noble/bootstrap/kustomization.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Plain Kustomize only (namespaces + extra YAML). Helm installs are driven by **ansible/playbooks/noble.yml**
+# (role **noble_platform**) — avoids **kustomize --enable-helm** in-repo.
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+
+resources:
+  - kube-prometheus-stack/namespace.yaml
+  - loki/namespace.yaml
+  - fluent-bit/namespace.yaml
+  - sealed-secrets/namespace.yaml
+  - external-secrets/namespace.yaml
+  - vault/namespace.yaml
+  - kyverno/namespace.yaml
+  - headlamp/namespace.yaml
+  - grafana-loki-datasource/loki-datasource.yaml
+  - vault/unseal-cronjob.yaml
+  - vault/cilium-network-policy.yaml