From dfe7bbf4a77d7dca94dfdb948ef665fcc919e3cd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: juvdiaz <juvenal.diaz@oracle.com>
Date: Tue, 26 May 2026 23:01:22 -0600
Subject: [PATCH] Skip manually created first Pimox worker

---
 README.md | 12 ++++++++++++
 lab.sh    | 26 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 38 insertions(+)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e5a2557..d8dbb91 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -100,6 +100,13 @@ clones on `nvme_thin_pool` by default, checks that the Pimox bridge already
 exists, refuses `local` as worker clone storage, and refuses to edit Orange Pi
 host networking.
 
+`LAB_PIMOX_SKIP_WORKER_INDEXES` defaults to `1` because the first Pimox worker
+slot was created manually. With the default `LAB_PIMOX_WORKER_COUNT=1`, the
+pipeline keeps the template current and leaves VMID `9010` alone. Set
+`LAB_PIMOX_SKIP_WORKER_INDEXES=''` if you want the pipeline to own the first
+slot, or set `LAB_PIMOX_WORKER_COUNT=2` to manage the second slot while still
+skipping the first.
+
 OpenWrt firewall VM automation is opt-in because it attaches to both WAN and
 LAN bridges. Set `LAB_OPENWRT_VM=true` after `vmbr1` already exists on the
 Orange Pi. The pipeline downloads the OpenWrt ARM SystemReady EFI image, writes
@@ -146,6 +153,11 @@ the observed host: Pimox SSH host `192.168.100.80`, bridge `vmbr0`, template VMI
 storage `nvme_thin_pool`. Details and override variables are in
 `bootstrap/provisioning/README.md`.
 
+Worker indexes are stable. Index `1` maps to VMID `9010`, node name
+`pimox-worker-01`, and worker key `pimox01`; index `2` maps to VMID `9011`, and
+so on. `LAB_PIMOX_SKIP_WORKER_INDEXES=1` leaves the already-created first slot
+unmanaged while allowing higher indexes to be automated.
+
 Add entries to `bootstrap/cluster/variables.tf` or a `.tfvars` file:
 
 ```hcl
diff --git a/lab.sh b/lab.sh
index 1525fc9..e13ff2f 100755
--- a/lab.sh
+++ b/lab.sh
@@ -60,6 +60,26 @@ disabled_value() {
     esac
 }
 
+worker_index_is_skipped() {
+    local index="$1"
+    local skip_indexes="$2"
+    local skip_index
+
+    skip_indexes="${skip_indexes//,/ }"
+    for skip_index in ${skip_indexes}; do
+        [[ -z "${skip_index}" ]] && continue
+        if ! [[ "${skip_index}" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+            echo "LAB_PIMOX_SKIP_WORKER_INDEXES must contain only comma or space separated positive integers." >&2
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        if ((skip_index == index)); then
+            return 0
+        fi
+    done
+
+    return 1
+}
+
 ensure_python3() {
     if command -v python3 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
         return 0
@@ -305,6 +325,7 @@ run_pimox_pipeline() {
     local worker_name_prefix="${LAB_PIMOX_WORKER_NAME_PREFIX:-pimox-worker}"
     local worker_node_prefix="${LAB_PIMOX_WORKER_NODE_PREFIX:-pimox-worker}"
     local worker_key_prefix="${LAB_PIMOX_WORKER_KEY_PREFIX:-pimox}"
+    local worker_skip_indexes="${LAB_PIMOX_SKIP_WORKER_INDEXES:-1}"
     local worker_cores="${LAB_PIMOX_WORKER_CORES:-2}"
     local worker_memory="${LAB_PIMOX_WORKER_MEMORY:-2048}"
     local worker_storage="${LAB_PIMOX_WORKER_STORAGE:-${TF_VAR_pimox_worker_storage:-nvme_thin_pool}}"
@@ -403,6 +424,11 @@ fi" 2>&1)"
     mkdir -p "${REPO_ROOT}/.lab"
     : >"${spec_file}"
     for ((index = 1; index <= worker_count; index++)); do
+        if worker_index_is_skipped "${index}" "${worker_skip_indexes}"; then
+            echo "Skipping Pimox worker index ${index} because LAB_PIMOX_SKIP_WORKER_INDEXES=${worker_skip_indexes}."
+            continue
+        fi
+
         ensure_pimox_worker_node \
             "${index}" \
             "${spec_file}" \