Set BPFEnabled to true when installing in bpf mode. (#3721)

* Set the bpfEnabled felix config if its a fresh install in ebpf mode.

* update CRDs

* Fix error handling

* Fix copyright

* Update error msg

* Add UT and address review comments

* Fix copyright

* update crds

* Update UT to use Reconcile

pkg/controller/installation/core_controller.go

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2019-2024 Tigera, Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2019-2025 Tigera, Inc. All rights reserved.
 
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -1792,14 +1792,22 @@ func (r *ReconcileInstallation) setDefaultsOnFelixConfiguration(ctx context.Cont
 	// FelixConfiguration has the correct value set.
 
 	// If calico-node daemonset exists, we need to check the ENV VAR and set FelixConfiguration accordingly.
-	// Otherwise, just move on.
+	// Otherwise, this is a fresh install in eBPF mode, set the felix config.
 	ds := &appsv1.DaemonSet{}
 	err := r.client.Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Namespace: common.CalicoNamespace, Name: common.NodeDaemonSetName}, ds)
 	if err != nil {
 		if !apierrors.IsNotFound(err) {
 			reqLogger.Error(err, "An error occurred when getting the Daemonset resource")
 			return false, err
 		}
+		if install.Spec.BPFEnabled() {
+			err = setBPFEnabledOnFelixConfiguration(fc, true)
+			if err != nil {
+				reqLogger.Error(err, "Unable to enable eBPF data plane with a fresh install")
+				return false, err
+			}
+			updated = true
+		}
 	} else {
 		bpfEnabledOnDaemonsetWithEnvVar, err := bpfEnabledOnDaemonsetWithEnvVar(ds)
 		if err != nil {

pkg/controller/installation/core_controller_test.go

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2019-2024 Tigera, Inc. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2019-2025 Tigera, Inc. All rights reserved.
 
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -1010,6 +1010,24 @@ var _ = Describe("Testing core-controller installation", func() {
 			Expect(*fc.Spec.BPFEnabled).To(BeTrue())
 		})
 
+		It("should set BPFEnabled to true on FelixConfiguration on a fresh install in BPF Mode", func() {
+			network := operator.LinuxDataplaneBPF
+			cr.Spec.CalicoNetwork = &operator.CalicoNetworkSpec{LinuxDataplane: &network}
+			Expect(c.Create(ctx, cr)).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			_, err := r.Reconcile(ctx, reconcile.Request{})
+			Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
+
+			fc := &crdv1.FelixConfiguration{}
+			err = c.Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Name: "default"}, fc)
+			Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
+
+			// Should set correct annoation and BPFEnabled field.
+			Expect(fc.Annotations).NotTo(BeNil())
+			Expect(fc.Annotations[render.BPFOperatorAnnotation]).To(Equal("true"))
+			Expect(fc.Spec.BPFEnabled).NotTo(BeNil())
+			Expect(*fc.Spec.BPFEnabled).To(BeTrue())
+		})
+
 		It("should set BPFEnabled to false on FelixConfiguration if BPF is disabled on installation", func() {
 			createNodeDaemonSet()