diff --git a/DECISIONS-LOG.md b/DECISIONS-LOG.md
index eab1176..84e8c10 100644
--- a/DECISIONS-LOG.md
+++ b/DECISIONS-LOG.md
@@ -152,6 +152,46 @@ until their hand-offs land.
    `helm`-installed with a release secret, or CLI/kubectl?) — verify before creating the cilium Kustomization.
 4. Create the dev root Kustomization (the actual un-suspend) — deliberately NOT done here.
 
+## CORRECTION — credential-forward, unified graph (operator directive, 2026-08-16)
+
+**Operator pushback:** "Are we making implementation choices solely on the fact that you have to ask
+for credentials? It is better to get the credentials upfront (encrypted file) and keep the rollout in
+line with the existing architecture." **Correct — and it exposed a scope distortion.**
+
+- **A2 SUPERSEDED / D-P2A REVERTED.** Choosing components by "needs no operator secret" inverted the
+  roadmap: `roadmap/phases.md` **Phase 2 = Network, Storage, TLS, DNS, Ingress** → the credential-gated
+  cert-manager/externaldns/gateway ARE the Phase-2 core, while **monitoring is Phase 4** (I'd pulled it
+  forward). The per-component dev divergence (`clusters/dev/rollout/`) existed only to dodge asking for
+  the Cloudflare token.
+- **Reverted to the existing architecture:** deleted `clusters/dev/rollout/` + the `$patch: delete`s;
+  restored the unified base graph (dev = ../base + cluster-vars patches + SOPS decryption patches, one
+  `platform` Kustomization, R-ENV-02 intact — **removes the earlier architect-review flag**). Reverted
+  the monitoring Grafana/SMTP dodges (it's Phase 4). Kept the non-credential-driven improvements: tofu
+  for_each/rejoin (F1/F2), and Kyverno parametrization + webhook namespace-excludes (Kyverno IS Phase 2).
+- **DECISION D-P2B — phase the unified `platform/kustomization.yaml` (operator-approved).** Components
+  are enabled in the single shared list **per phase** (the same pattern that deferred kyverno):
+  Phase-2 set now active = **kyverno, cilium, longhorn, cert-manager, externaldns, gateway**; monitoring/
+  image-automation (P4), velero (P4, OQ-BKP), kubevirt (P5), keycloak/oauth2-proxy (P6) are commented
+  with phase markers. dev+prod render the same list. Verified: `kubectl kustomize platform` renders only
+  the 6 Phase-2 namespaces; dev shows the unified platform+apps Kustomizations; prod builds; gate PASS.
+- **DECISION D-SEC1 — provision ALL credentials upfront via SOPS; operator encrypts (both operator-chosen).**
+  Activated SOPS: `.sops.yaml` installed at repo root (recipient still REPLACE-ME — operator fills after
+  age-keygen). Authored `bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/*.yaml.example` (cloudflare-api-token ×2 ns,
+  grafana-admin, alertmanager-smtp, keycloak-admin, oauth2-proxy, pia — all placeholder-only, `.example`
+  so kustomize/SOPS ignore them) + `bootstrap/sops/CREDENTIALS.md` (end-to-end checklist). Pre-wired
+  **commented** `- cloudflare-api-token.sops.yaml` lines in cert-manager + externaldns kustomizations
+  (operator uncomments post-encrypt). Filled the non-secret ACME email (keithallenjackson@gmail.com,
+  confirm/change). **Agents never touch real secret values** (per `.sops.yaml`).
+
+### Operator TODO to reach Phase-2 deploy (see bootstrap/sops/CREDENTIALS.md)
+1. age-keygen → fill root `.sops.yaml` recipient → install `sops-age` on cluster.
+2. Provision `cloudflare-api-token` (Zone:DNS:Edit + Zone:Read on keithjackson.dev) in **both**
+   cert-manager + external-dns; uncomment the two kustomization lines.
+3. Confirm ACME email. 4. Push `main` to host Gitea. 5. Create the dev root Kustomization (the un-suspend).
+6. (Upfront, optional now) encrypt the Phase-3/4/6 secrets so later phases are credential-ready.
+7. **Chart-key verification** (flagged in templates): keycloak + oauth2-proxy `existingSecret` key names,
+   Keycloak DB secret, and PIA/Gluetun protocol (≠ TCP) — verify at each component's phase.
+
 ## KNOWN ISSUES to fix before Phase-2 un-suspend (logged, not yet fixed)
 | # | Issue | Impact | Fix |
 |---|---|---|---|
diff --git a/bootstrap/sops/CREDENTIALS.md b/bootstrap/sops/CREDENTIALS.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eec4aa9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap/sops/CREDENTIALS.md
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+# Credentials & SOPS — operator provisioning checklist
+
+All platform secrets are **SOPS-encrypted (age)**, committed to git, and decrypted by Flux at
+reconcile (ADR-0007, R-SEC-01). **Agents never handle real secret values** — encryption is done by
+you (the operator). This file is the end-to-end flow. Templates live in
+[`secret-templates/`](secret-templates/); the master `.sops.yaml` is at the **repo root**.
+
+Credentials are provisioned **upfront** so component rollout is gated only by *phase/readiness*,
+never by a missing secret.
+
+---
+
+## One-time SOPS setup (do this first)
+
+1. **Generate the age keypair** (private key stays on your machine + goes to the cluster; never in git):
+   ```bash
+   ./bootstrap/sops/age-keygen.sh          # prints the PUBLIC recipient (age1…) + writes the private key
+   ```
+2. **Fill the recipient** into the repo-root `.sops.yaml` — replace **both** `REPLACE-ME-AGE-PUBLIC-RECIPIENT`
+   occurrences with the `age1…` public key from step 1. (This file governs encryption for `platform/**`,
+   `apps/**`, `catalog/**`, and any `secrets/**`.)
+3. **Install the private key on the cluster** as the `sops-age` Secret so Flux can decrypt:
+   ```bash
+   ./bootstrap/sops/install-age-key.sh     # creates secret/sops-age in flux-system (see age-key-secret.md)
+   ```
+   The dev/prod overlays already point the `platform`/`apps` Flux Kustomizations at `decryption.secretRef: sops-age`.
+
+> Keep the age **private** key out of the repo (same discipline as the ansible-vault passphrase at
+> `~/.config/home-k3s/ansible-vault-pass`). If it leaks, rotate: new key → re-encrypt all `*.sops.yaml` → re-install.
+
+---
+
+## Per-secret flow (repeat for each secret below)
+
+```bash
+# 1. copy the template into its component dir under its real name
+cp bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/<template>.yaml.example platform/<component>/<name>.sops.yaml
+# 2. fill the real value(s) in stringData:
+$EDITOR platform/<component>/<name>.sops.yaml
+# 3. encrypt in place (SOPS picks up the root .sops.yaml rules automatically)
+sops -e -i platform/<component>/<name>.sops.yaml
+# 4. wire it: uncomment the pre-added `- <name>.sops.yaml` line in platform/<component>/kustomization.yaml
+# 5. verify it still builds, then commit the CIPHERTEXT
+kubectl kustomize platform/<component> >/dev/null && git add -A && git commit
+```
+
+---
+
+## Secret inventory (provision all now; wire per phase)
+
+| Secret | Namespace | Keys | Consumer | Phase | Template |
+|---|---|---|---|---|---|
+| `cloudflare-api-token` | `cert-manager` | `api-token` | cert-manager DNS-01 ClusterIssuer | **2** | `cloudflare-api-token.cert-manager.yaml.example` |
+| `cloudflare-api-token` | `external-dns` | `api-token` | ExternalDNS (`CF_API_TOKEN`) — **same token**, 2nd copy | **2** | `cloudflare-api-token.external-dns.yaml.example` |
+| `grafana-admin-credentials` | `monitoring` | `admin-user`, `admin-password` | Grafana admin | 4 | `grafana-admin-credentials.yaml.example` |
+| `alertmanager-smtp` | `monitoring` | `smtp-password` | Alertmanager email | 4 | `alertmanager-smtp.yaml.example` |
+| `keycloak-admin-credentials` | `keycloak` | `admin-user`, `admin-password` ⚠️verify chart keys; DB secret likely also needed | Keycloak IdP | 6 | `keycloak-admin-credentials.yaml.example` |
+| `oauth2-proxy-credentials` | `oauth2-proxy` | `client-id`, `client-secret`, `cookie-secret` ⚠️verify chart keys | oauth2-proxy forward-auth | 6 | `oauth2-proxy-credentials.yaml.example` |
+| `pia-credentials` | *(Phase-3 VPN ns, TBA)* | `username`, `password` | Gluetun VPN egress (protocol ≠ TCP) — **not wired yet** | 3 | `pia-credentials.yaml.example` |
+
+**Cloudflare token scope:** one API token with **Zone → DNS → Edit** + **Zone → Read** on the
+`keithjackson.dev` zone serves both cert-manager (DNS-01) and ExternalDNS. Same value in both namespace copies.
+
+---
+
+## Phase-2 blockers (needed to un-suspend the Phase-2 platform tier)
+
+- [ ] SOPS one-time setup (age key → `.sops.yaml` → `sops-age` on cluster).
+- [ ] `cloudflare-api-token` provisioned + wired in **both** `cert-manager` and `external-dns`.
+- [ ] ACME account email set in `platform/cert-manager/clusterissuers.yaml` (both issuers) — non-secret; a sensible default may already be filled, confirm it.
+- [ ] Push current `main` to the host Gitea (Flux source), then create the dev root Kustomization to reconcile `clusters/dev`.
+
+Later-phase secrets (Grafana/SMTP, Keycloak, oauth2-proxy, PIA) can be encrypted now and simply wired
+when their component is enabled in `platform/kustomization.yaml`.
diff --git a/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/README.md b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2765c59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+# SOPS Secret Templates
+
+This directory holds **reference templates** for the SOPS-encrypted secrets that
+platform components consume. They are **not applied and not encrypted**.
+
+## Why `.yaml.example`?
+
+Every file here uses a `.yaml.example` extension so that:
+
+- **kustomize never loads them** (they are not `.yaml` / not listed in any
+  `kustomization.yaml`), and
+- **SOPS never auto-encrypts them** (the repo's `.sops.yaml` creation rules match
+  `*.sops.yaml`, not `*.yaml.example`).
+
+They exist purely so the operator can see the exact Kubernetes Secret shape
+(name, namespace, keys) each component expects. **They contain only placeholder
+values** (`REPLACE-ME`, `<fill me>`) — never real secrets.
+
+## Operator flow (per secret)
+
+For each `<name>.yaml.example`:
+
+1. **Copy** it to the target path shown in the file's top comment, renaming to
+   `<name>.sops.yaml`. Example:
+
+   ```bash
+   cp bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/grafana-admin-credentials.yaml.example \
+      platform/monitoring/grafana-admin-credentials.sops.yaml
+   ```
+
+2. **Fill** in the real values (replace every `REPLACE-ME` / `<fill me>`).
+
+3. **Encrypt in place** with SOPS + age:
+
+   ```bash
+   sops -e -i platform/monitoring/grafana-admin-credentials.sops.yaml
+   ```
+
+4. **Wire it** into the component by adding the resource line (shown in the
+   file's top comment) under `resources:` in that component's
+   `kustomization.yaml`:
+
+   ```yaml
+   resources:
+     - grafana-admin-credentials.sops.yaml
+   ```
+
+5. **Commit** the encrypted `.sops.yaml` (ciphertext is safe to commit) and the
+   `kustomization.yaml` change. Flux decrypts it at reconcile via the cluster
+   age key.
+
+## Files in this directory
+
+| Template | Secret / namespace | Phase |
+|---|---|---|
+| `cloudflare-api-token.cert-manager.yaml.example` | `cloudflare-api-token` / `cert-manager` | 2 |
+| `cloudflare-api-token.external-dns.yaml.example` | `cloudflare-api-token` / `external-dns` (same token) | 2 |
+| `grafana-admin-credentials.yaml.example` | `grafana-admin-credentials` / `monitoring` | 4 |
+| `alertmanager-smtp.yaml.example` | `alertmanager-smtp` / `monitoring` | 4 |
+| `keycloak-admin-credentials.yaml.example` | `keycloak-admin-credentials` / `keycloak` | 6 |
+| `oauth2-proxy-credentials.yaml.example` | `oauth2-proxy-credentials` / `oauth2-proxy` | 6 |
+| `pia-credentials.yaml.example` | `pia-credentials` / TBD (Phase-3 VPN) | 3 |
+
+## Master checklist
+
+See [`bootstrap/sops/CREDENTIALS.md`](../CREDENTIALS.md) for the full,
+end-to-end credential provisioning flow and checklist.
diff --git a/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/alertmanager-smtp.yaml.example b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/alertmanager-smtp.yaml.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c6ebb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/alertmanager-smtp.yaml.example
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# =============================================================================
+# TEMPLATE — NOT APPLIED, NOT ENCRYPTED (.yaml.example is ignored by kustomize
+# and never auto-encrypted by SOPS). Reference scaffold only.
+#
+# (a) Copy to:      platform/monitoring/alertmanager-smtp.sops.yaml
+# (b) kustomization: add this line under `resources:` in
+#                    platform/monitoring/kustomization.yaml
+#                       - alertmanager-smtp.sops.yaml
+# (c) Encrypt:       sops -e -i platform/monitoring/alertmanager-smtp.sops.yaml
+# (d) Consumed by:   Alertmanager (kube-prometheus-stack). Only the SMTP
+#                    PASSWORD lives here. It is mounted at
+#                    /etc/alertmanager/secrets/alertmanager-smtp/smtp-password. [Phase 4]
+#
+# NOTE: The non-secret SMTP endpoint fields — smtp_smarthost, smtp_from,
+# smtp_auth_username, and the receiver `to:` addresses — are configured in
+# platform/monitoring/kube-prometheus-stack.yaml (currently REPLACE-ME
+# placeholders there). Only the password is this secret.
+# =============================================================================
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Secret
+metadata:
+  name: alertmanager-smtp
+  namespace: monitoring
+type: Opaque
+stringData:
+  smtp-password: REPLACE-ME
diff --git a/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/cloudflare-api-token.cert-manager.yaml.example b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/cloudflare-api-token.cert-manager.yaml.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..928b7b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/cloudflare-api-token.cert-manager.yaml.example
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# =============================================================================
+# TEMPLATE — NOT APPLIED, NOT ENCRYPTED (.yaml.example is ignored by kustomize
+# and never auto-encrypted by SOPS). Reference scaffold only.
+#
+# (a) Copy to:      platform/cert-manager/cloudflare-api-token.sops.yaml
+# (b) kustomization: add this line under `resources:` in
+#                    platform/cert-manager/kustomization.yaml
+#                       - cloudflare-api-token.sops.yaml
+# (c) Encrypt:       sops -e -i platform/cert-manager/cloudflare-api-token.sops.yaml
+# (d) Consumed by:   cert-manager ClusterIssuers (DNS-01 solver). The Cloudflare
+#                    DNS-01 solver's apiTokenSecretRef points at secret
+#                    `cloudflare-api-token`, key `api-token`. [Phase 2]
+#
+# The token must be a Cloudflare API token with Zone:DNS:Edit + Zone:Read scope.
+# =============================================================================
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Secret
+metadata:
+  name: cloudflare-api-token
+  namespace: cert-manager
+type: Opaque
+stringData:
+  api-token: REPLACE-ME-CLOUDFLARE-DNS-EDIT-TOKEN
diff --git a/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/cloudflare-api-token.external-dns.yaml.example b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/cloudflare-api-token.external-dns.yaml.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fee21dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/cloudflare-api-token.external-dns.yaml.example
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# =============================================================================
+# TEMPLATE — NOT APPLIED, NOT ENCRYPTED (.yaml.example is ignored by kustomize
+# and never auto-encrypted by SOPS). Reference scaffold only.
+#
+# (a) Copy to:      platform/externaldns/cloudflare-api-token.sops.yaml
+#                   (component DIR is platform/externaldns/, but the Kubernetes
+#                    NAMESPACE is external-dns — note the hyphen.)
+# (b) kustomization: add this line under `resources:` in
+#                    platform/externaldns/kustomization.yaml
+#                       - cloudflare-api-token.sops.yaml
+# (c) Encrypt:       sops -e -i platform/externaldns/cloudflare-api-token.sops.yaml
+# (d) Consumed by:   external-dns reads env CF_API_TOKEN via secretKeyRef
+#                    name `cloudflare-api-token`, key `api-token`. [Phase 2]
+#
+# NOTE: This is the SAME Cloudflare token as the cert-manager copy — just a
+# second copy living in the external-dns namespace. ClusterIssuer secrets and
+# external-dns run in different namespaces, so the token must exist in both. A
+# single Cloudflare API token with Zone:DNS:Edit + Zone:Read scope serves both.
+# =============================================================================
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Secret
+metadata:
+  name: cloudflare-api-token
+  namespace: external-dns
+type: Opaque
+stringData:
+  api-token: REPLACE-ME-CLOUDFLARE-DNS-EDIT-TOKEN
diff --git a/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/grafana-admin-credentials.yaml.example b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/grafana-admin-credentials.yaml.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6b30c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/grafana-admin-credentials.yaml.example
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# =============================================================================
+# TEMPLATE — NOT APPLIED, NOT ENCRYPTED (.yaml.example is ignored by kustomize
+# and never auto-encrypted by SOPS). Reference scaffold only.
+#
+# (a) Copy to:      platform/monitoring/grafana-admin-credentials.sops.yaml
+# (b) kustomization: add this line under `resources:` in
+#                    platform/monitoring/kustomization.yaml
+#                       - grafana-admin-credentials.sops.yaml
+# (c) Encrypt:       sops -e -i platform/monitoring/grafana-admin-credentials.sops.yaml
+# (d) Consumed by:   kube-prometheus-stack -> grafana.admin.existingSecret
+#                    (userKey: admin-user, passwordKey: admin-password). [Phase 4]
+# =============================================================================
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Secret
+metadata:
+  name: grafana-admin-credentials
+  namespace: monitoring
+type: Opaque
+stringData:
+  admin-user: admin
+  admin-password: REPLACE-ME
diff --git a/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/keycloak-admin-credentials.yaml.example b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/keycloak-admin-credentials.yaml.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ab8151
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/keycloak-admin-credentials.yaml.example
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# =============================================================================
+# TEMPLATE — NOT APPLIED, NOT ENCRYPTED (.yaml.example is ignored by kustomize
+# and never auto-encrypted by SOPS). Reference scaffold only.
+#
+# (a) Copy to:      platform/keycloak/keycloak-admin-credentials.sops.yaml
+# (b) kustomization: add this line under `resources:` in
+#                    platform/keycloak/kustomization.yaml
+#                       - keycloak-admin-credentials.sops.yaml
+# (c) Encrypt:       sops -e -i platform/keycloak/keycloak-admin-credentials.sops.yaml
+# (d) Consumed by:   Keycloak Helm chart -> auth.existingSecret. [Phase 6]
+#
+# !! VERIFY KEY NAMES BEFORE ENCRYPTING !!
+# The exact stringData key names depend on the pinned Keycloak chart version.
+# Bitnami Keycloak commonly reads `admin-password`; some versions also read
+# `admin-user` (and older/other variants use `adminPassword`). Check the pinned
+# chart's values (auth.existingSecret / auth.passwordSecretKey) and adjust the
+# keys below to match before running `sops -e -i`.
+#
+# !! SEPARATE DB SECRET LIKELY NEEDED !!
+# The Keycloak helmrelease references "Admin + DB credentials". Keycloak needs a
+# PostgreSQL DB credential in addition to these admin creds. A separate DB secret
+# (or the chart's postgresql.auth.existingSecret) will likely be required at
+# Phase 6 — flag and provision it then.
+# =============================================================================
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Secret
+metadata:
+  name: keycloak-admin-credentials
+  namespace: keycloak
+type: Opaque
+stringData:
+  admin-user: admin
+  admin-password: REPLACE-ME
diff --git a/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/oauth2-proxy-credentials.yaml.example b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/oauth2-proxy-credentials.yaml.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a0f6ac3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/oauth2-proxy-credentials.yaml.example
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# =============================================================================
+# TEMPLATE — NOT APPLIED, NOT ENCRYPTED (.yaml.example is ignored by kustomize
+# and never auto-encrypted by SOPS). Reference scaffold only.
+#
+# (a) Copy to:      platform/oauth2-proxy/oauth2-proxy-credentials.sops.yaml
+# (b) kustomization: add this line under `resources:` in
+#                    platform/oauth2-proxy/kustomization.yaml
+#                       - oauth2-proxy-credentials.sops.yaml
+# (c) Encrypt:       sops -e -i platform/oauth2-proxy/oauth2-proxy-credentials.sops.yaml
+# (d) Consumed by:   oauth2-proxy Helm chart -> existingSecret. [Phase 6]
+#
+# VALUE NOTES:
+#  - client-id / client-secret: come from the Keycloak OIDC client created for
+#    oauth2-proxy (Phase 6, after Keycloak is up).
+#  - cookie-secret: must be a 16, 24, or 32-byte value, base64-encoded.
+#    Generate with:  openssl rand -base64 32
+#
+# !! VERIFY KEY NAMES BEFORE ENCRYPTING !!
+# Confirm the exact stringData key names against the pinned oauth2-proxy chart's
+# existingSecret contract (common keys: client-id, client-secret, cookie-secret,
+# but chart versions vary). Adjust below to match before running `sops -e -i`.
+# =============================================================================
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Secret
+metadata:
+  name: oauth2-proxy-credentials
+  namespace: oauth2-proxy
+type: Opaque
+stringData:
+  client-id: REPLACE-ME
+  client-secret: REPLACE-ME
+  cookie-secret: REPLACE-ME
diff --git a/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/pia-credentials.yaml.example b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/pia-credentials.yaml.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bc4a103
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/pia-credentials.yaml.example
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# =============================================================================
+# TEMPLATE — NOT APPLIED, NOT ENCRYPTED (.yaml.example is ignored by kustomize
+# and never auto-encrypted by SOPS). Reference scaffold only.
+#
+# (a) Copy to:      (TO BE DECIDED AT PHASE 3 — VPN component not authored yet)
+# (b) kustomization: DO NOT WIRE YET.
+# (c) Encrypt:       sops -e -i <target>.sops.yaml   (once the target path exists)
+# (d) Consumed by:   Phase-3 Gluetun VPN egress gateway. The consuming
+#                    component AND its namespace DO NOT EXIST yet — this template
+#                    is provisioned upfront. [Phase 3]
+#
+# !! NAMESPACE UNKNOWN — the metadata.namespace below is a placeholder. Set it to
+#    the VPN gateway's namespace when that component is authored at Phase 3. !!
+#
+# VALUE NOTES:
+#  - username: PIA (Private Internet Access) user, form pNNNNNNN.
+#  - password: PIA password.
+#  - Gluetun typically reads OPENVPN_USER / OPENVPN_PASSWORD (OpenVPN) or
+#    WireGuard credentials. Confirm the chosen protocol when wiring — the
+#    requirement says NOT TCP. The env var names / key names the Gluetun
+#    deployment expects may differ from username/password below; adjust to match
+#    the chosen protocol before encrypting.
+# =============================================================================
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Secret
+metadata:
+  name: pia-credentials
+  namespace: REPLACE-ME-PHASE-3-VPN-NAMESPACE
+type: Opaque
+stringData:
+  username: REPLACE-ME
+  password: REPLACE-ME
diff --git a/clusters/base/cluster-vars.yaml b/clusters/base/cluster-vars.yaml
index 8558cc6..8e48c94 100644
--- a/clusters/base/cluster-vars.yaml
+++ b/clusters/base/cluster-vars.yaml
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@ data:
   MONITORING_PROMETHEUS_RETENTION: "7d"     # dev short | prod long
   MONITORING_PROMETHEUS_PVC_SIZE: "10Gi"
   MONITORING_LOKI_PVC_SIZE: "10Gi"
-  MONITORING_STORAGE_CLASS: "longhorn"      # PVC tier for Prometheus/Loki (dev may override)
-  GRAFANA_ADMIN_SECRET: "grafana-admin-credentials"  # by-name SOPS secret (prod); dev="" → chart default
 
   # --- admission enforcement (Kyverno, ADR-0011). Base defaults are the STRICT/prod posture;
   #     the dev overlay softens them for bootstrap (Audit / Ignore / 1) so a cold cluster can
diff --git a/clusters/dev/kustomization.yaml b/clusters/dev/kustomization.yaml
index 8312db7..e873c01 100644
--- a/clusters/dev/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/clusters/dev/kustomization.yaml
@@ -2,38 +2,39 @@
 # clusters/dev — the ACTIVE build target overlay.
 #
 # `flux bootstrap ... --path=clusters/dev` points the dev cluster's Flux here.
-# TRANSITIONAL (Phase-2 bootstrap): this overlay reuses the base source + cluster-vars, but
-# REPLACES the monolithic base `platform`/`apps` Kustomizations with a per-component NO-SECRET
-# rollout (./rollout) — so dev brings up cilium/longhorn/monitoring/kyverno in order WITHOUT
-# dragging in the secret-blocked components. It patches cluster-vars with dev values (R-ENV-02)
-# and softens Kyverno for bootstrap. CONVERGENCE: delete ./rollout + the two $patch:delete
-# below to return to the unified base graph once all operator hand-offs land. See DECISIONS-LOG.
+# This overlay adds NO resources of its own. Its ONLY job is to patch the shared cluster-vars
+# ConfigMap with dev-scoped values (R-ENV-02). The base reconciliation graph is reused verbatim.
 apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
 kind: Kustomization
 resources:
   - ../base
-  - rollout
 patches:
-  # --- Drop the monolithic base platform/apps Kustomizations. They reconcile ALL 11 components
-  #     as one unit (incl. secret-blocked cert-manager/externaldns/velero/keycloak/oauth2-proxy/
-  #     image-automation/gateway/kubevirt); ./rollout replaces them with the per-component
-  #     no-secret set for dev bootstrap. Remove these two deletes to re-adopt the unified graph.
-  #     (No decryption patch is needed here: the rollout components carry no SOPS content, so
-  #     the `sops-age` Secret is not required for the dev bootstrap tier.) ---
+  # --- SOPS decryption + bootstrap source (PM-inlined from bootstrap/flux/patches/, 2026-08-16) ---
+  # Inlined (not cross-dir file refs) to stay within kustomize's default load restrictions.
+  # Realises the commented decryption TODOs in clusters/base and sets the real source URL.
+  # The `sops-age` Secret is created out-of-band (bootstrap/sops/install-age-key.sh) — name only.
   - patch: |-
-      $patch: delete
       apiVersion: kustomize.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v1
       kind: Kustomization
       metadata:
         name: platform
         namespace: flux-system
+      spec:
+        decryption:
+          provider: sops
+          secretRef:
+            name: sops-age
   - patch: |-
-      $patch: delete
       apiVersion: kustomize.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v1
       kind: Kustomization
       metadata:
         name: apps
         namespace: flux-system
+      spec:
+        decryption:
+          provider: sops
+          secretRef:
+            name: sops-age
   - patch: |-
       apiVersion: source.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v1
       kind: GitRepository
@@ -84,6 +85,8 @@ patches:
         path: /data/VELERO_RETENTION
         value: "72h"
       # dev-softened Kyverno for cold-start (base defaults Enforce/Fail/3 = prod posture).
+      # Not credential-driven — bootstrap-safety knobs so a cold cluster comes up before
+      # admission is proven/HA; flip dev to the strict posture once green.
       - op: replace
         path: /data/KYVERNO_VALIDATION_ACTION
         value: "Audit"
@@ -93,8 +96,3 @@ patches:
       - op: replace
         path: /data/KYVERNO_ADMISSION_REPLICAS
         value: "1"
-      # dev: no Grafana admin Secret yet → empty makes the chart use its default admin password
-      # (dev-only, NAT-isolated). Prod keeps the by-name SOPS secret from the base default.
-      - op: replace
-        path: /data/GRAFANA_ADMIN_SECRET
-        value: ""
diff --git a/clusters/dev/rollout/cilium.yaml b/clusters/dev/rollout/cilium.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 3e4b527..0000000
--- a/clusters/dev/rollout/cilium.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
----
-# Cilium — ADOPT the running Ansible-installed CNI. Parity between platform/cilium and the
-# live config was verified (k8sServiceHost/port via pod env, kube-proxy-replacement, gateway-api,
-# egress+bpf masquerade, hubble, l2, cgroup, v1.16.5) → this reconcile is a NO-OP.
-# prune: false — Cilium was bootstrapped out-of-band; adopt its config, never own-delete the CNI.
-# No decryption (no SOPS content). No dependsOn (it is the datapath everything else rides on).
-apiVersion: kustomize.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v1
-kind: Kustomization
-metadata:
-  name: cilium
-  namespace: flux-system
-spec:
-  interval: 30m
-  retryInterval: 2m
-  timeout: 10m
-  prune: false
-  wait: true
-  sourceRef:
-    kind: GitRepository
-    name: flux-system
-  path: ./platform/cilium
-  postBuild:
-    substituteFrom:
-      - kind: ConfigMap
-        name: cluster-vars
diff --git a/clusters/dev/rollout/kustomization.yaml b/clusters/dev/rollout/kustomization.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index bc040d3..0000000
--- a/clusters/dev/rollout/kustomization.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
----
-# Phase-2 NO-SECRET incremental rollout — DEV bootstrap scaffold.
-#
-# Per-component Flux Kustomizations for the components that need NO operator secret:
-#   kyverno (admission, dev-softened) · cilium (adopt running CNI) · longhorn (storage)
-#   · monitoring (dependsOn longhorn).
-# Secret-blocked components (cert-manager, externaldns, gateway, velero, keycloak,
-# oauth2-proxy, image-automation, kubevirt) are intentionally NOT created until their
-# operator hand-offs arrive (DECISIONS-LOG A2 / hand-off table).
-#
-# TRANSITIONAL: this is the dev bootstrap graph. Once every hand-off lands, dev drops
-# ./rollout and re-adopts the unified base monolith (clusters/base/platform.yaml) so dev
-# and prod share one reconciliation graph again (R-ENV-02 convergence). See DECISIONS-LOG.
-apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
-kind: Kustomization
-resources:
-  - kyverno.yaml       # first: admission present (Audit/Ignore in dev — non-blocking) before workloads
-  - cilium.yaml        # adopt the running CNI (parity verified — no-op reconcile)
-  - longhorn.yaml      # storage; monitoring depends on its StorageClass
-  - monitoring.yaml    # dependsOn longhorn
diff --git a/clusters/dev/rollout/kyverno.yaml b/clusters/dev/rollout/kyverno.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 0e09db7..0000000
--- a/clusters/dev/rollout/kyverno.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
----
-# Kyverno — in-cluster admission enforcer. DEV-SOFTENED via cluster-vars:
-#   KYVERNO_VALIDATION_ACTION=Audit, KYVERNO_WEBHOOK_FAILURE_POLICY=Ignore,
-#   KYVERNO_ADMISSION_REPLICAS=1 (base defaults Enforce/Fail/3 for prod).
-# Non-blocking on today's cluster (policies match only `app-namespace=true` namespaces,
-# none exist yet). No SOPS content. Listed first so admission is present before workloads.
-apiVersion: kustomize.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v1
-kind: Kustomization
-metadata:
-  name: kyverno
-  namespace: flux-system
-spec:
-  interval: 1h
-  retryInterval: 2m
-  timeout: 10m
-  prune: true
-  wait: true
-  sourceRef:
-    kind: GitRepository
-    name: flux-system
-  path: ./platform/kyverno
-  postBuild:
-    substituteFrom:
-      - kind: ConfigMap
-        name: cluster-vars
diff --git a/clusters/dev/rollout/longhorn.yaml b/clusters/dev/rollout/longhorn.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 07b7d6c..0000000
--- a/clusters/dev/rollout/longhorn.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
----
-# Longhorn — block storage / CSI (default `longhorn` StorageClass). No SOPS content.
-# No dependsOn. The bulk-NFS StorageClass in this component carries REPLACE-ME (OQ-2) but is
-# an isolated, unreferenced object — it does NOT block Longhorn's HelmRelease reconcile.
-# PRE-DEPLOY CHECK (runtime, out of git): confirm `iscsid` active + /var/lib/longhorn mounted
-# on all 3 nodes (cloud-init provides both; verify after the T-1.5 rebuild).
-apiVersion: kustomize.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v1
-kind: Kustomization
-metadata:
-  name: longhorn
-  namespace: flux-system
-spec:
-  interval: 10m
-  retryInterval: 2m
-  timeout: 10m
-  prune: true
-  wait: true
-  sourceRef:
-    kind: GitRepository
-    name: flux-system
-  path: ./platform/longhorn
-  postBuild:
-    substituteFrom:
-      - kind: ConfigMap
-        name: cluster-vars
diff --git a/clusters/dev/rollout/monitoring.yaml b/clusters/dev/rollout/monitoring.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 5e902f6..0000000
--- a/clusters/dev/rollout/monitoring.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,26 +0,0 @@
----
-# Monitoring — kube-prometheus-stack + Loki + Alloy. Prometheus/Loki PVCs bind the
-# `longhorn` StorageClass, so this dependsOn longhorn (Flux waits for it Ready first).
-# Grafana admin password (chart default in dev) and Alertmanager SMTP (deferred to the
-# Phase-4 hand-off) are handled WITHOUT an operator secret in dev → NO decryption block.
-apiVersion: kustomize.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v1
-kind: Kustomization
-metadata:
-  name: monitoring
-  namespace: flux-system
-spec:
-  interval: 10m
-  retryInterval: 2m
-  timeout: 15m
-  prune: true
-  wait: true
-  dependsOn:
-    - name: longhorn
-  sourceRef:
-    kind: GitRepository
-    name: flux-system
-  path: ./platform/monitoring
-  postBuild:
-    substituteFrom:
-      - kind: ConfigMap
-        name: cluster-vars
diff --git a/platform/cert-manager/clusterissuers.yaml b/platform/cert-manager/clusterissuers.yaml
index 6d4369d..553ea99 100644
--- a/platform/cert-manager/clusterissuers.yaml
+++ b/platform/cert-manager/clusterissuers.yaml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   acme:
     server: https://acme-staging-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/directory
-    email: REPLACE-ME@keithjackson.dev        # TODO(WS-SEC): ACME account email
+    email: keithallenjackson@gmail.com        # ACME account email (LE expiry notices) — operator: confirm/change
     privateKeySecretRef:
       name: letsencrypt-staging-account-key
     solvers:
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   acme:
     server: https://acme-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/directory
-    email: REPLACE-ME@keithjackson.dev        # TODO(WS-SEC): ACME account email
+    email: keithallenjackson@gmail.com        # ACME account email (LE expiry notices) — operator: confirm/change
     privateKeySecretRef:
       name: letsencrypt-prod-account-key
     solvers:
diff --git a/platform/cert-manager/kustomization.yaml b/platform/cert-manager/kustomization.yaml
index 59b86b8..fd5972c 100644
--- a/platform/cert-manager/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/platform/cert-manager/kustomization.yaml
@@ -6,3 +6,7 @@ resources:
   - helmrepository.yaml
   - helmrelease.yaml
   - clusterissuers.yaml
+  # SOPS-encrypted Cloudflare DNS-01 token (ClusterIssuer apiTokenSecretRef). Operator flow:
+  # copy bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/cloudflare-api-token.cert-manager.yaml.example here as
+  # cloudflare-api-token.sops.yaml, fill + `sops -e -i`, then uncomment. See bootstrap/sops/CREDENTIALS.md.
+  # - cloudflare-api-token.sops.yaml
diff --git a/platform/externaldns/kustomization.yaml b/platform/externaldns/kustomization.yaml
index 5704992..6fec77e 100644
--- a/platform/externaldns/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/platform/externaldns/kustomization.yaml
@@ -5,3 +5,7 @@ resources:
   - namespace.yaml
   - helmrepository.yaml
   - helmrelease.yaml
+  # SOPS-encrypted Cloudflare token (env CF_API_TOKEN) — SAME token as cert-manager, second copy in
+  # the external-dns namespace. Copy bootstrap/sops/secret-templates/cloudflare-api-token.external-dns.yaml.example
+  # here as cloudflare-api-token.sops.yaml, fill + `sops -e -i`, then uncomment. See bootstrap/sops/CREDENTIALS.md.
+  # - cloudflare-api-token.sops.yaml
diff --git a/platform/kustomization.yaml b/platform/kustomization.yaml
index a666b64..5dda723 100644
--- a/platform/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/platform/kustomization.yaml
@@ -2,27 +2,25 @@
 # Top-level platform kustomization — the entrypoint the Flux `platform` Kustomization renders
 # (clusters/base/platform.yaml, path: ./platform).
 #
-# Phase 0 scaffolding: lists every platform component EXCEPT kyverno (owned by the policy engineer,
-# WS-TEST — see platform/README.md).
-#
-# ⚠️ INTEGRATION TODO(PM): once platform/kyverno/ is authored by the policy engineer, uncomment the
-# `- kyverno` line below. Keep it FIRST so admission policies are present before other components
-# reconcile. This workstream must NOT create files under platform/kyverno/.
+# UNIFIED GRAPH (R-ENV-02): dev and prod both render THIS single list; overlays differ only by
+# cluster-vars. Components are enabled here PER PHASE as their phase opens (roadmap/phases.md) —
+# the same pattern by which kyverno was previously deferred. Credentials each component needs are
+# provisioned upfront as SOPS-encrypted Secrets (bootstrap/sops/, .sops.yaml), so enabling a
+# component is never gated on a credential ask — only on its phase and readiness.
 apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
 kind: Kustomization
 resources:
-  # - kyverno            # DEFERRED to Phase 2 (T-2.7): admission enforcement needs a cluster.
-  #                        Scaffolding is present & buildable at platform/kyverno/; enable it first
-  #                        (before other components) when T-2.7 activates. Kyverno's CI L0 gate is
-  #                        already live now via .gitea/ + ci/ (no cluster needed).
-  - cilium
-  - longhorn
-  - cert-manager
-  - externaldns
-  - gateway
-  - monitoring
-  - velero
-  - kubevirt
-  - image-automation
-  - keycloak
-  - oauth2-proxy
+  # ---- Phase 2 — Platform Core: Network, Storage, TLS, DNS, Ingress ----
+  - kyverno            # admission enforcer FIRST — policies present before other components reconcile
+  - cilium             # CNI (adopts the running Ansible-installed release; parity verified)
+  - longhorn           # replicated block storage / CSI
+  - cert-manager       # Let's Encrypt DNS-01 wildcard — needs SOPS `cloudflare-api-token`
+  - externaldns        # auto DNS records — needs SOPS `cloudflare-api-token`
+  - gateway            # Gateway API listeners (ingress; replaces Traefik)
+  # ---- Later phases: enabled when their phase opens (creds already provisioned via SOPS) ----
+  # - monitoring       # Phase 4 (Observability): kube-prometheus-stack + Loki + Alloy + Alertmanager
+  # - velero           # Phase 4 (Backup/DR): BLOCKED on OQ-BKP (off-cluster backup target decision)
+  # - image-automation # Phase 4 (Automated updates): Flux image-automation + Renovate
+  # - kubevirt         # Phase 5 (IaaS proof): KubeVirt + CDI
+  # - keycloak         # Phase 6 (Catalog + C2 UI): foundational IdP — needs SOPS `keycloak-admin-credentials`
+  # - oauth2-proxy     # Phase 6: forward-auth — needs SOPS `oauth2-proxy-credentials`
diff --git a/platform/monitoring/kube-prometheus-stack.yaml b/platform/monitoring/kube-prometheus-stack.yaml
index 14790d0..b12d911 100644
--- a/platform/monitoring/kube-prometheus-stack.yaml
+++ b/platform/monitoring/kube-prometheus-stack.yaml
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ spec:
         storageSpec:
           volumeClaimTemplate:
             spec:
-              storageClassName: ${MONITORING_STORAGE_CLASS}   # replicated tier (ADR-0003); cluster-vars knob
+              storageClassName: longhorn                  # replicated tier (ADR-0003)
               accessModes: ["ReadWriteOnce"]
               resources:
                 requests:
@@ -80,24 +80,22 @@ spec:
             memory: 32Mi
           limits:
             memory: 96Mi
-        # SMTP is an OPERATOR HAND-OFF DEFERRED to Phase 4 — no creds yet, and the by-name
-        # `alertmanager-smtp` Secret does NOT exist. Mounting a missing Secret wedges Alertmanager
-        # in ContainerCreating, so the mount is DISABLED until the hand-off. Re-enable verbatim
-        # (uncomment) when the SOPS `alertmanager-smtp` Secret is delivered. TODO(Phase-4 SMTP).
-        # secrets:
-        #   - alertmanager-smtp
-      # Routing stays live; RECEIVERS ARE NULL until the SMTP hand-off (alerts still fire, route,
-      # and show in the Alertmanager UI + Grafana — they just aren't emailed). The smtp_* globals
-      # and email_configs are retained below, commented, so re-enabling is a pure uncomment.
+        # SMTP credentials are an OPERATOR HAND-OFF: a SOPS-encrypted Secret, referenced BY NAME
+        # only (docs/07). Mounted at /etc/alertmanager/secrets/<name>/ so the config below can read
+        # the password from a file (never inline plaintext).
+        secrets:
+          - alertmanager-smtp
+      # Routing/receivers. Non-secret SMTP endpoint fields (smarthost/from/to/username) are
+      # operator-supplied placeholders (REPLACE-ME, same convention as velero); the PASSWORD is
+      # read from the mounted SOPS secret via *_file. Both severities email; subject/route differ.
       config:
         global:
           resolve_timeout: 5m
-          # TODO(Phase-4 SMTP hand-off): uncomment together with the alertmanager-smtp Secret mount.
-          # smtp_smarthost: "smtp.example.com:587"
-          # smtp_from: "alerts@home.keithjackson.dev"
-          # smtp_auth_username: "<smtp-login>"
-          # smtp_auth_password_file: /etc/alertmanager/secrets/alertmanager-smtp/smtp-password
-          # smtp_require_tls: true
+          smtp_smarthost: "REPLACE-ME:587"          # operator hand-off (e.g. smtp.gmail.com:587)
+          smtp_from: "REPLACE-ME"                    # operator hand-off (From: address)
+          smtp_auth_username: "REPLACE-ME"           # operator hand-off (SMTP login)
+          smtp_auth_password_file: /etc/alertmanager/secrets/alertmanager-smtp/smtp-password
+          smtp_require_tls: true
         route:
           group_by: ["alertname", "namespace"]
           group_wait: 30s
@@ -111,29 +109,25 @@ spec:
               group_wait: 10s
               repeat_interval: 1h
         receivers:
-          # NULL receivers until Phase-4 SMTP. email_configs retained (commented) for verbatim re-enable.
           - name: email-warning
-            # email_configs:
-            #   - to: "<alert-inbox>"
-            #     send_resolved: true
-            #     headers:
-            #       subject: '[WARNING] {{ .CommonLabels.alertname }} ({{ .CommonLabels.namespace }})'
+            email_configs:
+              - to: "REPLACE-ME"                     # operator hand-off (alert inbox)
+                send_resolved: true
+                headers:
+                  subject: '[WARNING] {{ .CommonLabels.alertname }} ({{ .CommonLabels.namespace }})'
           - name: email-critical
-            # email_configs:
-            #   - to: "<alert-inbox>"
-            #     send_resolved: true
-            #     headers:
-            #       subject: '[CRITICAL] {{ .CommonLabels.alertname }} ({{ .CommonLabels.namespace }})'
+            email_configs:
+              - to: "REPLACE-ME"                     # operator hand-off (alert inbox)
+                send_resolved: true
+                headers:
+                  subject: '[CRITICAL] {{ .CommonLabels.alertname }} ({{ .CommonLabels.namespace }})'
 
     # --- Grafana: dashboards (R-OBS-03), surfaced in the C2 UI (docs/12) behind Keycloak SSO ---
     grafana:
       enabled: true
       # Admin bootstrap + (later) OIDC client are SOPS secrets referenced BY NAME (WS-SEC/ADR-0014).
-      # cluster-vars knob: prod = the SOPS `grafana-admin-credentials` Secret; dev = "" (empty),
-      # which makes the chart fall back to its default admin password (dev-only, NAT-isolated) so
-      # Grafana starts without an operator secret. TODO: supply a dev Secret if wider dev access.
       admin:
-        existingSecret: ${GRAFANA_ADMIN_SECRET}
+        existingSecret: grafana-admin-credentials
         userKey: admin-user
         passwordKey: admin-password
       # DEV TRIM: emptyDir (default). Dashboards are provisioned from ConfigMaps (sidecar), so no
diff --git a/platform/monitoring/loki.yaml b/platform/monitoring/loki.yaml
index 5df673b..eb44d99 100644
--- a/platform/monitoring/loki.yaml
+++ b/platform/monitoring/loki.yaml
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ spec:
       replicas: 1
       persistence:
         enabled: true
-        storageClass: ${MONITORING_STORAGE_CLASS}   # replicated tier (ADR-0003); cluster-vars knob
+        storageClass: longhorn          # replicated tier (ADR-0003)
         size: ${MONITORING_LOKI_PVC_SIZE}   # overlay knob (dev 5Gi / prod large)
       resources:
         requests: