VMware recently released VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 with a number of feature upgrades, such as support for vSAN Max disaggregated storage, support for vSAN ESA Extended Clusters for management workload domains, and the ability to convert vSphere/vSAN clusters in existing environments into management domains or into VI workload domains via the VCF Import tool. This should be the first time that VMware by Broadcom has done a major update to the product alignment and integration of the various divisions, so for more information and content news, check out VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2. Release Notesas well asPublishing IntroductionThe BOM bill of materials for the VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 release is shown in the figure below and brings together the latest major products released by VMware, such as vSphere 8 U3, vSAN 8 U3, and NSX 4.2.
VMware Cloud Foundation ("VCF") supports the standard and integrated deployment architecture previously ("VMware Cloud Foundation Part 05: Deploying SDDC Management Domains."and"VMware Cloud Foundation Part 06: Deploying VI Workload Domains.") shared the deployment process of the standard architecture, and now with the release of VCF 5.2, let's deploy a set of SDDC of the consolidated architecture. in fact, I feel that there is not much difference between the deployment process of the standard architecture and the consolidated architecture, and the functions and uses of the two architectures are entirely defined by the concept of use of the two architectures by you as a user. After deployment and configuration, the VCF of the consolidated architecture puts the management-related components and workload VMs in the same workload domain and isolates them by means of resource pooling, whereas in the standard architecture, the VI domain is dedicated to hosting the workload VMs. Otherwise, there is no big difference, and you can adjust the consolidated architecture to the standard architecture at any time by deploying a new VI workload domain and migrating the workloads on top of the management domain to this VI domain.
I. Environmental preparation
Regardless of the deployment architecture of VCF, the preliminary environment preparation is the same. After installing the ESXi hosts in the workload domain and configuring the ESXi hosts with the relevant basic services, planning the network topology and storage architecture of the VCF solution and preparing the relevant deployment parameter workbooks, and finally installing the automated deployment tool, VMware Cloud Builder, you can start your VCF build process.
1) DNS/NTP server
DNS and NTP servers are very important for VCF environment, please configure forward and reverse domain name resolution on DNS servers after planning the address information of management related components according to the actual environment. If any of these basic services are not correct, it may lead to deployment failure and unstable environment.
| component name | hostname (of a networked computer) | IP address | subnet mask | gateway (Internet or between networks) | DNS/NTP server |
| ESXi | 192.168.32.61 | 255.255.255.0 | 192.168.32.254 | 192.168.32.3 | |
| 192.168.32.62 | 255.255.255.0 | 192.168.32.254 | 192.168.32.3 | ||
| 192.168.32.63 | 255.255.255.0 | 192.168.32.254 | 192.168.32.3 | ||
| 192.168.32.64 | 255.255.255.0 | 192.168.32.254 | 192.168.32.3 | ||
| vCenter Server | 192.168.32.65 | 255.255.255.0 | 192.168.32.254 | 192.168.32.3 | |
| NSX Manager | (VIP) | 192.168.32.66 | 255.255.255.0 | 192.168.32.254 | 192.168.32.3 |
| 192.168.32.67 | 255.255.255.0 | 192.168.32.254 | 192.168.32.3 | ||
| SDDC Manager | 192.168.32.70 | 255.255.255.0 | 192.168.32.254 | 192.168.32.3 |
2) ESXi host
Prepare the ESXi hosts for deployment of the VCF management domain according to the VCF 5.2 BOM manifest requirements. Since this is a nested virtualized environment, if you are deploying a vSAN ESA storage fabric, create theCustomizing vSAN ESA HCL files. For more content and details check out:VMware Cloud Foundation Part 04: Preparing an ESXi Host.
3) JSON configuration file
Prepare the JSON configuration file used to build the VCF management domain according to the actual environment. the License license has been processed and VCF version 5.1.1 starts to support a 60-day trial period after deploying in evaluation mode without specifying a license. Please note that the minimum password complexity requirement for SDDC Manager users has been increased to 15 characters. For more information and details, please see:VMware Cloud Foundation Part 03: Preparing the Excel Parameter Sheet.
{
"deployWithoutLicenseKeys": false,
"skipEsxThumbprintValidation": true,
"managementPoolName": "vcf-mgmt01-np01",
"sddcManagerSpec": {
"secondUserCredentials": {
"username": "vcf",
"password": "Vcf520@password"
},
"ipAddress": "192.168.32.70",
"hostname": "vcf-mgmt01-sddc01",
"rootUserCredentials": {
"username": "root",
"password": "Vcf520@password"
},
"localUserPassword": "Vcf520@password"
},
"sddcId": "vcf-mgmt01",
"esxLicense": "00000-00000-00000-00000-00000",
"taskName": "workflowconfig/",
"ceipEnabled": false,
"fipsEnabled": false,
"ntpServers": ["192.168.32.3"],
"dnsSpec": {
"subdomain": "",
"domain": "",
"nameserver": "192.168.32.3"
},
"networkSpecs": [
{
"networkType": "MANAGEMENT",
"subnet": "192.168.32.0/24",
"gateway": "192.168.32.254",
"vlanId": "0",
"mtu": "1500",
"portGroupKey": "vcf-mgmt01-vds01-pg-mgmt",
"standbyUplinks":[],
"activeUplinks":[
"uplink1",
"uplink2"
]
},
{
"networkType": "VMOTION",
"subnet": "192.168.40.0/24",
"gateway": "192.168.40.254",
"vlanId": "40",
"mtu": "9000",
"portGroupKey": "vcf-mgmt01-vds01-pg-vmotion",
"includeIpAddressRanges": [{"endIpAddress": "192.168.40.4", "startIpAddress": "192.168.40.1"}],
"standbyUplinks":[],
"activeUplinks":[
"uplink1",
"uplink2"
]
},
{
"networkType": "VSAN",
"subnet": "192.168.41.0/24",
"gateway": "192.168.41.254",
"vlanId": "41",
"mtu": "9000",
"portGroupKey": "vcf-mgmt01-vds02-pg-vsan",
"includeIpAddressRanges": [{"endIpAddress": "192.168.41.4", "startIpAddress": "192.168.41.1"}],
"standbyUplinks":[],
"activeUplinks":[
"uplink1",
"uplink2"
]
},
{
"networkType": "VM_MANAGEMENT",
"subnet": "192.168.32.0/24",
"gateway": "192.168.32.254",
"vlanId": "0",
"mtu": "1500",
"portGroupKey": "vcf-mgmt01-vds01-pg-vm-mgmt",
"standbyUplinks":[],
"activeUplinks":[
"uplink1",
"uplink2"
]
}
],
"nsxtSpec":
{
"nsxtManagerSize": "medium",
"nsxtManagers": [
{
"hostname": "vcf-mgmt01-nsx01a",
"ip": "192.168.32.67"
}
],
"rootNsxtManagerPassword": "Vcf520@password",
"nsxtAdminPassword": "Vcf520@password",
"nsxtAuditPassword": "Vcf520@password",
"vip": "192.168.32.66",
"vipFqdn": "vcf-mgmt01-nsx01",
"nsxtLicense": "33333-33333-33333-33333-33333",
"transportVlanId": 42,
"ipAddressPoolSpec": {
"name": "vcf01-mgmt01-tep01",
"description": "ESXi Host Overlay TEP IP Pool",
"subnets":[
{
"ipAddressPoolRanges":[
{
"start": "192.168.42.1",
"end": "192.168.42.8"
}
],
"cidr": "192.168.42.0/24",
"gateway": "192.168.42.254"
}
]
}
},
"vsanSpec": {
"licenseFile": "11111-11111-11111-11111-11111",
"vsanDedup": "false",
"esaConfig": {
"enabled": true
},
"hclFile": "/opt/vmware/bringup/tmp/",
"datastoreName": "vcf-mgmt01-vsan-esa-datastore01"
},
"dvsSpecs": [
{
"dvsName": "vcf-mgmt01-vds01",
"vmnics": [
"vmnic0",
"vmnic1"
],
"mtu": 9000,
"networks":[
"MANAGEMENT",
"VMOTION",
"VM_MANAGEMENT"
],
"niocSpecs":[
{
"trafficType":"VSAN",
"value":"HIGH"
},
{
"trafficType":"VMOTION",
"value":"LOW"
},
{
"trafficType":"VDP",
"value":"LOW"
},
{
"trafficType":"VIRTUALMACHINE",
"value":"HIGH"
},
{
"trafficType":"MANAGEMENT",
"value":"NORMAL"
},
{
"trafficType":"NFS",
"value":"LOW"
},
{
"trafficType":"HBR",
"value":"LOW"
},
{
"trafficType":"FAULTTOLERANCE",
"value":"LOW"
},
{
"trafficType":"ISCSI",
"value":"LOW"
}
],
"nsxtSwitchConfig": {
"transportZones": [
{
"name": "vcf-mgmt01-tz-vlan01",
"transportType": "VLAN"
}
]
}
},
{
"dvsName": "vcf-mgmt01-vds02",
"vmnics": [
"vmnic2",
"vmnic3"
],
"mtu": 9000,
"networks":[
"VSAN"
],
"nsxtSwitchConfig": {
"transportZones": [ {
"name": "vcf-mgmt01-tz-overlay01",
"transportType": "OVERLAY"
},
{
"name": "vcf-mgmt01-tz-vlan02",
"transportType": "VLAN"
}
]
}
}
],
"clusterSpec":
{
"clusterName": "vcf-mgmt01-cluster01",
"clusterEvcMode": "",
"clusterImageEnabled": true,
"vmFolders": {
"MANAGEMENT": "vcf-mgmt01-fd-mgmt",
"NETWORKING": "vcf-mgmt01-fd-nsx",
"EDGENODES": "vcf-mgmt01-fd-edge"
},
"resourcePoolSpecs": [{
"name": "vcf-mgmt01-cluster01-rp-sddc-mgmt",
"type": "management",
"cpuReservationPercentage": 0,
"cpuLimit": -1,
"cpuReservationExpandable": true,
"cpuSharesLevel": "normal",
"cpuSharesValue": 0,
"memoryReservationMb": 0,
"memoryLimit": -1,
"memoryReservationExpandable": true,
"memorySharesLevel": "normal",
"memorySharesValue": 0
}, {
"name": "vcf-mgmt01-cluster01-rp-sddc-edge",
"type": "network",
"cpuReservationPercentage": 0,
"cpuLimit": -1,
"cpuReservationExpandable": true,
"cpuSharesLevel": "normal",
"cpuSharesValue": 0,
"memoryReservationPercentage": 0,
"memoryLimit": -1,
"memoryReservationExpandable": true,
"memorySharesLevel": "normal",
"memorySharesValue": 0
}, {
"name": "vcf-mgmt01-cluster01-rp-user-edge",
"type": "compute",
"cpuReservationPercentage": 0,
"cpuLimit": -1,
"cpuReservationExpandable": true,
"cpuSharesLevel": "normal",
"cpuSharesValue": 0,
"memoryReservationPercentage": 0,
"memoryLimit": -1,
"memoryReservationExpandable": true,
"memorySharesLevel": "normal",
"memorySharesValue": 0
}, {
"name": "vcf-mgmt01-cluster01-rp-user-vm",
"type": "compute",
"cpuReservationPercentage": 0,
"cpuLimit": -1,
"cpuReservationExpandable": true,
"cpuSharesLevel": "normal",
"cpuSharesValue": 0,
"memoryReservationPercentage": 0,
"memoryLimit": -1,
"memoryReservationExpandable": true,
"memorySharesLevel": "normal",
"memorySharesValue": 0
}]
},
"pscSpecs": [
{
"adminUserSsoPassword": "Vcf520@password",
"pscSsoSpec": {
"ssoDomain": ""
}
}
],
"vcenterSpec": {
"vcenterIp": "192.168.32.65",
"vcenterHostname": "vcf-mgmt01-vcsa01",
"licenseFile": "22222-22222-22222-22222-22222",
"vmSize": "small",
"storageSize": "",
"rootVcenterPassword": "Vcf520@password"
},
"hostSpecs": [
{
"association": "vcf-mgmt01-datacenter01",
"ipAddressPrivate": {
"ipAddress": "192.168.32.61"
},
"hostname": "vcf-mgmt01-esxi01",
"credentials": {
"username": "root",
"password": "Vcf5@password"
},
"vSwitch": "vSwitch0"
},
{
"association": "vcf-mgmt01-datacenter01",
"ipAddressPrivate": {
"ipAddress": "192.168.32.62"
},
"hostname": "vcf-mgmt01-esxi02",
"credentials": {
"username": "root",
"password": "Vcf5@password"
},
"vSwitch": "vSwitch0"
},
{
"association": "vcf-mgmt01-datacenter01",
"ipAddressPrivate": {
"ipAddress": "192.168.32.63"
},
"hostname": "vcf-mgmt01-esxi03",
"credentials": {
"username": "root",
"password": "Vcf5@password"
},
"vSwitch": "vSwitch0"
},
{
"association": "vcf-mgmt01-datacenter01",
"ipAddressPrivate": {
"ipAddress": "192.168.32.64"
},
"hostname": "vcf-mgmt01-esxi04",
"credentials": {
"username": "root",
"password": "Vcf5@password"
},
"vSwitch": "vSwitch0"
}
]
}
4）Cloud Builder
To install the VMware Cloud Builder tool for deploying the first initial workload domain (management domain) for VMware Cloud Foundation, please note that the minimum password complexity requirement for Cloud Builder users has been increased to 15 characters. For more information and details, see:VMware Cloud Foundation Part 02: Deploying Cloud Builder.
II. Deployment process
If everything is ready in your environment, you can start the VCF build process. Log in to the deployment tool, VMware Cloud Builder UI.
Select VMware Cloud Foundation.
Acknowledged and clicked NEXT.
Finished and click NEXT.
Upload a local JSON configuration file.
Verify the configuration file with the deployment environment.
Click OK to deploy the SDDC.
Start the build process (Bring-up).
The deployment was successful. If you encounter NSX Manager failing a task due to high CPU load, you can retry (RETRY) the task a few times and it should be fine.
Click Login to SDDC Manager.
VCF 5.2 has been successfully deployed.
III. Environmental information
1）SDDC Manager
- SDDC Manager dashboard.
- List of workload domains.
- Manage domain summary information.
- SDDC Manager host list.
- SDDC Manager supports standalone updates.
- VCF Release.
- Supports offline library settings.
2）vCenter Server
- hosts and clusters in the domain.
- vSAN ESA storage architecture.
- Domain management component VMs.
- vSAN ESA storage configuration.
- VDS Distributed Switch.
3）NSX Manager
- NSX Manager system overview.
- NSX Manager Deployment Node.
- NSX Transport Node Host.
