I have had quite a few questions on VMware Cloud Foundation already this week. On what it is? Is it just a licensing bundle? Does it come with Cross-Cloud Services? Can customers build their own or is there a HCL? If you are a partner that I support, please feel free to reach out to me. Thank you!
VMware Cloud Foundation is more than a bundle of vSphere, VSAN and NSX licenses. It also contains SDDC Manager, which is critical in building and maintaining the SDDC infrastructure stack.
The core components of VMware Cloud Foundation are VMware vSphere, Virtual SAN and NSX. VMware Cloud Foundation also comes with VMware SDDC Manager that automates the entire system lifecycle and simplifies software operations. In addition, it can be further integrated with VMware vRealize® Suite, VMware Horizon® and VMware Integrated OpenStack.
What is Unique?
Natively Integrated Software-defined Stack.
VMware Cloud Foundation integrates compute, storage, and networking into a single layer of software, ensuring full interoperability of the entire software stack to deliver the easiest path to deploy a virtualized infrastructure for a SDDC.
Next Generation Hyper-convergence.
VMware Cloud Foundation takes hyperconvergence to the next level by extending the convergence of compute and storage by including network virtualization with VMware NSX. This allows for simpler network management and elastic scalability at data-center scale.
Run as a Service from the Public Cloud.
VMware Cloud Foundation can be run as a service from leading cloud service providers, establishing a common operational model between private and public clouds, that leverages existing administration skillsets, tools, and processes.
Automated Lifecycle Management.
VMware Cloud Foundation comes with VMware SDDC Manager that radically simplifies the day 0 to day 2 operations of the entire software stack, automating deployment, configuration, patching and upgrading processes.
- Currently, SDDC Manager provides lifecycle automation for VMware vSphere®, vCenter Server, Virtual SAN™, NSX®, Log Insight™, vRealize Operations™ and Horizon®. Other VMware components will be added in the future.
- The Cloud Foundation stack includes at a minimum VMware vSphere, Virtual SAN, NSX and SDDC Manager. Customers can purchase separately a VMware Horizon add-on for Cloud Foundation, and the full VMware vRealize Suite or its individual components.
- vCenter Server is NOT included in Cloud Foundation.
- Minimum Size: Cloud Foundation requires at a minimum, a deployment of a single rack with 8 nodes and 2 Top-of-Rack (ToR) switches.
- Cloud Foundation is supported on qualified Virtual SAN Ready Node server hardware from select vendors, including Dell, HPE and QCT, and on qualified hardware switches from select switch vendors, including Cisco and Arista.
Technical FAQ: http://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/datasheet/products/vmware-cloud-foundation-faq.pdf
Here’s some info:
The deployment can be done in three ways.
- The preferred option is a factory pre-imaged solution by Avnet or VCE
- VMware Cloud Foundation can also be deployed onsite at the customer through VMware-led or VMware partner services
- Finally, customers can download and deploy VMware Cloud Foundation themselves on qualified hardware. There’s an imaging appliance that they would use: https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?productId=604&downloadGroup=CLOUDFOUNDATION-2-0-OSS
https://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/sddc-mgr-pubs.html
Hardware Requirements: http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/vcl/cloudfoundation.php
Product Page: http://www.vmware.com/products/cloud-foundation.html
Remember to qualify customers first. Minimum Size: Cloud Foundation requires at a minimum, a deployment of a single rack with 8 nodes and 2 Top-of-Rack (ToR) switches. Cloud Foundation is supported on qualified Virtual SAN Ready Node server hardware from select vendors, including Dell, HPE and QCT, and on qualified hardware switches from select switch vendors, including Cisco and Arista.
- What are the physical hardware requirements for a Cloud Foundation private cloud?
- A Cloud Foundation private cloud is comprised of between 1 to 8 physical racks. Each rack is comprised of between 8 to 24 qualified servers, a pair of redundant Top-of-Rack (ToR) switches and a single management switch. In a multi-rack configuration, a pair of redundant spine switches is used to interconnect the racks.
- What are the physical scalability limits of a Cloud Foundation private cloud deployment?
- Each Cloud Foundation private cloud deployment can span up to 8 physical racks with each ra
Remember minimum 8 nodes per rack
Software and hardware can either be purchased separately. This would be the VMware Cloud Foundation SKU and qualified hardware or the customer can purchase an integrated system, which is a turnkey solution of hardware and software. The second option is only offered by OEMs. Any type of VMware ELA is supported, as well as OEM Partner ELAs.
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