How VMware Cloud Foundation Automates Private Cloud Deployment

VMware Cloud Foundation offers a variety of benefits for businesses looking to deploy a private cloud, including increased agility, scalability, and security. One of the key advantages of Cloud Foundation is its automated deployment process, known as Bring-Up. Bring-Up can deploy a standardized workload-ready private cloud in a matter of hours, making it a perfect solution for businesses that need to get their cloud up and running quickly.

Here is a look at the automated deployment process for Cloud Foundation:

Flexible network options: Customers can use their preferred network equipment and topology with Cloud Foundation. This gives businesses the flexibility to tailor their private cloud to their specific needs.

 Simple prerequisites: The Cloud Foundation deployment starts with just four (4) vSAN Ready nodes prepared with ESXi and a pair of TOR switches. Customers can review the pre-deployment checklist to ensure all prerequisites are in place, such as networking and customer-provided DNS/NTP/DHCP services.

VMware Cloud Builder Appliance: The next step is to deploy the VMware Cloud Builder appliance. This appliance contains all required software and automation to perform the automated initial deployment of Cloud Foundation.

 Pre-planned configuration: Cloud Builder requires an input file containing customer-specific deployment parameters, such as account credentials, networking, naming conventions, appliance sizing, and subscription options/product licensing. This allows the Cloud Foundation configuration to be pre-planned in advance, accelerating deployment. This information can be captured in an Excel spreadsheet (referred to as the Deployment Parameter Workbook) or a JSON-formatted text file.

 Validation and recommendations: Once the input file is uploaded into Cloud Builder, a validation is performed. Cloud Foundation will test these inputs and provide recommendations on any changes that may be required before the fully automated SDDC deployment commences.

 Automated deployment: During the deployment, a vSAN-enabled cluster will be formed using the customer-provided vSAN Ready Nodes. NSX will be deployed and configured for use, best practice configurations will be applied, and all of the Management component VMs will be deployed, including SDDC Manager.

 Improvements in Cloud Foundation 5. x:

 Deployment Parameter Workbook download: Starting with VMware Cloud Foundation 5.x, the Deployment Parameters Workbook input file (MS Excel spreadsheet) is downloaded from the VMware Customer Connect site and is no longer downloaded from within the Cloud Builder appliance. This allows VMware more flexibility to make changes to the Workbook without having to update Cloud Builder.

Pre-deployment familiarization: Customers can now download the Deployment Parameter Workbook before deploying Cloud Foundation. This allows them to become familiar with the required inputs without having to install the Cloud Builder appliance.

References:

VCF TechZone - Deploy Cloud Builder: https://core.vmware.com/?share=isim_demo2134

VCF TechZone - Deployment Parameters Workbook: https://core.vmware.com/?share=isim_demo3303

VCF TechZone - Bring-Up: https://core.vmware.com/?share=isim_demo2203

VMware Cloud Foundation Deployment Guide: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Cloud-Foundation/5.0/vcf-deploy/GUID-F2DCF1B2-4EF6-444E-80BA-8F529A6D0725.html