VMware Cloud on AWS

Hi team,

I need to know if it is possible to launch the vSan witness and Tie Breaker server on AWS EC2 instance?

Regards

Pravesh

Any help would be highly appreciated.

You can run the witness appliance on VMware Cloud on AWS because you can easily import OVA files there. As EC2 instance it is not supported, because you can't natively import OVA files as EC2 instance and have to convert it into an AMI image first. And this process is not supported.

See: vSAN Witness Appliance in VMware Cloud on AWS (especially the comment from Glenn Sizemore).

Hi Sebastian,

Thanks for your reply.

So, importing directly OVA as EC2 instance is not supported. However, if we convert OVA to AMI we can launch the same on AWS. Correct me if I am wrong?

Regards

Pravesh Kaushal

A direct import of OVA files as EC2 is not possible. You must first convert it to AMI. However, this process is not supported by VMware for the vSAN witness appliance.

With VMware Cloud on AWS, you have a fully functional vSphere environment in AWS with ESXi hosts and you can import OVA files directly as in any other vSphere infrastructure. So, this is supported as long as you meet the witness networking requirements (latency, throughput, etc).

See:

VMware Cloud on AWS

VMware Cloud

Hi Sebastian,

Thanks again for your prompt response.

Hi Sebastian,

As stated, "a direct import of OVA files as EC2 is not possible. You must first convert it to AMI. However, this process is not supported by VMware for the vSAN witness appliance".

Is there is a way we can deploy vsan witness server on AWS cloud?

Regards

PK

It is only possible with VMware Cloud on AWS. This is a special product developed in collaboration between VMware and Amazon. It gives you a true vSphere environment, not a normal EC2 instance, and allows you to import OVA files just like in any other vSphere environment.

Please read the links I've provided and ask your VMware sales representative about it.

Hi Sebastian,

Thanks again for your response.

I will surely go though the article and get back to you in case of any further confusion.

Regards

PK