tenthirtyam's Posts

In this demo, we show how easy it is to delete an existing workload domain and return the physical capacity to a VMware Cloud Foundation instance allowing the to be consumed by other workload domains. By using VMware Cloud Foundation's SDDC Manager, the process of cleaning deprovisioning and reclaiming physical resources with a ready state is fully automated and completed in a matter of minutes. The ability to rapidly deploy, expand, and reclaim workload domains in a repeatable and consistent manner allows your to focus more on the business and spend less time worrying about deploying and configuring infrastructure.

VMware Cloud Foundation introduced an integral design construct known as the Workload Domain. A workload domains allows your to deploy capacity for specific workload types using a policy-driven approach on top of modular, standardized hardware. VMware Cloud Foundation leverages SDDC Manager to fully automate the following tasks: Workload Domain Creation – Rapidly deploy infrastructure based on capacity, availability, performance, and network requirements. Workload Domain Expansion – Add storage, compute, and network capacity to an existing Workload Domain. Workload Domain Deletion – Repurpose Workload Domain resources that are no longer being utilized. Lifecycle Management – Keep Workload Domains up-to-date with the latest VMware Software and Patches. In this demo, we show how easy it is to expand an existing workload domain using available capacity in a VMware Cloud Foundation instance. By using VMware Cloud Foundation's SDDC Manager, the process that once involved multiple teams, meetings, and at times stretched on for days, can now be completed in a matter of minutes. The ability to rapidly deploy and expand Workload Domains in a repeatable and consistent manner allows your to focus more on the business and spend less time worrying about deploying and configuring infrastructure.

Learn how VMware Cloud Foundation’s networking architecture is both powerfully simple and highly scalable, leveraging automated deployment and configuration of core vSphere networking components and NSX to make your private cloud ready to host workloads without the hassle of manual installation and configuration of your private cloud infrastructure.

In this video learn about VMware Cloud Foundation, the unified Software-Defined Data Center platform that brings together vSphere, vSAN and NSX into a natively integrated stack to deliver enterprise-ready cloud infrastructure for the private and public cloud.

DOWNLOAD NOW On March 2nd 2017 we released the VMware Validated Design for Software-Defined Data Center 4.0. A milestone release in our commitment to delivering our customers standardized, proven, and robust data-center level designs for the Software-Defined Data Center. The excitement from our customers and partners for this release has been phenomenal – from the wave of product updates, new advanced day-two operations, streamlined online access, and the release of the Solution Enablement Toolkit for partners. As we talk to customers and partners on a daily basis, there are many questions about the design. We wanted a way to provide a quick architecture reference as you get started with the design. It is my pleasure to share the architecture reference poster for the VMware Validated Design for Software-Defined Data Center 4.0. This poster depicts many portions of the fundamental architecture for both quick reference and discussion. The poster has six major sections. Let’s highlight these below. Logical Components Architecture – This section illustrates the logical architecture and the how the solutions are deployed and integrated across a full-stack, dual-region Software-Defined Data Center. From vCenter Servers and load-balanced Platform Services Controllers, to cross-region and cross-vCenter NSX, through cloud operations and automation with the vRealize Suite, this section touches it all. Core and Pod Architecture – This section illustrates the pods used in the design and how they are constructed and deployed to provide a common set of scalable building blocks for your Software-Defined Data Center. Distributed Logical Networking and Application Virtual Networks – This section illustrates the design’s use of distributed logical routing across a dual-region Software-Defined Data Center by incorporating VMware NSX into the management stack. It also depicts the deployment of the full-stack of SDDC solutions with Application Virtual Networks and network services provided by NSX. Storage – This section illustrates the use of vSAN and NFS in the design. VMware Validated Designs are designed and tested with VMware vSAN in the management & shared edge and compute pods for primary storage and NFS for secondary storage (templates, archives, and backups.) VMware vSAN is required for the management pod; however, the choice of storage used in the shared edge and compute pod, and additional compute only pods is always at the discretion of the customer. We highly recommend using VMware vSAN Ready Nodes for the management pod, the VMware Validated Designs may use systems on the VMware Compatibility Guide for vSAN. Pods and Clusters – This section illustrates, at a high-level, how the design pulls together the pods, solutions, and the use of distributed logical routing. Region Protection and Disaster Recovery – This section illustrates how the design protects vRealize Automation, vRealize Orchestrator, vRealize Operations, and vRealize Business for Cloud in management stack using Site Recovery Manager along with NSX. If you’d like to see the poster hanging on your office wall, the PDF size is 51in x 31in. Stay tuned for more coming soon, but in the mean time you can find all VMware posters at vmware.com/go/posters. If you have any questions or have feedback, reach out to me on Twitter as @tenthirtyam. VMware Validated Design for SDDC 4.0 Release Notes What’s New in the VMware Validated Design for SDDC 4.0 Video and Blog Read the documentation at vmware.com/go/vvd-docs

Updated 120 July 2017: Added some additional vSphere 6.5 Ports (8900 and 12080) Updated 18 May 2017: Added vSAN 6.5 Ports and Protocols Tab This document is a community release that provides the best determination of ports and protocols used across the products and versions in the VMware Validated Design for SDDC 4.0. As an added bonus, sections for portions of Horizon 7, not that are currently not a part of the design, are included in the document.

In this session, Ryan Johnson provides an overview of what’s new in the VMware Validated Design for Software-Defined Data Center 4.0 that went GA in March 2017. The session addresses the major bill of materials and design updates from the prior 3.x releases.

We're happy to announce that on 02 March 2017 we released an the VMware Validated Design for Software-Defined Data Center 4.0. The VMware Validated Designs provide our customers prescriptive guidance and tools, to plan, build, and operate a Software-Defined Data Center. The designs are extensively tested to ensure all components and their specific versions are validated to work in unison, to scale to predetermined design objectives, and operate as our customers expect. Unlike Reference Architectures which may focus on an individual product or purpose without lifecycle management guidance, the VVD for SDDC is a holistic approach to designing a full SSDC stack, applicable to a broad set of uses with a commitment to ongoing upgrade guidance. What's New? Version 4.0 is the first release to incorporate the vSphere 6.5 wave of products. The Bill Of Materials (BOM) has been completely refreshed to all new versions of the SDDC products. This means VVD customers are able to take advantage of the new performance enhancements, scalability, and robustness which is included in these latest versions.  This substantial platform uplift in 4.0, the first major vSphere version refresh since the 1.0 design launch, demonstrates the strength and flexibility inherent to the VVD design, enabling existing customers to seamlessly upgrade their full SDDC stack. Product Group and Edition Product Name Product Version VMware vSphere Enterprise Plus ESXi 6.5 a vCenter Server Appliance 6.5 a vSphere Update Manager 6.5 a VMware vSAN Standard or higher vSAN 6.5 VMware vSphere Replication VMware vSphere Replication 6.5 VMware Site Recovery Manager Enterprise VMware Site Recovery Manager 6.5 VMware NSX for vSphere Enterprise NSX for vSphere 6.3 * VMware vRealize Automation Advanced or higher vRealize Automation 7.2 vRealize Orchestrator 7.2 vRealize Orchestrator Plug-in for NSX 1.0.4 VMware vRealize Business for Cloud Advanced vRealize Business for Cloud 7.2 VMware vRealize Operations Manager Advanced or higher vRealize Operations Manager 6.4 vRealize Operations Management Pack for NSX for vSphere 3.5 vRealize Operations Management Pack for vRealize Log Insight 1.0.1 vRealize Operations Management Pack for vRealize Automation 2.1 vRealize Operations Management Pack for Storage Devices 6.0.5 VMware vRealize Log Insight vRealize Log Insight 4.0 vRealize Log Insight Content Pack for NSX for vSphere 3.5 vRealize Log Insight Content Pack for vSAN 2.0 vRealize Log Insight Content Pack for vRealize Automation 7 1.5 vRealize Log Insight Content Pack for vRealize Orchestrator 7.0.1+ 2.0 vRealize Log Insight Content Pack for vRealize Operations Manager 6.x 1.7 vRealize Log Insight Content Pack for Microsoft SQL Server 3.1 VMware vSphere Data Protection vSphere Data Protection 6.1.3 * Shortly before VMware Validated Designs 4.0 released, VMware released the NSX for vSphere 6.3.1 patch which includes an important hotfix. VMware Validated Designs supports this hotfix and VMware recommends that you apply it immediately. VMware makes available patches and releases to address critical security issues for several products. Verify that you are using the latest security patches for a given component when deploying VMware Validated Design. This release provides the following new features: Updated Bill of Materials that incorporates new product versions All new SDDC roles and personas guidance Platform Services Controllers in each region are now behind an NSX load balancer Use of host profiles to deploy ESXi on the hosts in the management and the shared edge and compute pods. New operational guidance for certificate replacement of the SDDC management cluster Support for SHA-2 Certificates NSX distributed logical router for the shared edge and compute cluster Improved free space recommendations for vSAN and NFS datastores Less nodes required for the analytics cluster of vRealize Operations Manager Now using syslog to send log data from vCenter Server and Platform Services Controller to vRealize Log Insight Implemented SSL for log forwarding Incorporated the use of vSphere Update Manager for upgrading ESXi hosts Adoption of service accounts for secure application-to-application communication For more information, and to get started: Read the Documentation in PDF or HTML Read the Release Notes Learn What's New by Watching the What's New in 4.0 Video

Since we released the VMware Validated Design for Software-Defined Data Center 4.0 we've had an amazing level of response from our customers and partners who are excited about the new updates to the bill of materials and the design updates. We want to make it even easier for you to get started. We're excited to announce a simple, easily referenceable version of all 290+ design decisions found in the VMware Validated Design for SDDC 4.0 Architecture and Design. Use this document for your own quick reference and architecture review with your teams. It also includes columns for determining your level of adherence to the architecture and any justification for deviations. Get started today: Download the Design Decision Checklist Read the Documentation in PDF and HTML Read the Release Notes

Updated 06 April 2017 This document provides you all 290+ decisions in the VMware Validated Design for SDDC 4.0 Architecture and Design into a simple spreadsheet for quick reference. It includes columns for determining your level of adherence to the architecture and any justification for deviations.

** Updated 02 March 2017 *** The VMware Validated Design for Software-Defined Data Center is GA as of 02 March 2017. Read the Documentation in PDF and HTML Read the Release Notes - - - - - - - - - - VMware Validated Design 4.0 | 15 December 2016 |  Early Access As many of you may know, we opened the Early Access sub-community to provide you an opportunity to download and discuss pre-released design materials for the VMware Validated Designs. We want you discover the latest content for blueprints that are in development and learn about the direction of the next generation architectures and advance operational guidance. Today it's my pleasure to announce the early access materials for the VMware Validated Design for SDDC 4.0. This design builds upon the success of the releases and introduces some key architecture and operations updates for the latest versions of the SDDC software components, such as vSphere 6.5, vSAN 6.5. vRealize Log Insight 4.0. vRealize Operations 6.4, and vRealize Automation 7.2 to name a few. What's in the Early Access Material? Introduction - The Introducing VMware Validated Design for Software-Defined Data Center guide provides directions on using the content of VMware Validated Design for Software-Defined Data Center. The guide also contains a high-level overview of the Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) design supported in this VMware Validated Design version. The document includes a detailed listing of the design objectives, document structures and purpose, and an overview of the design. Reference Architecture Guide - The VMware Validated Design Reference Architecture Guide contains a validated model of the Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) and provides a detailed design of each management component of the SDDC stack. The document includes over 240 design decisions along with their justification, implications, and where applicable associated diagrams. Roles and Personas - The Introducing VMware Validated Design Roles and Personas Guide provides detailed information about the how customers can consume a VMware Validated Design for Software-Defined Data Center based deployment with an optimal set of role and personas  These are mapped to sets of requirements and relevent documents in the design that support these roles and personas. What Software Components are included in the VMware Validated Design for Software-Defined Data Center 4.0? VMware Validated Design for Software-Defined Data Center 4.0 is based on a set of individual VMware products with different versions that are available in a common downloadable package.         Product Group and Edition Product Name Product Version VMware vSphere Enterprise Plus ESXi 6.5 a vCenter Server Appliance 6.5 a vSphere Update Manager 6.5 a VMware vSAN Standard or higher vSAN 6.5 VMware vSphere Replication VMware vSphere Replication 6.5 VMware Site Recovery Manager Enterprise VMware Site Recovery Manager 6.5 VMware NSX for vSphere Enterprise NSX for vSphere 6.3 VMware vRealize Automation Advanced or higher vRealize Automation 7.2 vRealize Orchestrator 7.2 vRealize Orchestrator Plug-in for NSX 1.0.4 VMware vRealize Business for Cloud Advanced vRealize Business for Cloud 7.2 VMware vRealize Operations Manager Advanced or higher vRealize Operations Manager 6.4 vRealize Operations Management Pack for NSX for vSphere 3.5 vRealize Operations Management Pack for vRealize Log Insight 1.0.1 vRealize Operations Management Pack for vRealize Automation 2.1 vRealize Operations Management Pack for Storage Devices 6.0.5 VMware vRealize Log Insight vRealize Log Insight 4.0 vRealize Log Insight Content Pack for NSX for vSphere 3.5 vRealize Log Insight Content Pack for vSAN 2.0 vRealize Log Insight Content Pack for vRealize Automation 7 1.0 vRealize Log Insight Content Pack for vRealize Orchestrator 7.0.1+ 2.0 vRealize Log Insight Content Pack for vRealize Operations Manager 6.x 1.7 vRealize Log Insight Content Pack for Microsoft SQL Server 3.1 VMware vSphere Data Protection vSphere Data Protection 6.1.3 VMware makes available patches and releases to address critical security issues for several products. Verify that you are using the latest security patches for a given component when deploying VMware Validated Design. VMware Solution Exchange and in-product marketplace store only the latest versions of the management packs for vRealize Operations Manager and the content packs for vRealize Log Insight. This table contains the latest versions of the packs that were available at the time this VMware Validated Design was validated. When you deploy the VMware Validated Design components, it is possible that the version of a management or content pack on VMware Solution Exchange and in-product marketplace is newer than the one used for this release.