Deploying VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2: A Step-by-Step Guide (Part 1)

Introduction

VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 5.2 is an integrated platform designed to simplify the deployment and management of software-defined data centers (SDDCs). This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough of deploying VCF 5.2 using VMware Cloud Builder. We will cover the initial setup of ESXi hosts, networking considerations, certificate management, and system requirements.

In this first part of the series, we will:

  • Install and configure ESXi for the management domain.
  • Set up networking requirements, including VLAN assignments and MTU configurations.
  • Deploy and configure the Cloud Builder appliance.
  • Prepare for the bring-up phase, which involves deploying vCenter, vSAN, NSX-T, and SDDC Manager.

The second part of this series will focus on post-deployment tasks, such as setting up Edge clusters, configuring AVN for VMware Aria, integrating with update depots, and preparing Tanzu Kubernetes Grid for containerized workloads.

Core Components of VCF 5.2

VCF 5.2 includes the following key components:

  • SDDC Manager – Centralized management for VCF deployments.
  • vCenter Server – Manages the virtual infrastructure.
  • vSAN – Hyper-converged storage solution.
  • NSX-T – Network virtualization and security platform.
  • Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKG) – Kubernetes management for modern applications.
  • VMware Aria Suite – Operations and automation tools.
  • Identity Manager – User authentication and role management.

Hardware and Network Requirements

Minimum Hardware Specifications

VCF 5.2 requires vSAN-ready nodes and a minimum of four 10Gb network ports per host for optimal performance. The recommended lab setup includes:

Compute & Storage Configuration

  • 3x Dell R640 Servers
    • Dual Intel Xeon 6130 CPUs
    • 512GB RAM
    • 6x 10Gb NICs
    • 1x 960GB SSD (Cache)
    • 4x 1.92TB SSDs (Capacity)
  • 1x Dell R740 Server
    • Dual Intel Xeon 6130 CPUs
    • 512GB RAM
    • 6x 10Gb NICs
    • 1x 1.92TB SSD (Cache)
    • 4x 1.92TB SSDs (Capacity)
  • 1x Dell 4148F-ON Switch
    • 48x 10Gb SFP+ ports
    • 2x 40Gb QSFP+ ports
    • 4x 100Gb QSFP28 ports

Network Configuration

To ensure smooth deployment, the following network configurations are required:

  • Jumbo frames (MTU 9216) must be enabled on all switch ports.
  • VLANs must be properly assigned and tagged across all host ports.
  • NSX-T requires a minimum MTU of 1600 for the overlay network.
  • DHCP or static IP pools must be configured for ESXi Host TEP networks.

VLAN Assignments

FunctionVLAN ID
Management (ESXi)11
vCenter/NSX/SDDC12
vMotion13
vSAN14
NSX Host TEP15
NSX Edge TEP16
Edge Uplink 17
Edge Uplink 28

Deploying ESXi Hosts

Step 1: Install ESXi on Dell Servers

  1. Access the server’s iDRAC IP via a web browser.
  2. Open the Virtual Console.
  3. Navigate to Virtual Media > Connect Virtual Media.
  4. Select Map CD/DVD, then choose the ESXi ISO file.
  5. Click Map Device and reboot the server.
  6. Boot from the mounted ESXi ISO and follow the installation steps:
    • Accept the EULA.
    • Select the installation disk.
    • Choose the keyboard layout.
    • Set the root password.
    • Press F11 to begin installation.
  7. Once installed, reboot the system.

Step 2: Configure the ESXi Management Network

  1. Press F2 on the ESXi console and log in.
  2. Select Configure Management Network.
  3. Ensure the correct network adapter is selected.
  4. Assign the Management VLAN (e.g., VLAN 11).
  5. Configure a static IP address.
  6. Disable IPv6 if not required.
  7. Add DNS servers and set the hostname.
  8. Enable SSH for remote access:
    • Navigate to Manage > Services.
    • Start the TSM-SSH service.

Step 3: Configure Hostnames and Certificates

To set the hostname and regenerate SSL certificates, SSH into the ESXi host and run the following commands:

Run the following commands:

 esxcli system hostname set -H=
esxcli system hostname set -f=

/sbin/generate-certificates

/etc/init.d/hostd restart && /etc/init.d/vpxa restart

reboot

After the host reboots, restart the SSH service for Cloud Builder connectivity.

 

Step 4: Configure NTP

  1. Navigate to Manage > System > Time & Date.
  2. Set NTP server addresses.
  3. Configure NTP service to Start and stop with the host.
  4. Start the ntpd service.

Conclusion

With the ESXi hosts deployed and configured, we are now ready to proceed with the deployment of VMware Cloud Builder and the bring-up process.

In Part 2, we will cover:

  • Deploying Cloud Builder.
  • Initializing the VCF bring-up process.
  • Setting up NSX-T, vSAN, and Tanzu Kubernetes Grid.
  • Configuring post-deployment settings for VMware Aria and Edge clusters.

Stay tuned for the next part of this series! 🚀