Deploying VCF on VxRail MGT WLD

Overview on how we leverage VMware’s Cloud Builder and VxRail Manager to deploy our new VCF MGMT WLD in a few hours.

A few pre-requisites

Create some DNS Entries for

Each VxRail ESXI Host
MGTM vCenter l
WLD 1 vCenter
PSC 1
PSC 2
VxRail Manager
VRealize Log insight Load Balancer
VRealize Log insight Node 1
VRealize Log insight Node 1
VRealize Log insight Node 1
MGMT NSX Manager
SDDC Manager

Define some VLANs and Subnets for

vSAN
vMotion
ESXI Management
VXLAN

Ensure NTP is working and that you have DHCP Sever running and advertising addresses on the VxLAN Vlan for VTEP IP assignment

First step is to deploy your VxRail Cluster as per the normal procedure. I wont go through the bring up process as there are so many examples available. On of the better one is by my fellow VxSeal Mr Jeremy Merrill
https://inside-the-rails.com/2018/08/09/installing-a-vxrail-highlights-and-tips/

Only caveat when deploying is set the logging option is to select None as Cloud Builder will deploy a 3 Node log-insight cluster during deployment

Once VxRail Manager has completed its installation process you will have have your base building block ready to deploy the VCF SDDC Stack on top.

Cloud Builder will leverage the existing vCenter. PSC and VxRail manager to complete deployment. First step is to deploy the OVA. Right click and deploy the ova and select your newly build VxRail Cluster as the Target.

Select a compute resource.

Accept Eula

Select vSan Datastore

Choose with port group you would like to use

Customize the VM, Specify the usual information, IP, Gateway, DNS, NTP, password etc. The important piece here is highlighted in green in the graphic below. By setting the SKU to vcf-vxrail, Cloud Builder is then aware that its needs to integrate with VxRail Manager and it already has a starting point of a 4 Node VxRail cluster and vCenter Server and PSC pre-built by VxRail Manager.

Once the deployment is finished we use the IP specified in the OVA wizard to login on the WEB base UI for Cloud Builder. Password has also been specified during the cloud builder deployment.

VMware have provided a Pre-Bring up checklist to ensure success of the automation work flow.

Accept the Eula and then start the Cloud build Install. I am using a .json answer file that cloud builder will use and validate in order to build the SDDC stack. The .json file will hold all the Hostname, IP address, password and licenses required to complete the automation workflow.