Part#3 VCF9.0.1 Management domain single fleet doployment (Single Node Deployment Model)

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VCF9 Management domain Single Fleet Deployment (Single Node Deployment Model)


VCF 9 introduces the VCF Installer (replacing Cloud Builder) with multiple deployment pathways and a modern, JSON‑capable wizard that reduces pre‑bring‑up friction and improves validation. This post documents how I deployed a single‑node management domain for lab purposes. The wizard can export a JSON "as‑built" of your inputs for reuse and drift control, you can also start from JSON and "edit in wizard". Once the binaries are uploaded successfully using the offline depot. We can now start the VCF deployment using the VCF installer wizard 


Access the VCF installer via FQDN and start the wizard and start deployment Wizard.


In the lab we are doing the single fleet deployment.


Since we are doing green field install so we don't have any existing components in place. so we skipped this step and moved to next step.



Configure general deployment options

Deployment model: Simple/Single-node for management components is selected due the fact that it has smallest workable footprint for lab purposes and proof of concept. It is not equivalent to production Management domain, so inputs may vary as per the environment.


Fill the following information in the wizard

Version: 9.0.1.0
VCF instance name: VCF-9.01
Management domain name: VCF-MGMT
Select Deployment model: Single (Single-Node)
DNS and NTP servers: vplab.local





Configure VCF Operations:

Fill in the details of Operations Appliance, Fleet Manager and Collector Appliance.


Configure VCF automation:

Fill information for VCF automation, I have selected a single node due to CPU constraints in my lab. Provide FQDN's, IP address, VIP and password.


Configure vCenter:

Click Next and fill the information for vCenter, Provide FQDNs, IPs and passwords.



Configure NSX Manager:

Here Medium is selected for lab purposes, fill information for NSX Manager, Provide FQDNs and passwords.


Configure Storage:

Here vSAN OSA is selected for simplicity, external storage is also supported but i optimized it for lab purposes only. For production ESA is the recommended option. vSAN duplication and compression is not selected to avoid CPU overhead in the nested environment 




Configure Hosts:
 
Add 3 Hosts that were prepared. Add Host(s) by FQDN, accept thumbprints and validate.



Configure Networks and VDS:

Define ESX Management Network, VM Management Network, vMotion Network and optional overlay networks; verify VLANs and MTU








Configure SDDC Manager:

Provide SDDC manager Details.



Fill the addition properties which was not found in JSON file i imported.


On Review, Click Download JSON to keep a portable as built, Run Validation and remediate anything flagged (DNS/NTP/MTU) 


Once every validation check passes, proceed with the deployment. A frequent issue at this point is NTP time drift, where the installer reports that the management components and ESX hosts are not in sync. If you are using Windows as the time source, restart the Windows Time service before continuing. In my lab environment to avoid this issue i configured lab router as the NTP server. 



Deployment:

Once the validation is Complete then click on Deploy. And wizard will start the deployment and it will take 4 to 5 hours to complete the deployment. In my lab it took 5 hours to complete.


Validation:

Once the deployment is completed successfully verify the deployment by logging in to the vcf operations


Enjoy Using VCF9 !!!

In the next blog we will discuss about VMware Supervisor Deployment.
























IT Professional with wide range of expertise and having 13+ years of extensive experience in Infrastructure Operations, Planning, Design, deployments, upgradation, migrations and consolidations. A technology enthusiast determined to take self-initiatives for driving transformations

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