Part 10 of the 10-part VCF series. This technical reference guide walks through the end-to-end deployment workflow utilizing the VCF Cloud Builder engine to bootstrap a clean VCF 9.1 Management Domain configuration from bare metal.
Orchestration Overview: The Cloud Builder Architecture
In VCF 9.x, deployment automation is driven by an updated VCF Cloud Builder appliance. Delivered as a lightweight OVA, this appliance is deployed temporarily onto a staging host or a localized workstation.
Unlike previous architectures that required local storage of large product binaries inside the OVA, the VCF Cloud Builder connects directly to the Broadcom online depot (or a configured private offline depot) to pull verified, matching product packages on demand. Deployments can be initiated using the built-in graphical user interface wizard or by uploading an automated, pre-validated JSON deployment specification file.
Critical Infrastructure Prerequisites
The VCF Cloud Builder enforces rigorous validation checks, requiring the following prerequisites:
- DNS and NTP: Full FQDN resolution (forward and reverse) and synchronized time across all components.
- Networking: VLANs configured for Management, vMotion, vSAN, and Geneve TEPs, with Jumbo Frames (MTU 9000) enabled on physical switches.
- Host Preparation: ESXi 9.x hosts ready with static IPs, SSH enabled, and at least dual-NIC configurations.
- Depot Access: Validated outbound HTTPS connectivity to the Broadcom depot, or a pre-staged local repository for air-gapped scenarios.
End-to-End Deployment Workflow Sequence
- Step 1: Selection and Authentication. Choose the deployment type (VCF or VPF) and authenticate against the Broadcom depot.
- Step 2: Configuration. Define environmental parameters (vCenter, SSO) and ingest host details (FQDN/Credentials).
- Step 3: Networking and Storage. Map IP pools, VLANs, and select vSAN architecture (OSA or ESA).
- Step 4: Validation and Build. Run the pre-check validation. Once successful, the automated process builds the management components, including SDDC Manager.
Post-Deployment Initial Configurations
- Networking and Licensing: Ensure Kubernetes Pod/Service CIDR ranges (198.18.0.0/15 default) do not conflict with existing network routing. Apply production licenses via SDDC Manager to exit evaluation mode.
- Expansion: Deploy VCF Operations and Automation tools for full functionality.
That wraps the 10-part series. From first principles through licensing, architecture, hardware, networking, storage, workload domains, operations, and finally a hands-on deployment, you now have the vocabulary and the technical model to work with VCF 9.x confidently.