VMware Cloud Foundation is an integrated software stack that bundles compute virtualization (VMware vSphere), storage virtualization (VMware vSAN), network virtualization (VMware NSX for vSphere and NSX-T), and cloud management ( VMware vRealize Suite) into a single platform that can be deployed on premises as a private cloud or run as a service within a public cloud. You also have the option of using NFS or VMFS on FC storage for your workloads. Cloud Foundation helps to break down the traditional administrative silos in data centers, merging compute, storage, network provisioning, and cloud management to facilitate end-to-end support for application deployment.
This guide focuses on the private cloud use case.
Cloud Foundation uses VMware vCenter Server for virtual machine (VM) management, monitoring, and provisioning. Cloud Foundation also integrates with VMware vRealize Suite and supports other VMware products, including VMware Integrated OpenStack, VMware Integrated Containers, and VMware Horizon.
To manage the logical infrastructure in the private cloud, Cloud Foundation augments the VMware virtualization and management components with a new component, SDDC Manager. SDDC Manager automates the bring up, configuration, and provisioning of the entire SDDC stack. SDDC Manager also automates the lifecycle management of the stack. From this interface, the IT administrator can provision new private cloud resources, monitor changes to the logical infrastructure, and manage life cycle and other operational activities.
Cloud Foundation enables data center cloud administrators to provision an application environment in a rapid, repeatable, automated way versus the traditional manual process.
