Because vSAN is a cost-efficient storage technology that provides simple storage management user experience, the default management cluster uses vSAN for principal storage. By using vSAN, you can also configure a vSAN stretched cluster in the domain.

Figure 1. vSAN Logical Design
Management VMs on management ESXi hosts are connected to a principal datastore over vSAN. The management ESXi hosts are also connected to an optional supplemental datastore.
Table 1. vSAN Logical Design

Single VMware Cloud Foundation Instance with a Single Availability Zone

Single VMware Cloud Foundation Instance with Multiple Availability Zones

Multiple VMware Cloud Foundation Instances

  • vSAN clusters in the management domain

  • Four ESXi hosts per vSAN cluster

  • All-flash vSAN configuration

  • The default management cluster is a vSAN stretched cluster

  • Eight ESXi hosts in the vSAN stretched cluster

    Four ESXi hosts in each availability zone

  • vSAN witness appliance in a third location to the SDDC

  • All-flash configuration

In each instance:

  • vSAN clusters in the management domain

  • Four ESXi hosts per vSAN cluster

  • All-flash vSAN configuration

  • vSAN witness appliance in a third location, for example, another instance of VMware Cloud Foundation

In each instance with multiple availability zones:

  • The management domain default cluster is a vSAN stretched cluster.

  • Eight ESXi hosts in the stretched cluster with four ESXi hosts in each availability zone.

  • vSAN witness appliance in a third location, for example, another instance of VMware Cloud Foundation.