VMware Cloud Builder is a virtual appliance that is used to deploy and configure the first cluster of the management domain and transfer inventory and control to SDDC Manager. During the deployment process, the VMware Cloud Builder appliance validates network information you provide in the deployment parameter workbook such as DNS, network (VLANS, IPs, MTUs), and credentials.

You must deploy the VMware Cloud Builder appliance on a suitable platform. This can be on a laptop running VMware Workstation or VMware Fusion, or on an ESXi host. The VMware Cloud Builder appliance must have network access to all hosts on the management network.

This procedure describes how to deploy the VMware Cloud Builder appliance directly to an ESXi host.

Prerequisites

Before you deploy the VMware Cloud Builder appliance, verify that your environment fulfills the requirements for this process.

Prerequisite Value
Environment
  • Verify that your environment is configured for deployment of VMware Cloud Builder and the management domain.
  • Verify that you have available virtual infrastructure that has access to the management network that will be used by the management domain. You deploy VMware Cloud Builder on that virtual infrastructure.
Resource Requirements
  • 4 CPUs
  • 4 GB of Memory
  • 279 GB of Storage
    • 25.1 GB (thin provisioned)
    • 253.8 GB (thick provisioned)
Installation Packages Verify that you download the OVA file(s) for VMware Cloud Builder.
Network
  • Verify that the static IP address and FQDN for the VMware Cloud Builder appliance are available.
  • Verify that connectivity is in place from the VMware Cloud Builder appliance and the management VLAN used in the deployment.

To image servers and automate the deployment, the VMware Cloud Builder appliance must be on the same management network as the hosts to be used. It must also be able to access all required external services, such as DNS and NTP.

Procedure

  1. In a web browser, log in to the ESXi host using the VMware Host Client.
  2. In the navigation pane, select Host, and click Create/Register VM.
  3. On the Select creation type dialog box, select Deploy a virtual machine from an OVF or OVA file and click Next.
  4. On the Select OVF and VMDK files page, enter a name for the virtual machine, select the VMware Cloud Builder.ova file, and click Next.
  5. On the Select Storage page, select a datastore and click Next.
  6. On the License agreements dialog box, click I agree and then click Next.
  7. On the Select networks dialog box, enter the following values and click Next.
    Setting Value
    Network mappings your_portgroup
    Disk provisioning Thin
    Power on automatically Selected
  8. On the Additional settings dialog box, expand Application, enter the following values, and click Next.
    Setting Details
    Admin Username Accept the default admin user name, admin.
    Admin Password/Admin Password confirm The admin password must be a minimum of 8 characters and include at least one uppercase, one lowercase, one digit, and one special character. Supported special characters:

    @ ! # $ % ? ^
    Root password/Root password confirm The root password must be a minimum of 8 characters and include at least one uppercase, one lowercase, one digit, and one special character. Supported special characters:

    @ ! # $ % ? ^
    Hostname Enter the hostname for the VMware Cloud Builder appliance.
    Network 1 IP Address Enter the IP address for the VMware Cloud Builder appliance.
    Network 1 Subnet Mask Enter the subnet mask for the VMware Cloud Builder appliance.
    Default Gateway Enter the default gateway for the VMware Cloud Builder appliance.
    DNS Servers Enter the IP address of the primary and secondary DNS servers (comma separated). Do not specify more than two servers.
    DNS Domain Name Enter the DNS domain name. For example, vsphere.local.
    DNS Domain Search Paths Enter the DNS domain search path(s). Use a comma if entering multiple search paths. For example vsphere.local, sfo.vsphere.local.
    NTP Servers Enter the NTP server(s). Use a comma if entering multiple NTP servers. NTP servers can be entered using FQDNs or IP addresses.
  9. On the Ready to complete page, review the virtual machine configuration and click Finish.
    Note: Make sure your passwords meet the requirements specified above before clicking Finish or your deployment will not succeed.
  10. After the VMware Cloud Builder appliance is deployed, SSH in to the VM with the admin credentials provided in step 9.
  11. Ensure that you can ping the ESXi hosts.
  12. Verify that the VMware Cloud Builder appliance has access to the required external services, such as DNS and NTP by performing forward and reverse DNS lookups for each host and the specified NTP servers.