The Intelligent Logging and Analytics for VMware Cloud Foundation validated solution provides information on the use of a log analysis tool that delivers highly scalable log management with intuitive and actionable dashboards, sophisticated analytics, and broad third-party extensibility. The solution provides deep operational visibility and fast troubleshooting across physical, virtual, and cloud environments.

A VMware validated solution is a technical validated implementation that is built and tested by VMware and VMware partners to help customers resolve common business use cases. VMware validated solutions are operational, cost-effective, performant, reliable and secure. Each solution contains a detailed design, implementation, and operational guidance.

Automation for This Design in VMware Cloud Foundation

The implementation tasks for some design decisions are automated by VMware Cloud Foundation™ SDDC Manager™. You must perform the implementation manually for the rest of the design decisions as noted in the design implication.

To provide a fast and efficient path to automating the Intelligent Logging and Analytics for VMware Cloud Foundation implementation, this document provides Microsoft PowerShell cmdlets using an open-source module as code-based alternatives to completing certain procedures in each SDDC component's user interface. You can directly reuse the PowerShell commands by replacing the provided sample values with values from your VMware Cloud Foundation Planning and Preparation Workbook.

Intended Audience

The Intelligent Logging and Analytics for VMware Cloud Foundation documentation is intended for cloud architects and administrators who are familiar with and want to use VMware software and an intelligent logging and analytics solution for VMware Cloud Foundation.

Support Matrix

The Intelligent Logging and Analytics for VMware Cloud Foundation validated solution is compatible with certain versions of the VMware products that are used for implementing the solution.

Table 1. Software Components in Intelligent Logging and Analytics for VMware Cloud Foundation

VMware Cloud Foundation Version

Product Group

Component Versions

4.5.0

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

VMware vRealize® Log Insight™ 8.8.2.

4.4.1

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 4.4.1 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

vRealize Log Insight 8.6.2.

4.4.0

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 4.4 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

vRealize Log Insight 8.6.2.

4.3.1

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 4.3.1 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

vRealize Log Insight 8.4.1

4.3.0

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 4.3 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

vRealize Log Insight 8.4

Before You Apply This Guidance

To design and implement the Intelligent Logging and Analytics for VMware Cloud Foundation validated solution, your environment must have a certain configuration.

Table 2. Supported VMware Cloud Foundation Deployment

Workload Domain / Component

Deployment Details

Management domain

  • Automated deployment using VMware Cloud Builder™

  • Required availability of overlay-backed or VLAN-backed NSX segments in VMware NSX-T™ Data Center for traffic in the same VMware Cloud Foundation instance.

See the following VMware Cloud Foundation Documentation:

  • For information on designing the management domain, see VMware Cloud Foundation Design Guide for the Management Domain.

  • For information on deploying the management domain, see Getting Started with VMware Cloud Foundation and VMware Cloud Foundation Deployment Guide.

(Optional) One or more virtual infrastructure (VI) workload domains

Automated deployment using SDDC Manager.

See the following VMware Cloud Foundation Documentation:

  • For information on designing the VI workload domain, see VMware Cloud Foundation Design Guide for a Virtual Infrastructure Workload Domain.

  • For information on deploying the VI workload domain, see Getting Started with VMware Cloud Foundation and VMware Cloud Foundation Operations and Administration Guide.

vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager

Automated deployment by using SDDC Manager.

See the following VMware Cloud Foundation Documentation:

  • For information on designing VMware vRealize® Suite Lifecycle Manager™, see Design for vRealize Suite Lifecycle and Access Management.

  • For information on deploying vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager, see Getting Started with VMware Cloud Foundation and VMware Cloud Foundation Operations and Administration Guide.

VMware Cloud Foundation integrated with Active Directory

Manual or PowerShell automated deployment of Standalone Workspace ONE Access.

See the Identity and Access Management for VMware Cloud Foundation validated solution.

Overview of Intelligent Logging and Analytics for VMware Cloud Foundation

By applying the Intelligent Logging and Analytics for VMware Cloud Foundation validated solution, you implement centralized intelligent logging and analytics for the components of a VMware Cloud Foundation instance.

Table 3. Implementation Overview of Intelligent Logging and Analytics for VMware Cloud Foundation

Stage

Steps

1. Plan and prepare the VMware Cloud Foundation environment

Work with the technology team of your organization on configuring the physical servers, network, and storage in the data center. Collect the environment details and write them down in the VMware Cloud Foundation Planning and Preparation Workbook.

2. Activate centralized logging for the management and workload components of VMware Cloud Foundation.

  1. Deploy vRealize Log Insight in each VMware Cloud Foundation instance.

  2. Configure each management application to forward logs to vRealize Log Insight.

Update History

The Intelligent Logging and Analytics for VMware Cloud Foundation validated solution is updated when necessary.

Revision

Description

25 APR 2023
  • The VMware.PowerCLI PowerShell module is now version 13.0.0.
  • The VMware.vSphere.SsoAdmin PowerShell module is now version 1.3.9.
  • The ImportExcel PowerShell module is now version 7.8.4.
  • The PowerVCF PowerShell module is now version 2.3.0
  • The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version 2.2.0.

28 MAR 2023

The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version 2.1.0.

28 FEB 2023

The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version 2.0.1.

31 JAN 2023

The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version 2.0.0.

29 NOV 2022

  • The VMware.PowerCLI PowerShell module is now version 12.7.0.

  • The VMware.vSphere.SsoAdmin PowerShell module is now version 1.3.8.

  • The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version is 1.10.0.

25 OCT 2022

27 SEP 2022

The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version 1.8.0.

31 MAY 2022

  • This validated solution now supports VMware Cloud Foundation 4.4.1.

  • The PowerVCF PowerShell module is now version 2.2.0.

  • The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version 1.7.0.

28 APR 2022

The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version 1.6.0 adding support for the Reconfigure the Remote Collector Group for the vRealize Log Insight Integration for Intelligent Logging and Analytics for VMware Cloud Foundation procedure.

29 MAR 2022

22 FEB 2022

  • This validated solution now supports VMware Cloud Foundation 4.4.

  • This validated solution now requires installation of the ImportExcel PowerShell module.

  • The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version 1.4.0.

  • The VMware.PowerCLI PowerShell module is now version 12.4.1.

  • Starting with VMware Cloud Foundation 4.4, installation and life cycle management of vRealize Log Insight is performed by using vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager. See Life Cycle Management Design for Intelligent Logging and Analytics for VMware Cloud Foundation.

25 JAN 2022

30 NOV 2021

26 OCT 2021

05 OCT 2021

This validated solution now supports VMware Cloud Foundation 4.3.1.

24 AUG 2021

Initial release.