The Private Cloud Automation for VMware Cloud Foundation validated solution provides information on the use of VMware Aria® Automation™ (formerly VMware vRealize® Automation™) for cloud automation services with the VMware Cloud Foundation™ platform. The solution can be extended to additionally support public cloud automation and covers recommended operational practices and considerations, where applicable.

A VMware by Broadcom validated solution is a well-architected and validated implementation, built and tested by VMware to help customers deliver 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

VMware Cloud Foundation™ SDDC Manager® automates the implementation tasks for some design decisions. For the rest of the design decisions, as noted in the design implications, you must perform the implementation steps manually.

To provide a fast and efficient path to automating the Private Cloud Automation for VMware Cloud Foundation implementation, this document provides Microsoft PowerShell procedures using open-source modules as code-based alternatives to completing certain procedures in each SDDC component's user interface.

For additional information, see PowerShell Module for VMware Validated Solutions.

Intended Audience

The Private Cloud Automation for VMware Cloud Foundation validated solution is intended for cloud architects and administrators who are familiar with and want to implement cloud automation services that can consume VMware Cloud Foundation.

Support Matrix

The Private Cloud Automation for VMware Cloud Foundation validated solution is compatible with specific versions of the VMware products that are used for implementing the solution.

Table 1. Software Components in Private Cloud Automation for VMware Cloud Foundation

VMware Cloud Foundation Version

Product Group

Component Versions

5.2.1

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2.1 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

VMware Aria Automation 8.18.1

VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle 8.18.0

5.2.0

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2.0 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

VMware Aria Automation 8.18.0

VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle 8.18.0

5.1.1

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 5.1.1 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

VMware Aria Automation 8.18.0

VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle 8.18.0

5.1.0

 Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 5.1.0 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

VMware Aria Automation 8.18.0

VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle 8.18.0
Table 2. End of General Support Software Components in Private Cloud Automation for VMware Cloud Foundation
VMware Cloud Foundation Version

Product Group

Component Versions

5.0

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0 Release Notes.

VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle 8.10.0 (EOGS)

Solution-added products

VMware Aria Automation 8.10.0

4.5.2

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2 Release Notes.

VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle 8.10.0 (EOGS)

Solution-added products

VMware Aria Automation 8.10.0

4.5.1

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.1 Release Notes.

vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager 8.8.2

Solution-added products

vRealize Automation 8.8.2 (EOGS)

4.5.0

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.0 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

vRealize Automation 8.8.2 (EOGS)

vRealize Orchestrator 8.3+ v1.0 or later vRealize Log Insight Content Pack
4.4.1

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 4.4.1 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

vRealize Automation 8.6.2 (EOGS)
4.4.0

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

 See VMware Cloud Foundation 4.4.0 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

vRealize Automation 8.6.2 (EOGS)
4.3.1

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 4.3.1 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

vRealize Automation 8.5 (EOGS)
4.3.0

Products part of VMware Cloud Foundation

See VMware Cloud Foundation 4.3.0 Release Notes.

Solution-added products

vRealize Automation 8.4.1 (EOGS)
Note:

The software component versions in this table are in End of General Support (EOGS) phase and are no longer generally supported by VMware. At the time of initial release and during the General Support phase, the software component versions in this solution are actively implemented, tested, and validated by VMware and VMware partners. See VMware Lifecycle Policies.

Before You Apply This Guidance

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

Table 3. Supported VMware Cloud Foundation Deployment

Workload Domain / Component

Deployment Details

Management domain
  • Automated deployment using VMware Cloud Builder™.
  • Availability of VMware Cloud Foundation application virtual networks - overlay-backed or VLAN-backed NSX segments in VMware NSX, for traffic in the same VMware Cloud Foundation instance and between VMware Cloud Foundation instances.

See the following VMware Cloud Foundation Documentation:
One or more virtual infrastructure (VI) workload domains

Automated deployment by using SDDC Manager

See the following VMware Cloud Foundation Documentation:

VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle and clustered Workspace ONE Access
  1. Automated deployment of VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle by using SDDC Manager.
  2. Automated deployment of the clustered Workspace ONE Access instance by using VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle.

See the following VMware Cloud Foundation Documentation:

  • For information on designing VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle and the clustered Workspace ONE Access instance, see Design for VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle and Access Management.
  • For information on deploying VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle and the clustered Workspace ONE Access instance, see Getting Started with VMware Cloud Foundation and VMware Cloud Foundation Operations and Administration Guide.
  • To ensure correct version support for VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle and the clustered Workspace ONE Access instance for your VMware Cloud Foundation version, follow the implementation guidance in this validated solution. See Deployment of VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle and Workspace ONE Access for Private Cloud Automation for VMware Cloud Foundation.

VMware Cloud Foundation integrated with Active Directory

Manual or PowerShell automated configuration of Active Directory over LDAP.

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

Overview of Private Cloud Automation for VMware Cloud Foundation

By applying the Private Cloud Automation for VMware Cloud Foundation validated solution, you implement centralized cloud automation services across the VMware Cloud Foundation instances.

Table 4. Implementation Overview of Private Cloud Automation 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 save these in the VMware Cloud Foundation Planning and Preparation Workbook.

2. Configure centralized cloud automation services across VMware Cloud Foundation instances.
  1. Deploy a VMware Aria Automation cluster with an associated NSX load balancer.
  2. Configure the identity and access management.
  3. Configure each VI workload domain vCenter Server as a cloud account.
  4. Configure each VI workload domain NSX Manager cluster as a cloud account.
  5. Configure each VI workload domain vCenter Server as a VMware Aria Automation Orchestrator endpoint.

3. Configure workload provisioning.
  1. Configure content libraries and customization specifications.
  2. Configure image and flavor mappings.
  3. Configure storage and network mappings.
  4. Configure projects.
  5. Configure content sources and items.

4. Activate solution interoperability.
  1. If VMware Aria Operations is integrated into your VMware Cloud Foundation environment, integrate VMware Aria Operations with VMware Aria Automation.
  2. If VMware Aria Operations for Logs is integrated into your VMware Cloud Foundation environment, integrate VMware Aria Operations for Logs with VMware Aria Automation.

Frequently Asked Questions

For additional questions, see VMware Validated Solutions Frequently Asked Questions.

Update History

The Private Cloud Automation for VMware Cloud Foundation validated solution is updated when necessary.

Revision

Description

09 OCT 2024
  • This validated solution now supports VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2.1.
  • This validated solution now supports VMware Aria Automation 8.18.1.
  • The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version 2.12.0.
  • The VMware.PowerCLI PowerShell module is now version 13.3.0.
  • The ImportExcel PowerShell module is now version 7.8.9.

23 JUL 2024

28 MAY 2024

26 MAR 2024
30 JAN 2024

07 NOV 2023
  • This validated solution now supports VMware Cloud Foundation 5.1.0.
  • The Terraform procedures are no longer part of this validated solution.
  • The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version 2.7.0.

  • The PowerVCF PowerShell module is now version 2.4.0.

  • The following solution-added product names are changing:

    • VMware vRealize Automation is now VMware Aria Automation

    • VMware vRealize Orchestrator is now VMware Aria Automation Orchestrator

    • VMware vRealize Operations is now VMware Aria Operations
    • VMware vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager is now VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle
    • VMware vRealize Log Insight is now VMware Aria Operations for Logs

For more information on the VMware Aria rebranding, see Multi-Cloud Management and VMware Aria.
29 AUG 2023
  • This validated solution now supports VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2.
  • The VMware.PowerCLI PowerShell module is now version 13.1.0.
  • The ImportExcel PowerShell module is now version 7.8.5.
  • The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version 2.6.0.
25 JUL 2023

30 MAY 2023
  • This validated solution now supports VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.1.
  • The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version 2.3.0.
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 1.10.0.

25 OCT 2022
  • This validated solution now supports VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.0.
  • The PowerValidatedSolutions PowerShell module is now version 1.9.0.

27 SEP 2022

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.

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 Automation is performed by using vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager. The guide is updated accordingly.
  • Required storage for installation of vRealize Automation 8.6.2 is 738 GB compared to 708 GB for vRealize Automation 8.5 and earlier.
  • Added a new design decision and a procedure to install and use the vRealize Orchestrator content pack for vRealize Log Insight as part of the logging section in the solution.
  • The companion GitHub repository is now changed, see Implementation of Private Cloud Automation for VMware Cloud Foundation.

22 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.