What is VMware Cloud Foundation+?

VMware Cloud Foundation+™ (also called VCF+) delivers administrator, developer and hybrid cloud services through a simplified subscription model and keyless entitlement. You can add infrastructure and upgrade VMware Cloud Foundation™ without the need to enter license keys.

VMware Cloud Foundation+ also includes administration services across multiple VMware Cloud Foundation instances that can be viewed from the VMware Cloud Console. You can view details about available resources, triage vCenter Server events and alerts, evaluate VMware vCenter Server^® security posture, and track subscription usage.

VMware Cloud Foundation+ works with both VMware Cloud Foundation and VMware Cloud Foundation on Dell EMC VxRail.

You can add both VMware Cloud Foundation and vCenter Server instances to the same Organization using separate or shared subscriptions. However, in a VMware Cloud Foundation instance, the vCenter Server instances are a part of the workload domain constructs. You cannot add a workload domain vCenter Server individually.

All workload domains in the VMware Cloud Foundation instance must be connected to the cloud.

Figure 1. VMware Cloud Foundation+ Architecture

To learn more about the latest updates in VMware Cloud Foundation+ functionality, see VMware Cloud Foundation+ Release Notes.

VMware Cloud Foundation+ consists of these components:

• One or more on-premises VMware Cloud Foundation instances in cloud-connected subscription mode using keyless licensing

  See Getting Started with VMware Cloud Foundation.

• VMware Cloud Gateway in each on-premises VMware Cloud Foundation instance

  VMware Cloud Gateway connects the on-premises deployment to the cloud. From SDDC Manager, the gateway collects system information, such as name and type of each workload domain, current software version of SDDC Manager and the workload domains, available upgrades through SDDC Manager life cycle management, and subscription status of SDDC Manager. From the vCenter Server instances for the workload domains, the gateway collects resource usage information.

  You install VMware Cloud Gateway in your VMware Cloud Foundation instance manually. It is not a part of the automation platform of VMware Cloud Foundation and you handle its life cycle separately.

• VMware Cloud functionality for billing and for providing cloud services.

Billing and Licensing

Billing is done in units of CPU cores utilized using the same units as vSphere+ and vSAN+, calculated for all infrastructure added to each VMware Cloud Foundation instance.

For deployments running version 4.5, version 4.5.1, or version 5.0 of VMware Cloud Foundation, VMware Cloud Foundation+ does not support mixed licensing mode. In such deployments, you either associate all the infrastructure with a keyless subscription or you use perpetual or term license keys for the individual VMware products.

Mixed licensing mode is supported for VMware Cloud Foundation+ 4.5.2.

VMware Cloud Foundation Licensing Mode	Supported VMware Cloud Foundation Versions	Description
Key-based licensing mode	VMware Cloud Foundation 4.x VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0	You use the management components for workload domains under perpetual or term licenses.
Keyless licensing mode	VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.x VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0	You use all management components under a VMware Cloud Foundation+ subscription based on keyless licensing. Assigning license keys to the management components for individual workload domains or switching the deployment back to key-based licensing mode is not supported. You can set up your deployment in cloud-connected subscription mode in the following ways: Deploy a VMware Cloud Foundation instance in subscription-ready mode, connect it to the cloud by using VMware Cloud Gateway and subscribe it to VMware Cloud Foundation+ in the VMware Cloud Console. Upgrade a VMware Cloud Foundation instance to version 4.5.x or 5.0, connect it to the cloud by using VMware Cloud Gateway, and subscribe it to VMware Cloud Foundation+ in the VMware Cloud Console. Deploy a VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2 instance in key-based licensing mode, transition to mixed licensing mode by connecting all available workload domains to the cloud by using VMware Cloud Gatewayand commit it to cloud-connected keyless subscription. Upgrade a VMware Cloud Foundation instance to VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2, transition it to mixed licensing mode by connecting all available workload domains to the cloud by using VMware Cloud Foundation and commit it to cloud-connected keyless subscription.
Mixed licensing mode	VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2	You use the management components for the management domain and individual workload domains under a VMware Cloud Foundation+ subscription based on keyless licensing. Assigning license keys to the management components for these workload domains or switching the entire deployment back to key-based licensing mode is not supported. All clusters are in the licensing mode of their parent workload domain. The following considerations for mixed licensing mode exist: Within a workload domain, the licensing mode is the same for all clusters. As a best practice, VI workload domains with a shared NSX Manager should be in the same licensing mode. Deploying VMware Cloud Foundation directly in mixed licensing mode is not supported. You can set up your deployment in mixed licensing mode only from key-based licensing mode as follows: Deploy a VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2 instance in key-based licensing mode, transition to mixed licensing mode by connecting the management domain or all available workload domains to the cloud by using VMware Cloud Gateway. Upgrade a VMware Cloud Foundation instance to version 4.5.2, transition it to mixed licensing mode by connecting the management domain or all available workload domains to the cloud by using VMware Cloud Gateway.

Add a VMware Cloud Foundation Deployment to VMware Cloud Foundation+

When adding a deployment to a cloud-based subscription, you can set it up to keyless licensing mode. Additionally for VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2, you can also set it up to mixed licensing mode.

1. Review the Requirements for VMware Cloud Foundation+ and the VMware Cloud Foundation+ Journey Map.

2. Purchase a VMware Cloud Foundation+ subscription and apply it to an organization in VMware Cloud services. See Purchase and Apply a VMware Cloud Foundation+ Subscription.

3. Deploy or upgrade your on-premises deployment to VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.x or VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0.

   Keyless Licensing Mode for VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0

   Provisioning Method of VMware Cloud Foundation	Steps
   Deploying a clean VMware Cloud Foundation instance in subscription-ready mode.	See Deployment Overview of VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0. Note: In a clean subscription-ready deployment of VMware Cloud Foundation, you cannot add infrastructure in the form of workload domains, vSphere clusters or ESXi hosts, until you add the deployment to the subscription you purchased. Switching back to key-based licensing mode is not supported.
   Upgrading a VMware Cloud Foundation instance.	If you are upgrading from VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5 or VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.1, upgrade to VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0. Important: Upgrading from version 4.5.2 to version 5.0 of VMware Cloud Foundation is not supported. If you plan a phase-based upgrade from version 4.3 or version 4.4 of VMware Cloud Foundation, upgrade at least these components: Upgrade the management domain to VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0. See Workload Domain-Based Upgrade Sequence for VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0. If you are upgrading your VI workload domains from version 4.3 or version 4.4 of VMware Cloud Foundation, by using the latest version of the Async Patch Tool, apply the async patch for vCenter Server 7.0 Update 3h or later to all VI workload domains. See Apply an Async Patch to VMware Cloud Foundation in Online Mode.

   Keyless Licensing Mode for VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.x

   Provisioning Method of VMware Cloud Foundation	Steps
   Deploying a clean VMware Cloud Foundation instance in subscription-ready mode.	See Deployment Overview of VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5. Note: In a clean subscription-ready deployment of VMware Cloud Foundation, you cannot add infrastructure in the form of workload domains, vSphere clusters, or ESXi hosts, until you subscribe the deployment to the cloud. Switching back to key-based licensing mode is not supported.
   Upgrading a VMware Cloud Foundation instance.	If you plan a phase-based upgrade of your VMware Cloud Foundation instance, upgrade at least these components: Upgrade the management domain to VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5 or later. See Upgrade the Management Domain to VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5 or later. By using the latest version of the Async Patch Tool, apply the async patch for vCenter Server 7.0 Update 3h or later to all VI workload domains. See Apply an Async Patch to VMware Cloud Foundation in Online Mode.

   Mixed Licensing Mode for VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2

   Provisioning Method of VMware Cloud Foundation	Steps
   Deploying a clean VMware Cloud Foundation instance in key-based licensing mode.	See Deployment Overview of VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.
   Upgrading a VMware Cloud Foundation instance.	If you upgrade from version 4.5 or version 4.5.1 of VMware Cloud Foundation, the deployment must be in key-based licensing mode. Switching to mixed licensing mode from keyless licensing mode is not supported. If you plan a phase-based upgrade of your VMware Cloud Foundation instance, upgrade at least these components: Upgrade the management domain to VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2. See Upgrade the Management Domain to VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5 or later. By using the latest version of the Async Patch Tool, apply the async patch for vCenter Server 7.0 Update 3h or later to all VI workload domains. See Apply an Async Patch to VMware Cloud Foundation in Online Mode.

4. Connect the deployment to the cloud by using VMware Cloud Gateway. See Connect VMware Cloud Foundation to VMware Cloud.

5. Subscribe the deployment to VMware Cloud Foundation+. See Connect VMware Cloud Foundation to VMware Cloud.

6. If you are performing a phase-based upgrade from version 4.3 or version 4.4, by using SDDC Manager, complete the upgrade processes for the VI workload domains.

   1. By using the Async Patch Tool, deactivate all async patches and activate forward upgrade to VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5. See Upgrade an Async Patched Version of VMware Cloud Foundation in Online Mode.

   2. By using SDDC Manager, upgrade the rest of the management components for all VI workload domains to VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.x. See Upgrade VI Workload Domains to VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5 or later and Upgrade VI Workload Domains to VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5 or later on Dell EMC VxRail.

   3. If planned, upgrade the VI workload domains to VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0. See Workload Domain-Based Upgrade Sequence for VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0 and Upgrade VI Workload Domains to VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0 on Dell EMC VxRail.
      Important: Upgrading from version 4.5.2 to version 5.0 of VMware Cloud Foundation is not supported.
7. Optional. If your deployment is in mixed licensing mode, add more workload domains to the deployment under key-based licenses or keyless subscription, or convert available workload domains in key-based licensing mode to subscription. See Managing Workload Domains in VMware Cloud Foundation and Convert a VI Workload Domain to Use Keyless Licensing Mode.

   After you convert a workload domain to keyless subscription, you can start using the VMware Cloud Foundation+ cloud services on it.

   As a best practice, VI workload domains with a shared NSX Manager should be in the same licensing model.

8. If your deployment is running VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2, convert it to keyless subscription.

   Keyless Licensing Mode in VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2

   If you upgraded to VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2, in SDDC Manager, commit the deployment to keyless subscription. See Commit a VMware Cloud Foundation Instance to Keyless Licensing Mode.

   Mixed Licensing Mode in VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2

   Optional. To permanently use the management components for all workload domains in keyless subscription, in SDDC Manager, convert all workload domains in the deployment to keyless subscription and commit the deployment to subscription. See Commit a VMware Cloud Foundation Instance to Keyless Licensing Mode.

   Important: Committing a VMware Cloud Foundation deployment to a keyless subscription is irreversible. You cannot switch back the deployment to mixed licensing mode.

Supported Limits

• Per VMware Cloud Foundation instance, you can connect up to eight workload domains to the cloud including the management domain.

  For VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5, by default, a VMware Cloud Gateway instance can be connected to up to four workload domains including the management domain. For information on how to raise this limit to eight workload domains, see VMware Knowledge Base article 89558.

  For VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.1, VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2, and VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0, you can directly connect a VMware Cloud Foundation instance to an on-premises deployment.

• In mixed licensing mode, you can have up to eight workload domains in a VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5.2 instance even though some of the workload domains might be in key-based licensing mode.

• Per VMware Cloud Foundation instance, you can connect up to 1,000 hosts to one VMware Cloud Foundation across all workload domains.

Cloud Services

The following services are available in the VMware Cloud with your VMware Cloud Foundation+ subscription:

• Global Inventory Service. Provides a high-level global inventory view of any connected on-premises VMware Cloud Foundation and vSphere instances.

• Lifecycle Management Service. Notifies administrators of updates available for a VMware Cloud Foundation instance. The actual life cycle management is performed by the SDDC Manager instance directly on-premises.

• VM Provisioning Service. Allows an administrator to deploy a virtual machine onto any connected vCenter Server from the cloud, operating just as vSphere+ does today.

• Infrastructure Operations Service. Provides a global overview of all VMware Cloud Foundation instances showing a consolidated view of vCenter Server events, security status, and capacity state of clusters across vCenter Server instances in the context of vSphere+ and vSAN+.