VMware HCX is an add-on to the VMware Cloud on AWS SDDC. After activating the add-on from the VMware Cloud on AWS console, the HCX Cloud components are deployed and the HCX plug-in is available in the vSphere Client.

Prerequisites

  • The user performing this procedure must have access to the VMware Cloud on AWS console.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the VMware Cloud on AWS console at vmc.vmware.com.
    Note: For VMware Cloud on AWS GovCloud use https://www.vmc-us-gov.vmware.com.
  2. Click View Details.

    The SDDC interface opens.

    SDDC Add Ons page showing the HCX panel with the Open HCX button highlighted in the lower left of the panel.
  3. On the Add Ons tab of your SDDC, click Open HCX on the HCX card.

    The VMware HCX interface opens.

  4. Navigate to the SDDC tab and identify the SDDC where you want to deploy HCX.
  5. In the SDDC panel where you want to deploy HCX, click Deploy HCX and then click Confirm to initiate the deployment.SDDC panel with the Deploy HCX button selected.

    The VMware Cloud on AWS activation is created and displayed and the deployment begins. This step takes several minutes to complete.

  6. While the HCX deployment is in progress, click View Details for a list of HCX deployment stages.

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    Each stage is a consolidation of the operations performed by VMware services for deploying HCX along with the status of each operation.

    HCX Deployment Stages panel listing the stages and operations on the left and task status on the right.

    After the deployment is complete, hcx_cloud_manager appears in the vCenter console.

  7. Create a firewall rule to open the necessary ports to access the HCX Cloud Manager.
    1. From the VMware Cloud on AWS console, select Networking & Security.
    2. Under Security, go to Gateway Firewall and select Management Gateway.
    3. Click Add Rule and create a new inbound firewall rule with these parameters:

      • Source: Where the connection to the HCX manager is coming from.

      • Destination: HCX

      • Services: HTTPS (TCP 443)

      Note:

      In cloud-to-cloud deployments (where two VMware Cloud on AWS SDDCs are paired) it is required to create an outbound HCX firewall rule. On this rule, set the Source as HCX, the Destination as any, and Service as any.

    4. To save the new rule, click Publish.
  8. On the Add Ons tab of your SDDC, click Open HCX on the HCX card.

    A new browser tab opens.

  9. Navigate to the SDDC tab, and click Open HCX.

    The VMware HCX Cloud service interface opens.

  10. Enter [email protected] and the password, and click Log In.
    Note:

    Use the vCenter password.

Results

The HCX Cloud Manager UI is available for HCX operations.

What to do next

Navigate to Administration > System Updates and download the HCX Connector OVA, which is needed for the on-premises HCX installation. Downloading the HCX Connector OVA is detailed in Downloading the HCX Connector OVA. For a complete installation workflow, see HCX Installation Workflow for HCX Public Clouds.