A VMware Cloud Director server group consists of one or more VMware Cloud Director servers.
Each server in the group runs a collection of services called a VMware Cloud Director cell. All cells share a single VMware Cloud Director database, transfer server storage, and connect to the vSphere and network resources. The installation and configuration of VMware Cloud Director process creates the cells, connects them to the shared database, and transfers server storage.
The cells communicate with each other through an ActiveMQ message bus on the primary interface. They also share a common VMware Cloud Director database where the cells persist configuration and state data. The transfer service requires that all cells have access to a common NFS mount.
| Design Recommendation |
Design Justification |
Design Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy cells using the VMware Cloud Director Appliance. |
Ensures a consistent deployment across cells. |
None |
| Deploy at least 3 cells, one Primary and two Secondary. |
Provides resiliency across cells and tolerates a cell failure. |
Consumes more resources in the management cluster. |
| Configure VMware Cloud Director for automatic Primary Cell failover. |
Reduces the downtime of VMware Cloud Director by eliminating manual failover of the Primary Cell. |
Each time a new cell is added, you must change the failover setting back to automatic. |
| Ensure that cells can communicate with each other through the message bus on the primary network interface. |
Ensures that cells do not enter a split-brain state. |
None |
| Use the same consoleproxy certificate on all cells. |
Ensures that users can connect to the consoleproxy service regardless of the cell they are connected to. |
You must manually install the certificate on each cell. |
| Verify that the cell transfer share is accessible for all cells. |
Required for proper functioning of VMware Cloud Director. |
None |
