This section describes how to install and activate VMware Telco Cloud Automation-Control Plane (TCA-CP) and Telco Cloud Automation Manager components.

Telco Cloud Automation manager connects with TCA-CP to communicate with the VIMs. TCA-CP is deployed as an OVA. The VIMs are cloud platforms such as vSphere and Kubernetes Cluster. A dedicated instance of TCA-CP is required for each VIM.

VMware Telco Cloud Automation supports airgapped deployments where you can isolate its network from unsecured public internet or local area networks. The airgapped server or airgapped repository can hold the container images for the Telco Cloud Automation Container-as-a-Service (CaaS) system and the packages for Kubernetes cluster node customization. Telco Cloud Automation uses the airgapped server to pull and download the required images and packages by providing a single HTTPS service. You do not require internet access if the airgapped server is set up and serves the Telco Cloud Automation system.

vRealize Orchestrator registers with TCA-CP to run customized workflows for CNF onboarding and day 2 life cycle management.

Note:

  • When deploying VMware Telco Cloud Automation, Telco Cloud Platform RAN requires specific drivers. For more information, see KB87936.

  • Resource utilization improvement for the Telco Cloud Platform RAN components is a continuous effort between VMware and partners/vendors. Telco Cloud Platform RAN provides memory optimization in the way the latest drivers/firmware and ESXi consume memory. For more information, see Appendix: Memory Optimization Techniques for Low-Memory Servers.

  • Telco Cloud Automation (TCA) supports out-of-band updates to Photon linux-rt kernel versions. These kernel updates address requirements such as enabling kernel config options or additional kernel modules to support partner workloads and bug fixes. These kernel versions are released by the Photon OS team and hence Telco Cloud Automation has to allow them while customizing a node for Network function onboarding. For more information, see KB87717.

  • Updating Photon linux-rt kernel versions is necessary for Telco Cloud Automation systems that are configured in an Internet-restricted or airgapped environment. These kernel updates address requirements such as enabling kernel config options or additional kernel modules to support partner workloads and bug fixes. These kernel versions are released by the Photon OS team and hence Telco Cloud Automation has to allow them, while customizing a node for Network Function onboarding. For more information, see KB90483.