Starting from version 5.0 of VMware Validated Design, the deployment of the SDDC is automated. You use VMware Cloud Builder™ to deploy the SDDC management domain end-to-end and a virtual infrastructure workload domain for tenant workloads.
For each region, the workflow for automated SDDC deployment consists of the following stages:
- Prepare the data center.
Configure the physical servers, network, and storage in the data center. Then, download the required software. See the VMware Validated Design Planning and Preparation documentation.
- Prepare a deployment specification in Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheet format (XLS).
Work with the technology team of your organization to collect details about the environment in the region where you plan to deploy the SDDC. Write down the details in a Deployment Parameters XLS file. See the VMware Validated Design Planning and Preparation documentation.
- Prepare the environment.
In each region, install ESXi on the physical servers. Deploy virtual machines as ready-to-use units or as templates for management components that are installed on a guest operating system, such as VMware vRealize® Automation™ and VMware vSphere® Update Manager Download Service™. See the VMware Validated Design Deployment documentation.
- Prepare Cloud Builder.
Download and deploy the Cloud Builder virtual appliance in each region. Then, upload the software bundles that contain the product binaries in this version of VMware Validated Design and the certificates, signed by a certificate authority, for the management nodes. See the VMware Validated Design Deployment documentation.
- Run the SDDC deployment.
Generate a JSON file for each cluster in the region from the Deployment Parameters XLS file, perform an audit of the JSON files and target environment, and bring up the SDDC. See the VMware Validated Design Deployment documentation.
- Remove Cloud Builder.
Use Cloud Builder only for a deployment of the SDDC on a clean environment. Remove the virtual appliance after the deployment is complete for resource optimization.
For details on the latest available documentation, see Documentation Map for VMware Validated Design.
