Skip to main content
NetApp virtualization solutions

Set up private cloud environments with VMware Cloud Foundation and ONTAP

Contributors sureshthoppay
PDFs

Deploy, converge, or upgrade VMware Cloud Foundation 9 environments with ONTAP. Learn how to set up new VCF 9.0 environments, converge existing vCenter instances and ONTAP datastores, and upgrade earlier VCF deployments.

Deploy a new VCF 9 instance

Use this workflow to deploy a clean VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0 environment. After deployment, you can migrate workloads or begin provisioning applications and provide infrastructure services.

For high-level steps, see the Build Journey – Install a new VMware Cloud Foundation deployment.

Steps

  1. Follow the Broadcom VCF 9 deployment steps.

  2. In the deployment preparation step, complete the tasks for your principal storage option.

VMFS on FC

  1. Collect the WWPNs for all ESXi hosts. You can run esxcli storage san fc list, use the ESXi Host Client, or use PowerCLI.

  2. Configure zoning. See Recommended FC zoning configurations for ONTAP systems.

    Note Use the WWPNs of the SVM logical interfaces (LIFs), not the physical adapter WWPNs.

  3. Create a LUN and map it to the hosts by WWPN using System Manager, the ONTAP CLI, or the API.

  4. Rescan the storage adapter on ESXi and create the VMFS datastore.

NFSv3

  1. Create a VMkernel interface on one ESXi host.

  2. Ensure the SVM has NFS enabled and vStorage over NFS is enabled.

  3. Create a volume and export it with a policy that allows the ESXi hosts.

  4. Adjust permissions as needed.

  5. Deploy the ONTAP NFS VAAI VIB and include it in the vLCM image. For example: esxcli software vib install -d /NetAppNasPlugin2.0.1.zip. (Download the ZIP from the NetApp Support Site.)

  6. Mount the NFS volume on the host where you created the VMkernel interface. For example: esxcli storage nfs add -c 4 -H 192.168.122.210 -s /use1_m01_nfs01 -v use1-m01-cl01-nfs01.

    Note The nConnect session count is per host. Update other hosts after deployment as needed.

  1. At the end of Verify deployment summary and review next steps in the Deploy VCF Fleet phase, complete the following:

    1. Deploy ONTAP tools

    2. Deploy the SnapCenter Plug-in

    3. Deploy the BlueXP Connector

    4. Use BlueXP for backup and recovery

  2. After you import vCenter as a workload domain in the VCF instance, complete the following:

    1. Register ONTAP tools

    2. Deploy the SnapCenter Plug-in for VMware vSphere

    3. Use BlueXP for backup and recovery

You can reuse these steps whenever you create a new workload domain.

Converge existing components into VCF 9

You may already have some components of the VCF fleet and prefer to reuse them. When you reuse a vCenter instance, datastores are frequently provisioned with ONTAP tools, which can serve as the principal storage for VCF.

Prerequisites

  • Confirm existing vCenter instances are functional.

  • Verify ONTAP-provisioned datastores are available.

  • Ensure access to the Interoperability Matrix.

Steps

  1. Review the supported scenarios to converge to VCF.

  2. Converge a vCenter instance with ONTAP-provisioned datastores as principal storage.

  3. Verify supported versions using the Interoperability Matrix.

  4. Upgrade ONTAP tools if required.

  5. Upgrade the SnapCenter Plugin for VMware vSphere if required.

Upgrade an existing VCF environment to VCF 9

Upgrade an earlier VCF deployment to version 9.0 using the standard upgrade process. The outcome is a VCF environment running version 9.0 with upgraded management and workload domains.

Prerequisites
Steps

  1. Upgrade the VCF management domain. See Upgrade VCF Management Domain to VCF 9 for instructions.

  2. Upgrade any VCF 5.x workload domains. See Upgrade VCF 5.x Workload Domain to VCF 9 for instructions.