Users Guide
Network pools
Cloud Foundation uses a construct that is called a network pool to automatically configure VM kernel ports for vSAN, NFS, and vMotion.
Cloud Foundation uses an Internet Protocol Address Management (IPAM) solution to automate the IP configuration of VM kernel ports
for vMotion, vSAN, and NFS (depending on the storage type being used).
When a server is added to the inventory of Cloud Foundation, it goes through a process called host commissioning. During this process,
the hosts are associated with an existing network pool. When the host is provisioned during the create VI workload domain, add cluster, or
add host workflow, it automatically configures the VMkernel ports and allocates IP addresses for vMotion, vSAN, and NFS from the
network pool the host was associated with.
You can expand the included IP address range of a network pool at any time, however you cannot modify the other network information.
Ensure that you have defined each subnet in the network pool to account for current and future growth in your environment.
VLANs and IP subnets
Network traffic types within Cloud Foundation are isolated from each other by using VLANs. Before deploying your SDDC, you must
allocate VLAN IDs and IP subnets for each required traffic type. Configure the VLAN IDs and IP subnets in your network to pass traffic
through your network devices. Before you start the Cloud Foundation deployment, verify that the allocated network information is
configured and does not conflict with pre-existing services before starting your Cloud Foundation deployment.
The number and size of the subnets that are required for a deployment depends on:
• The number of workload domains that are created
• The number of clusters defined
• The optional components that are installed
The following table lists the basic allocation of VLANs and IP subnets for a sample deployment. Use this sample to define the VLANs and
IP subnets in your environment.
Table 3. VLANs and IP subnets for a sample deployment
Workload Domain Cluster VLAN Function VLAN ID Subnet Gateway
Management Cluster-01 Management 1711 172.17.11.0/24 172.17.11.253
vMotion 1712 172.17.12.0/24 172.17.12.253
vSAN 1713 172.17.13.0/24 172.17.13.253
VXLAN (NSX VTEP) 1714 172.17.14.0/24 172.17.14.253
vRealize Suite
(optional)
1715 172.17.15.0/24 172.17.15.253
Uplink 1 2711 172.27.11.0/24 172.27.11.253
Uplink 2 2711 172.27.12.0/24 172.27.12.253
NOTE: Cloud Foundation deploys vRealize Suite products to a dedicated VLAN-backed vSphere Distributed Port Group.
The IP subnet must be routable to the Cloud Foundation management network and the firewall. Also, the networks
should be disabled or configured as prescribed in the Cloud Foundation documentation.
Host names and IP addresses
Before deploying a Cloud Foundation, or creating or expanding a workload domain, you must define the hostnames and IP addresses for
various system components.
Most of the defined hostnames and IP addresses need to exist in DNS and be resolvable, through forward and reverse lookups.
The required hostnames and IP addresses are categorized as follows:
• External services—services that are external to the Cloud Foundation solution and are required for proper operation.
• Virtual infrastructure layer—components that provide for the basic foundation of the Cloud Foundation solution.
• Operations management layer—components used for day-to-day management of the environment, for example, vRealize Operations.
• Cloud management layer—services that use the infrastructure layer resources, for example, vRealize Automation.
Cloud Foundation and SDDC design considerations
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