As VMware continues to execute on the strategy to transform the portfolio of on-premises infrastructure, first announced as Project Arctic at VMworld 2021, the launch of VMware vSphere+ and VMware vSAN+ in June was only just the beginning.
Introducing VMware Cloud Foundation+
The next phase of this strategy will deliver the full stack benefits of cloud to your private cloud deployments with VMware Cloud Foundation+. VMware Cloud Foundation+ will add a new cloud-connected architecture for managing and operating full-stack HCI in our data center or co-location facility.
Workloads that run on full stack infrastructure on-premises enjoy a variety of benefits, including security, governance, low latency, performance, predictable cost, and much more. Unfortunately, these workloads don’t have access to the cloud’s elastic scale and core benefits, especially in large, globally distributed environments.
New Cloud Services
VMware Cloud Foundation+ will deliver new admin, developer and hybrid cloud services through a simplified subscription model and keyless entitlement. These new cloud-connected services will enable visibility of global inventories, streamlined maintenance, unified security and much more across your entire landscape.
Empowered with these new capabilities, organizations can achieve greater operational efficiencies by enabling simplified, global management of VM and container-based enterprise workloads across hybrid and multi-cloud deployments. Additionally, customers will be able to streamline maintenance windows, improve security posture and gain immediate access to new features and cloud services.
Powered by VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5
VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5 will enable VMware Cloud Foundation+ by adding vSphere+ and vSAN+, plus a cloud gateway that provides access to the VMware Cloud Console as part of the full stack architecture. VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5, which is targeted to release before the end of VMware ’s Q3FY23 (October 28, 2022), also includes key enhancements for migration, scalability and useability. Existing customers running release VCF 4.0 or greater can upgrade their existing deployment to VCF 4.5, which can enable the cloud gateway and provide access to the Cloud Console.
Unique VMware Cloud Foundation+ cloud-connected services:
With VMware Cloud Foundation+ you’ll get access to the following new services:
Inventory Service
- Provides a high-level global inventory view of any VMware Cloud Foundation+ and vSphere+ connected instances.
Lifecycle Service
- Provides notification to admins if an update is available in a VMware Cloud Foundation instance. The actual lifecycle management is performed by the SDDC-manager instance directly.
VM User Service:
- This allows an admin to deploy a VM onto any connected vCenter from the cloud, operating just as vSphere+ does today.
Infrastructure Operations service:
- Infra Ops service provides a global overview of all VCF instances by providing a view of consolidated events, security status, capacity state of clusters across vcenters and across VCF workload domains, vSphere+ and vSAN+.
Note: For customers that have deployments that must be disconnected or those that are running earlier VMware Cloud Foundation 3.X releases, VMware Cloud Foundation-Subscription (VCF-S) delivers VMware’s full stack power and scale, with the cost benefits of a term subscription offer.
VMware Cloud Foundation+ will deliver a new era in hybrid cloud services, utilizing the best of on-premises and cloud-connected infrastructure in a single solution. The range of services offered will provide administrators and developers access to a comprehensive workload platform that supports the full lifecycle of VMs and container based applications. With this new SaaS model, additional hybrid cloud services will be delivered at an accelerated rate and enabled through a simplified subscription model and keyless entitlement.
Stay tuned to this blog for real-time updates and if you are attending VMware Explore in San Francisco this week, here are some must-see sessions to attend:
- What’s New with VMware Cloud Foundation CEIB1690US
- Multi-Cloud Agility for the Modern Enterprise MCLK2482US
- Evolution of the VMware Multi-Cloud Workload Platform CMK2208US
- Manage and Protect Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure MCLB1612US
- Deploying Full-Stack Security Enterprise Workloads with VCF CEI3019US
