Since July 2023, VMware has announced a verification program aimed at partners who want to connect their S3 storage to VMware Cloud Director and VMware Object Storage Extension.
What is the OSIS certification program?
The verification program expands the number of object storage platforms available to cloud providers and their tenants through VMware Cloud Director.
Currently, VMware Cloud Director Object Storage Extension is providing support for 3 main object storage solutions – Dell ECS, Cloudian Hyperstore, and AWS S3. The challenge comes from the fact that many providers want to use another solution beyond those mentioned.
To address the growing need for a larger S3 storage portfolio, the VMware Object Storage team has created a set of REST APIs that can be used in an OSIS adapter. The latter is a service that transmits tenant and user information between Object Storage Extension and OSIS.
What is OSIS and how to use it?
The OSIS adapter is envisioned as a service that connects custom S3 storage to VMware Cloud Director and transmits tenant and user information between the S3 storage platform and the Object Storage Extension.
The difficulty of connecting any S3 storage vendor to VMware Cloud Director and Object Storage Extension comes from the difference in how users of particular object storage are mapped with the tenants and users of VMware Cloud Director.
To solve this, the VMware team has developed a set of Rest APIs that must be employed by the OSIS adapter to transmit tenant and user information between the S3 storage and the Object Storage Extension. The mandatory APIs handle communication between the OSIS adapter and the Object Storage Extension related to tenants, S3 credentials, S3 storage details, etc.
How to develop an OSIS adapter
- Develop a service that employs all mandatory REST APIs from the following list. You can also implement any of the optional REST APIs from the same source.
- Map your S3 storage users with the tenants and users of VMware Cloud Director.
- Choose the API authentication between OSE and OSIS. It is recommended to use a bearer token to authenticate with the OSIS adapter.
- Deploy the OSIS adapter to be in the same network as the Object Storage Extension and the S3 storage.
- Connect the OSIS adapter with OSE.
- Test your OSIS adapter. Go to VMware Cloud Director and execute tenant and bucket operations.
How to validate your OSIS adapter
- Go to the VIVa program and fill in an onboarding form to participate in the OSIS Validation Program.
- The VMware team will examine your application and will reach out to you within 3 business days.
- After that, you can download the VIva agent and deploy it through vSphere.
- Add your VIVa agent host API and credentials.
- Add your Object Storage Extension and VMware Cloud Director URLs.
- Turn on the VM on which the agent is deployed.
- Download the test scripts from your profile in the VIVa portal.
- Upload the test scripts in the VIVa agent’s web application.
- Run the scripts.
- Upload the results from the test agent in the VIVa portal.
- Create a DNCP case in the VIVa portal.
- Send the test results to VMware.
- Within 3-5 business days of sending the test results, VMware will send an update to your DNCP case.
- After your results are verified by VMware and they are successful, contact the Marketplace team to obtain your Partner-Ready logo.
- Publish your solution to the VMware Marketplace.
What’s Next?
After your OSIS adapter is verified and approved to be listed in the VMware Marketplace, speak with our Marketing team to learn how to effectively market your solution and reach out to the right audience. Our Marketing team has developed a set of tools and materials that can help you reach your targeted audience.
Conclusion
The OSIS Validation Program helps partners develop their own OSIS adapters for VMware Cloud Director Object Storage Extension. This way the VMware Cloud Director tenants can benefit from using a rich portfolio of S3 storage solutions. With this program, VMware aims to expand the options that cloud providers and their tenants have for using the best for their needs S3 solution.
