VMware Cloud on AWS vSAN

Introducing Managed Storage Policy Profiles

The VMware Cloud on AWS service continues to simplify operations, allowing customers to focus on value-generating work. Enthused by the service’s ability to deliver a production-ready vSphere environment, we’ve had some customers challenging us to do even more. They are demanding that VMware simplify the stack further so that teams can continue to shift into new endeavors. To that end, we are excited to announce Managed Storage Policy Profiles, now available within the VMware Cloud on AWS service.

What are Managed Storage Policy Profiles?

Essentially, VMware is now responsible for managing the default storage policy within the service to ensure that any workload not assigned a custom storage policy complies with the services SLA requirements at all times. We are thus empowering some customers to offload “Storage” entirely to VMware.

How Does it Work?

The service creates and maintains a VM Storage Profile for each cluster in the SDDC (“VMC Workload Storage Policy -<Cluster Name> “). This policy is configured as the datastore default. As the cluster is scaled, the service ensures that the cluster-specific policy remains compliant with the service’s SLA requirements if needed reconfiguring the policy settings and any data associated with it automatically.

Managed Storage Policy Profiles

Scale-out (Add Host)

After the host is added to the cluster, the service verifies the policy setting. If needed reconfiguring the underlying policy. This process, while automatic, can be monitored via vCenter.

Scale-in (Remove Host)

When scaling down or removing a host, before the request is processed, the service checks to see if a policy reconfiguration will be necessary. If removing the node, and subsequent policy work would result in the cluster triggering Elastic DRS to add a host for capacity purposes, the removal is blocked.

If the check confirms the scale-in will complete successfully, the request is processed. First, reconfiguring the underlying VM policy if needed, and then removing the node. Since the host will continue to run workload while the policy reconfiguration is processing, billing continues until the node is removed.

Transient Space

While the prechecks mostly mitigate this, new writes can trigger Elastic DRS to add a host because of capacity consumption. In such scenarios, the additional host must be manually removed once the usable capacity drops back below acceptable thresholds.

Summary

Managed Storage Policy Profiles are raising the bar yet again by redefining customer responsibility within the VMware Cloud on AWS Service and empowering customers to let go of the mundane day-to-day so that they can instead focus on value-generating work. As you may imagine, this is a fairly big step for everyone involved, and we’re taking our time with this feature. While we have exciting plans ahead, initially, the service will manage a small set of policy options.

Standard Clusters (Single-AZ)

  • 5 host or less – 1-Failure – Raid-1
  • 6 hosts or more – Raid-6

Stretched Clusters (Multi-AZ)

  • Dual site Mirroring, 1-Failure – Raid-1

We have a genuinely electrifying roadmap for this integration. One that aims to potentially offload storage management entirely. I invite you to keep an eye on this space. I cannot wait to share more!

Availability

To view the latest status of features for VMware Cloud on AWS, visit https://cloud.vmware.com/vmc-aws/roadmap.

Resources:

Glenn Sizemore

Glenn Sizemore is a Senior Technical Marketing Architect in the Cloud Platform business unit at VMware. Currently, he is responsible for all things Storage in the VMware Cloud on AWS…

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