Holodeck 5.1.1 Multi Site Overview

Multi Site Overview

The Multi-Site Holodeck environment is automatically deployed utilizing VLC only by using the CLI. Multi-site configuration is ideal for advanced lab exercises as long as the physical host can support the resource requirements. In order to support a multiple site configuration additional networks are automatically created both on the Holo-Router and in CloudBuilder to allow for cross site communication.

A Multi-Site Environment contains:

  • (2) Four node VCF management domains on nested vSAN Ready Nodes

  • Optional three additional nested hosts in a workload domain, or second vSphere cluster in the management domain, or just commissioned into inventory.

  • NSX fully configured

  • AVN/NSX Edge Deployed (recommended)

  • Tanzu deployed (Site 1 only by default)

  • Customized Cloud Builder VM configured to provide DHCP, NTP, DNS, BGP peering and L3 routing within the environment

The VLC-Holo-Site-1 is the primary configuration deployed. It is nearly identical to the single site configuration talked about above.

Each Holodeck deployment runs an identical nested configuration. A Multi-Site Holodeck environment is deployed with both VLC-Holo-Site-1 and VLC-Holo-Site-2 configurations active. Separation of the environments and between sites within an environment is handled at the VMware vSphere Standard Switch (VSS) level.  Each Holodeck pod is configured with a unique VSS per site.  A VMware vSphere Port Group is configured on each VSS and configured as a VLAN trunk.

  • Components on the port group to use VLAN tagging to isolate communications between nested VLANs. This removes the need to have physical VLANs plumbed to the ESXi host to support nested labs.

  • When the Holo-Site-2 configuration is deployed it uses a second VSS and Port Group for isolation from VLC-Holo-Site-1

The VLC Holodeck configuration customizes the VCF Cloud Builder Virtual Machine to provide several support services within the pod to remove the requirement for specific customer side services. A Cloud Builder VM is deployed per Site to provide the following within the pod:

  • DNS (local to Site1 and Site2 within the pod, acts as forwarder)

  • NTP (local to Site1 and Site2 within the pod)

  • DHCP (local to Site1 and Site2 within the pod)

  • L3 TOR for vMotion, vSAN, Management, Host TEP and Edge TEP networks within each site

  • BGP peer from VLC Tier 0 NSX Edge (Provides connectivity into NSX overlay networks from the lab console)

The figure below shows a logical view of the VLC-Holo-Site-1 configuration within a Holodeck Pod. The Site-1 configuration uses DNS domain vcf.sddc.lab and VLAN 10-15

Figure 1: Holodeck Site-1 Diagram

The  VLC-Holo-Site-2 can be deployed at any time later within a Holodeck environment via the VLC CLI. Adding the second site adds an additional instance of Cloud Builder and additional nested ESXi hosts. VLC-Holo-Site-2 connects to the second internal leg of the Holo-Router on VLAN 20. Network access from the Holo-Console to VLC-Holo-Site-2 is via Holo-Router.

The figure below shows a logical view of the VLC-Holo-Site-2 configuration within a Holodeck Pod. The Site-2 configuration uses DNS domain vcf2.sddc.lab and VLAN 20-25

Figure 3: Holodeck Site-2 Diagram

User access to the Holodeck pod is via the Holo-Console.  Access to Holo-Console is available via two paths:

Accessing Holodeck Environment

User access to the Holodeck pod is via the Holo-Console.  Access to Holo-Console is available via two paths:

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