VMware Cloud Foundation 

Network Pools

Welcome to this demonstration on Network Pools within VMware Cloud Foundation.

Cloud Foundation simplifies data center operations with features that save time and reduce the opportunity for human error.

SDDC Manager utilizes an internet protocol address management (IPAM) solution to automate the IP configuration of vmkernel ports for vMotion, VSAN and NFS services. 

For further information on Network Pools please consult the VMware Cloud Foundation Operations and Admin Guide

Note this environment is configured in the following way:

The Management Domain “MGMT” is configured with 4 hosts

Let’s first view the default-networkpool which is created as part of the bringup process

We begin at the SDDC Manager Dashboard

• Click [Network Settings]
• Click [mgmt-networkpool]
• Click [Scroll bar]

Review the configuration of the vSAN and vMotion vmkernel settings of the “bringup-networkpool”

_________________________

A Network Pool is created during the bringup process of the management domain.  The mgmt-network pool contains two vmkernel interfaces, one for vMotion and the second for vSAN.

Administrators have the option to configure VI Workload Domains to utilize the network pool created at bringup if vSAN is being used.

__________________________

• Click [Back to Network Settings]
• Click [Create Network Pool]

In this example we will configure a new network pool for vSAN.  This will provide storage traffic isolation between any newly configured VI workload domains and the management domain

• Click [Network Pool Name] 

Configure the Network Pool Name “vSAN-networkpool”

• Click [vSAN Checkbox]

Select the check boxes for vSAN.  vMotion is mandatory and is already ticked

• Click [Scroll bar]
• Click [vSAN Network Information]

Configure the vSAN Network information

VLAN id:  0

MTU size: 8940

Network id: 10.0.8.0

Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0

Default gateway: 10.0.8.253

• Click [Included IP Address Ranges]

Add a range of IP addresses referred to as the inclusion range

10.0.8.105 to 10.0.8.112

Note: It is important when configuring any Network Pool to  plan for scale.  Network Pools cannot be changed once hosts have been commissioned which consume them.  Ensure the inclusion ranges specified have the scope to scale when required.  Sizing of a network pool should also consider the number of physical NICs that will be used. 

• Click [Add]
• Click [vMotion Network Information]

Configure the vMotion Network information

VLAN id:  0

MTU size: 8940

Network id: 10.0.4.0

Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0

Default gateway: 10.0.4.253

• Click [Included IP Address Ranges]

Add a range of IP addresses for the inclusion range

10.0.4.105 to 10.0.4.112

• Click [Add] after you define the range(s)
• Click [Save] once all the fields for both the vSAN and vMotion vmkernel interfaces are entered

Next we will show you how a network pool is assigned to newly added hosts during the host commissioning process.  Once hosts are commissioned, they become available for consumption into a new or existing workload domain

• Click [Hosts] under the Inventory side-bar menu
• Click [Unassigned Hosts]

The Unassigned Hosts view confirms there are no unassigned hosts.  Lets add hosts esxi-5, esxi-6 and esxi-7.

• Click [Commission Hosts]

Review the host commissioning checklist

• Click [Scroll bar]
• Click [Select All]
• Click [Proceed]

We will commission 3 new hosts individually into Cloud Foundation using the Add New option

• Click [Host FQDN] and enter esxi-5.vcf.sddc.lab
• Click [vSAN] as the storage type
• Click [Select pool name]
• Click [prod-networkpool]
• Click [User Name] to enter the host root user
• Click [Password] to enter the root password
• Click [Add]
• Click [Scroll bar]

Repeat the process to enter the second host

• Click [Host FQDN] and enter esxi-6.vcf.sddc.lab
• Click [vSAN] as the storage type
• Click [Select pool name]
• Click [prod-networkpool]
• Click [User Name] to enter the root user
• Click [Password] to enter the root password
• Click [Add]
• Click [Scroll bar]

Repeat the process to enter the third host

• Click [Host FQDN] and enter esxi-7.vcf.sddc.lab
• Click [vSAN] as the storage type
• Click [Select pool name]
• Click [prod-networkpool]
• Click [User Name] to enter the root user
• Click [Password] to enter the root password
• Click [Add]

All 3 hosts have been added.  The next step is to validate the hosts. 

• Click [FQDN] to select hosts
• Click [Confirm Fingerprint] to confirm the host fingerprint
• Click [Validate All]

The validation confirms the hosts are accessible and that the prerequisites have been met.  If there are any issues an error will be displayed.  Note the green bar indicating that both hosts validated successfully.

• Click [Next]

We are able to review the list of hosts being commissioned.

• Click [Commission]

The SDDC  Manager initiates a workflow to automate the tasks of adding the hosts to the Cloud Foundation Inventory.    Adding new hosts typically takes two or three minutes.

You can expand the workflow to see the subtasks that are being performed.  Here we see that all the subtasks have completed successfully.

• Click [Commissioning Host(s)] in the tasks pane
• Click [Expansion Arrow] to view the running tasks
• Click [Refresh]
• Click [Side bar] to scroll the tasks once successful
• Click [X] to close the tasks pane

We now see hosts “esxi-5", "esxi-6" and “esxi-7” in the host inventory.

Next we will view the network information within SDDC Manager and see how the network pools have been applied

• Click [All Hosts]
• Click [esxi-1]
• Click [Scroll bar] to view the Networks

In this deployment each Management host will have a vMotion and vSAN interface allocated from the network pool named “bringup-networkpool.”  Note the vSAN and vMotion IP address entries fall within the ranges specified within the bringup-networkpool

• Click [Back to Hosts]
• Click [esxi-5] 

Here you can see this host is currently “unassigned.'  It has been configured to consume the ‘vSAN-networkpool.’ 

Hosts esxi-10, esxi-11 and esxi-12 are ready to be provisioned into a new or existing workload domain.

Once these particular hosts are provisioned into a new workload domain the vSAN and vMotion IP address will be assigned within the ranges specified within the vSAN-networkpool

__________________________

Note: Networking pools cannot be edited if they are visible within the Hosts tab.  If a Network Pool needs to be changed it is best to decommission the hosts from SDDC Manager first, before deleting the network pool and creating a new one.  Hosts will then need to be re-commissioned with the new network pool before they can be them used within a VI workload domain.

__________________________

Network Pools are configured by Cloud Foundation administrators to allow SDDC Manager to automate the provisioning of IP addresses for vMotion, vSAN and NFS.  This allows Cloud Foundation administrators to quickly provision and effectively manage pools of IP addresses across multiple network subnets to simplify SDDC operations without disruption, wastage or human error.

For more Cloud Foundation demos visit the Cloud Foundation Resource Center at vmware.com/go/vcfrc 

For more information on VMware Cloud Foundation, visit our website at vmware.com/go/cloudfoundation.