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VMware Cloud on AWS

VMware Cloud on AWS Overview

  • Definition: VMware Cloud on AWS is a managed hybrid cloud service that integrates VMware’s Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) software (vSphere, vSAN, NSX, vCenter) with AWS’s global infrastructure, enabling seamless migration and operation of VMware-based workloads in the cloud.

  • Key Features:

    • Runs VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) on AWS bare-metal EC2 instances.
    • Supports hybrid cloud with consistent infrastructure across on-premises and AWS.
    • Integrates with 200+ AWS services (e.g., S3, RDS, Lambda).

    • Managed by Broadcom (post-VMware acquisition); AWS no longer resells as of April 30, 2024.

  • Use Cases: Data center extension, disaster recovery, application modernization, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), low-latency workloads.

1. VMware Cloud on AWS Core Concepts

Components

  • Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC):
    • Virtualized compute (vSphere), storage (vSAN), and networking (NSX) managed via vCenter.
    • Deployed on dedicated EC2 bare-metal instances (e.g., i3.metal, m7i.metal-24xl).
    • Explanation: E.g., an SDDC with 2 hosts running vSphere 8.0.
  • Cluster:
    • Group of hosts (min 1 for dev/test, 2 for production; max 16 per cluster).
    • Supports single-AZ or stretched clusters (Multi-AZ for HA).
    • Explanation: E.g., 3-host cluster in us-east-1a.
  • Organization:
    • Logical entity to manage SDDCs, users, and policies.
    • Explanation: E.g., company’s VMware Cloud account.
  • VMware Cloud Services:
    • Includes VMware Live Recovery, VMware Aria Suite, VMware HCX (migration tool).
    • Explanation: E.g., HCX for workload mobility.

  • Amazon Elastic VMware Service (EVS):

    • New AWS-native service (preview at re:Invent 2024) to run VCF in a VPC, offering license portability and self-managed/managed options.

    • Explanation: Alternative to Broadcom-managed VMware Cloud on AWS.

Connectivity

  • Service Link: Connects SDDC to AWS Region for management (via Direct Connect or public internet).
  • ENI (Elastic Network Interface): Connects SDDC to VPC for AWS service integration.
  • VMware Transit Connect: Simplifies VPC peering and Transit Gateway connectivity.
  • Explanation: E.g., route traffic from SDDC to S3 via ENI.

Key Updates (2024–2025):

  • M7i.metal-24xl Instances: 4th Gen Intel Xeon (Sapphire Rapids), 48 cores, 384 GiB memory, supports NFS storage (VMware Cloud Flex Storage, FSx for NetApp ONTAP). Available in 5 regions as of February 2024.

  • vSAN ESA (Express Storage Architecture): Supports up to 500 VMs/host, NVMe-based, deep rekey for encryption (tech preview).

  • Advanced Security: NSX Firewall (Layer 7 App ID, Identity Firewall, FQDN Filtering) included at no cost since February 1, 2024.

  • Aria Suite Advanced: Cloud management (Aria Automation, Operations, Logs) included for SDDCs post-August 31, 2023.

  • Amazon EVS: Native AWS alternative, simplifies VCF deployment, supports license portability.

Key Notes:

  • Exam Relevance: Understand SDDC deployment, connectivity, and EVS vs. VMware Cloud on AWS.
  • Mastery Tip: Compare VMware Cloud on AWS (Broadcom-managed) vs. EVS (AWS-native).

VMware Cloud on AWS vs. Other Services

Feature VMware Cloud on AWS Amazon EVS EC2 Auto Scaling
Type Managed VCF (Broadcom) AWS-native VCF Instance Scaling
Workload VMware VMs VMware VMs Any EC2 workload
Management Broadcom-managed Self-managed/managed AWS-managed
Cost Host-based Resource-based EC2-based
Use Case Hybrid VMware Native AWS VMware Scalable cloud apps