Maximize Efficiency: Importing and Converting Brownfield Environments with VCF 5.2

As enterprises evolve, integrating legacy environments with modern cloud infrastructure becomes crucial. VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 5.2 introduces a powerful tool for importing existing brownfield environments. The Import CLI tool facilitates seamless integration by converting your vSphere and vSAN clusters into VCF-managed domains, without impacting existing workloads.

This blog will guide you through the step-by-step process, from pre-checks to the final sync, ensuring a smooth integration of your vSphere and vSAN clusters.

What is the Import CLI Tool?

The Import CLI Tool is a powerful utility designed to facilitate the smooth integration of brownfield environments—those with existing infrastructure—into VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2. Unlike greenfield environments, which are built from scratch, brownfield environments often come with legacy components, configurations, and various storage solutions. Importing these into VCF can be complex, but the Import CLI Tool simplifies this process.

The tool can be downloaded from the Broadcom Portal, and once retrieved, it needs to be unzipped or untarred on the SDDC Manager Appliance. It is important to note that this tool is not included in the SDDC Manager OVA file, so you’ll need to fetch it separately from the Broadcom Portal. The downloaded package contains a set of Python scripts specifically built to help manage the import process.

Import Capabilities

The Import CLI Tool supports the integration of both vSphere Clusters and vSAN Clusters into your VCF environment. This allows for a streamlined and automated approach to ingesting clusters from existing infrastructure into a VCF-managed stack. Notably, while vSAN integration is supported, it is not mandatory for existing environments. You can leverage alternative storage solutions such as:

• VMFS (VMware File System)
• FC (Fibre Channel)
• NFS (Network File System)
• vSAN

This flexibility allows organizations to continue using their existing storage configurations, whether on SAN, NAS, or vSAN, ensuring smooth integration with minimal disruption.

Key Features of the Import CLI Tool

The Import CLI Tool offers four primary functionalities to ensure a smooth transition of brownfield environments into VCF:

1. PreCheck
2. Convert
   
3. Import
   
4. Sync
   
   

PreCheck

The PreCheck feature is an integral part of the Import CLI Tool, designed to perform extensive checks before initiating the Convert or Import processes. This feature conducts 174 comprehensive checks against the existing vCenter infrastructure to verify the topology’s readiness for VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2.

The PreCheck provides a detailed output highlighting any pre-requirements that need to be addressed before proceeding. If any checks fail, administrators must fix the identified issues based on VCF 5.2 requirements. Some of the common issues flagged during PreCheck include:

• Wrong vSphere Distributed Switch version
• Unused ESXi Standalone Hosts
• Incompatible hosts for conversion
• Critical alerts in the existing infrastructure
• Unsupported licenses

Resolving these issues upfront ensures a smoother conversion and import process, mitigating the risk of errors or failures during the transition.

Sample PreCheck Command:

python3 vcf_brownfield.py check --vcenter 'example.vc01.Vmware.lab--sso-user 'administrator@vsphere.local' --sso-password 'VM1!' --vcenter-root-password 'VM2!' --domain-name 'mgmt-domain' --backup-password 'VM3!' --local-admin-password 'VM1!VM2!' --skip-nsx-deployment

Note: Passwords do not need to be included directly in the command line. If not provided, the tool will prompt for them securely during execution.

 

Convert

The Convert feature in the Import CLI Tool allows the conversion of an existing vSphere instance into a VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) Management Domain. This requires an SDDC Manager to manage the transition process. If an existing SDDC Manager is available, it can be used to convert the vSphere vCenter Server into a VCF Management Domain. If there is no SDDC Manager in place, one must be installed and configured before proceeding.

The conversion process creates a new VCF Management Domain using the existing vSphere infrastructure. NSX is not mandatory during this process. However, customers who wish to enable or install NSX Manager during the conversion or import can do so. Alternatively, NSX deployment can be postponed to Day 2 operations. While future VCF releases might make NSX mandatory, it remains optional in VCF 5.2.

One key advantage of the Convert process is that it does not impact existing workloads. It simply converts the vSphere vCenter instance into a VCF Management Domain, ensuring a non-disruptive process. However, if the Convert process fails, even after successful pre-checks, you may need to delete and redeploy the SDDC Manager and rerun the PreCheck to troubleshoot and fix any issues.

Before starting the Convert process, ensure that the existing infrastructure complies with the VCF 5.2 Bill of Materials (BOM) to avoid compatibility issues.

Sample Convert Command without NSX:

python3 vcf_brownfield.py convert --vcenter 'example.vcf.Vmware.lab--sso-user 'administrator@vsphere.local' --sso-password 'VM1!' --vcenter-root-password 'VM2!' --domain-name 'mgmt-domain' --backup-password 'VMware3!' --local-admin-password 'VM1!VM2!' --skip-nsx-deployment

Sample Convert Command with NSX:

python3 vcf_brownfield.py convert --vcenter 'example.vcf.Vmware.lab--sso-user 'administrator@vsphere.local' --sso-password 'VM1!' --vcenter-root-password 'VMwaree2!' --domain-name 'mgmt-domain' --backup-password 'VMware3!' --local-admin-password 'VM1!VM2!' --nsx-deployment-spec-path <nsx-deployment-json-spec-path>

Note: Passwords are not required to be passed directly in the command line; the tool will prompt for them if omitted.

After a successful conversion, administrators can log in to the SDDC Manager to validate and review the newly converted VCF Management Domain and all its configurations.

 

Import

Once the existing vSphere instance is successfully converted into a VCF Management Domain, the Import feature can be used to create VI Workload Domains. This process involves adding existing vSphere and vSAN clusters to the VCF instance. The import operation can be executed either sequentially or in parallel for each VI Workload Domain.

Before running the import process, it's important to conduct the same PreCheck validation as with the convert process. This ensures that the environment is fully compatible and ready for import.

Sample PreCheck Command:

python3 vcf_brownfield.py check --vcenter 'example.vc01.Vmware.lab' --sso-user 'administrator@vsphere.local' --sso-password 'VM1!' --vcenter-root-password 'VM2!' --domain-name 'wld01-domain' --backup-password 'VM3!' --local-admin-password 'VM1!VM2!' --skip-nsx-deployment

Here, example.vc02.pso.lab is the sample vSphere domain in the existing infrastructure, which is being imported as a VCF workload domain.

Sample Import Command without NSX:

python3 vcf_brownfield.py import --vcenter 'example.vc01.Vmware.lab' --sso-user 'administrator@vsphere.local' --sso-password 'VM1!' --vcenter-root-password 'VM2!' --domain-name 'wld01-domain' --backup-password 'VM3!' --local-admin-password 'VM1!VM2!' --skip-nsx-deployment

Sample Import Command with NSX:

python3 vcf_brownfield.py import --vcenter 'example.vc02.Vmware.lab--sso-user 'administrator@vsphere.local' --sso-password 'VM1!' --vcenter-root-password 'VMwaree2!' --domain-name 'wld01-domain' --backup-password 'VMware3!' --local-admin-password 'VM1!VM2!' --nsx-deployment-spec-path <nsx-deployment-json-spec-path>

The Import and Convert processes follow similar workflows and pre-check validations. However, it's important to note that there is no rollback option for the import process. In the event of failure or errors after a successful pre-check or partial import, it is recommended to contact the support team for assistance.

To minimize risk, take a snapshot before triggering the import command. Also, avoid deleting the SDDC Manager during the import process. If the management domain fails with errors, only then should the SDDC Manager be deleted and redeployed.

 

Sync

After the creation of the Management Domain and VI Workload Domains, the Sync command can be executed to update the SDDC Manager with any changes made to vCenter Server objects. This command is applicable for new, upgraded, or imported domains and is essential for managing configuration drift between the SDDC Manager and the existing vCenter Server.

Example Use Case for Sync: After performing an import, if there is a discrepancy in the number of ESXi hosts or networks between the existing domain and the new VCF Workload Domain, the sync command will reconcile these objects to ensure consistency within the new VCF Workload Domain.

Important Note: Certain SDDC Manager workflows may be hindered if the vCenter Server and SDDC Manager are not in sync.

Sample Sync Command:

python3 vcf_brownfield.py sync --domain-name <domain name wld01>

Note: The above command will prompt for the SDDC Manager Local Admin Password.

Additional Considerations:

• There are currently no plans to convert or import existing VxRail Clusters into a VCF instance.
• The Convert and Import processes do not support vSphere clusters that are enabled with Enhanced Linked Mode (ELM) or an SSO Domain for both VCF Management and VCF Workload Domains. It is essential for both Management and Workload Domains to have their own SSO Domain.
• During the import or conversion process, there will be no changes to the names of inventory objects; all objects will retain their original names.
• Standalone hosts that are not part of any clusters will not be migrated to VCF 5.2.
• It's important to note that spikes in CPU and memory utilization may occur due to vMotion traffic, vSAN rebalance, and potential triggers from HA (High Availability) and DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler) rules during the Convert and Import processes.

 

Some of the Convert Must Requirements

When preparing for the conversion process to VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 5.2, it's essential to adhere to the following requirements:

1. Alignment with VCF 5.2 BOM: Ensure that your environment is compliant with the VCF 5.2 Bill of Materials (BOM), specifically using vSphere 8.0 U3 or higher.
2. SDDC Manager Instantiation: The SDDC Manager should only be installed and instantiated if it does not already exist in the environment. This process should be executed once to avoid any conflicts.
3. Manual Deployment of SDDC Manager: If an SDDC Manager needs to be instantiated, it must be manually deployed. Additionally, the import scripts should be copied to the appropriate location on the SDDC Manager.
4. Colocation Requirement: The vCenter must be colocated with the clusters that are to be converted. This ensures proper integration and functionality during the conversion process.
5. Precheck Validation: Before initiating the conversion, run the Precheck on the Management Domain vCenter to validate its configuration. This step is crucial to identify and rectify any potential issues before proceeding with the conversion.

 

Some of the Import Must Requirements

Before proceeding with the import process in VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF), it's crucial to meet the following requirements:

1. Alignment with VCF 4.5.0 BOM: Ensure that your environment aligns with the VCF 4.5.0 Bill of Materials (BOM), specifically utilizing vSphere 7.0 U3 or higher.
2. Run for Each vCenter: The import process must be executed for each vCenter that is to be imported as a VI Domain.
3. vCenter Instance Location: The vCenter instances should either reside on the management domain or be co-located with the clusters being imported.
4. Isolated Domain Import: The vCenter instances are imported as isolated domains, meaning Enhanced Linked Mode (ELM) is not supported in this configuration.
5. Configuration Validation: Run a check on the SDDC Manager to validate the configurations of the vCenter instances before initiating the import process.
6. Backup and Snapshot: Although the import process is non-disruptive, it is highly recommended to take a backup of the vCenter and a snapshot of the SDDC Manager before running the import command. This serves as a rollback plan in case of any issues during the import.

Some of the Common Must Requirements

To ensure a successful deployment and operation of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF), the following common requirements must be met:

1. Storage Types: The storage must be either vSAN, NFS, or VMFS-FC.
2. Node Requirements:
• vSAN: A minimum of 3 nodes is required.
• NFS and VMFS-FC: A minimum of 2 nodes is required.
3. Homogeneous Hosts: All hosts within a cluster must be homogeneous, meaning they should be of the same hardware configuration to ensure compatibility and performance.
4. Host Kernel Adapters:
• Static IP Assignment: IP addresses must be statically assigned; the use of DHCP is not permitted.
• Dedicated vMotion Network: A dedicated network for vMotion is required to optimize performance during virtual machine migrations.
5. Single Traffic Type: Each VMkernel adapter must handle only one type of traffic. This ensures efficient network management and performance optimization.