Many organizations are looking to transform their traditional vSphere environments into a full private cloud experience with VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF). This guide explores the migration process and key benefits.

Why Move to Cloud Foundation?

SDDC Manager Benefits

  • Built-in automation and architecture
  • Consistent infrastructure deployment
  • Public cloud-like experience on-premises
  • Centralized lifecycle management
  • Integrated password management
  • Certificate management capabilities
  • STIG compliance for government agencies

Migration Process Overview

Initial Setup

  1. Deploy VCF as greenfield installation
  2. Start with management domain
    • Requires minimum four hosts
    • Houses SDDC Manager
    • Includes new vCenter Server
    • Creates new SSO domain

Migration Tool: HCX

HCX (Hybrid Cloud Extension) is the key component that enables migration:

  • Links existing vSphere and new VCF environments
  • Works across:
    • Same datacenter migrations
    • Different sites
    • Datacenter consolidations
    • Merger scenarios

Network Considerations

Two primary options for networking:

  1. VLAN-Backed Port Groups

    • Continue using existing VLANs
    • Plumb existing VLANs into VCF
    • Minimal network changes required

  2. Software-Defined Networking

    • Convert to NSX VPCs
    • Layer 2 network extension
    • Zero-downtime conversion
    • Modern networking capabilities

Migration Strategy

Phase 1: Initial Setup

  1. Deploy VCF management domain
  2. Install HCX in both environments
  3. Establish connectivity between environments

Phase 2: Workload Migration

  1. Use vMotion through HCX
  2. Support bulk migrations
  3. Move workloads to management domain initially
  4. Drain existing hosts systematically

Phase 3: Infrastructure Expansion

  1. Repurpose freed hosts
  2. Create VI workload domain
  3. Continue migration process
  4. Rinse and repeat until complete

Storage Integration

Third-Party Storage Support

  • Retain existing storage investments
  • Support for:
    • Fiber Channel
    • NFS
    • External arrays
  • Available in both:
    • Management domains
    • VI workload domains

Best Practices

  1. Planning

    • Verify hardware compatibility
    • Assess network requirements
    • Plan storage integration
    • Document application dependencies

  2. Execution

    • Start with less critical workloads
    • Use swing capacity approach
    • Validate each migration
    • Maintain backup strategy

  3. Post-Migration

    • Verify application functionality
    • Update documentation
    • Remove legacy configurations
    • Train team on new capabilities

Conclusion

Migrating from vSphere to VMware Cloud Foundation represents a shift from traditional virtualization to a full private cloud operating model. While the process requires careful planning and execution, the benefits of automation, consistency, and integrated lifecycle management make it a compelling evolution for many organizations.

The flexibility to maintain existing networking and storage investments, combined with the powerful capabilities of HCX, provides a practical path forward that can be executed with minimal disruption to existing operations.