What’s New in VMware Cloud Foundation v2.3.0

VMware is pleased to announce the General Availability of VMware Cloud Foundation version 2.3.0.  This is an On-Prem release of VCF.

RTM Date: 01-09-2018
GA Date: 01-11-2018

VMware Cloud Foundation (version 2.3.0) is a unified SDDC platform that brings together VMware vSphere, vSAN, NSX and optionally vRealize suite and Horizon components into a natively integrated stack to deliver enterprise-ready cloud infrastructure for the private and public cloud. The VCF 2.3.0 release continues to expand on the SDDC automation, VMware SDDC stack and the partner ecosystem.

vcf23bom

What’s New

The VMware Cloud Foundation 2.3.0 release includes the following:

  • Full SDDC deployment and configuration during bring-up and post-installation operations, including vRealize Operations, vRealize Automation, and vRealize Log Insight.
  • Ability to deploy and configure vRealize Automation v7.3 as an on-demand, post-installation operation, including HA configuration with NSX ESG load balancer and the ability to dynamically add workload domains as vRealize Automation endpoints.
  • Deployment and configuration of vRealize Operations v6.6 as an on-demand, post-installation operation, including HA configuration with NSX ESG load balancer, the ability to add workload domains data collection, out-of-the-box monitoring of virtual infrastructure, and user-defined deployment sizing. It also includes management packs for vSphere, NSX, Storage, vRealize Automation and Log Insight.
  • Heterogeneous server support: VCF can now image racks with different types of hosts from same vendor using pre-defined ESXi profiles. The bring-up and workload domain workflows now reflect heterogeneous servers, enabling administrators to select specific hosts for workload domains. SDDC Manager filters out incompatible servers, and alert users to potentially unbalanced configurations.
  • Support for custom ISO image enables creation of servers from custom ISO images. As a result, new server models can be used without waiting for VMware updates.
  • Improvements to the built-in configuration-backup feature, including automatic backups upon key events such as workload domain creation/expansion/deletion, password rotation, and host decommissioning. This includes a checksum backup bundle to guard against data corruption.
  • Improved bundle transfer utility that will allow intelligent download of bundles from the depot and supporting offline patching
  • LCM now supports 3rd party patching of SDDC Manager and Repository VMs
  • Critical bug and security fixes on SDDC Manager
  • The VCF VMware Compatibility Guide has expanded support for new vSAN ReadyNodes – Dell R740, and R740xd hardware.
  • Switch hardware supported expanded to ARISTA ToR switch 7289SR(A).
  • In VxRack SDDC integrated environments, VCF 2.3.0 includes VxManager deployment during bring-up, VxManager integration with LCM and Cloud Foundation user interface, VxRack component deployment inside workload domains, and alert forwarding from SDDC Manager and VxManager to ESRS.

Cloud Foundation Versions and Build Numbers

Cloud Foundation is a software stack that deploys the VMware SDDC Software Stack. Older version releases are 2.1.x, 2.2, 2.2.0.1, 2.2.0.2, and 2.2.1. For information about what is new in those products, as well as their known issues and resolved issues, see the release notes for those software versions. You can locate their release notes from their documentation landing pages at docs.vmware.com.

You can install Cloud Foundation 2.3.0 either directly or by upgrading from your existing deployment. See the Installation and Upgrades Information section in the Release notes.

The Cloud Foundation software product enables automated deployment of the following software Bill-of-Materials (BOM). This BOM is interoperable and compatible.

The Cloud Foundation 2.3.0 software BOM is listed in the attached image.

Further material: