#  VMWare VCF Automated deployment

MetalSoft provides an extension for deploying an VMWare VCF automatically. The currently supported version is 5.2.1. 

## Requirements
1. The following files need to be on the repository:
 * the ESXI template such as VMware-VMvisor-Installer-8.0U3b-24280767.x86_64.iso
 * the VCF cloud builder VMWare-Cloud-Builder-5.2.1.0-2437856_OVF10.ova
 * Compatible hardware. Check [the official VMWare documentation](https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsan/vsan/7-0/vsan-planning-and-deployment-7-0/requirements-for-creating-a-virtual-san-cluster/hardware-requirements-for-virtual-san.html) with updated requirements.

## Registering the ESXI template

1a. Create the MetalSoft ESXI template (with internet access)
```
metalcloud-cli os-template list-repo 
metalcloud-cli os-template create-from-repo ESXi/8.0.3/esxi-8-cluster-node
```
1b. Create the MetalSoft ESXI template (airgapped)
In air-gapped environment, on a machine with internet access clone the github repository
```
git clone https://github.com/metalsoft-io/os-templates

```
Copy the `os-templates` directory to the machine where the CLI can be executed that has access to the Global Controller. The os-templates directory should contain the .git files.
```
metalcloud-cli os-template list-repo --repo-url /path/to/os-templates
metalcloud-cli os-template create-from-repo ESXi/8.0.3/esxi-8-cluster-node --repo-url /path/to/os-templates
```

2. Extract the `BOOT.cfg` file from the ISO
Open the ESXI ISO and extract the `BOOT.cfg` file. On a linux server the following commands can be used:
```
mount /path/to/esxi.iso /mnt
cat /mnt/EFI/BOOT/BOOT.CFG
```
Copy the content to clipboard.

3. Update the ISO 
Go to **Templates** > **esxi** > **Assets** > **BOOT.CFG**> **Content** Replace the content with the content of the clipboard.

4. Modify the `kernelopt` line in the 
```
kernelopt=ks=cdrom:/KS.CFG
```
Click SAVE

6. Update the URL asset with the URL towards the ISO file. 
```
https://path-to-your-repo/VMware-VMvisor-Installer-8.0U3b-24280767.x86_64.iso
```

Click SAVE

## Registering the VCF extension

```
git clone https://github.com/metalsoft-io/metalsoft-extensions
metalcloud-cli extension create VCF application "VMWare VCF 5.2.1" --definition-source vmware-cloud-foundations/extension.json
metalcloud-cli extension publish <id-of-created-extension>
metalcloud-cli extension make-public <id-of-created-extension>

```

## Preparing logical networks

4 different networks are required and must be created as separate logical networks either as pre-created or private:

Go to **Admin** > **Fabrics** > fabric > **Logical networks** Create the following logical networks (the names need to match):
* `vcf-mgmt` tagged: true. Activ-Active redundancy. Ensure this network has access to the **Site Controller**, in-band (set the correct vlan id and/or ip ranges). Choose a VLAN or leave on automatic. Set IPv4 allocation strategy to Auto with a /28 subnet and gateway placement strategy "default".
* `vcf-san` tagged: true. Active-active redundancy.  Choose a VLAN or leave on automatic. Set IPv4 allocation strategy to Auto with a /28 subnet and gateway placement strategy "default". Set IPv4 allocation strategy to Auto with a /28 subnet and gateway placement strategy "default".
* `vcf-vmotion` tagged: true. Active-Active redundancy. Choose a VLAN or leave on automatic.Set IPv4 allocation strategy to Auto with a /28 subnet and gateway placement strategy "default".
* `vcf-nsx` tagged: true. Active-active redundancy Choose a VLAN or leave on automatic. Set IPv4 allocation strategy to Auto with a /28 subnet and gateway placement strategy "default".


## Deploy a test VCF cluster

From the infrastructure editor add a new VCF cluster from the list.