VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 Architecture, Operations and Best Practices

VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0 introduces major architectural and operational enhancements for modern private cloud deployments. This article provides a technical deep dive into its core themes, covering architecture models, operational concepts, networking, storage, and key best practices relevant for enterprise IT teams and architects.

Core Architecture Themes

VCF 9 builds on refined domain-based architecture, enabling seamless scalability for both management and workload clusters. The solution is comprised of VCF Instances, each containing a management domain and multiple workload domains, all orchestrated through SDDC Manager. Version 9 brings more flexible fleet management to coordinate multiple instances, offering unified automation and life cycle control.

Diagram: Multi-instance VCF Architecture

Fleet Management

├─ VCF Instance 1
│ ├─ Management Domain (vCenter, NSX, SDDC Manager)
│ └─ Workload Domains (Clusters, Storage)
└─ VCF Instance 2
├─ Management Domain
└─ Workload Domains

Architecture Best Practices

Area	Best Practice
Domain Design	Separate management and workload clusters for resilience
Topology	Employ multi-rack, multi-site for high availability and failover
Fleet Management	Use automated, centralized operations for upgrades and patching

Operations and Automation

Operations in VCF 9 revolve around centralized life cycle management and automated monitoring. VCF Operations features single UI dashboards for fleets, intelligent log analytics, and sophisticated monitoring, integrating seamlessly with Aria Operations and leading SIEM platforms. Automated upgrades can be performed with zero downtime leveraging new live patching capabilities

Recommended Operational Workflows

Workflow	Recommended Tool/Service	Description
Fleet Management	SDDC Manager, VCF Automation	Centralized patching, configuration, upgrades
Monitoring and Log Analysis	Aria Operations/Log Insight	Correlated logs, health checks, capacity analysis
Automation and API Integration	PowerCLI, REST, Terraform	Infrastructure-as-Code for deployments and recovery

Networking and Security

Networking in VCF 9 leverages NSX-T’s powerful overlay model. NSX Federation allows multi-site policy enforcement, network segmentation, and rapid disaster recovery across interconnected VCF Instances. Security is enhanced by full-stack RBAC, MFA integration, and continuous compliance monitoring using built-in SDDC Manager audit modules.

Diagram: NSX Federation Multi-site Model

text        [NSX Federation]
         ├─ Site A (Local NSX)
         └─ Site B (Local NSX)
             │
         [Global Policy Enforcement]

Security Recommendations

Technology	Best Practice	Rationale
NSX Federation	Global policies, microsegmentation	Tenant isolation and rapid DR
Identity Broker	SSO, MFA	Enhanced authentication
Compliance	Periodic audits, drift management	Maintain regulatory posture

Storage Innovations

VCF 9 centers storage architecture around vSAN Express Storage Architecture (ESA), supporting end-to-end NVMe, global deduplication and compression, and cross-cluster “HCI Mesh” sharing. Clusters may also integrate legacy NFS or Fibre Channel storage for hybrid deployments. Always size clusters based on workload IOPS/latency targets, and validate network links (10GbE+ recommended).

Storage Model	Main Benefits	Key Considerations
vSAN ESA	High performance, simplified ops	10GbE or higher required
NFS/Fibre Channel	Legacy integration, flexibility	Latency and compatibility
HCI Mesh	Flexible cross-cluster sharing	Topology planning needed

Key Enhancements & Practical Tips

Unified Licensing: Subscription simplifies entitlement management.
Workload Domain Flexibility: Partition workloads by function, location, or business unit for optimised governance.
Automation First: Use API-based provisioning for all config and expansion tasks to improve repeatability and reduce errors.
Proactive Security: Regularly configure and monitor RBAC, SSO, certificate expiry, and compliance status.