Overview

Architecting a VMware vCloud provides guidance to architect an Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) cloud based on the VMware vCloud® Suite. The vCloud Suite dramatically simplifies IT operations, delivering both enhanced agility as well as better economics. At the heart of the suite are a set of software-defined datacenter services. These represent the application of the virtualization principles of pooling, abstraction, and automation to the domains of storage, networking, security, and availability.

The vCloud Suite components addressed in this guide include VMware vSphere®, VMware vCloud Director™ (VCD), VMware vCloud Networking and Security (formerly vShield), the VMware vCenter™ Operations Management Suite, VMware vFabric™ Application Director™, VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager™ (SRM), and VMware vCloud Connector™. Simplifying the delivery of resources to end users requires the architectural integration and coordination of these components. Both service providers and enterprises can use the design guidelines, with some variations depending on point of view.

This document, combined with a service definition, can help you navigate through the design considerations for architecting a vCloud solution. The documents, Architecting a VMware vCloud, Operating a VMware vCloud, and Consuming a VMware vCloud are designed to work together throughout the lifecycle of a VMware vCloud computing implementation with VMware technologies.

Architecting a VMware vCloud provides design guidelines, design considerations, and design patterns for constructing a vCloud environment from its constituent components.

Operating a VMware vCloud includes design guidelines and considerations for operating and maintaining a vCloud environment. It covers the people, process, and technology involved in running a vCloud environment.

Consuming a VMware vCloud covers the various considerations for the consumer when choosing to leverage vCloud computing resources.

Additionally, VMware vCloud Implementation Examples provides modular examples that show how to use VMware component software to implement a vCloud.