The VMware ecosystem has undergone some of its biggest transformations in recent years, and one of the most significant milestones is the Broadcom-backed release of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9 . This latest version introduces a modernized architecture that dramatically expands flexibility across both storage and networking layers—giving architects more freedom than ever to design environments that align with real-world operational and business requirements. On the storage front, VCF 9 removes the long-standing dependency on vSAN as the mandatory principal storage . Organizations can now deploy Management and Workload Domains using NFS or Fibre Channel (FC) in addition to vSAN HCI (ESA/OSA) . Supplemental storage options also expand, with support for iSCSI , NVMe , and vSAN Remote , enabling hybrid use cases and smoother brownfield integrations. Networking sees an equally impactful shift. VCF 9 introduces Edgeless Networking for overlay , eliminating the need to deploy NSX Edge No...

In IT infrastructure, support engineers handle a wide range of daily activities—maintaining, sustaining, and troubleshooting systems. At times, they also face complex bugs or advanced issues that require assistance from product support teams. In this scenario, we’re using VCF as the example product a tightly integrated solution composed of multiple components working together to deliver its capabilities. Let’s walk through a short story to understand the root cause of an issue and how it was resolved: A support engineer named Vivek was working on importing a vCenter instance into a VCF 9 environment . During this process, he encountered a challenging error within VCF Operations that he was unable to resolve on his own. Realizing he needed help, Vivek opened a support request with Broadcom. The support team asked him to provide the necessary log bundles for analysis. Vivek downloaded the requested logs locally and uploaded them to the Broadcom portal a task that took considerable tim...

  VCF 9 Networking : Centralized vs Distributed Connectivity With the release of VMware Cloud Foundation 9 (VCF 9.0) , VMware has redefined the private cloud networking model by introducing both centralized and distributed connectivity. This dual approach provides flexibility for organizations to choose between traditional edge-based routing and modern, host-level distributed networking. Why New Networking in VCF 9? Prior to VCF 9, NSX networking was largely edge-centric—requiring dedicated Edge clusters to handle north-south traffic. This created scaling and operational overheads. VCF 9 introduces a cloud-like networking abstraction with: Native VPCs (Virtual Private Clouds) for tenant isolation. Transit Gateways (TGW) to interconnect VPCs and external networks. Simplified bootstrapping – NSX VIBs are embedded in ESXi for easier enablement. Improved lifecycle and visibility via integrated VCF Operations. These enhancements align with VMware’s goal of offer...

The release of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF 9.0) brings one of the most significant evolutions in vSAN to date—delivering performance, efficiency, and flexibility enhancements tailored for today’s demanding workloads. With data growth accelerating and enterprises embracing AI, analytics, and hybrid cloud strategies, storage platforms must do more than just store bits—they must accelerate innovation, protect critical assets, and optimize resource usage. In VCF 9, vSAN introduces breakthrough capabilities like  cluster-wide global deduplication ,  native vSAN-to-vSAN replication with deep , immutable snapshots , and major data path performance optimizations . Combined with ESA’s blistering IOPS performance, advanced memory tiering, and greater storage architecture flexibility, these features address modern enterprise needs ranging from AI/ML pipelines to cyber-resilient disaster recovery. In this article, we’ll explore the most im...

   What's New in VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0 VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 is a major release that redefines private cloud platforms with a focus on unified management, operational efficiency, advanced security, and robust support for modern and AI workloads. Below is a comprehensive summary of the most significant new features and innovations. Unified Operations and User Experience ·          Single Unified Interface: VCF 9.0 introduces a consolidated interface for cloud administrators, providing a holistic view of private cloud operations. This streamlines daily management and reduces complexity, making on-premises environments feel more like public cloud in terms of usability . ·          Quick Start App: A new application that dramatically reduces setup time and complexity for deploying and configuring private cloud environments . ·        ...