Before you begin to deploy VMware Cloud Foundation, complete the following deployment configuration options:
- Identify and create within Active Directory all required service accounts with the correct roles and privileges.
- Identify and validate all networking vLANs and IP subnets. If NSX Edge gateways will be deployed for upstream routing, also identify and validate the peer autonomous system (AS) number or numbers and routing credentials.
- Identify and validate all networking services (DHCP, DNS, NTP), and ensure that they are reachable.
- Ensure that all hosts and VMware Cloud Foundation VMs are fully resolvable within DNS (forward and reverse).
- Ensure that any upstream firewalls have appropriate ports open for management access to Ready Stack and VMware Cloud Foundation networks, services, and components.
- Ensure that correct licenses are available for all VMware Cloud Foundation software products.
- Ensure that signed certificates are available for all VMware Cloud Foundation software products. Never use embedded self-signed certificates in a production VMware Cloud Foundation deployment.
- For VI workload domains, configure FC storage and assign it to hosts.
- Install and configure Microsoft SQL Server 2016 if you will be deploying VMware vRealize Automation, or use an existing installation.
For details, see the VMware Cloud Foundation Planning and Preparation Guide.
