A VxRail cluster can optionally join a compatible customer-managed vCenter Server that is hosted outside of the VxRail cluster. In addition to the centralized management advantage of a customer-managed vCenter Server, this environment allows virtual machines to be easily migrated between nodes and clusters for optimal workload balance, and simplifies VxRail upgrades and expansion.

• Each VxRail cluster appears within the vCenter Server as a cluster of ESXi hosts managed under a data center instance.
• Each cluster within the vCenter Server has its own vSphere Distributed Switch or switches with distinct port group names for network connectivity.
• Each VxRail cluster within the vCenter Server has its own datastore or datastores for virtual machine storage purposes.
• Each VxRail cluster within the vCenter Server has its own VxRail Manager deployed.

The option to deploy a vCenter virtual appliance to a vCenter instance not provided by VxRail is referred to as “customer-managed” vCenter Server. In a customer-managed vCenter Server, customers are responsible for all planning, preparation, configuration, and overall management.

Figure 4.   VxRail clusters joining a customer-managed vCenter Server

With the customer-managed vCenter Server option, only the VxRail Manager is deployed on the VxRail External Management Network on the VxRail cluster. This External Management Network must be able to reach not only required end users and data center services, but also the customer-managed vCenter Server instance. For more details, see the VxRail Network Planning Guide.