VMware Cloud Foundation is an integrated software stack that bundles compute virtualization (VMware vSphere), storage virtualization (VMware vSAN), network virtualization (VMware NSX), cloud management and operations (VMware vRealize Suite) and Kubernetes-based container services (VMware Tanzu) into a single platform that can be deployed on premises as a private cloud or run as a service within a public cloud. VMware Cloud Foundation can be a common platform for running traditional and next generation containerized applications. It helps to break down the traditional administrative silos in data centers, merging compute, storage, network provisioning, and cloud management to facilitate end-to-end support for application deployment.

Figure 31.    VMware Cloud Foundation software stack

VMware Cloud Foundation is an integrated software platform. Its SDDC Manager component automates the life cycle management of a complete SDDC on standardized hyperconverged architecture. It can be deployed on premises on a broad range of supported hardware or consumed as a service in the public cloud. With integrated cloud management capabilities, the result is a hybrid cloud platform that spans private and public environments, offering a consistent operational model based on well-known vSphere tools and processes, and freedom to run applications anywhere without the complexity of re-writing applications.