VMware Cloud on AWS Recommendation in Cloudamize

Overview

The VMware Cloud on AWS Recommendation feature enriches Cloudamize's capabilities by providing tailored recommendations for VMware Cloud (VMC) on AWS deployments. This enhancement aims to optimize the integration of VMware's enterprise-class Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) software with AWS-native services, offering customers an efficient and seamless experience.

What is VMware Cloud on AWS Recommendation?

VMware Cloud on AWS is a strategic collaboration that brings together VMware's powerful SDDC software with the scalability and agility of AWS. Leveraging VMware Cloud Foundation, this solution offers a comprehensive suite of tools for compute, storage, and network virtualization, combined with the management capabilities of VMware vCenter Server.

VMware Cloud on AWS Recommendation in Cloudamize transforms the way Cloudamize handles VM optimization and migration to VMware Cloud on AWS. Leveraging Cloudamize's proficient right-sizing capabilities, Cloudamize undertakes meticulous assessments by collecting high-resolution compute, storage, and network usage data directly from on-premises VMs. This valuable data forms the foundation for precision right-sizing of VMs and optimizing over/under provisioned VMs within on-premises environments. This optimization information is then transmitted seamlessly to the VMC Sizer API maintained by the VMware team.

The VMC Sizer API, an essential component in this process, determines the optimal VMC cluster and hosts required for a smooth migration. It carefully selects host types, including the powerful I3.en and I4I instances, aligned with the optimized VM configurations identified by Cloudamize. This meticulous selection ensures that the migration to VMware Cloud on AWS is precisely tailored to the chosen host hardware, optimizing performance and efficiency.

The feature's core functionality is within Cloudamize's detailed Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) calculations. These calculations consider multiple variables, such as compute, storage, and network resources, as well as the potential need for external FSx storage within the VMware Cloud environment. Cloudamize, acting as an orchestrator, integrates the host types and external storage information returned by the VMC Sizer API into its TCO assessment. The outcome is a comprehensive and accurate TCO evaluation for the recommended host configuration.

The TCO details, along with the essential cluster-host-VM mapping, are elegantly presented within the Cloudamize user interface, providing customers with a clear overview of the proposed architecture. Furthermore, this valuable information is exportable, enabling the generation of comprehensive reports for in-depth analysis and informed decision-making.

This seamless integration between Cloudamize's right-sizing expertise, the VMC Sizer API, and the TCO calculation functionality elevates the migration journey to VMware Cloud on AWS. Customers benefit from precise insights, ensuring a successful and cost-effective transition.

How Do I Use the VMware Cloud on AWS Recommendation?

Setup

(1) Add vCenter(s):

To receive VMware Cloud on AWS recommendations you must connect at least one vCenter when configuring Cloudamize. You can learn more about how to add vCenter to your Cloudamize assessment here: vCenter Installation Instructions.

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(2) Install Cloudamize Agents or Configure Cloudamize Agentless Data Collector(s):

Cloudamize only collects performance data (CPU utilization, memory utilization, etc.) from machines at the vCenter (hypervisor) level. If you would like to get the full functionality of Cloudamize data collection you will also need to install Cloudamize Agents or configure a Cloudamize Agentless Data Collector (ADC). Both Cloudamize Agents and Cloudamize ADCs collect SQL version and license data as well as application dependency data.

You can learn more about the data collected by vCenter here, Data Collected from VMWare vCenter and Cloudamize agents here, Data Collected by Agent.

Pre-configured Design:

A pre-configured design is available for this feature and is titled, ‘VMware Cloud on AWS, All Upfront 3-yr'.

The design is based on the “OLA-2 - Workload On-Demand' for its rightsizing configuration and additionally includes the VMware Cloud on AWS recommendation.

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Customizable Design:

It is also possible to customize the design in Designer using a range of new settings. Customers can create new designs based on the pre-configured design ‘VMware Cloud on AWS, All Upfront 3-yr' and tweak the configuration as needed:

Exceptions:

Cloudamize provides a fail-safe mechanism in the event that the VMC Sizer encounters an exception during the VM packaging process and cannot package a VM in any of the SDDC hosts. Any VMs that cannot be optimally accommodated within the VMC environment will be automatically recommended for the EC2 environment to ensure no VMs are left unaccounted for.

Physical Server Recommendation:

For assessments containing both physical and virtual infrastructure:

TCO Calculation:

The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for the VMware Cloud on AWS Recommendation will be determined based on the following factors:

1. Compute TCO:
   The computation of TCO will be based on the total number of hosts recommended for packing VMs and the pricing of each host in the target region.

2. Storage Pricing:
   If external storage is necessary for the cluster, the pricing of Amazon FSx will be calculated based on the region.

   • Storage Pricing calculation will be done based on Amazon FSx rates.

3. Network Pricing:
   The network pricing will remain consistent and will be derived from the base EC2 recommendation plan.

Cloudamize regularly updates the pricing information based on AWS pricing changes.

Host-VM packaging on UI and in report

Cluster/Summary view:

Host details view:

VM details view: