Introduction

In this blog, we will discuss and deploy Application Virtual Network (AVN) in VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) Environment. VCF is multicloud platform that provides hyperconverged infrastructure for Modernizing datacentres and container-based applications. The Three key components of VCF are vSphere , NSX & VSAN. VCF segregate Management and application VMs with domains Management and Workload respectively. During initial bring up process, SDDC manager, vCenter , NSX-T Managers & VSAN  gets deployed in Management domain.

You can deploy vRealize Aria suite for VCF environments which get deployed in Management domain. VCF leverages NSX-T for Network & Security solution.

AVN is Software defined networking on NSX that allows hosting of management applications like vRealize suite ( VRA , VRO , WSA , VRNI ) inside Management Domain.

AVN can be deployed from SDDC manager and VCF supports two types of NSX segments for AVN deployment that are Overlay-backed NSX segment and VLAN backed NSX segment.

During AVN deployment, Two AVN get created Region-A and X-Region on NSX Edge cluster deployed in Management domain.  Region-A AVN hosts  vRealize Aria components  like vRLI , vRNI collector and X-Region hosts like VRA ,VROPS ,vRNI platform.

Please refer below diagram for high level understanding.

Figure 1 : AVN overview

Pre-Requisite for AVN deployments

NSX-T Edge cluster and logical routers (Tier-0 and Tier-1) must be deployed from SDDC manager prior to deploy AVN.

Note: During VCF Planning and preparing phase , VCF architect capture AVN details in Planning & preparing workbook.

AVN deployment

We will deploy Overlay backed AVN with below network details

Region-A : 10.0.50.0/24

X-Region: 10.0.60.0/24

Please refer below steps to deploy AVN

Login to SDDC Manager , Click on Workload Domain and select Management domain.

Click on Action and select  ADD AVN.

Figure 2 : Add AVN

New Window will Pop-up where we have to select type on AVN : Overlay or VLAN backed. Select Overlay and click on NEXT.

Figure 3 : Select Overlay-Backed NSX Segment

In next window select  Edge Cluster details and Tier-1. SDDC pulls this information from default NSX-T edge cluster details. Click on Next to process further.

Figure 4 : Select EDGE cluster and Tier-1 gateway

In next window, Provide below details for both AVN segments (Region-A and X-Region).

Name :

Network :

Subnet Mask :

Default Gateway :

MTU :

Note : For Overlay-backed segments , Gateway will get created on NSX Tier-1 gateway which was selected in previous window .

Figure 5 : Region Segment

Figure 6 : X-Region

Click Next to process further.

Review details before click on Finish.

Figure 7 : Click on Finish

SDDC manager will some time approx. (5 minutes) to finish this task. You can monitor tasks status from Recent tasks window.

Figure 8 : AVN workflow

Validation

Click on Summary tab of Management Domain to get AVN details.

Figure 9 : AVN Validation

Login to NSX-T manager and click on segment. Validate that both AVN segments are created like below.

Figure 10 : Validation on NSX Manager

Conclusion

In this blog post, We discussed and deployed AVN segments in VCF environment.