Welcome to VMware Explore, an event where innovation takes center stage, we gather here today, to a symphony of product updates that will redefine the landscape of virtualization and cloud solutions. What we present today are the building blocks of unparalleled agility, innovation, and efficiency. So, without further ado, let the unveiling of these remarkable product updates for VMware Tanzu and Aria begin, as we shape the future together.
Images courtesy of VMware©, Inc. (Source: IDC’s 1Q2023Worldwide Quarterly Converged Systems Tracker, June 2023)
What’s New in vSAN 8 Update 2
Enhanced Performance Platform: Unleash superior performance, scalability, and resilience within the vSAN Express Storage Architecture.
Unleash Storage at Petabyte Scale: Optimize resource utilization and reduce costs by independently scaling storage through vSAN Max.
Augmented Operations: Enhance the identification and resolution of performance concerns while attaining elevated operational adaptability.
Introducing vSAN Max!
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Flexible Topologies
- vSAN Max storage clusters
- Cater to novel use cases and configurations
- Attain fresh cost and operational benefits
- Improved Administration
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Application and Financial Optimization
- Deploy tier-one databases on compact vSphere clusters to curtail external licensing expenses.
- Adapt capacity, security, and performance parameters to your preferences, and scale incrementally as required.
Addressing Environmental and Physical Constraints
- Employ vSAN Max as the primary storage solution for blade servers.
- Accommodate existing setups by utilizing aging hosts within older vSphere clusters.
- Seamlessly design new vSAN Max clusters, optimized for storage density, even in environments with limited physical space.
Centralized Shared Storage
- Opt for vSAN Max as the centralized shared storage solution across all VMware vSphere clusters.
- Streamline and standardize shared storage infrastructure across the data center through vSAN.
- Effortlessly tailor your upcoming storage enhancements to a vSAN Max cluster, offering uncomplicated and gradual scalability.
Scale-Out Dedicated Storage Clusters Built using vSAN ESA
Leverage vSAN Max as the primary or supplementary storage solution for vSphere clusters.
Harness native technologies within vSAN ESA for optimal performance and efficiency.
- Embrace ESA snapshots
- Utilize the ESA communication stack
- Customize storage policies as needed
Experience versatile, scalable, efficient, and robust storage solutions across:
- Individual sites
- Multiple sites (stretched configurations)
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Comparing traditional HCI to disaggregated storage in vSAN ESA
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Provide and Consume Storage with Supreme Levels of Flexibility
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Client Clusters
- Could include conventional vSphere clusters, as well as vSAN ESA clusters
- Could be under the management of the same or distinct vCenter server compared to vSAN Max clusters
Server Clusters
- Deploy vSAN Max as a singular site cluster, or as a stretched cluster
- Facilitate the transmission of storage traffic to/from client clusters using the inherent vSAN communication stack
Simple Provisioning
Initial cluster configuration provides three options
- vSAN HCI
- vSAN Compute Cluster
- vSAN Max
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Simple Connectivity
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1. Highlight desired vSphere cluster
2. Click Configure > vSAN > Services > vSAN Compute Cluster
3. Once completed, click Mount Remote Datastore
Simple Monitoring
Centralized monitoring for vSAN Max cluster – Quick at-a-glance dashboard!
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Core Platform Advances
- File Services and VCF support with ESA
- Enhanced ESA performance, resilience, and scalability
- Introduction of new ESA ReadyNode Profiles and device compatibility
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Integrated File Services for Cloud Native and Traditional Workloads
Benefit from the power of ESA when running vSAN file services
• Improved space efficiency
• Better performance
• Smaller failure domains
Supports NFS and SMB protocols for traditional and cloud native clients
Feature parity with vSAN file services in Original Storage Architecture
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Improved Interoperability with VMware Cloud Foundation – Support of vSAN ESA when using VCF 5.1
Integration of vSAN ESA within VCF’s workload and management domains
- Permits a blend of OSA and ESA clusters
- VCF workflows modified to embrace ESA requirements
Introducing ESA’s efficiency and performance advantages to the VCF ecosystem
Supporting vSAN ESA in VCF settings through disaggregation, encompassing server clusters powered by
- vSAN Max
- vSAN HCI
Higher Throughput & Lower Latency on Write Intensive Workloads – Adaptive Write Path Optimizations in vSAN ESA
Leveraging additional in-memory I/O banks to expedite the processing of incoming write operations. Adapting dynamically and scaling according to workload demands.
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Improved Performance for Disaggregated Environments – vSAN ESA Adaptive Write Path for disaggregated storage
Dynamically uses optimal write path for guest VM writes
- Default write path
- Large I/O write path
Includes other optimizations made to Adaptive Write Path in vSAN 8 U2! Better performance in disaggregated environments
- Up to 200% higher write throughput
- Up to 70% reduction in latency
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Higher Throughput and IOPs for I/O Intensive Workloads – Improved parallelism with vSAN ESA’s object manager client
Provides elevated IOPS and enhanced throughput for single-object, I/O-intensive workloads.
Supplements the I/O processing enhancements in vSAN 8 U1.
Mitigates the risk of potential bottleneck situations higher up in the storage stack.
Most advantageous for:
- Critical mission applications, databases, etc.
- VMs with demanding resource needs
- Assessing performance of individual objects (VMDKs)
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Drive Down Infrastructure Costs – Support for up to 500 VMs per host in clusters running vSAN ESA
2.5x the density of other versions!
Enhanced Management
Default Policy Intelligence makes Optimal Configuration Easier – Auto-Policy Remediation for vSAN ESA
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Enhances the Auto-Policy Management functionality introduced in vSAN 8 U1. Simplifies the process with a one-click “Update Cluster DS Policy” for addressing alterations. Automatically adjusts the cluster-specific storage policy when there’s a change in the number of hosts in the cluster. Efficiently manages continuous cluster changes, minimizing the need for manual intervention.
Improved Clarity with Cluster Capacity Reporting
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Enhanced Visualization of Capacity Overheads in User Interface. Introduces an “ESA Object Overhead” section in the cluster capacity usage breakdown view Illustrates the capacity allocation for vSAN’s log-structured filesystem (LFS) encompassing all object and replica data.
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Storage Device Management at Scale – ESA Prescriptive Disk Claim
Utilizes an innovative “desired state” disk claiming approach focused on outcomes. Define the criteria for disk claiming on hosts within the cluster, and let vSAN manage the process.
Ensures uniformity in the disk claiming procedure for both initial deployment and cluster expansion. Constantly monitors compliance with the defined desired state. Accessible through API and CLI functionalities
Improved Security through Enhanced Key Management – Support for key expiration with Data-at-Rest Encryption in vSAN OSA and ESA.
Reduced Resolution Times for Identified issues – Skyline Health for vSAN remediation enhancements.
Health finding recommendations customized to specific versions of vSAN.
Intuitive Detection of VMs and Disks Consuming the most Resources – Top Contributors enhancements in vSAN OSA and ESA.
Improved Detection of Performance Bottleneck in Stretched Clusters – I/O Trip Analyzer for 2-Node and Stretched Clusters in vSAN OSA and ESA
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Capture diagnostics data on workloads running in a vSAN stretched cluster or 2-node cluster.
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Easier Configuration for 2-Node and Stretched Clusters – Witness Traffic Separation and other configuration improvements in vSAN OSA and ESA
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