- 1.1. Overview
- 1.2. Using the vCAT Documentation Set
- 1.3. Cloud Computing and VMware vCloud
- 1.4. Journey to a Mature vCloud Implementation
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
1.2. Using the vCAT Documentation Set
The vCloud Architecture Toolkit provides a set of documents to support the design of complex, integrated reference architectures for architects, operators, and consumers. Figure 1.1 shows the documents, and Table 1.1 briefly describes them.
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FIGURE 1.1. VMware vCloud Architecture Toolkit document map
TABLE 1.1. VMware vCloud Architecture Toolkit Documents
|
Video |
Document |
Description |
Audience |
|
Release Notes |
Includes information about the VMware Architecture Toolkit, toolkit packages, how to use the documentation center, and information about changes since the vCAT 3.0 release. |
All |
|
|
|
Introduction |
Covers the following topics:
|
All |
|
|
Service Definitions |
Discusses service definition lifecycles, including specific considerations for private, public, and hybrid vCloud instances, and examples of service offerings designed to help you create service definitions that meet specific business objectives. |
All |
|
|
Architecting a VMware vCloud |
Details design considerations for architecting and building a VMware vCloud, including the basis for a reference architecture and guidance on requirements for implementing a VMware vCloud infrastructure. |
Architects, IT operations |
|
|
Operating a VMware vCloud |
Introduces high-level operational areas and discusses the evolution to support vCloud dynamics. Provides information about operational procedures, roles and responsibilities, setup, management, and monitoring of a vCloud. Also covers VMware management tools that support vCloud operations. |
Architects, IT operations |
|
|
Consuming a VMware vCloud |
Answers consumer questions such as the following:
Provides the consumer’s perspective. |
Architects, IT operations, consumers, end users |
|
|
Implementation Examples |
Provides examples of how to build a vCloud. |
Architects |
|
|
Workflow Examples |
Provides a description of useful scripts and workflows for VMware vCenter™ Orchestrator™. Other examples use technologies such as PowerCLI. Includes references to where these scripts can be found. |
Architects, IT operations |
|
|
Software Tools |
Includes information about software that can benefit architects and operators. Provides information about freely available technologies that have been created and used to assist in vCloud design, deployment, and operations. Also includes information about several powerful tools that are available only as part of a service engagement with VMware Professional Services or a VMware partner. |
Architects, IT operations |
|
|
Cloud Bursting |
Provides the theory behind autoscaling an enterprise cloud environment by using multiple cloud locations, including those owned by an enterprise and/or a service provider. This theory leverages VMware technologies but applies to other cloud technologies as well. This material is based on VMware field experience with customers and service providers. |
Architects |
Table 1.1 shows check marks in the first column to represent existence of an online video providing a brief presentation (<10 minutes) about a document and topic area.
Table 1.2 lists the typographical conventions used in all vCAT documents.
TABLE 1.2. Document Typographical Conventions
|
Emphasis |
Emphasizes information, introduces new terms, and identifies document and workflow names. |
|
Command |
Identifies system commands, filenames, and Registry keys. |
|
Code |
Indicates code snippets and scripts. |
|
User Interface |
Identifies UI objects such as tabs, buttons, and field labels with bold text. |
|
Hyperlink |
Uses blue, underlined text to indicate an active link (URL). |
|
Note, Caution |
Notes contain information related to the topic that is of possible interest to the reader. Cautions highlight important information on potential problems or actions that might cause unexpected results. A Caution alerts the user and indicates the possibility of significant data loss. |
1.2.1. Recommended Reading Order
The documents can be read in the order shown in the document map or in the order recommended for a particular audience or role, such as one of the following:
- vCloud providers who offer the vCloud infrastructure and services. An architect has overall control over how a solution is designed and implemented in the environment.
- vCloud operators who are responsible for operation of the cloud. Operators are involved with the day-to-day running and administration of the vCloud environment. They need to understand operational procedures and how the vCloud components fit together.
- vCloud consumers who use cloud provider resources for application deployment. A consumer (organization or individual) is someone who consumes vCloud resources. Consumers want to run their workloads in the vCloud environment without concern for the underlying infrastructure or day-to-day administration.
Table 1.3 identifies the recommended documents for each role.
TABLE 1.3. vCAT Audience Reading Guidelines
|
VMware vCloud Architecture Toolkit (vCAT) Reading Recommendations |
Architect |
Admin/Operator |
Consumer |
|
Introduction |
|
|
|
|
Service Definitions |
|
|
|
|
Architecting a VMware vCloud |
|
|
|
|
Consuming a VMware vCloud |
|
|
|
|
Implementation Examples |
|
||
|
Workflow Examples |
|
|
|
|
Software Tools |
|
|
|
|
Cloud Bursting |
|