VMware has released a new video demonstrating the end-to-end upgrade journey from an existing vSphere 8.x environment with Aria Suite to the latest VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0 platform.
The walkthrough showcases an environment that initially relies on Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager and Aria Operations, and illustrates how it is transitioned to the new VCF 9 operating model.
The process begins with upgrading Aria Lifecycle Manager to version 8.18 Patch 2 or later, which is a mandatory prerequisite. Using this updated lifecycle manager, Aria Operations is then upgraded to VCF Operations 9.0, during which a new component—the VCF 9 Fleet Management Appliance—is automatically deployed.
Once the Aria services are upgraded, attention shifts to the core vSphere infrastructure. The environment is migrated to vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) image-based management, followed by upgrades of vCenter Server and ESXi hosts to version 9.0.
In the next phase, the VMware Cloud Foundation Installer is used to download the required binaries and perform the upgrade of the environment to VCF 9.0. During this stage, existing vCenter Server instances and VCF Operations components are consolidated into a single VCF Management Domain, aligning the environment with the new VCF 9 architecture.
The installer also:
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Automatically deploys the Operations Collector
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Installs and configures VMware NSX
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Sets up SDDC Manager
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Optionally deploys VCF Automation (which can also be added later via the Fleet Management Appliance)
After the platform upgrade is complete, the environment is re-licensed under VCF 9.0, and several post-upgrade configuration steps are performed. These include:
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Deploying VCF Logs
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Configuring an external vCenter Identity Broker
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Enabling VCF Single Sign-On (SSO)
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Linking multiple vCenter Servers
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Installing additional modules such as Operations for Networks and VMware HCX
Overall, the video highlights the comprehensive and highly automated nature of the transition to VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0, emphasizing the benefits of deep integration, centralized lifecycle management, and reduced operational complexity across the VMware ecosystem.
Additional Context & Insights
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Strategic Shift in VCF 9
VCF 9 represents a major architectural shift toward fleet-based management, where infrastructure components are treated as a managed fleet rather than individually maintained products. The Fleet Management Appliance is central to this approach. -
From Aria to VCF Operations
The rebranding and functional evolution from Aria Operations to VCF Operations reflects VMware’s move away from standalone management tools toward platform-native operations tightly coupled with VCF. -
Image-Based Lifecycle Management
The move to vLCM images is critical for consistency and compliance. It ensures firmware, drivers, and ESXi versions are validated together, significantly reducing upgrade risk at scale. -
Management Domain Consolidation
Consolidating vCenter and operations components into a single VCF Management Domain simplifies architecture, improves supportability, and aligns with VMware reference designs for VCF 9. -
Automation-First Philosophy
Optional components such as VCF Automation, Logs, and Operations for Networks demonstrate how VCF 9 is designed to deliver a cloud-like operational experience for on-premises and hybrid environments
