Abstract: An example method for encrypting clusters during deployment may include retrieving, from a blueprint, resource information required to deploy a cluster including a host computing system and a virtual cluster manager node to manage the host computing system. The resource information may include host information and disk information required to deploy the virtual cluster manager node, and encryption information associated with a key provider. Based on the host information and the disk information, a clustered datastore may be created on the host computing system. Further, the virtual cluster manager node may be deployed on the clustered datastore. Based on the encryption information associated with the key provider, the virtual cluster manager node and associated disks may be encrypted. Upon encrypting the virtual cluster manager node, a cluster may be created and the host computing system may be added to the cluster.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and software to manage the assignment of hosts to host clusters and the assignment of virtual endpoints to the host clusters. In one implementation, a management service identifies a host to be added to a computing environment and identifies physical resources available on the host. The management service further determines a host cluster for the host from a plurality of host clusters in the computing environment based on the physical resources available on the host and assign the host to the host cluster.

Abstract: An example method of deploying a logical network platform in a virtualized computing system, the virtualized computing system including a host cluster and a virtualization management server connected to a physical network, the host cluster having hosts and a virtualization layer executing on hardware platforms of the hosts is described. The method includes receiving, at the virtualization management server, a declarative specification describing a proposed state of the logical network platform; deploying, by the virtualization management server, a network manager of the logical network platform in response to the proposed state in the declarative specification; and deploying, by the virtualization management server in cooperation with the network manager, binaries to the hosts in the host cluster.

Abstract: A method of upgrading a VIM server appliance includes: creating a snapshot of logical volumes mapped to physical volumes that store configuration and database files of virtual infrastructure management (VIM) services provided by a first VIM server appliance to be upgraded; after the snapshot is created, expanding the configuration and database files to be compatible with a second VIM server appliance; replicating the logical volumes which have been modified as a result of expanding the configuration and database files, in the second VIM server appliance; after replication, performing a switchover of VIM services that are provided, from the first VIM server appliance to the second VIM server appliance; and upon failure of any of the steps of expanding, replicating, and performing the switchover, aborting the upgrade, and reverting to a version of the configuration and database files that was preserved by creating the snapshot.

Abstract: Distributed tracing is applied during an upgrade from a first management appliance to a second management appliance. The distributed tracing method includes generating a parent span that encapsulates states of the overall workflow, including a span context that contains a trace identifier and a span identifier, and generating a plurality of child spans. Each child span encapsulates states that represent a piece of the workflow and contains a reference to the parent span context. The states of the child spans include an error tag that indicates whether the piece of the workflow associated with the child span executed with an error. Because child spans may be generated for a piece of the workflow that is executed by a service running in the first or second management appliance, the span context for the parent span is persisted by the first management appliance and replicated for use by the second management appliance.

Abstract: A method performing at least one of hardware component compatibility checks or resource checks for datastore deployment is provided. The method includes receiving a request to aggregate local disks of a first host in a first host cluster to create and deploy a first datastore for the first host cluster, determining one or more of hardware components on the first host supports the deployment of the first datastore using a first database file available on the first host or resources on the first host support the deployment of the first datastore, and aggregating the local disks of the first host to create and deploy the first datastore for the first host cluster based on the determination.

Abstract: Distributed tracing is applied during an upgrade from a first management appliance to a second management appliance. The distributed tracing method includes generating a parent span that encapsulates states of the overall workflow, including a span context that contains a trace identifier and a span identifier, and generating a plurality of child spans. Each child span encapsulates states that represent a piece of the workflow and contains a reference to the parent span context. The states of the child spans include an error tag that indicates whether the piece of the workflow associated with the child span executed with an error. Because child spans may be generated for a piece of the workflow that is executed by a service running in the first or second management appliance, the span context for the parent span is persisted by the first management appliance and replicated for use by the second management appliance.

Abstract: A method of on-boarding a virtual infrastructure management (VIM) server appliance in which VIM software for locally managing a software-defined data center (SDDC) is installed, to enable the VIM server appliance to be centrally managed through a cloud service includes upgrading the VIM server appliance from a current version to a higher version that supports communication with agents of the cloud service, modifying configurations of the upgraded VIM server appliance according to a prescriptive configuration required by the cloud service, and deploying a gateway appliance for running the agents of the cloud service that communicate with the cloud service and the upgraded VIM server appliance.

Abstract: A method of reserving hardware resources for management appliances of a software-defined data center (SDDC) that have been deployed onto one or more hosts of a cluster of hosts, includes reserving hardware resources of the cluster for a resource pool that has been created for the management appliances, the hardware resources including at least processor resources of the hosts and memory resources of the hosts, and assigning the management appliances to the resource pool created for the management appliances. The management appliances share the hardware resources of the cluster with one or more other resource pools and, after the steps of reserving and assigning, are allocated at least the hardware resources that have been reserved for the resource pool created for the management appliances.

Abstract: In one example, a management node and an infrastructure node external to the management node may be identified in a cloud computing environment. The management node may execute a centralized management service and the external infrastructure node may execute a first infrastructure service that handles at least one infrastructure network function for the centralized management service. Further, a second infrastructure service may be deployed on the management node. Data in the first infrastructure service may be replicated to the second infrastructure service. Furthermore, the centralized management service in the management node may be repointed to the second infrastructure service such that the second infrastructure service is to operate within the management node.

Abstract: A method of reserving hardware resources for management appliances of a software-defined data center (SDDC) that have been deployed onto one or more hosts of a cluster of hosts, includes reserving hardware resources of the cluster for a resource pool that has been created for the management appliances, the hardware resources including at least processor resources of the hosts and memory resources of the hosts, and assigning the management appliances to the resource pool created for the management appliances. The management appliances share the hardware resources of the cluster with one or more other resource pools and, after the steps of reserving and assigning, are allocated at least the hardware resources that have been reserved for the resource pool created for the management appliances.

Abstract: A method of upgrading a VIM server appliance includes: creating a snapshot of logical volumes mapped to physical volumes that store configuration and database files of virtual infrastructure management (VIM) services provided by a first VIM server appliance to be upgraded; after the snapshot is created, expanding the configuration and database files to be compatible with a second VIM server appliance; replicating the logical volumes which have been modified as a result of expanding the configuration and database files, in the second VIM server appliance; after replication, performing a switchover of VIM services that are provided, from the first VIM server appliance to the second VIM server appliance; and upon failure of any of the steps of expanding, replicating, and performing the switchover, aborting the upgrade, and reverting to a version of the configuration and database files that was preserved by creating the snapshot.

Abstract: A host computing system may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory may include an auto-discovery module to broadcast a message to a set of management nodes in a data center. The message may include a configuration policy. Further, the auto-discovery module may receive an acknowledgment message from a management node. The acknowledgment message may indicate that the management node supports the configuration policy. Furthermore, the auto-discovery module may establish a trust relationship with the management node in response to receiving the acknowledgment message. Further, the auto-discovery module may enable the host computing system to add to a cluster managed by the management node upon establishing the trust relationship.

Abstract: Techniques for declaratively deploying a virtual infrastructure management (VIM) server in a computing environment are provided. According to one set of embodiments, an installer computer system can receive a desired state definition specifying a desired state for the VIM server and a virtual infrastructure to be managed by the VIM server. The installer computer system can further install the VIM server on a target computer system in the computing environment and provide the desired state definition to the target computer system. Upon initial boot up of the VIM server on the target computer system, a service of the VIM server can automatically configure the VIM server in accordance with the desired state definition.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for migrating from a first container runtime to a second container runtime.

Abstract: A host computing system may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory may include an auto-discovery module to broadcast a message to a set of management nodes in a data center. The message may include a configuration policy. Further, the auto-discovery module may receive an acknowledgment message from a management node. The acknowledgment message may indicate that the management node supports the configuration policy. Furthermore, the auto-discovery module may establish a trust relationship with the management node in response to receiving the acknowledgment message. Further, the auto-discovery module may enable the host computing system to add to a cluster managed by the management node upon establishing the trust relationship.

Abstract: In one example, a computer implemented method may include designating a configurable object as a guarded object to restrict access to the configurable object. Further, the method may include receiving a request to access the guarded object and determining whether the request is received from a user having a privilege to access the guarded object. Furthermore, the method may include controlling the access to the guarded object based on the determination.

Abstract: An example method of deploying a logical network platform in a virtualized computing system, the virtualized computing system including a host cluster and a virtualization management server connected to a physical network, the host cluster having hosts and a virtualization layer executing on hardware platforms of the hosts is described. The method includes receiving, at the virtualization management server, a declarative specification describing a proposed state of the logical network platform; deploying, by the virtualization management server, a network manager of the logical network platform in response to the proposed state in the declarative specification; and deploying, by the virtualization management server in cooperation with the network manager, binaries to the hosts in the host cluster.

Abstract: In one example, a cloud computing environment may be probed to detect an actual topology including connectivity between infrastructure security nodes and management nodes. Each management node may execute a corresponding centralized management service. Each infrastructure security node may execute a corresponding infrastructure security service that handles at least one infrastructure security function. Further, a set of candidate topologies may be generated based on the actual topology. Each candidate topology may indicate a way to replicate the infrastructure security service into the management nodes. Furthermore, a replication partner associated with each of the management nodes may be determined based on a selection of one of the candidate topologies. An operation to deploy the infrastructure security service on the management nodes may be executed based on the selected one of the candidate topologies and the determined replication partners to form an embedded linked mode architecture.

Abstract: In one example, a management service may be deployed in a first container. Further, a shadow service corresponding to the management service may be generated in the first container. Furthermore, network traffic may be routed to an active one of the management service and the shadow service, via a watchdog service in the first container, to provide high availability at a service level.