VCF Operations inventory showing options to create new or import a vCenter instance

Importing a vCenter 8.x as a Workload Domain into VCF 9

As organizations adopt VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0, a common question comes up: what do I do with my existing vCenter 8.x environments? The good news is that VCF 9.0 supports backwards compatibility with 8.x vCenter instances. You can import them as workload domains directly from the VCF Operations console, bringing your legacy infrastructure under VCF management without rebuilding from scratch. In this post I will walk through the full import process (from prerequisites and networking requirements to NSX deployment and validation) so you know exactly what to expect before you hit the “Import” button. ...

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Importing a vCenter 8.x as a Workload Domain into VCF 9
VCF Operations policy definition interface showing capacity-management settings

Superseded: 90-Day Capacity Configuration in VCF Operations 9

Correction (August 25, 2026): This article previously treated a 90-day Time Remaining threshold as if it also configured 90 days of historical input. Those controls have different meanings. The original procedure has been retired so it cannot be followed accidentally. Use the corrected follow-up instead: Using a 90-Day Planning Horizon Correctly in VCF Operations The follow-up separates three independent goals: Alerting when capacity is projected to run out within a future planning period. Choosing how much historical demand the projection may consider. Setting the future horizon used for VM Recommended Size calculations. It also corrects the earlier maintenance-window advice. For capacity forecasting, use the product’s projection reset and time-range exclusion controls when you need to disregard anomalous history; do not assume that an alert-maintenance schedule is equivalent to a historical-data exclusion. ...

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Superseded: 90-Day Capacity Configuration in VCF Operations 9
VMware Cloud Foundation Operations UI showing SDDC Manager update details for VCF 9.0.

Upgrading VCF 9.0 SDDC Manager to 9.0.1: A Step-by-Step Guide

Upgrading your SDDC Manager from version 9.0 to 9.0.1 is a relatively straightforward process when done through the integrated Lifecycle interface. Below is a guide to go over this patch upgrade. 1. Navigate to the Update Section Log into Operations → Fleet Management. Under Lifecycle → VCF Instances, select the VCF instance you want to upgrade. Look for the available update section. If you see SDDC Manager Update 9.0.1, click the Download icon. If no update appears, double-check your depot configuration and ensure your binary repositories are correctly set up. ...

Upgrading VCF 9.0 SDDC Manager to 9.0.1: A Step-by-Step Guide
VCF 9.0.1 binary management for fleet management upgrade.

Upgrading VCF 9.0.0 Fleet Management to 9.0.1: A Step-by-Step Guide

Upgrading your VCF Fleet Management from version 9.0.0 to 9.0.1 is a relatively modest patch update, but careful execution ensures minimal disruption. Below is a step-by-step guide to walk you through the process safely. Download the Patch Download the patch by going to Fleet Management -> Binary Management -> Patch Binaries -> Select fleet management -> Download. ...

Upgrading VCF 9.0.0 Fleet Management to 9.0.1: A Step-by-Step Guide
VMware Cloud Foundation Operations 9.0.0.0 release details with file name, release date, and SHA2/MD5 checksums.

Deploying VCF Operations 9 from OVA: A Step-by-Step Guide

VMware Cloud Foundation 9 (VCF 9) introduces a streamlined deployment experience with the VCF Installer appliance, replacing the older Cloud Builder model. One of the core components in that workflow is VCF Operations, which provides unified lifecycle, monitoring, and fleet management across your private cloud environment. In this guide, we walk through deploying VCF Operations 9 from an OVA, detailing prerequisites, deployment steps, and post-deploy tasks. 1. Prerequisites & Preparation Before you deploy, make sure these items are in place: ...

Deploying VCF Operations 9 from OVA: A Step-by-Step Guide
VCF Operations UI showing policy definition with "Default Policy" active.

Suppress ESXi Host Alerts in VCF Operations 9 When a Host Enters Maintenance Mode

When a vSphere admin places an ESXi host in vCenter maintenance mode, VCF Operations should automatically suppress host alerts for that object, without pausing metric collection, and then restore alerting when maintenance ends. Why this approach? In VCF 9, you can avoid alert noise during maintenance in two ways: Maintenance Schedules , pause both collection and alerts during a defined window (best for planned maintenance). Policy-based alert suppression (this post) , keep metrics flowing but disable host alert definitions while the host is in maintenance. This is done with a policy attached to a dynamic custom group keyed to the host’s Maintenance Mode property. Note on naming: In VCF 9, VCF Operations is the successor to Aria/vRealize Operations and is part of the unified Cloud Foundation experience. If you’re upgrading from Aria Operations, see Broadcom’s “Upgrade to VCF Operations 9.0.” ...

Suppress ESXi Host Alerts in VCF Operations 9 When a Host Enters Maintenance Mode
VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager 8.18.0 PATCH2 details, including status, type, and download link.

Applying VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager 8.18 Patch 2

Patch 2 prepares Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager (ASLCM) for VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 migrations. It does not deliver new features or hot-fixes, so only install it if VCF 9.0 (or the new VCF Operations appliance) is on your near-term roadmap. Why Patch 2 Matters Patch 2 updates the appliance-level services that let ASLCM recognize and orchestrate VCF 9.0 components (for example, Aria Operations 9.0). Without it, the 8.18 lifecycle UI cannot import or upgrade those binaries. If you are staying on VCF 5.x/8.x for a while, you can safely defer this patch. ...

Applying VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager 8.18 Patch 2
VMware Cloud Foundation Installer screen shows download and deployment options for a new VCF instance.

Deploy a VCF 9 Instance in an new VCF fleet

In this blog we will go over deploying a VCF 9 instance using existing components. This assumes the VCF Installer appliance is already deployed and configured. Once logged on and binaries downloaded we can go through the Deployment wizard Click Deployment Wizard to bring up the menu Click on VMware Cloud Foundation Because I do not yet have any environments upgraded to the new fleet management this will be a new VCF Fleet. ...

Deploy a VCF 9 Instance in an new VCF fleet
VMware Cloud Foundation Installer login screen with fields for email/username and password, and a 'Log In' button.

Configuring the VCF 9.0 Installer: Depot and Bundle Setup

With the release of VCF 9 (Official What’s New blog can be found here) I wanted to get my lab environment upgraded so I can try out all of the new features. In my previous post we went over the deployment of the appliance. In this post we will be covering the configuration. Configure the VMware Cloud Foundation Installer appliance Once the appliance is deployed we can navigate to https://ip_address/ui or https://hostname/ui of the appliance. If everything is working properly we should be presented with a login screen. ...

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Configuring the VCF 9.0 Installer: Depot and Bundle Setup
VSphere Client interface with options for deploying an OVF template in the 'mgmt-cluster-01' datacenter.

Deploying the VCF 9.0 Installer Appliance in vCenter

With the release of VCF 9 (Official What’s New blog can be found here) I wanted to get my lab environment upgraded so I can try out all of the new features. To get started we need to download the VMware Cloud Foundation Installer from the VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0.0.0 page found here. In this post we will cover only the deployment. The configuration is available in another post. Deploy the VMware Cloud Foundation Installer appliance Once the appliance is downloaded we need to get the ova deployed. ...

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Deploying the VCF 9.0 Installer Appliance in vCenter