VxRail is Built for VMware, with VMware, to enhance VMware
The level of customer and field interest in understanding the Tanzu portfolio and integration with hyperconverged solutions is at an all time high. With that I felt it’s time to start a multi-part discussion on key topics which I consistently see interest and some confusion surrounding.
In the first part we will tackle the basics of the Tanzu portfolio for Kubernetes and VxRail. Stay tuned for additional topics such as life cycle automation, networking and hybrid cloud integration in the future.
Whether you are accelerating data center modernization, deploying a hybrid cloud or creating a developer-ready Kubernetes platform, VxRail delivers a turnkey experience that enables continuous innovation.
Joint engineering between Dell EMC and VMware leads to a seamless, curated, and optimized hyperconverged experience. This deep integration combined with the simplicity of VxRail HCI System Software and the performance of next-generation PowerEdge servers provides an ideal platform across core, edge, and cloud.
Consistent ease of use while lowering exposure with full stack lifecycle management
Simple and direct path to hybrid cloud due to unique integration with VMware Cloud Foundation
Single point of support with 97% of all cases resolved in house
Dell Technologies’ curated VxRail systems come fully-integrated and ready to deploy, helping accelerate adoption of Kubernetes infrastructure. Cloud-like resource pooling, elasticity, agility, speed, and programmability accelerate Kubernetes infrastructure delivery and ensure developers always have the resources needed to deliver modern applications.
VxRail is built for, with, and to enhance VMware, enabling you to manage, scale, and seamlessly upgrade infrastructure. As your business needs grow, VxRail can easily scale by adding new nodes non-disruptively to existing clusters in as little as 15 minutes, whether you need to add compute and storage, support application development or rollout a new app into production.
Tanzu on VxRail helps makes your cloud native strategy easy:
Speed Kubernetes infrastructure delivery to support developer productivity
Accelerate time to cloud native application development
Reduce barrier to entry by deploying vSphere with Tanzu on standard VxRail infrastructure
Consistent infrastructure operational model across Kubernetes deployments
Continuously, confidently and predictably take advantage of evolving Kubernetes technology on fully integrated, automated infrastructure
VMware Tanzu is a portfolio of products that enables organizations to simplify Kubernetes adoption and build, run, and manage modern applications from a single control point. VMware Tanzu editions, introduced in 2020, package products and capabilities of the Tanzu portfolio into clearly defined solutions targeted at specific enterprise challenges. With a ubiquitous Kubernetes distribution across the portfolio, customers can run any app across multiple clouds, including vSphere, public cloud, and edge. The Tanzu editions are packaged to bring Dev and Ops together in a shared effort to continuously deliver a better path from software to production.
VMware Tanzu modern apps framework
Today we will focus on the Run element of the portfolio, Tanzu Kubernetes Grid or TKG.
VMware Tanzu Basic Edition simplifies operation of Kubernetes on-premises, putting cloud-native constructs at the VI admin’s fingertips as part of vSphere 7, enabling the running of VMs and containers side by side.
VMware Tanzu Standard Edition adds to these capabilities by simplifying operation of Kubernetes for multi-cloud, centralizing management and governance for many clusters and teams across on-premises, public clouds, and edge.
VMware Tanzu Advanced simplifies and secures the container lifecycle to speed the delivery of modern apps at scale. With its modular, full-stack capabilities, you can embrace DevSecOps and stand up a platform for modern apps that works for your organization. Automatically build a stream of compliant containers. Secure your software supply chain end to end. And operationalize containers and clusters across clouds.
A question I get often is what are the major differences between Tanzu editions?
Tanzu Basic and Tanzu Standard are focused on infrastructure transformation initiatives, simplifying the adoption of Kubernetes. Tanzu Basic enables straightforward implementation of Kubernetes in vSphere so that VI admins can leverage familiar tools used for managing VMs when managing clusters.
Tanzu Standard provides multi-cloud support, enabling Kubernetes deployment across on-premises, public cloud, and edge environments. In addition, Tanzu Standard includes a centralized multicluster SaaS control plane for a more consistent and efficient operation of clusters across environments.
Tanzu Advanced builds on Tanzu Standard to simplify and secure the container lifecycle, enabling teams to accelerate the delivery of modern apps at scale across clouds. It adds a comprehensive global control plane with observability and service mesh; consolidated Kubernetes ingress services; and developer enablement in terms of frameworks, data services, container catalog, and automated container builds.
Ok, so which should I choose?
Here’s a quick guide:
If you’re a vSphere user and want to run prepackaged containers, Tanzu Basic can get you up and running fast using familiar tools. It offers the best Kubernetes experience on-premises, with Kubernetes embedded in the vSphere control plane and integrated into operations via the familiar vCenter UI.
If you want to operate a consistent Kubernetes distribution across on-premises and public cloud environments and enable centralized control across your entire Kubernetes estate, Tanzu Standard is the right choice.
If you want to run custom, containerized applications on Kubernetes at scale, Tanzu Advanced is your solution. It addresses the operational requirements for security, visibility, and manageability across clouds, while enabling development teams with self-service access to resources and automated functions, such as container builds.
Do Tanzu editions support multi-cloud implementations?
VMware Tanzu upholds VMware’s longtime promise of enabling customers to run any app on any cloud. Extend your Kubernetes footprint beyond vSphere to any public cloud or edge environment—or start there in the first place—with Tanzu Standard and Tanzu Advanced. These editions offer a ubiquitous Kubernetes distribution plus a global control plane with a policy engine that applies to every cluster (or group of clusters), no matter where they’re located. Tanzu Advanced also includes additional global control features ideal for multi-cloud, such as observability, service mesh, and consolidated ingress services.
Which Tanzu editions are supported on VxRail?
With VMware Tanzu on VxRail, we deliver Kubernetes your way. Choose the infrastructure delivery option that aligns to your organization’s operating model and provides the best match for your Kubernetes readiness journey.
Dell Technologies is the ONLY vendor offering this breadth of Tanzu infrastructure deployment options.
Customers can embrace Tanzu and Kubernetes through vSphere for customers looking for looking for network flexibility and have minimal scaling requirements, or SDN expertise to manage Kubernetes at scale.
Rapid, standard VxRail deployments
Networking architecture flexibility
Maintain existing operational model
Fast path to getting started with Kubernetes
Or adopt Kubernetes on a unified cloud platform for customers who are looking for a highly automated, turnkey on-premise cloud platform for Kubernetes at scale.
Full automation, turnkey hybrid cloud
SDN & security built-in and Kubernetes ready (NSX-T)
Remote cluster support extends hybrid cloud operations to the edge
Whichever path a customer begins their cloud native journey it’s important to remember you can easily evolve your Kubernetes infrastructure with VMware Tanzu on VxRail.
Customers can continuously, confidently, and predictably take advantage of evolving Kubernetes technology with VxRail automated full stack lifecycle management.
Uniquely, VxRail supports heterogeneous nodes in clusters, which also apply to next generation platforms, allowing you to easily and non-disruptively evolve both hardware and software to keep pace with digital advancements.
To further ensure continuous adoption of new Kubernetes tools and features we provide a 30-day synchronous release commitment which ensures lock step support for the latest VMware Kubernetes advancements.
Organizations continue to evolve and transform to adopt modern application architectures, and a key piece of this transformation is modernizing the underlying infrastructure that supports these applications. Consequently, these environments are becoming highly distributed and complex, requiring vendors to deliver solutions that can drive operational efficiency and empower organizations to accelerate the transformation to hybrid clouds that support modern cloud-native applications.
Dell Technologies has jointly engineered solutions with VMware to assist organizations to deploy turnkey, validated, and automated solutions for modern application environments. The VxRail HCI system software drives operational efficiency through its automated LCM and full integration with VCF to enable full stack automated LCM operations for agile infrastructure operations that align well to new agile cloud-native application development requirements.
All the solutions discussed in this document are centered on the VxRail HCI solution and enable Dell Technologies to deliver multiple options to accelerate the adoption of modern applications. With three tested and proven options to choose from, organizations can select the one that best fits their unique needs.
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