VMware on AWS Updates - September 2023

A round-up of recent updates related to VMware and AWS Services.

VMware Cloud on AWS

• VMware Cloud on AWS: Advanced Edition
  • VMware Cloud on AWS: Advanced Edition adds the following products to VMware Cloud on AWS, without additional cost: VMware Aria Automation, VMware Aria Operations, VMware Aria Operations for Logs.
  • Release notes: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Cloud-on-AWS/services/rn/vmware-cloud-on-aws-release-notes/index.html#What's%20New%20August%2031,%202023
  • Announcement blog: https://blogs.vmware.com/cloud/2023/08/22/announcing-vmware-cloud-on-aws-advanced-subscription-tier/
• vSAN Enhanced Storage Architecture (ESA)
  • vSAN ESA, introduced in vSAN 8, will be made available for VMware Cloud on AWS SDDCs. Expected to be available in VMware’s Q3 of fiscal 2024.
  • Announcement blog: https://blogs.vmware.com/cloud/2023/08/22/vmware-cloud-on-aws-whats-new-at-vmware-explore-las-vegas-2023/#:~:text=Enhancements%20in%20Storage-,vSAN%20Express%20Storage%20Architecture,-%3A%20VMware%20Cloud%20on
  • Further reading: https://core.vmware.com/blog/introduction-vsan-express-storage-architecture
• VPC Peering for Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP
  • VPC peering will be supported for connecting Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP datastores to VMware Cloud on AWS SDDCs. This is an alternative to using AWS Transit Gateway connectivity. This capability is expected to be available in VMware’s Q3 of fiscal 2024.
  • Announcement blog: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/apn/introducing-vpc-peering-for-amazon-fsx-for-netapp-ontap-with-vmware-cloud-on-aws/
• VMware Cloud on AWS GovCloud
  • Windows 11 and vTPM support
  • i4i instance type now available in GovCloud
  • NSX 4.0 and vSphere 8.0
  • Live Traffic Analysis
  • FIPS 140-2 Validated Cryptographic Modules Refresh
  • NAT Support for Policy-Based VPNs on Tier-1 Gateways
  • Default CGW prefix filtering support
  • Shared prefix lists for SDDC Groups
  • Release notes: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Cloud-on-AWS-GovCloud-(US)/services/rn/vmware-cloud-on-aws-govcloud-us-release-notes/index.html#What's%20New-What's%20New%2021%20August%202023
• VMware Cloud Sizer
  • Version 5.4 released, includes improvements to the advanced manual mode, sizing logic and now defaults to external storage when using the quick sizer.
  • Release notes: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Cloud/services/rn/vmware-cloud-sizer-release-notes/index.html#What's%20New-What's%20New%20August%2030,%202023

Other VMware Services

• NSX +
  • NSX + introduces a single console to manage NSX across both on-premises and cloud locations. NSX+ provides the following services: NSX+ Policy Management, NSX+ Intelligence, NSX+ Network Detection and Response (NDR), NSX+ Advanced Load Balancer (ALB) Cloud Service.
  • Announcement blog: https://blogs.vmware.com/networkvirtualization/2023/08/announcing-nsx-plus.html/
• VMware Cloud Disaster Recovery (VCDR)
  • Protect workloads with 15 minute RPO (Preview)
  • Release notes: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Cloud-Disaster-Recovery/services/rn/vmware-cloud-disaster-recovery-release-notes/index.html#:~:text=What%27s%20New-,18%20August%202023,-Protect%20workloads%20with
• VMware Cloud Director Service
  • Support for VMware Cloud Director 10.5
  • v10.5 Release notes: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Cloud-Director/10.5/rn/vmware-cloud-director-105-release-notes/index.html
• HCX
  • 4.7 now available in GovCloud
  • Release notes: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-HCX/4.7/rn/vmware-hcx-47-for-vmware-cloud-on-aws-govcloud-release-notes/index.html

Blog Articles and Videos

• AWS at VMware Explore US 2023 Recap: 6 Years of Accelerating Digital Transformations: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/apn/aws-at-vmware-explore-us-2023-recap-6-years-of-accelerating-digital-transformations/

Customer Case Studies

• FujiFilm (Japanese): https://aws.amazon.com/jp/solutions/case-studies/fujifilm/