---
name: vmwaresolutions-vdc-adding
title: Ordering virtual data center instances
description: As of 17 July 2025, new automated installations of Red Hat® OpenShift® for VMware® are no longer available for new or existing deployments of VMware Cloud Foundation for Classic - Automated instances. You can still use or delete your existing Red Hat OpenShift for VMware automated installations until 16 July 2026. The service will no longer be available from 17 July 2026.
last-updated: 2025-10-30
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmwaresolutions?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Ordering virtual data center instances
{: #vdc-adding}

As of 17 July 2025, new automated installations of Red Hat® OpenShift® for VMware® are no longer available for new or existing deployments of VMware Cloud Foundation for Classic - Automated instances. You can still use or delete your existing Red Hat OpenShift for VMware automated installations until 16 July 2026. The service will no longer be available from 17 July 2026.
{: deprecated}

With IBM Cloud for VMware Cloud Foundation as a Service, you can quickly provision a complete VMware® by Broadcom virtual data center (VDC) environment and control the capacity that is used to run VMware® by Broadcom workloads.

You can optionally deploy your VDC in a stretched vSAN™ resource pool. To deploy your VDC in a compute regional high availability (HA) resource pool, you must first create a stretched resource pool in your Cloud director site. For more information, see [Procedure to add stretched vSAN high availability resource pools to VCF as a Service instances](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmware-service?topic=vmware-service-pvdc-adding-deleting&format=markdown#pvdc-adding-deleting-add-vsan-proc).

When you choose to deploy your VDC in a compute regional HA resource pool, you must create a highly available network edge or disable the option to create a network edge.

On the **VMware Cloud Foundation as a Service** order page, click [See pricing details](https://cloud.ibm.com/vmware/vmware_as_a_service/provision/vdc_st) to view the rate card that outlines cost details by feature. For more information, see [VCF as a Service pricing](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmware-service?topic=vmware-service-vmaas_pricing&format=markdown).
{: note}

## Single-tenant virtual data centers
{: #vdc-adding-st}

For VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) as a Service single-tenant VDCs, the minimum instance configuration consists of two hosts (2 Sockets - 32 Cores and 192 GB RAM). You can order up to 64 efficiency edges or one performance edge of medium size until more hosts are added to one of the clusters in the resource pool.

You can deploy VDCs only to an existing Cloud Director site. Therefore, you must create a single-tenant Cloud Director site before you can create a single-tenant VDC.

## Multitenant virtual data centers
{: #vdc-adding-mt}

For multitenant instances, you start by creating the multitenant VDC. A multitenant site is created automatically when you create the first multitenant VDC in a region. All multitenant VDCs that you create in a region are associated with the same site. 

For multitenant instances, the minimum instance configuration consists of one vCPU and 1 GB RAM.

## Resource group considerations
{: #vdc-adding-rg-reqs}

Even though you can place your VCF as a Service VDCs into different resource groups, the resource group differentiation is useful only for billing purposes. For access control, IAM policies are tested against the Cloud Director site and not the VDCs.

For single-tenant VDCs, select the resource group for the Cloud Director site.

For multitenant VDCs, your Cloud Director site is placed in the same resource group as the first VDC in any region.

Because IBM Cloud checks against the Cloud Director site resource group rather than the VDC resource group, users with permission to create a VDC can create one in any resource group.

When you use resource groups for IAM access, keep the Cloud Director site and all of the VDCs in the Cloud Director site in the same resource group.
{: tip}

## Regional HA network edge considerations
{: #vdc-adding-edge-reqs}

A private-only and dedicated edge is required to enable network regional HA. Private-only edges require connectivity to an IBM Cloud Transit Gateway for inbound and outbound networking from the VDC.

When you select to deploy your VDC on a stretched compute regional HA resource pool and want to create a network edge, you must create a regional HA edge. You can disable the option to create a network edge if you want to order a VDC with only compute regional HA.

With network regional HA on a stretched workload cluster, the primary network location is the preferred and active location for your workloads. During an outage, the secondary network location temporarily becomes the active location. You can swap the primary and secondary locations as needed.

With network regional HA on a nonstretched workload cluster, the primary networking location defaults to the VDC primary resource pool location. You select the resource pool for the secondary network location.

## Minimum requirements for VCF as a Service instances
{: #vdc-adding-min-req}

Minimum 2 servers (7 servers for vSAN™ profiles)
 * 2 hosts (2-socket 32 cores, 192 GB RAM)
 * 24 TB of shared storage
 * Minimum of 1 VDC with a Medium Dedicated Edge

## Name requirements
{: #vdc-adding-vdc-name}

The VDC name is set to **vdc-_xx_** by default, where _xx_ represents two randomly generated alphabetic characters.

You can also specify a VDC name that meets the following requirements:
* The maximum length is 128 characters.
* Only alphanumeric, dash (-), and underscore (_) characters are allowed.
* The name must be unique within all active VDCs in your account. You can create a VDC that has the same name as a previously deleted VDC.

## Procedure to order a single-tenant VDC on a stretched resource pool
{: #vdc-adding-procedure-st-stretch}

1. In the VMware Solutions console, click the **VMware Cloud Foundation as a Service** card.
2. In the **VMware Cloud Foundation as a Service** page, select the **Single-tenant Virtual data center** card.
3. Specify the VDC name and select the resource group.
4. Select a stretched resource pool.
      1. Toggle the **Compute regional high availability** switch on to display the available HA stretched resource pools. The toggle is disabled if stretched workload clusters are not available on the selected Cloud Director site.
      2. Expand the resource pool location and review the available regions and Cloud Director site options. Select a stretched resource pool.
      3. Optionally enable fast provisioning of virtual machines.
5. Review your options to create a network edge.
   
   Network regional HA is required when you create an edge on a stretched resource pool. The edge must be private-only and dedicated.
   {: requirement}

   * To order the VDC with a network edge, toggle the **Create with network edge** switch on and complete the following steps.
      1. Optionally swap the primary and secondary network locations.
      2. Select the dedicated edge type.
   * To order the VDC without a network edge, toggle the **Create with network edge** switch off. This option is suitable for centralized networking administration and control over multiple VDCs.
6. Review the included services, cost, accept the terms, and click **Create** to submit the VDC order.

## Procedure to order a single-tenant VDC on a nonstretched resource pool
{: #vdc-adding-procedure-st-nonstretch}

1. In the VMware Solutions console, click the **VMware Cloud Foundation as a Service** card.
2. In the **VMware Cloud Foundation as a Service** page, select the **Single-tenant Virtual data center** card.
3. Specify the VDC name and select the resource group.
4. Ensure that the **Compute regional high availability** switch is off.
5. Expand the resource pool location and review the available regions and Cloud Director site options. Select a resource pool.
6. Optionally enable fast provisioning of virtual machines.
7. Review your options to create a network edge.
   * To order the VDC with a network edge, toggle the **Create with network edge** on and complete the following steps.
      1. Select the network connection for the edge. If the Cloud Director site is a private-only connection, the **Private only** option is required.
      2. Specify the edge type. Edge storage costs might occur.
   * To order the VDC with a network edge and network regional HA, toggle the **Create with network edge** switch on and complete the following steps.
      1. Toggle the **Network regional high availability** switch on.
      2. Select the secondary networking location. The primary networking location defaults to the VDC primary resource pool location.
      3. The **Private only** network connection option is required for high availability.
      4. Select the edge type. A dedicated edge is required for high availability. Edge storage costs might occur.
   * To order the VDC without a network edge, toggle the **Create with network edge** switch off. This option is suitable for centralized networking administration and control over multiple VDCs.
6. Review the included services, cost, accept the terms, and click **Create** to submit the VDC order.

## Procedure to order a multitenant VDC on a stretched resource pool
{: #vdc-adding-procedure-mt-stretch}

Stretched resource pools are available only on some multitenant Cloud Director sites. Additional stretched resource pools will be made available over time.
{: note}

1. In the VMware Solutions console, click the **VMware Cloud Foundation as a Service** card.
2. In the **VMware Cloud Foundation as a Service** page, select the **Multitenant Virtual data center** card.
3. Specify the VDC name and select the resource group.
4. Select a stretched resource pool.
      1. Toggle the **Compute regional high availability** switch on to display the available HA stretched resource pools. The toggle is disabled if stretched workload clusters are not available on the selected Cloud Director site. 

      2. Expand the resource pool location and review the available regions and Cloud Director site options. Select a stretched resource pool.
      3. Optionally enable fast provisioning of virtual machines.
5. Review your options to create a network edge.
   
   Network regional HA is required when you create an edge on a stretched resource pool. The edge must be private-only and dedicated.
   {: requirement}

   * To order the VDC with a network edge, toggle the **Create with network edge** switch on and complete the following steps.
      1. Optionally swap the primary and secondary network locations.
      2. Select the dedicated edge type.
   * To order the VDC without a network edge, toggle the **Create with network edge** switch off. This option is suitable for centralized networking administration and control over multiple VDCs.
6. Select the pricing plan according to your consumption needs.
7. Select resource allocations according to your pricing plan.
   * For on-demand, optionally enable consumption limits. Then, select the vCPU and RAM limits. Toggle the consumption limit option off if you do not want to set limits. Limits define the ceiling on the maximum amount of vCPU and RAM that can be used by the multitenant VDC.
   * For reserved, select the vCPU and RAM capacity reservation for the VDC. The CPU and RAM are reserved for exclusive use by the VDC and are metered monthly for the full reservation.
8. Review the cost, accept the terms, and click **Create** to submit the VDC order.

## Procedure to order a multitenant VDC on a nonstretched resource pool
{: #vdc-adding-procedure-mt-nonstretch}

1. In the VMware Solutions console, click the **VMware Cloud Foundation as a Service** card.
2. In the **VMware Cloud Foundation as a Service** page, select the **Multitenant Virtual data center** card.
3. Specify the VDC name and select the resource group.
4. Ensure that the **Compute regional high availability** switch is off.
5. Expand the resource pool location and review the available regions and Cloud Director site options. Select a resource pool.
6. Optionally enable fast provisioning of virtual machines.
7. Review your options to create a network edge.
   * To order the VDC with a network edge, toggle the **Create with network edge** on and complete the following steps.
      1. Select the network connection for the edge. If the Cloud Director site is a private-only connection, the **Private only** option is required.
      2. Specify the edge type. Edge storage costs might occur.
   * To order the VDC with a network edge and network regional HA, toggle the  **Create with network edge** switch on and complete the following steps.
      1. Toggle the **Network regional high availability** switch on.
      2. Select the secondary networking location. The primary networking location defaults to the VDC primary resource pool location.
      3. The **Private only** network connection option is required for high availability.
      4. Select the edge type. A dedicated edge is required for high availability. Edge storage costs might occur.
   * To order the VDC without a network edge, toggle the **Create with network edge** switch off. This option is suitable for centralized networking administration and control over multiple VDCs.
8. Select the pricing plan according to your consumption needs.
9. Select resource allocations according to your pricing plan.
   * For on-demand, optionally enable consumption limits. Then, select the vCPU and RAM limits. Toggle the consumption limit option off if you do not want to set limits. Limits define the ceiling on the maximum amount of vCPU and RAM that can be used by the multitenant VDC.
   * For reserved, select the vCPU and RAM capacity reservation for the VDC. The CPU and RAM are reserved for exclusive use by the VDC and are metered monthly for the full reservation.
10. Review the cost, accept the terms, and click **Create** to submit the VDC order.

For multitenant instances, install the Veeam® Backup service after you provision your VDC. For more information, see [Adding and deleting Veeam Backup](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmware-service?topic=vmware-service-veeam-adding-deleting&format=markdown).
{: note}

## Results after you create virtual data centers
{: #vdc-adding-results}

* The deployment of the resources starts automatically and you receive confirmation that the order is being processed. You can check the deployment status, including any issues that might require your attention, by viewing the VDC status.
* When all resources are successfully deployed, the ordered components are installed on your virtual platform.
* When the resources are ready to use, the status of the VDC is changed to **Available**.

## Related links
{: #vdc-adding-links}

* [Viewing and deleting VCF as a Service virtual data centers](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmware-service?topic=vmware-service-tenant-viewing-vdc&format=markdown)
* [Managing Veeam for VCF as a Service instances](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmware-service?topic=vmware-service-tenant-veeam&format=markdown)
* [Managing resource groups](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/account?topic=account-rgs&interface=ui&format=markdown)
* [Managing IAM access for VCF as a Service](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vmware-service?topic=vmware-service-vmaas-iam&interface=ui&format=markdown)