Real infrastructure.
Built in the lab.
Shared with you.
Hands-on guides for VMware Cloud Foundation, VCF Operations, networking, and homelab infrastructure. Follow the deployments, explore custom integrations, and learn from the troubleshooting along the way.
HOME LAB ARCHITECTURE
Explore the complete home lab
See the physical infrastructure, shared services, nested VCF environments, physical VCF 9.1.1 management domain, GPU-equipped workload domain, networking, NAS storage, and ROBO1 behind an Ubuntu WAN simulator with 40 ms delay per direction.
Explore the home lab architecture →MANAGEMENT PACKS
Management Packs
Custom management packs that bring storage, network, and server hardware visibility into VCF Operations. Explore the integrations, deployment notes, and source code.
STORAGE / VCF OPERATIONS
QNAP Management Pack
Bring QNAP storage into your operations dashboard. Explore array information, disk health, volume usage, and the lessons behind the integration.
Storage visibility · Deployment notes · Source code
Explore on GitHub ↗NETWORKING / VCF OPERATIONS
UniFi Management Pack
Bring UniFi sites and adopted devices into VCF Operations. Collect device metrics through the local UniFi Network API—without a bridge.
Device metrics · Site relationships · Direct API
Explore on GitHub ↗SERVERS / VCF OPERATIONS
Dell iDRAC Management Pack
Bring Dell PowerEdge health, inventory, power, and temperatures into VCF Operations through iDRAC Redfish—without OpenManage Enterprise.
Server health · Power and temperatures · Direct API
Explore on GitHub ↗SERVERS / VCF OPERATIONS
HPE iLO Management Pack
Bring ProLiant inventory, fans, temperatures, and power into VCF Operations through iLO Redfish. Explore the tested iLO 4 design and deployment guide.
Server inventory · Fans and temperatures · Direct API
Explore on GitHub ↗CUSTOM BUILT APPLIANCES
Custom Built Appliances
Purpose-built appliances that simplify VMware Cloud Foundation lab deployment, services, and day-to-day operations.
PHOTON OS / VSPHERE
Customizable Photon OS OVA
Deploy Photon OS with network settings, your root password, SSH access, NTP, and a selectable guest firewall configured directly in the vCenter deployment wizard.
DHCP or static IPv4 · SSH controls · Deployment guide
VCF / OFFLINE DEPOT
VCF Offline Depot Appliance
A dedicated Ubuntu appliance that streamlines VCF Offline Depot setup, Broadcom downloads, HTTPS certificates, depot accounts, and VCF Installer configuration.
Offline depot · Automated configuration · Lab-ready deployment
NETBOX / INFRASTRUCTURE INVENTORY
NetBox Appliance
A deployable NetBox OVA for vSphere with first-boot setup and optional vCenter inventory, UniFi VLAN and DHCP pool, DNS reconciliation, and encrypted SFTP backup connectors.
Infrastructure inventory · Optional connectors · OVA and Word guides
SMTP / MICROSOFT 365
Microsoft 365 SMTP Relay Appliance
A compact Ubuntu OVA that accepts SMTP from trusted LAN clients and submits mail to Microsoft 365 over authenticated TLS, without requiring a static public IP.
Authenticated submission · No static public IP · OVA and Word guide
STORAGE SERVICES / VSPHERE
VCF Storage Appliance
A deployable Ubuntu OVA that combines SFTP backup targets, a private Harbor registry, and authenticated vCenter Content Library publishing behind one web management interface.
SFTP backups · Harbor registry · Content libraries
SECURITY / IDENTITY / KEY MANAGEMENT
VCF Security Appliance
A deployable VMware vSphere OVA for VCF labs that combines Keycloak OIDC, KMIP key management, reverse and forward proxy services, certificate lifecycle, health monitoring, signed updates, and recovery.
Keycloak OIDC · KMIP · Controlled proxy services
S3 STORAGE / VMWARE DSM
S3 Storage Appliance
A deployable Ubuntu OVA that provides HTTPS S3 storage for VMware DSM lab backups, with offline first-boot setup, separate bucket credentials, and configurable account and network settings.
DSM backups · SeaweedFS · Deployment guide
Latest Updates
VMware Explore 2026 Las Vegas: Day 3 Highlights
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Plan for VMware Explore 2027 at Resorts World Las Vegas, May 3–6. Review key dates and registration updates; the pre-registration discount is closed.
Read moreVMware Explore 2026 Las Vegas: Day 2 Highlights
VMware Explore 2026 Day 2 focused on VCF 9.1 deep dives, Hands-on Labs, expert-led learning, partner sessions, the VMware {code} Hackathon, and the upcoming…
Read moreVMware Explore 2026 Las Vegas: Day 1 Highlights
Explore 2026 recap series This is historical coverage of VMware Explore 2026 in Las Vegas. Event schedules and offers below refer to […]
Read moreWelcome to My VCF Homelab Blog
HOMELAB JOURNAL Welcome to My VCF Homelab Blog Welcome to Justin Raley’s VCF homelab blog. Follow a lab rebuild covering hardware, networking, […]
Read moreLatest from the Lab
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I prepare my S3 document library for retrieval in VCF PAIS, with the indexing procedure, agent configuration, and validation checks for my Llama agent.
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Read moreCreating a Llama Agent with VCF Private AI Services
In my lab, I create a PAIS agent using my Llama endpoint, add clear instructions, configure conversation history, and test responses and capability boundaries…
Read moreDeploying Llama 3.1 on a GPU Model Endpoint with VCF PAIS
In my lab, I deploy Llama 3.1 8B from Harbor to a PAIS GPU endpoint, configure vLLM for my 20 GiB GPU, validate chat…
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In my lab, I deploy the PAIS Supervisor Service, configure PostgreSQL and VCF Automation authentication, and enable trusted HTTPS access using internal DNS and…
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