If you have ever wanted to try VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 without needing a full rack of hardware, this is one of the easiest ways to do it. The new VCF 9.0 Installer makes it possible to stand up a full environment inside a nested lab. That means everything runs as virtual machines, inside other virtual machines.
It sounds a little wild at first, but it works. And it works well.
This is especially useful if you want to learn the platform, test deployment workflows, or validate ideas before touching anything in production.
Let’s walk through what changed in VCF 9.0, why nested deployments matter, and what the overall flow looks like.
What changed in VCF 9.0
VCF 9.0 introduced a new installer appliance that replaces the older Cloud Builder approach. The goal is simple. Make deployments easier, more consistent, and easier to repeat.
Instead of juggling multiple tools, the installer guides you through the full process from one place. You can use it to deploy a brand new environment, expand an existing one, or even bring an existing vCenter setup under the VCF umbrella.
Because the installer itself is a virtual appliance, it fits naturally into lab environments. That is what makes nested deployments practical.
What a nested deployment really means
In a traditional VCF deployment, you are working with physical servers, switches, storage, and a lot of careful planning. That is not realistic for most labs.
A nested deployment flips that on its head. You run ESXi hosts as virtual machines. Those hosts form clusters. On top of that, you deploy the full VCF stack just like you would in the real world.
From the software’s point of view, nothing looks fake. It sees hosts, clusters, networks, and storage. From your point of view, everything runs on a much smaller physical footprint.
This approach is great for learning, testing, demos, and proof of concepts. You can break things, rebuild them, and try again without fear.
How the VCF 9.0 Installer works
At a high level, the flow is straightforward.
First, you deploy the VCF Installer appliance into your lab environment. This is done like any other virtual machine. Once it is powered on, you access it through a browser.
One of the first things you configure is where the installer gets its software from. This is where it pulls the bits for ESXi, vCenter, NSX, and the rest of the stack.
After that, the installer walks you through the environment details. Hostnames, IP addresses, DNS, NTP, and network configuration. It checks your inputs as you go and flags issues early.
Once everything passes validation, the installer starts building the management domain. vCenter, NSX, SDDC Manager, and the core services come online in the correct order.
In a nested lab, all of this happens inside virtual machines. But operationally, it looks and feels like a real VCF deployment.
A few practical tips for labs
Nested environments are forgiving, but a little preparation goes a long way.
Make sure DNS and time services are working before you start. These cause more issues than anything else.
Be realistic about resources. VCF is not light. Start with just the management domain and expand later if your hardware allows it.
Expect things to take time. Deployments in a nested lab are slower, especially on limited hardware. That is normal.
And most importantly, take notes. These labs are a great way to understand the flow of a real deployment without the pressure of production.
Why this is worth your time
Nested deployments are not just for curiosity. They are incredibly useful if you are responsible for design, operations, or automation.
They let teams learn the platform together. They help validate scripts and processes. They give you confidence before making changes in the real environment.
VCF 9.0 makes this easier than it has ever been. The new installer removes a lot of friction and guesswork. It turns what used to be a complex, fragile setup into something repeatable and approachable.
If you are serious about understanding modern private cloud platforms, building a nested VCF lab is one of the best places to start.