Posts Tagged ‘offline depot’

HOW TO: Create an Offline Depot with a Python script | VCF 9.0 Component Deployment Guide

Monday, August 4th, 2025

 

In this episode of Hancock’s VMware Half Hour, we walk through creating an Offline Depot using a Python script to support VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0 deployments in air-gapped or isolated environments. We begin with a brief update on the VCF Installer, remove previously downloaded components, and disconnect our offline repository from a Synology NAS. Then we dive into the technical steps—running a Python script on Ubuntu using the http_server_auth.py script from GitHub, mounting an NFS export, verifying FQDN configuration, and checking access to the depot via a web browser. Finally, we show how to configure the VCF Installer to use this offline depot, perform downloads directly to the installer, and verify SSH shell activity to ensure everything is working correctly. This practical guide is ideal for anyone managing VCF in restricted environments or those who need a secure and reusable local depot setup.

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Posted in All, computing, ExpertsExchange, Hancock's VMware Half Hour, homelab, vExpert, Virtualisation, Virtualization, VMware | Comments Off on HOW TO: Create an Offline Depot with a Python script | VCF 9.0 Component Deployment Guide

HOW TO: Create an Offline Depot with a Synology NAS | VCF 9.0 Component Deployment Guide

Monday, August 4th, 2025


HOW TO: Create an Offline Depot with a Synology NAS | VCF 9.0 Component Deployment Guide

In this video, we walk through the step-by-step process of creating an offline depot using a Synology NAS for VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0. Whether you’re dealing with limited internet access or building a secure deployment workflow, this guide will help you set up a fully functional offline repository that integrates seamlessly with the VCF installer.

As of July 30th, Broadcom has released updated VCF 9.0 metadata, and we’ll use that to demonstrate how to populate the repo.

What You’ll Learn:

How to install and configure the Web Station and Apache HTTP Server 2.4 on Synology

How to enable Basic Authentication required by VCF

Where to upload and extract the VCF 9.0 metadata bundle

How to verify access via browser and the VCF 9.0 installer

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Posted in All, computing, ExpertsExchange, Hancock's VMware Half Hour, homelab, vExpert, Virtualisation, Virtualization, VMware | Comments Off on HOW TO: Create an Offline Depot with a Synology NAS | VCF 9.0 Component Deployment Guide