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Quick Tip - How to Manually Verify VCF Software Download Checksums?

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When a new VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) binary is published for download, its filename, size, and checksum are generated and updated in the VCF manifest files, including productVersionCatalog.json (PVC) and its corresponding signature file, productVersionCatalog.sig.

Whether you use the VCF Download Tool (VCFDT) to download the binaries for a local VCF Offline Depot or the VCF Installer to connect directly to Broadcom's download portal, the manifest file is automatically used to verify that the binaries match their expected checksums, preventing corrupted downloads or, worse, compromised software from being deployed.

For those using the VCFDT, below is a typical folder structure (/PROD/COMP) that is automatically created to store all VCF downloads:

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Major Enhancements to VCF 9.1 Upgrade Planner Tool

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The VCF Upgrade Planner was launched back in May and the reception and feedback from our users has been incredible. With over 90,000 visits in just a few months, it has quickly become an essential resource for helping customers and partners create a custom-tailored runbook for their specific environment to successfully upgrade to VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.1.

As if the number of visits was not enough validation, I really felt the impact firsthand at VMware Explore 2026, where I met several attendees who all shared a similar sentiment:

I would not have been able to upgrade to VCF 9.1 without the VCF Upgrade Planner.

It has been great to hear how valuable the VCF Upgrade Planner has become for our users. Based on that feedback, we have made over 100 updates, from fixes to enhancements, and today I am excited to share several major updates that further improve the user experience and introduce new capabilities that will help with your VCF 9.1 journey.

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VCF 9.1.1 - Single ESX Host for VCF Fleet, VCF Workload Domain or VCF Cluster

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For a production deployment of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF), there is a good reason why you might not want to run everything on a single ESX host. 😅

Assuming you understand how the minimum ESX host requirements are derived for VCF deployments, there are certainly benefits to deploying a resource-optimized VCF environment for lab or proof-of-concept (POC) purposes. Being able to exercise workflows such as creating a new VCF Workload Domain or adding a new VCF Cluster with just a single ESX host can be extremely useful.

In fact, this has been possible since VCF 5.x and is something I have personally used to quickly stand up a full VCF environment or expand an existing one, which I have documented over the past few years:

While the scenarios above are the most common use cases for a single ESX host, deploying a new VCF Cluster with just one host has been a less common request, but it has also been possible.

To be able to deploy a new VCF Fleet, Workload Domain or Cluster using just a single ESX host requires applying a workaround, which I have captured in my comprehensive VCF 9.1.x Installer and SDDC Manager Configuration Workaround for Lab Deployments blog post.

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