Tag: VMware Cloud Foundation Home lab

VMware Cloud Foundation Home Lab – Part 2 (Network Topology)

CaptainvOPs

Blog Date: December 2025

Below is the basic network Topology and vlan config for my new VMware Cloud Foundation home lab. For my home network, I had replaced my off the shelf consumer wifi router a few years ago, and purchased a Ubiquity EdgeRouter 12 so that I could have vlans for my VMware Home lab, that lasted me from vSphere 6 to vSphere 8.

On this router, I have defined and hung the vlans off from the built in virtual switch (192.168.X.1).

vlan (10.0.X.1)Description
20iscsi storage straffic
30Management
40vmotion
50vsan
60ESX TEP
70NSX Edge T0 Uplink01
71NSX Edge T0 Uplink02
80Replication

As detailed in my VCF 9 Home lab BOM, I chose to go with the QNAP (QSW-M3216R-8S8T-US) Layer 2 for my TOR switch. This Layer 2 managed switch supports 10G on the standard ethernet ports and on the SFP+ ports, giving me lots of options for connectivity.

I can also mount two of them side by side in a standard 19 inch width rack offering more space save opportunities for future home lab expansion.

I have the same vlans tagged to the TOR switch

VMware Cloud Foundation Home Lab – Part 1 (MS-A2 BIOS)

CaptainvOPs

Blog Date: December 2025

Continuing this blog series about my new home lab, I thought I would go over the BIOS setting I have selected for these MINISFORUM MS-A2’s.

Security
— Secure Boot – Disabled

Trusted Computing
— See Device Support – Disabled

Advanced
— Onboard Device Settings
— PCI SR-IOV – Enabled

— AMD PBS (**THIS IS OPTIONAL BASED ON YOUR CONFIG**)
— PCIe/GFX Lane Configuration – x8
— GFX Lane Speed – Gen 4
— SSD0 – Gen 4
— SSD1 – Gen 4
— SSD2 – Gen 4

— AMD CBS
— NBIO Common Options
— IOMMU – Enabled
— PSPP – Performance
— FCH Common Options
— AC Power Loss – Previous
— SMU Common Options
— TjMax – 78

In my next Blog, I will cover my basic network set.