In VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 5.2, requirements are classified using design qualities as defined in VMware’s architectural methodology: Availability, Manageability, Performance, Recoverability, and Security. These qualities help architects align customer needs with technical solutions. The requirement specifies that “all SSL certificates should be provided by the company’s certificate authority,” which involves encryption, identity verification, and trust management. Let’s classify it:
Option A: RecoverabilityRecoverability focuses on restoring services after failures, such as disaster recovery (DR) or failover (e.g., RTO, RPO). SSL certificates relate to securing communication, not recovery processes. TheVMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guidedefines Recoverability as pertaining to system restoration, not certificate management, making this incorrect.
Option B: SecuritySecurity encompasses protecting the system from threats, ensuring data confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity. Requiring SSL certificates from the company’s certificate authority (CA) directly relates to securing VCF components (e.g., vCenter, NSX, SDDC Manager) by enforcing trusted, organization-specific encryption and authentication. TheVMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Design Guideclassifies certificate usage under Security, as it mitigates risks like man-in-the-middle attacks and aligns with compliance standards (e.g., PCI-DSS, if applicable). This is the correct classification.
Option C: AvailabilityAvailability ensures system uptime and fault tolerance (e.g., HA, redundancy). While SSL certificates enable secure access, they don’t directly influence uptime or failover. TheVCF 5.2 Architectural Guideties Availability to resilience mechanisms (e.g., clustered deployments), not security controls like certificates.
Option D: ManageabilityManageability focuses on operational ease (e.g., monitoring, automation). Using a company CA involves certificate deployment and renewal, which could relate to management processes. However, the primary intent is securing communication, not simplifying administration. VMware documentation distinguishes certificate-related requirements as Security, not Manageability, unless explicitly about operational workflows.
Conclusion:The requirement is best classified asSecurity (B), as it addresses the secure configuration of SSL certificates, a core security concern in VCF 5.2.References:
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guide(docs.vmware.com): Section on Design Qualities (Security, Recoverability, etc.).
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Design Guide(docs.vmware.com): Certificate Management and Security Classification.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Administration Guide(docs.vmware.com): SSL Certificate Configuration.
