Introduction
VMware By Broadcom has moved away from the old, clunky Host Profiles in favor of the modern Desired State Cluster Configuration. This “Desired-State” model is fantastic for consistency, but it introduces a new challenge: managing the massive JSON documents that define your cluster’s state.
When you need to scale a cluster, you’re often stuck manually editing host-specific overrides for IPs and hostnames inside a complex JSON structure. I built ClusterConfigForge to turn that manual grind into a streamlined, automated workflow.
The Challenge: Scaling Desired-State Configurations
In the Desired-State model, the entire configuration for a cluster is managed as a single document. While this is great for avoiding “configuration drift,” updating unique host details (like Management/vMotion IPs) for a 32-node cluster still requires tedious, repetitive data entry.
If you’re a consultant or a lead admin, you don’t want to spend your afternoon copy-pasting IPv4 addresses into a text editor. You want a tool that understands the structure and does the heavy lifting for you.
The Solution: ClusterConfigForge
ClusterConfigForge is a specialized editor for vSphere Cluster Configuration JSON files. It parses the “host-specific” and “host-override” sections and presents them in a clean, manageable grid.
Why this is a game-changer for vSphere Admins:
- 🔢 IP & Hostname Sequencing: Stop typing. Enter your starting values, click “Sequence,” and the tool calculates the rest for the entire cluster.
- ⚡ Intelligent Merging: It doesn’t just overwrite files; it surgically updates the host-specific network stack while keeping your cluster-wide “Desired-State” intact.
- 🛠️ No-Install Deployment: Run it instantly via Docker. No Python environment “hell,” just pure utility.
Quick Start
You can launch the forge locally in seconds:
docker run -d --rm -p 5000:5000 --name ccf knutssondevelopment/cluster-config-forge:latest
Access the interface in a browser http://127.0.0.1:5000
- Export your Cluster Configuration from vCenter.
- Upload the JSON to the Forge.
- Automate your host overrides with the sequence tools.
- Download and apply the new desired state to your cluster.
Try it Online
Don’t want to run Docker locally? You can access the tool immediately via our cloud-hosted version: Launch Cluster Config Forge on Render
Note on Privacy & Security: Your data is processed entirely in-memory and is never stored on our servers. However, when uploading sensitive configuration data to the internet, we recommend a “safety first” approach:
- Sanitize your JSON: Manually remove or obfuscate the
password_hashvalues before uploading.- Use Temporary Credentials: Only use the forge with temporary installation passwords. While we take every precaution to keep your session private, there are never absolute guarantees on the public web—staying proactive with your sensitive data is always the best practice.
Built for the Community
This tool is open-source and built for the modern vSphere admin. It’s about making the transition to Desired-State configuration as painless as possible.
Explore the code or contribute on GitHub: 👉 KnutssonDevelopment/ClusterConfigForge
References: https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/322327/working-with-vsphere-configuration-profi.html
https://www.starwindsoftware.com/blog/vmware-vsphere-configuration-profiles-advantages-and-tips/