Bits, Bytes, & Radio Waves

A quiet journey through discovery and understanding.

  • Certificate Replacement Errors in VCF Operations

    Certificate Replacement Errors in VCF Operations

    Troubleshooting a failed certificate replacement in VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) led to deeper log analysis across VCF Operations and Fleet Management appliances. Despite misleading error messages, the root cause was an inactive Microsoft Certificate Authority service due to a CRL issue. Restoring the service resolved the certificate workflow failure.

  • How to Authorize the VCF Operations Fleet Management API

    How to Authorize the VCF Operations Fleet Management API

    This post outlines how to access and authorize the VCF Operations Fleet Management API using Swagger UI. It covers why the API is required, how to reach it, and how to authenticate using Basic Authentication, enabling direct interaction with Fleet Management functions that are not exposed through the UI.

  • VMware Cloud Foundation 9.x Planning & Preparation to UI Mapping

    VMware Cloud Foundation 9.x Planning & Preparation to UI Mapping

    This post maps key items from the VMware Cloud Foundation 9 Planning & Preparation Workbook to their exact locations within the VCF Operations UI. By aligning workbook guidance with real UI paths, it simplifies configuration of backups, certificates, and depot settings, reducing navigation overhead and improving deployment consistency in lab environments.

Notes from practice

I use this site to document systems, configurations, and lessons learned as I work through real problems—both professionally and through personal experimentation. The goal is clarity: understand how something works, explain why it behaves the way it does, and make it reliable and repeatable.

These notes are written primarily for myself, but shared openly in case they help someone else avoid a dead end or reduce frustration. If you’d like to learn more, visit the About page.

If you have questions or comments, you’re always welcome to contact me.

Aaron Rombaut

Technologist & Writer