I help enterprises and government organisations turn private cloud ambitions into working infrastructure. From VCF 9 and VMware AI Factory to VMware HyperArmor readiness, I combine hands-on architecture, security planning, and practical training to build platforms your team can confidently operate.
I'm Eric Sloof, an independent VMware Cloud Foundation architect and certified instructor based in the Netherlands. Since 2004, I've designed, deployed, and taught VMware infrastructure for enterprise environments — from early ESX clusters to today's VCF 9 private cloud platforms.
I design infrastructure for VMware Private AI Cloud and VMware AI Factory, helping organisations run AI workloads close to their data. My work connects architecture with implementation: capacity planning, GPU infrastructure, Kubernetes, automation, and the operational processes needed to keep the platform running.
Security is part of that design, not an afterthought. Alongside VCF architecture, I offer VMware HyperArmor advisory and implementation preparation to help organisations plan stronger protection for their ESX hosts.
Through Trainer as a Service, I work directly with your engineers to turn the design into practical skills. Training is tailored to your environment, so your team understands the platform it will build and operate.
I hold all five VCF 9 VCAP discipline certifications, was named VMware Certified Instructor of the Year EMEA 2023, and have been a vExpert for 18+ consecutive years.
Your teams want the productivity benefits of AI. Your organisation needs control over the information they use. Public AI tools can create a gap between those two goals, especially when employees work through personal accounts outside approved processes.
This is Shadow AI: AI use outside your organisation's visibility and governance. It can expose sensitive information and make it harder to enforce security policies, protect intellectual property, and meet compliance requirements.
Private AI offers a controlled alternative. By hosting models and processing sensitive data within your own environment, you can define who has access, which models are approved, and how workloads are monitored. VMware Private AI Cloud and VMware AI Factory provide the infrastructure foundation; sound architecture, governance, and trained operators make it work.
Translate your AI requirements into a practical VCF 9 infrastructure design. I help with GPU capacity planning, workload domain architecture, hardware sizing, networking, and availability. The goal is a clear path from infrastructure deployment to model serving, with lifecycle management and daily operations designed in from the start.
VMware Private AI Cloud · AI FactoryBuild GPU-enabled Kubernetes infrastructure for your AI applications. Services include VKS cluster design, NVIDIA GPU Operator integration, and infrastructure for Model Runtime, model serving, vector databases, and RAG workflows. Connected and isolated environments are planned around your security requirements and the supported software stack.
VMware vSphere Kubernetes Service · Private AIGive your teams self-service access to approved AI infrastructure. I design VCF Automation workflows and catalogue items for deep learning VMs, Kubernetes clusters, and AI platform provisioning. Provisioning policies, quotas, and lifecycle workflows help keep self-service consistent with your organisation's operational standards.
VCF Automation 9 · Self-ServiceMove from an existing VMware estate to VCF 9.1 with a migration plan built around your dependencies and continuity requirements. I assess the current environment, define the target architecture, and help execute the transition. Scope includes workload domain planning, lifecycle sequencing, networking, and preparation for Private AI adoption.
Brownfield Migration · Lifecycle ManagementPrepare your ESX environment for VMware HyperArmor's additional layer of host protection: virtual patching, controls that allow only approved processes and scripts, and MFA for SSH access. I assess host-security practices, define policy requirements, and plan rollout validation. HyperArmor complements existing VCF security and official patching; it does not replace them.
HyperArmor is announced and listed as available soon. Advisory and preparation are offered now; deployment is subject to product availability and compatibility.
ESX Host Security · Virtual Patching · SSH MFABuild the skills your engineers need to operate the platform you are investing in. As a certified instructor, I deliver tailored VCF, NSX, VKS, and Private AI infrastructure training through workshops, hands-on labs, and embedded coaching. Your environment and your team's knowledge gaps determine the programme.
Custom Training · Workshops · Knowledge TransferI am available for freelance architecture, implementation, security-readiness, and training assignments in enterprise and government environments. Tell me what you need to build, improve, or prepare — and where your team needs support.
esloof@ntpro.nl →