VMWare SRM 8.3 protection group and steps to create a protection group and run recovery

 

What is a protection group and steps to create a protection group and run recovery in SRM 8.3.

SRM protection groups are groups of virtual machines that SRM protects together. It protects VM based on protection type selection i.e individual VM or all VM deployed in specific datastore.  One or more protection groups can be included in a recovery plan.

There are four types of protection group in SRM

Datastore group (Array-based replication) -> Protect all virtual machines which are on specific Datastore.

Individual VMs (vSphere Replication) ->      Protect specific virtual machines, regardless of the Datastore

Virtual Volumes (vVol replication)->         Protect virtual machines which are on replicated vVol storage

Storage policies (array-based replication)-> Protect virtual machines with specific storage policies.

Steps to create a protection group.

Login to vCenter

Click on Menu -> Click shortcuts

Click site recovery 

Click Open site recovery

Click View details

If you have not already paired two sites then first you need to pair PRD and DR sites.

Click on protection Group

Click New

Enter Name

Select direction: In my case I am replicating from prod SRM to DR 

Select replication type.

If you will select Datastore groups, all VMs inside the specific Datastore will be protected 

In my case I am selecting individual VMs

Select the Virtual machine that you want to add in the protection group.

Make sure VM is powered on and VMTool is installed, you can add power off VM in the protected group or replication but replication will not work and when you will run VM recovery it will also fail.

Select recovery plan

Click finish

Now protection group has created

One VM is protected in the PRD_VMs protection group.

When you will run recovery below steps will perform.

Click Run

Select Recovery type and click on I understand that this *****

Click next

Now recovery has completed and VM is powered off at PRD site and Powered ON at DR site.

PRD site

DR Site

VMWare vSphere Site Recovery Manager SRM Network , Folder and Resource Mapping

VMWare vSphere Site Recovery Manager SRM Post Deployment Configuration

When you install site Recovery Manager you have to do Inventory Mappings from DC site to DR sire. Inventory mapping includes network mappings, Folder mappings, Resource mappings, Storage policy mappings. All of the mappings require for proper management and configuration of virtual machine at DR site.

1. Network Mapping -> Network Mappings is very important to provide the Network connectivity to virtual machines. In Network Mapping we specify the network to be mapped from protected site (DC site) to Recovery site (DR Site). So that if you do recovery of the virtual machines, your virtual machines will get access to the network

Steps to configure Network Mapping in SRM 8.3

Login to vCenter server.

Go to site recovery

Click on the new site pair

 

If you have not paired already. In my case I have already paired

Click view details if you have already paired site

Under the configuration click network mapping.

Click new

Select creation mode either automatically or manually.

In my case I am selecting manually

Expand the network vDS and select the NIC in both vCenter that you want to configure for recovery network

Click Add mapping -> Next

Select portgroup that you want for Reverse mapping -> Next

Click change if you want to create an isolated network for specific portgroup or click next for default.

Click next

Click next

Now network mapping is created.

1.      2. Folder Mappings -:  Folder Mappings is nice feature which helps you to organize Virtual Machines in folders. You can Map the folders from Protected Site to the Recovery site so you can make proper management of Virtual Machines. Before starting with Folder Mappings make sure you create same folders at the Recovery Site.

Steps to configure folder mapping in SRM 8.3

Create folder at both PRD and DR sites from vCenter console

Go to Site Recovery console 

Under configuration -> Select Folder mappings

Click new

Select folder mapping mode 

Select folder from list and click add mapping

Click next

Enable reverse mapping

Click next

Click next

Finish

Now folder has mapped visible from both PRD and DR

 

1.    3. Resource Mapping-: Resource mappings allow you to map the resources from protected site to recovery site. You can map resource pools, standalone hosts, vApps or clusters on the protected site to resource pools, standalone hosts, vApps, or clusters on the recovery site. You can map any types of resource on one site to any types of resource on the other site. It is useful when you are using resource pools so that you can map resource to the recovery site for easy management.

     You need to create same resource at both PRD and DR sites.

Go to Site Recovery console 

Under configuration -> Select Resource mappings

Click new

Select resource from the list 

Click add mapping

Enable  reverse mappings -> click next

Click Finish

Now Resource mapping has been created.

Same you need to do for Placeholder Datastore

How to Configure Virtual Machine Replication in VMWare vSphere Replication 8.3.0

 How to Configure Virtual Machine Replication in VMWare vSphere Replication 8.3.0

I have deployed one VM SRV16 in production VCenter.

Right click on VM SRV16-> Select all site recovery actin -> Configure recovery configuration 

Select Target site and Replication server or click on Auto-assign vSphere Replication server

Click next

Select VM that you want to replicate

Select shared disk and change disk format to thin provision

Click next

Click finish

Now newly added VM SRV16 has added in outgoing replication

SRV16 was powered off, need to power on for replication.

Select the VM from list and click sync now.

Now Sync is completed.

Now go to target vCenter you will see the VM folder and disk has replicated in target storage.

Now go to target vCenter -> select Datastore 

Click on Files to see the newly replicated VM.