Failover and Failback

[ChevUribe]

version: 8.1

I would like to ask a few questions about the version and capabilities:

1. We already replicated the VMs from PROD to DR. If we want to simulate a failover, can we do the following?

     a. Pause the replication

     b. Isolate DR network (same IP)

     c. Disconnect VM adapter to network, Power on, Change IP and connect the VM adapters

2. There is a reverse replication tab, Do I need to configure this so If The DR VMs becomes PROD for some time and then wants to go back to the original PROD site?

3. During failback, is the replication appliance intelligent enough that there is already an instance of the VM? (no corruption)

[ChevUribe]

Up!

[rajen450m]

Hi,

Failback of Virtual Machines in vSphere Replication

Failback of virtual machines between vCenter Server sites is a manual task in vSphere Replication. Automated failback is not available.

After performing a successful recovery on the target vCenter Server site, you can perform failback. Click Reverse replications and manually configure a new replication in the reverse direction, from the target site to the source site. The disks on the source site are used as replication seeds, so that vSphere Replication only synchronizes the changes made to the disk files on the target site. For more information on replication seeds, see Replicating Virtual Machines Using Replication Seeds.

Before you configure a reverse replication, you must unregister the virtual machine from the inventory on the source site.

Regards,

[Cato Grace]

1. VR standalone doesn't support non-disruptive testing of recovery. For this you would need SRM and it will allow you to do this without disrupting replication or networking.

2. Reversing replication would be done after failing over

3. Yes, when replication is reversed VR will use the file at the original site as a seed and run a checksum then only replicated changes