Posts Tagged vSphere ReplicationUpgrading vCenter Site Recovery Manager to version5.5Posted by Marek.Z on 7 January 2014As you all know, the VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager is a business continuity and disaster recovery solution that helps you to plan, test, and run the recovery of virtual machines between a protected vCenter Server site and a recovery vCenter Server site. The latest release of VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager 5.5 has been generally available for a while so it is time to have a closer look on how to upgrade your SRM 5.1 environment to SRM 5.5. This article will focus on an in-place upgrade of SRM.Before you begin make sure you have read the following: vCenter Site Recovery Manager 5.5 Release Notes. vCenter Site Recovery Manager 5.5 Installation and Configuration doc. Check the Compatibility Matrixes for vCenter Site Recovery Manager 5.5.Also, before you begin with the upgrade process make sure the following prerequisites are met: vCenter Server and its components on the protected site and the recovery site must be running version 5.5. Upgrade these first. See my earlier post on how-to (part1 & part2). Optionally, upgrade your ESXi hosts to version 5.5. SRM 5.5 uses a 64-bit DSN to connect to the SRM database. If you are upgrading from SRM 5.0, you must create a new 64-bit DSN before the upgrade. This does not apply to SRM 5.1. Create a back-up of the SRM database on the protected site as well as on the recovery site. Download the vSphere Replication appliance ISO image from VMware.According to the Site Recovery Manager Installation and Configuration guide, the SRM environment must be upgraded in a correct order. The upgrade steps are as follow.1. Upgrade SRM Server on the protected site.2. Upgrade the storage replication adapters on the protected site if you use any.3. Upgrade the vSphere Replication appliance on the protected site.4. Upgrade any additional vSphere Replication server instances on the protected site.5. Upgrade SRM Server on the recovery site.6. Upgrade the storage replication adapters on the recovery site if you use any.7. Upgrade the vSphere Replication appliance on the recovery site.8. Upgrade any additional vSphere Replication server instances on the recovery site.9. Configure the connection between the SRM sites and vSphere Replication appliances.10. Upgrade the SRM Client plug-in.11. Verify that your protection groups and recovery plans are still valid.Upgrade Site Recovery ManagerAs mentioned earlier, the steps below will perform an in-place upgrade of SRM. The SRM installer will reuse the information about vCenter Server connections, certificates, and database configuration from the existing installation.1. Login to the vCenter Server at the protected site and start the installer.2. Click Next on the Welcome Wizard. Note that the installer detected a previous version of SRM and will upgrade the product.3. Click Next on the VMware Patents window.4. Accept the EULA and click Next.5. Choose the destination folder or leave it to its defaults. Click Next.6. If you are using vSphere Replication appliance, make sure the Install vSphere Replication option is selected and click Next to continue.7. Provide the vCenter Server credentials and click Next.8. Accept the certificate warning by clicking Yes.9. Click Yes to confirm that you want to overwrite the existing SRM extension.10. When asked for the certificate source, you can choose to automatically generate a certificate or use a PKCS#12 certificate. In my case, I went for the automatic option since I dont have a PKCS#12 certificate. Choose one that suits your environment and click Next.11. If you chose the automatic option like me you will be presented with the certificate generation window. The Organization and the Organization Unit should already be populated since this is an upgrade. Click Next.12. Check the vCenter Site Recovery Manager Extension properties, make changes if necessary and click Next to continue.13. On the Database Configuration window, enter the SRM database user credentials and click Next.14. Select if you want to use the existing database or to recreate the SRM database. Since this is an upgrade I choose to use the existing database.15. Click the Install button to start the installation.16. Click Finish to close the installation wizard when it completes successfully.Upgrade vSphere ReplicationThe vSphere Replication is not upgraded automatically when you upgrade SRM. You must upgrade vSphere Replication as a separate process. According to the Site Recovery Manager Installation and Configuration guide, you cannot upgrade vSphere Replication to version 5.5 by using vSphere Update Manager or the virtual appliance management interface (VAMI). You can use a vSphere Replication ISO image to upgrade the vSphere Replication appliance.1. First, power off the vSphere Replication appliance if it is running.2. Edit the settings of the virtual machine and add a CD/DVD Drive.3. Attach the downloaded ISO image.4. Power on the vSphere Replication appliance.5. When the virtual machines boots up, navigate to https://IP_or_FQDN_Address:5480 using your browser and log in to the virtual appliance management interface (default username and password are root/vmware).6. Navigate to the Update tab and click Settings button.7. Under the Update Repository select CDROM Updates and click Save Settings under Actions.8. Next, click the Status button and click Check Updates under Actions. A message stating that an update is available should be displayed.9. Click Install Updates and confirm it with OK.10. The updates are being installed.11. When the updates are installed, you should see a message stating that a reboot is required to complete the update. Navigate to the System tab and click Reboot under Actions. Confirm the reboot by clicking the Reboot button once again.Upgrade any additional vSphere Replication server instances on the protected site.Upgrade SRM client plug-inAfter a successful SRM upgrade, the client plug-in must be upgraded.1. When still logged in on the protected site vCenter Server, you need to remove the old plug-in first from Programs and Features.2. When the old version is removed, open the vSphere Client and from the Plug-ins menu select Manage Plug-ins.3. Under Available Plug-ins, click Download and Install the VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager Extension.4. Accept the certificate warning.5. Run the file and click Next on the welcome window.6. Click Next on the VMware patents page.7. Accept EULA and click Next.8. Click Install to begin the installation.9. Click Finish to end the installation.The Site Recovery Manager plug-in should now reappear under the Solutions and Applications section on the Home page of the vCenter Server.What to do next?At this point the protected site is upgraded to version 5.5. Use the steps described above to upgrade the recovery site. Next, configure the connection between the SRM sites and vSphere Replication appliances and verify that your protection groups and recovery plans are still valid.Cheers!- Marek.ZPosted in Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery, Site Recovery Manager, VMware | Tagged: 5.5, Site Recovery Manager, SRM, update, upgrade, vCenter, VMware, vSphere Replication | Leave a Comment Whats new in VMware vSphere 5.1, new technical whitepapersavailable!Posted by Marek.Z on 27 August 2012In addition to release of vSphere 5.1, there are some new whitepapers available from VMware. Whats new in VMware vCenter 5.1 Whats new in vCloud Director 5.1 Whats new in VMware vSphere Storage Appliance Introduction to VMware vSphere Replication Introduction to VMware vSphere Data Protection Whats New in VMware vSphere 5.1 Networking Whats New in VMware vSphere 5.1 Platform Whats New in VMware vSphere 5.1 Storage Whats New in VMware vSphere 5.1 PerformanceHappy reading!Cheers!- Marek.ZPosted in VMware, vSphere | Tagged: Data Protection, Networking, Performance, Storage, vCenter, VMware, VSA, vSphere Replication, what's new, whitepaper | Leave a Comment How to: VMware Site Recovery Manager 5 Part 5: VRM Pairing and VRDeploymentPosted by Marek.Z on 16 May 2012Now that the VRM Servers are deployed at the Protected Site and the Recovery Site, its time to pair both servers. When the pairing is completed we will be able to deploy the VR Servers, one for each site. This will enable us to fail over from the Protected Site to the Recovery Site. In a large environment, consider deploying more instances of VR Servers for extra availability and flexibility. In SRM 5, each VR Server can manage 50 replication schedules and protect a maximum of 500 VMs. Lets start the VRM Server pairing process.VRM Server pairing1. Open the Site Recovery Manager from the Solutions and Applications in the vSphere Client on the Protected Site.2. Go to vSphere Replication, make sure that the Protected Site is selected and click on Configure VRMS Connection.3. Click Yes if asked to configure VRMS Connection.4. Click OK to accept the certificate error.5. Provide the username and password for the Recovery Site and click OK.6. Once again, click OK to accept the certificate error.7. You will be presented with a configuration progress window. Click OK when the configuration of VRMS connection succeeds.8. The status of the connection under the Summary tab should now display: Connected on both sites.Deploying VR ServerNow that the VRM Servers are connected, we can start the deployment of the VR Server.1. From the Protected Site, select the Recovery site in the left pane and click on Deploy VR Server.2. Click OK to launch the OVF wizard.3. Click Next in the Source window and Next again in the OVF Template Details window.4. In the Name field, provide a FQDN name for the VR Server appliance and select the location. Click on Next to proceed.5. Next, select the Cluster, Host and appropriate datastore for the VR Server. Click on Next to proceed at each step.6. Select desired disk format and click Next.7. In the Properties window, provide a Default Gateway, DNS Server, IP address and Subnet Mask for the VR Server and click Next.8. Review the settings in the Ready to Complete window and press Finish to start the deployment.Repeat thisprocessfor the Recovery Site.Register VR ServerAfter the VR Server is deployed, it has to be registered with the vCenter Server.1. Go back to the Site Recovery Manager and click on Register VR Server in the left pane under Commands.2. Expand the Datacenter object and select the VR Server VM. Click OK to proceed.3. Click Yes when asked if you want to register the VR Server.4. Ignore the remote server certificate error and click on OK.5. Click on OK to close the window when the registration completes successfully.6. Verify that the VR Server is now visible in the left pane and the Summary tab shows the status: Connected.Repeat these steps for the Recovery Site.OK, all done :) The VR infrastructure is now up and running. Continue to part 6 where we will take a look at the inventory mappings between the Protected Site and the Recovery Site. SRM 5 Part 1: Preparation SRM 5 Part 2: Installation SRM 5 Part 3: Site Pairing SRM 5 Part 4: vSphere ReplicationCheers!- Marek.ZPosted in Site Recovery Manager, SRM 5, vCenter, VMware, vSphere 5 | Tagged: configuration, Site Recovery Manager, SRM 5, VMware, VRM Server, vSphere Replication | 3 Comments How to: VMware Site Recovery Manager 5 Part 4: vSphereReplicationPosted by Marek.Z on 10 May 2012Now that the connection between the Protected and Recovery Site is established, we can start deploying the vSphere Replication (VR) but before that, the VR infrastructure must be configured and operational. The VR infrastructure consists of the following components: VRM Server: provides the management of the VR Servers across the ESXi hosts VR Server:replicates the virtual machines between sitesvCenter Server Managed IP AddressFirst, configure the vCenter Server Managed IP address. The managed IP address will be used by VRM server to communicate with the extension service on the vCenter Server.1. In the vSphere Client, go to the Administration menu and select vCenter Server Settings.2. Go to Runtime Settings and fill in the vCenter Server Managed IP address.3. Click OK to save and close the window.Repeat this step for the Recovery Site.VRM DatabaseBefore deploying the VRM Server, a database must be created. On the Protected Site, open the SQL Server Management Studio and follow these steps.1. Login and right click Databases and select New Database.2. Provide a suggestive name (i.e. VRMS_DB) and change the owner to i.e. srmadmin. Click OK to create the database.3. Close the SQL Server Management Studio and proceed to the next step.Deploy VRM ServerNext step is the deployment of the VRM Server which is deployed as a virtual appliance from the SRM Server.1. Open the Site Recovery Manager from the Solutions and Applications in the vSphere Client on the Protected Site. Provide user credentials if necessary.2. Click vSphere Replication in the left pane and make sure the Protected Site is selected. On the left pane under Commands, click Deploy VRM Server.3. The Deploy VRM Server wizard will be started, click on OK to begin.4. Press Next in the Source window of the deployment wizard.5. In the next step, review the OVF Template Details and press Next to continue.6. Provide a FQDN name and a location for the VRM Server. Click Next.7. Select the appropriate cluster and select a datastore to store the VRM Server appliance. Click Next.8. Select the disk format, in this case I used the Thin Provision disk type. Click Next to proceed.9. Provide the password for the root account, default gateway, DNS server, IP address and subnet mask for the appliance. Click Next when ready.10. Click Next on the Configure Service Bindings window.11. Review the settings and click Finish to start the deployment process.12. When the deployment finishes the VRM Server VM will be powered on.Remember to deploy a VRM Server instance on the Recovery Site. Wait until the VRM Server is fully started before proceeding to the next step.Configure VRM ServerWhen the VRM Server for the Protected Site is fully started, you will see the VMware Appliance Management Interface (VAMI) displayed and an URL to manage the VRM Server.1. Next, click on Configure VRM Server under Commands pane in the Site Recovery Manger.2. Ignore the certificate security warning and log in with the root account and the password entered during the deployment wizard.3. In the Getting Started window, go to option 1: Startup Configuration. Click on Configuration Page.4. Leave the Configuration Mode to default (Manual Configuration).5. Select SQL Server as DB Type.6. Provide the FQDN for the DB Host, in my case the vCenter Server.7. Leave DB Port to default (1433).8. Enter the DB Username (i.e. srmadmin) and DB Password.9. Provide the DB Name (i.e. VRMS_DB) created earlier.10. Leave the VRM Host value to default.11. Provide a name for the DB Name.12. Enter a FQDN for the vCenter Server address and leave the vCenter Server port to default (80).13. Enter the vCenter Server Username, Password and e-mail address.14. Scroll down and click Generate and Install under the Generate a self-signed certificate. You should receive a message stating that the certificate was successfully generated and installed.15. On the right side under the Actions menu, click the Save and Restart Service button.16. Wait until the process completes, if successful you will see the following message.17. Note that the status of the VRM Service is now running under the VRM Service Status section.18. Also, you will be presented with a security warning, select Install this certificate and click Ignore button.19. Go back to the Site Recovery Manager and verify that the VRM Server is now configured.Next, deploy the VRM Server at the Recovery Site by following the steps above.Continue to part 5 where we will pair the VRM Servers between the Protected Site and the Recovery Site and we will deploy the VR Servers. SRM 5 Part 1: Preparation SRM 5 Part 2: Installation SRM 5 Part 3: Site PairingCheers!