HP storage mirroring with vmware vsphere 4.1

[fowora]

Pls help! I have a client with a vmware production site and wants to set up a DR site for him using HP storage mirroring. I need technical assit to setup a mini lab to test before deploying. i have not been able to get a detailed document for this. Also am confused as i could see its not just hp storage mirroring single pack but of 3 categories of the storage software:data migration, replicate and recover. if its truely 3 categories which one is aplicable for my project

[Angelo Conforti]

Hi, DR with VMware and HP can be easy if you have a supported storage array and you must to specify it to obtain more information.
I've set-up a DR with HP XP12K and XP24K and VMware Site Recovery Manager and it was quite easy but you need some prereqs:
- connectivity between sites (LAN and Storage)
- a supported storage replica (XP Raid Manager for example)

If your requirements about RPO/RTO is not so high you can consider less expensive technology than storage mirroring.

[fowora]

Pls help! A client production site has one ESXi 4.1 host running VMs and connected to a shared SAN storage now wants to set up a DR site with one ESXi 4.1 host and DAS storage using HP storage mirroring to replicate VMs to the DR site for backup and failover in case the produdtion site host or a VM goes down. I kindly need step by step technical guide to set this up in my mini lab before going implementin for the client.

2.) Also am confused as i could see its not just hp storage mirroring single pack but of 3 categories of the storage software:data migration, replicate and recover. if its truely 3 categories which one is aplicable for my project

[Angelo Conforti]

There isn't a single solution for all environment. If you have a full-virtualized environment I think that you can use "Storage Mirroring Software for Virtual Infrastructure" that runs at disk level (if you have two SAN, not SAN and DAS) but RPO is not zero and is not transaction-safe. If you have an Exchange 2007-2010 / MSSQL 2008 / MySQL or Oracle Environment, for example, you should consider an application level replication that is more safe and consistent.
If you haven't experience about DR I suggest you to contact HP support and project the entire solution, because there are many issues beyond the simple "data replication".

PS: Data Migration is a solution for Physical-to-Physical replication.

PS2: You can use Veeam Backup & Replication if you prefer, that works like "Storage Mirroring Software for Virtual Infrastructure" with same problems.

[fowora]

Pls help! in as much as i kept trying to contact HP for technical details before purchasing it keep asking me for Hp service agreement or serial number for product after purchasing.
As a result have not been able to contact HP for support after several days of trying

[fowora]

in an attempt to download evaluation copy for the SWSM for virtual infrastructure it lead mew to this: HP SW SM Windows x64 with CDP v5.2.2 (TA778-10527.exe)

Pls is this in line with what i want to download?
Else kindly help with the link to the right software download for th SWSM for VI

Regards

[Bob_Vance]

Well, that would be it, assuming you have 64-bit Windows in the VMs.

HP SWSM has multiple modes of operation,
as Angelo said:


. At application level,
each VM can be replicated as if it were a physical host to a physical host at the DR site. Both VMs are up and running, but the remote VM would have its own IP address.
SWSM is installed and running on both PRI and DR VM.
You would do this for each PRI VM that you want to protect. I.e., there will be a shadow VM running at the DR for each PRI VM.
What's replicated can be just the important folders, if desired.

In case of PRI failure, you can do a failover (or have it be automatic) and the DR VM will take the identity of the PRI (IP address etc.)

The clients connected to the PRI at time of failure will have to reconnect, but to the usual IP (which is now on the DR VM)


. in Virtual Infrastructure
you can replicate VMs.
In this case, the PRI VM is replicated to the DR ESX host via a "VRA" (Virtual Recovery Assistant). The VRA is an additional Windows VM that you would create specifically for this, on the DR site ESX host, and onto which the SWSM is installed.
There only needs to be one VRA on each ESX host.

The replication is between the PRI VM(s) and the VRA.
The DR VMs are created by the VRA in a dormant state.
When failover is necessary, the VRA imports and starts the DR VMs.


bv

[fowora]

The respond from Bv is detailed I can now understand Angelo better.

Pls can I get a documentation or step by step guide for the two:
1.) at application level
2.) in virtual infrastructure

Or at least any of the two.

Also, can it replicate a physical server at PRI to virtual machine at DR using HP SWSM?
If yes, kindly avail me with a documentation or link to this.
Have only be getting unrecent (eg Vmware vsphere 3.5) documentations from site.

Regards,