DNS resolution error during SRM site pairing

[#1]

During SRM Site pairing from OnPrem to VMC SDDC, below error might be seen

This document assumes that you have fresh deployment of OnPrem SRM and it has not been configured/paired with any site. If you have an existing configured/paired production/development/test OnPrem SRM instance, please contact support and do not proceed.

In the above screenshot you should have registered OnPrem vSphere Replication appliance as well however this document focuses on SRM DNS error.

Cloud SRM reaches out to OnPrem PSC and checks for OnPrem SRM url, to setup site pairing with.

If the OnPrem SRM is registered with hostname and not FQDN, above error might come up.

High level steps that we need to follow

• Verify OnPrem SRM is registered with OnPrem PSC via hostname.
• Unregister OnPrem SRM with OnPrem PSC
• Change the OnPrem hostname to fqdn
• Generate new self signed cert for OnPrem SRM
• Register OnPrem SRM with OnPrem PSC via FQDN
• Complete SRM site pairing operation

To verify if the OnPrem SRM is registered with hostname and not with FQDN ; navigate to OnPrem PSC by editing below url

https://vcsa11.home.local/lookupservice/mob?moid=ServiceRegistration&method=List

Change the value field as below and click on Invoke method

Try to search via OnPrem SRM hostname, FQDN registration is not seen.

Now we need to unregister OnPrem SRM from PSC. Login to SRM VAMI page >> summary tab and click on unregister

Check all the options and click on unregister

When it completes, you should see similar screen

We now need to change OnPrem SRM hostname to FQDN. Navigate to networking tab on SRM VAMI portal and click edit >> enter FQDN and hit save.

You should see new hostname on portal.

To generate new self signed OnPrem SRM cert, navigate to access tab on SRM VAMI portal and click on cert change.

Make sure SRM FQDN is seen with FQDN and right IP. Enter the organization details and click on change

Post changing the default cert, we need to refresh the browser and accept new cert. On the browser we should now see cert with FQDN.

Let's proceed registering OnPrem SRM with PSC. Click on the summary tab on SRM VAMI portal and click on configure appliance.

Enter OnPrem PSC details and hit next. Enter the details for name/extension ; make sure that hostname comes as FQDN and finish the wizard

We can verify now if the SRM registration on PSC comes up with FQDN

SRM site pairing now should not return initial error message and would go through.

[Obboulas]

A DNS resolution error during SRM (Site Recovery Manager) site pairing typically indicates a problem with the DNS configuration or network connectivity between the two sites you're trying to pair in VMware's Site Recovery Manager.

To troubleshoot and resolve this issue, you can follow these steps:

Check DNS Settings: Ensure that the DNS servers for both sites are correctly configured and can resolve the hostnames of the vCenter Server and Site Recovery Manager Server at each site.

Verify Network Connectivity: Test the network connectivity between the two sites. Use tools like ping or traceroute to ensure there are no network issues that could be blocking the connection.

Hosts File Entry: As a temporary solution, you can add an entry in the hosts file of the SRM servers to resolve the hostname to the IP address. This bypasses the DNS lookup.

Correct Hostname Resolution: Ensure that the SRM servers and vCenter Servers at both sites can resolve each other's hostnames correctly. This is essential for the SRM pairing to work.

Firewall and Ports: Check if there are any firewalls between the two sites that could be blocking SRM-related ports. Ensure that all necessary ports for SRM communication are open.

Restart SRM Services: Sometimes, simply restarting the SRM services on both sites can resolve temporary glitches that might be causing the DNS resolution error.

SRM Logs: Review the SRM logs for any specific error messages or hints about what might be causing the DNS resolution issue. This can provide more targeted information for troubleshooting.

DNS Server Logs: Check the logs of your DNS servers for errors or issues related to the SRM servers' hostname resolution.

VMware Support: If the issue persists, consider contacting VMware support for more in-depth troubleshooting assistance, especially if the SRM configuration is complex or involves additional VMware products.

Remember, DNS issues can sometimes be elusive, and it might require a thorough check of the network and DNS configuration across your sites to isolate and resolve the problem.