Protected Groups

[malarshyam]

Hi All,

I have a doubt in the protected Group creation.

Can we create two protected groups from the VMs in the same datastore.

Thanks

Malar

[mal_michael]

Hi,

1. This is not possible with array-based replication. Protected group contains all VMs from single datastore group (not all of them must be configured for protection, but will be contained anyway) and any datastore group cannot be protected by multiple protection groups.

Here is some info on datastore groups taken from SRM admin guide:

For array-based replication, SRM organizes datastore groups to collect all files associated with protected virtual machines. You then associate these datastore groups with protection groups. All virtual machines in a datastore group replicate their files together, and all failover together. You can have a virtual machine with files on different datastores. In such a case, SRM combines the datastores that contain files for a single virtual machine to create a datastore group.
A datastore group is the smallest unit of storage that can be failed over or tested independently. Several rules show how the groups are calculated.
If a device is used by a datastore, all devices used by that datastore are combined.
If a device is a part of a consistency group in the array, all devices in the consistency group are combined.
If a virtual machine spans multiple datastores, all devices belonging to all such datastores are combined.
These rules are repeated until no more devices are added to the datastore group.

2. With vSphere replication available in vSphere 5 and SRM 5 this should be possible, since you create protection groups from the list of replicated VMs, not from the list of datastore groups. Haven't tried this myself yet, but this what I understand from the documentation.

Guys who have experience with vSphere replication - correct me if I am wrong.

Michael.

[malarshyam]

Thanks for the update Michael

[malarshyam]

I have another doubt, can we span one protected group in two recovery plans.

For example, I have Recovery plan 1 in which server 1(DB server) is placed for starting up.

In recovery plan 2 I have another server 2(app server) which is dependent on server 1 for proper functioning. Will i be able to place server 1 in recoovery plan 2 also, for just checking the heart beat of the server so that I can confirm that server 2 will come up properly.

I will be placing both server 1 and server 2 in two different LUNs so they will be in two different Protected Groups.

Thanks

Malar

[mal_michael · Accepted solution]

Recovery Plan can contain multiple Protection Groups and protection Group can be contained in multiple Recovery Plans.

I don't fully understand the following sentence:

Will i be able to place server 1 in recoovery plan 2 also, for just  checking the heart beat of the server so that I can confirm that server 2  will come up properly.

Michael.

[malarshyam]

Hi Micahel,

Thanks for the response and ofcourse you did clear my doubt.

For your question:

I wanted the server 1 to be in recovery plan 2 also so that I can set a plan flow in the recovery plan 2, in such a way that, server 2 will be powered on only when it is confirmed that server 1 is up and running.

Can you please explain how this can be done

"Recovery Plan can contain multiple Protection Groups and protection Group can be contained in multiple Recovery Plans."

[mal_michael]

It is very simple: when you create / edit recovery plan, you can select multiple protection groups, including protection groups that are already contained in other recovery plans.

Michael.

[malarshyam]

Thanks a lot Michael..