deploying Site Recovery Manager (SRM)

[aiea96701]

if I want to deploy a DR solution with Failover and Failback, would I need ONE set (that is, based on the sockets on a host protected)SRM license per  site (one set for the DR site vCenter and one for the production site vCenter)?

[AndreTheGiant]

Thread moved to SRM area.

What do mean with one set?

SRM is licensed per sockets or per VM.

Andre

[aiea96701]

Yeah...that was an awkward way to explain it.  sorry.   What I mean is : do I need to have SRM licenses on both my production vCenter and DR site vCenter?   We would like to perform failover and failback.

[AndreTheGiant]

In socket based licensing you need also to cover the DR site to do a failback.

In VM based lisensing you license the VM, so (I think) that you are covered for both ways.

Andre

[aiea96701]

Thanks.  so, if I understand correctly......I want to protect , let's say, 10 production VMs to the DR site, each has 2 sockets.  So, I need 20 licenses.

So, do I install the SRM plugin in just my DR site or do I do it to both my production vCenter and DR vCenter?

[AndreTheGiant]

No... there are two model of SRM licensing (or at least there were, maybe now only the VM model is remained):

• based on physical CPU socket (used on the ESX/ESXi hosts)
  
• OR based on the number of VM that must be protected
  

I suggest to call you reseller and ask for the best quote for your case.

Andre

[mal_michael · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Here you can get some info on per-VM licensing model, supported with SRM 4.1:

http://www.vmware.com/support/licensing/per-vm/

In both per-VM and per socket models you need to buy licenses only for your protected site. After a failover you can re-use the same licenses to perform a failback.

http://www.vmware.com/products/site-recovery-manager/faqs.html

SRM plugin is a client component which allows you to manage SRM from vSphere client, you install it on the machine you are running vSphere client

Michael.

[aiea96701]

Thanks.  this is exactly what I needed.  appreciate it very much.

[TomHowarth]

Andre

The Per Proc license is only available to those that have a previous implementation of SRM,  new users can only by in 25Proctected VM packs,  

in answer to the Original Poster, if you want to do failover and failback you will need two instances of SRM, but remember that you are licensed on the number of "Protected Virtual Machines" you have not number of SRM instances your are running.

[mal_michael]

Tom,

If a new customer wants to implement SRM 4.0 (which does not works with per VM licensing), what can he do?

[TomHowarth]

you can only buy 4.1 SRM licenses now, but I am pretty sure that they are downgradable.  you need to speak to your SE regarding that.  as to license requirements.

In a single site protection environment you will need licenses to cover the number of hosts in the protected site, on failback the licenses for the protected site will cover the recovery site.

In a multi-site production environment you will need licenses to cover the number of hosts in both protected sites. again on failback the liceses for the protected site will cover the recovery site.