VDR to VDP Migration and vCenter 5.0

[escapem2]

hi guys

I have vCenter 5.0 and VDR 2.0 and I want to install VDP.

Since VDP needs vCenter 5.1 I want to install a new vCenter Appliance 5.1 and delete the 5.0

So I have some doubts about this migration process.

I think it would be like this.

1. Shutdown vCenter 5.0

2. Install new vCenter 5.1 same IP.

3. Install VDP

4. Attach VDR Disks (according to this vSphere Data Protection (VDP) Version 5.1.10 is Generally Available | VMware vSphere Blog - VMware B...). At this point I am really not sure how VDP discovers the recovery points from VDR (looks like magic for me)

5. Wait for the migration

6. Recreate the jobs in VDP with the data from VDR already imported

Am I correct or I need vCenter 5.0 and vCenter 5.1 up and running at the same time to do this migration?

thanks a lot

[jhunter1]

You do not need two vCenter Servers (5.0 and 5.1) to perform the migration. There may be a bit of magic involved (smile), but from what I was told, VDP basically performs a "pseudo-restore" from the VDR data and then backs that stream up to VDP - thus, the reason a migration can take a very long time if you choose to migrate many restore points. You are correct in stating that the backup jobs must be recreated. Only restore points are migrated (not backup jobs, statistics, etc.).

[escapem2]

thanks a lot

one last question I was checking the current VDR implementation (I did not implemented it) and the cluster has 3 hosts.

but the datastore for the VDR is only seen by one host. So this question also applies for VDP too

does the datastore where VDP or VDR appliance are stored need to be seen by all hosts?

thanks a lot

[jhunter1]

If I follow you correctly, for the VDR-to-VDP all hosts do not need to see all datastores. However, general best practice is for all hosts in the cluster to see the same datastores. Does that answer your question?

[escapem2]

yeah I know the best practice is all datastores must be shared for all the ESXi servers....this is just architecture limitation we have in some clusters.

I had this question going on my mind since there is a VDP implemented in another cluster where the same thing happens only one ESXi server access the datastore storing the VDP and I was thinking VDP was not able to backup the VMs but I see is possible.