vSphere Replication options missing in 5.8.0.1 SRM

[nyjz1298]

In my lab I have the following configuration and can not get any vSphere Replication options to be available within SRM.  Only array based replication is an option.  I've looked and looked for a solution and have tried everything I could think of to get the options to show up and I've had no luck so far.

vcenter1 - 5.5 U2 windows install

esxi1 - 5.5

SRM1 - SRM 5.8.0.1 (install file 5.8.0-2336305)

vR1 - vSphere Replication 5.8.0.1

vcenter2 - 5.5 U2 windows install

esxi2 - 5.5

SRM2 - SRM 5.8.0.1 (install file 5.8.0-2336305)

vR2 - vSphere Replication 5.8.0.1

I started off my lab tests by deploying the lefthand VSA with SRM.  I'm now moving onto using SRM with vSphere replication.  The steps I've taken since the lefthand testing:

Removed Lefthand VSA appliances

Uninstalled SRM and selected to remove the database contents also

Confirmed SRM does not show up in the Web Client any more

Installed vSphere Replication at both sites and configured replication for 1 VM - Replication is complete

Installed SRM on the same servers as before and setup pairing

Walking thought the SRM setup theres no mention and no option of vSphere Replication.  Theres also no mention of any SRM integration when in the vSphere Replication interface.  Now, I remember deploying the same setup in 5.1 which gave the options to deploy vR within SRM but that was then.  Now, from what the documentation says, you're supposed to first deploy vR, set that up, then deploy SRM.  SRM will then detect vR during the install, and I guess in theory, display those options. I've checked permissions and everything looks right.  My lab account is the account I'm using to register and install everything.  SRM pairs fine, vR replications, they just don't know they can work together.  I even reinstalled SRM a second time and confirmed the install files were correct on the interop matrix and everything looks good.  SRM just acts like theres nothing but array replication options.  I'm thinking theres a special version of SRM or vSphere Replication thats required to get the two to work together, but I can't find any documentation on it. 

Please help.  Thanks!

Joe

[basher · Accepted solution]

Hello,

Since 5.8 SRM and VR are decoupled. The only way to install vSphere Replication is by downloading and deploying the vSphere Replication Appliance.

Once you do that, you should be able to right-click a VM and select Configure Replication. When replication is configured for at least one VM you can include it in a SRM Protection Group. You can do that by going to SRM UI, selecting "Create Protection Group and selecting "vSphere Replication" as replication type.

See: VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager 5.8 Documentation Center

Good luck

Stefan

[MarekZdrojewski]

Hello Joe,

Stefan is right.

In the 5.8 release, you deploy the vSphere Replication appliance and configure vSphere Replication on virtual machines independently of Site Recovery Manager.

Take a look at this blog post, it will give you a quick how-to on deploying and configuring the vSR.

Hope this helps.

Regards.

[nyjz1298]

Stefan,

Thanks for the reply!  Thats exactly what I needed.  I was expecting to see and confirm vSphere Replication status within SRM like you would with an SRA.  I initially walked thought the "Guide to configuring SRM" and once you get to the Array replication section it isn't clear that you can just skip it and move onto the recovery plan without any extra steps.... But you can!  Worked great once I skipped step 4.  Failover and failback went great.  Replication was automatically reconfigured once I clicked "Reprotect."   Very cool.  One more question... Does anyone else have problems with recovery plans showing up correctly within your web browser?  I edited my recovery plan several times and it seemed that nearly every time I would have to log out of the web client then back in again before the recovery plan displayed its configuration.

Thanks!

[basher]

I'm glad I was able to help. As for the recovery plan issue - what edits are you making to the recovery plan that are not being shown? Can you post a screenshot with some indication of what is missing? As an alternative workaround - can you try changing the steps from the dropdown (e.g. from Test to Recovery and back to Test) and see if this help with your issue?

Thanks

Stefan