View replica server connection to vCenter?

[Wasisnt]

We have a View connection server and vCenter server onsite but also have a separate vCenter server offisite on a different subnet which we can connect to from onsite.

I saw that there is an option to install a View replica server for fault tolerance but it needs to be associated with a vCenter server.

Is there a way to build a replica View server offsite and associate it with the offsite vCenter yet still provide fault tolerance for the onsite View server or does the new replica View server have to be associated with the same vCenter server as the main (onsite) View server is associated with?

[vLarus]

When you build a Connection Server and its replica they speak to each other through certain network ports:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&e...

You can add more than one vCenter to a View Connection Server "cluster", so you can add both vCenters if you feel like it.

But when you create pool if have to choose which vCenter you will use to create that pool.

To create the Replica server on another environment you will need good/low latency as its stated in the View documents thats its recommended for optimal communication between the Connection Servers and the Replica server that they reside on the same LAN.

If you could stretch that LAN to the remote site you should be OK (as long as you don't have latency problems). For any numbers I have no idea. This idea should work and recommend you just try and see if this is a viable option.

Good luck.

[Wasisnt]

We dont want to have both View servers with the onsite vCenter because the goal is to have the View desktops be accessible just in case the entire onsite location blows up. So I assume in order to have a replica there has to be some common connection between the 2 View servers and vCenter?

You mentioned adding more than one vCenter to a View vonnection Server cluster. If one of the View servers and the vCenter server went down would that affect the other View server?

[Wasisnt]

I was just looking at your link and it says:

Ensure that the Replica server is on the same LAN as the Connection server. Replication over WAN is not supported.

So I guess that means its not going to work the way we want it to. In that case can you have an offiste vCenter and View server and import the View desktop VMs from backup into the offsite View server and carry on?

[vLarus]

Well this was never supported, but that doesn't mean that it wont work .

If this is a DR solution you should check out Duncans Epping (+many others) solution :http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2012/03/15/dr-of-view-persistent-linked-clone-desktops/

In that case can you have an offiste vCenter and View server and import the View desktop VMs from backup into the offsite View server and carry on?

Well yes and no. You can have an offsite vCenter and View Connection servers but they will in no way be the same as the ones on the onsite environment.

They don't have the same ADAM database and are in turn a completely separate from the main site. You can do this in a couple of different ways:

1. If using linked clones: you can always restore the View Parent Image and recreate the pools you had.
2. If using manual pools, restore VM's and recreate pool with VM's, and then manually entitle the VM's to each user.

This requires a lot of manual work, but this can be achieved in a short amount of time if the process is known and the administrators know what to do.

And you could always script the whole thing and save a lot of time. See this post: http://communities.vmware.com/thread/318319

Good luck.