Break/Stop replication in SRM from VR

[vmk2014]

Hi,

I was suppose migrate VM from one data center to other Data center and it was one time deal so i decided to configure vSphere replication so that i can migrate the VM's.

Now i can see the VM's at target DC but i want stop replication now in source DC as my purpose was to see the VM's in target DC.I need to shutdown the VM at source DC and re-configure the VM at target site.Also, for your information i have not configured these VM in any protection and recovery plan because only for migration purpose i am using the VR.I can see the vmdk files in target cluster.Looking for expert advice. Thanks

vm2014

[mvalkanov · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Which VR version are you using? If 5.1 or next, you can use the vSphere Replication UI in the Web Client. At the vCenter -> Monitor -> Incoming Replications tab you will see "Recover" button once you select the replication for the specific VM. In current releases, the VR Web Client Recovery wizard is for one VM at a time.

Once to decide to go with the migration you can:

1. Explicitly invoke "Sync" from the UI, while the source VM is still powered on - to bring any recent changes to the target site.

2. Shutdown / power off the source VM.

3. Invoke the Recovery wizard from the VR UI in the Web Client for the target site. You can select to replicate any recent changes performed during the shutdown (after the sync point from step 1.).

4. The VR task will consolidate any pending redo logs at the target site into the base disks, update the replicated .vmx and other config files and register them as VM at the target vCenter inventory. VR without SRM does not use shadow VMs at the target site. VM will be registered only as part of step 4.

Please check the official documentation at Performing a Recovery with vSphere Replication

Please also note that:

1. Stopping replication (instead of using the recovery wizard from the VR UI for the Web Client or SRM Recovery Plan) will clean up any disks and config files created by VR at the target datastore(s), unless recovery has already been performed and the replication in "Recovered" status.

2. Removing the source VM (or its host) from the source vCenter inventory will automatically stop the replication - as in 1. above.

Regards,

Martin

[vmk2014]

Hi Martin,

   Thanks for your response. Can you please tell me the steps to perform the below activity.I logged in via web Client but cant find the option.

1. Stopping replication (instead of using the recovery wizard from the VR UI for the Web Client or SRM Recovery Plan) will clean up any disks and config files created by VR at the target datastore(s), unless recovery has already been performed and the replication in "Recovered" status.

2. Removing the source VM (or its host) from the source vCenter inventory will automatically stop the replication - as in 1. above.

Note :- Its one time deal.my main motive is to get the vmdk file at target DC and create new VM shell and attach the vmdk file to the vm.We dont VM replication further.

            We are using this option instead of ovf.

             Also i saw new hbrdisk.RDID file in target data store along with vm vmdk file. I wanted to know what file this ?

Thanks

vm2014

[vmk2014]

Hi Martin,

     I got the steps which i was looking for.Also your answer helped me to understand the concept.

vSphere 5.5 Documentation Center 

Stop Replicating a Virtual Machine

If you do not need to replicate a virtual machine, you can stop the replication of that virtual machine.

Prerequisites

You have configured replication on a virtual machine that you no longer need to replicate.

Procedure

1

In the vSphere Replication Home page, go to the Monitor tab and click Incoming Replications or Outgoing Replications.

2

Right-click a replication and select Stop.

vSphere Replication asks you if you want to permanently stop the replication for the selected virtual machine. The hosts and vSphere Replication server used by the replication must be accessible.

Note

You can force stop the replication by selecting Force stop replication. If you force stop the replication from Incoming Replications you must also force stop the corresponding replication from Outgoing Replications if the source site is available. If you force stop the replication from Outgoing Replications, you can only recover or force stop the corresponding replication from Incoming Replications.

3

Click Yes to confirm that you want to stop replicating this virtual machine.

The virtual machine does not replicate to the target site.

Thanks

vm2014.

[mvalkanov]

Also i saw new hbrdisk.RDID file in target data store along with vm vmdk file. I wanted to know what file this ?

Hi,

These files are redo logs on top of the base replicated disks. Once consistent instance of the source VM is completely replicated to the target datastore, the data from redo log is consolidated with the base disk. Until failover is performed, consistency of the base replica disk is not guaranteed and any attempt to manually manipulate the redo log disk hierarchy would be unsupported and can lead to unexpected results.

Regards,

Martin