Recovery Plan Custom Steps - Choose Mode?

[ajames]

Hi all,

I am looking for a way to add a message or a command and to choose the mode that it runs in ie. "Recovery Only" or "Test Only". I don't think there is such a way, short of editing the database directly which I have not tried. Has anyone tried this?

For example, when I recover a certain server, it needs access to a CIFS volume that is also replicated. During recovery I need to run a script to break this volume's mirror and make the DR site volume writable. I add a custom script to do this. However, during a test run, I do not break the mirror, I create a writable clone of the volume, which is another script entirely. It would be great to be able to choose the "Mode" for custom messages and commands. I have many other examples - currently my messages say "If this is a real recovery skip this message..." or vice-versa.

Adrian

[luisarnauth]

Hello,

Try this link:

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/207084

Remember that this variables, such as %VMware_RecoveryMode%, only exists when recovery is underway and under LocalSystem environment. They aren't available in any other way.

[ajames]

Thanks, that's definitely helpful for scripts. However, I think it would be great if we had the option to choose Test Only or Recovery Only for any step. For example, I want to power on my replicated Domain Controller during a test run inside the DR site bubble so that I have AD/DHCP/DNS, but I definitely do not want to power on a DC during a real recovery as we would rely on production Domain Controllers at the recovery site.

Adrian

[luisarnauth]

You can edit your Recovery Plan and move down your DC to the "Recover No Power On Virtual Machines".

This way your DC will only startup to change the network settings (if any), then SRM will it shutdown.

Whenever you want to test your DR, just move it up again to the Low/Normal/High priority Virtual Machines. Your scripts will be preserved (at least in my case they re-appeared).

[ccinatl]

I'm looking for a way to do this as well. For me, i need to be able to script some configuration file changes (web.config) only when in test mode. it would be nice if you could just tag it as test only.