SRM 5.1 multi-vendor storage support

[mtalam79]

Hi all,

        I wanted to ask whether the SRM 5.1 supports multiple vendor storages to replicate VMs? I've a IBM storage and want to replicate it to Dell storage. If not then what are my options? Thanks in advance.

Regards.

[memaad]

HI,

This KB might answer your question to certain  extent, as per this below doc , it seems Vmware support SRM with two different arrays. Go through details in this link

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=200577...

http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/press-kit/vmw-srm-cloud-infrastructure.pdf

http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/products/SRM/VMware-vCenter-SRM-FAQ.pdf

Regards

Mohammed

[mvalkanov]

Hi,

I'm not sure about array-based replication between different vendors.

However, you might want to give vSphere Replication a try - it is storage agnostic.

VR uses a vSCSI filter in the source ESXi and can replicated to a target datastore mounted on some ESXi. A VR server (part of VR appliance) accepts the incoming replication traffic at the target site and writes the changes to the target datastores via NFC connection to ESXi.

Regards,

Martin

[admin · Accepted solution]

SRM does not replicate any data. You would have to ensure that your two arrays will replicate with each other. If both arrays will do that and there is a supported SRA for each array, in theory it should work. Beyond that your only option from the VMware perspective is vSphere Replication.

[mtalam79]

Thanks for all the suggestions, we were looking for array based replication. Drysdale, answer is quite right. In array replication, arrays are responsible for replicating data. If in case of heterogeneous storages, recoverpoint or similar solution would be required with recoverpoint SRA installed. Thanks to everyone for the help.

[Sir2001e]

As adittional info, take NetApp & N-Series case: both run same OS (Ontap), they allow replication between them but they use different SRA (there are two different SRAs on VMware page), so if you try to configure SRM with NetApp array on one site and N-Series on the other site, you can enable array pairing, b ut when SRM tries to discover replicated devices it fails.

The reason behind that?? When SRM initializes it checks a SRA code, a code that it's unique for each array adaptar and it's used to identify array managers on both sides,so when it performs discover replicated devices operation it uses that code to identify source and destination, as code it's different for NetApp & N-Series, operation failed.

In that case we can override this behaviour installing same SRA in both sides, as both arrays are same hardware & OS with different brand model it works, but in case of absolutly different arrays, I guess it cannot be possible.

Regarding Recoverpoint, yes, it the most feasible solution, we have also tried and it works, not as well as we want (there are some tricky issues) but allow to have different storage arrays on each site.

Regards,

Sergio Oliva