Storwize(v7000 ibm) and SRM

[kopper27]

hi guys

We are going to deploy 2 Storwize Site A and Site B (backup site).

my coworker says that since replication is going to be available SRM is not needed....but I think it is so it will simplify the recovery activities?

Am I right?

or since using replication I can recover my site A in B manually?

and also what are the two types or replication? which is preferred? SRM or SAN replication?

thanks a lot

[mcowger · Accepted solution]

Its POSSIBLE to do recovery without SRM, but its extremely manual, error prone and time consuming, not to mention difficult to test and simulate.

SRM makes all of that a TON easier.

[warkem01]

Note. Array based replication in SRM is not currently supported on V7000s or SVC with the latest firmware of 6.3 or higher.

You would have to use VSphere replication in SRM 5

[avandewerdt]

You definately want to use SRM if you can get it.

SRM sits on top of the Storwize V7000s ability to replicate data....  they work in combination.

Right now there are SRAs for SRM 4.0 and 5.0 provided your Storwize V7000 is on v6.1 or v6.2 code.

If your machines got delivered on V6.3 then get IBM to help you downgrade them prior to putting them into production.

There is a beta SRA if your machine is on v6.3 or simply wait until the official SRA gets released.

[pvries]

Great, I've been waiting for the v6.3 support on SRM 5. Would love to get my hands on the beta. Can you tell me where to find a copy of this SRA?  Thanks, Peter.

[avandewerdt]

Sorry, I have since learned that the beta is not available for clients.   As soon as there is an official release I will post about it.

[kopper27]

are the new SRA from version VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager 5.0.1, released on 2012/03/15 supports  SVC Code 6.3.x?

thanks a lot

[pvries]

hi kopper27,

No, in the SRM 5.0.1 update the same SRA version (2.00.11725) is presented which only supports the 6.2.x firmware, still not the 6.3.x version. After more than 3 months there is still not a supported SRA available for the v7000 6.3.x firmware code.

If someone has a beta, please share.

Peter.

[kopper27]

pvries check this I am not sure if it is a beta or something else

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/storage/ds_open_api/VMWARE/SVC_SRA/

[pvries]

Hi, thanks for your suggestion.

I know this FTP site and indeed that it seems they have put a newer SRA v2.x which is for SRM 5.x (where the v1.2.x versions are for SRM 4.x). However I downloaded the IBMSVCSRA_v2.0.0.120116 posted on january 23rd but it is not working.

The error "SRA command 'discoverArrays' didn't return a response." remains. I already increased the time out setting suggested by several sites. So still no luck here. I have a so called PMR with IBM, it is a support case and they were referring that I could request a beta end of March 2012. I did ofcourse, still waiting for a reply....

Peter.

[kopper27]

one last questions

downgrading SVC and v7000 from 6.3.x to 6.2.x is a disruptive procedure? configuration and data will be alive?

thanks

[mitchellm3]

Looks like they just posted a new SRA for SVC.

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/storage/ds_open_api/VMWARE/SVC_SRA/

IBM(R) SystemStorage(TM) Storage Replication Adapter for
                   VMware Site Recovery Manager
                         Version 2.0.0.120417

The release notes state that 6.3 is supported.  I'd still wait till IBM announces it but it seems to be just around the corner.

I also wouldn't downgrade the SVC.  You should be concerned about upgrading to 6.3.0.2 (march 2012) to fix the bug where your nodes will reboot after 208 days.

https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/mydeveloperworks/blogs/meyawi/entry/svc_storwize_v7000_unified_20...

Good luck.

[kopper27]

nice to know

like you say let's wait for IBM to announce it

[pvries]

Thanks guys. I already downloaded and installed the 2.0.0.120417 version from the IBM FTP site. The arrays are discovered now and VMs can be protected, however performing a failover drops an error in step 8 when making the replica read/write:

Step 8.
Change Recovery Site Storage to Writeable.

Error: Failed to promote replica devices. Internal error: std::exception 'class Dr::XmlValidateException' "Element 'TargetGroups' is not valid for content model: '(TargetGroup,)'". Failed to promote replica devices.

I must dive into this further because we are using Global Mirror Volumes with changes volumes which are not supported by the SRA. Only either Metro mirror or normal Global mirrors are supported. This was a Global mirror.

But indeed we are getting somewhere, an official release will foloow soon i hope.

Thanks for notifying the bug also, is wasn't aware of that, will take action soon.

[warkem01]

Same problem here, installed IBMSVCSRA_v2.0.0.120417. SRM then appears to be talking to the V7000. I can create protection groups and recovery plans however whenever I try and test the recovery plans I get the following errors at step 4.

Create Writeable Storage Snapshot

Error - Failed to create snapshots  of replica devices. Failed to create snapshot of replica consistency group XX.  Expected consistency group 'XX' not found in SRA's 'testFailoverStart'  response.

No Idea why it cannot create the snapshots.

[warkem01]

Anyone having any success? Still no reports of actual success with V7000 6.3x code and SRM 5

[warkem01]

This worked for me, unselect pre-configured environment and punch in the MDisk group ID that you want to use to test recovery plans with and it worked straigh away.

[escapem2]

glad to hear that

is it SRM 5.0 or latest one 5.0.1?

Site Recovery Manager 5.0.1

Released 15 Mar 2012 | Build 633117 | Release Notes

Site Recovery Manager 5.0

Released 14 Sep 2011 | Build 474459 | Release Notes

thanks a lot

[warkem01]

VMware-srm-5.0.1-633117

[kopper27]

there is a new one posted

IBMSVCSRA_v2.0.0.120516.zip     57.3 MB     5/18/12 11:36:00 AM

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/storage/ds_open_api/VMWARE/SVC_SRA/