Using SRM with Active Active Data Centres

[StaringAtTheSun]

Hi

We are moving to an active active data centre configuration with replicated storage, and extending our use of ESX to all workloads.  We also want to protect each site with SRM so that we can DR VMs from a failed DC to the other one.

My original plan was to have one VC instance to manage both sets of DC hosts, but I can see from the SRM docs that VC is required at both sites.  However, I'm now not sure how to configure VC to facilitate SRM in an active active data centre configuration.  Does this mean that I must have a VC instance for both sites, and manage them seperately, or can I have one VC instance, with another sitting cold?  If I do need two, can they both act as the recovery VC instance for its partner site?

Each site will have sufficient host capacity to support the other DCs VMs, but do I need to configure these in a different cluster group, or can they form part of a production cluster group?

Any help would be appreciated.

TIA

[mal_michael]

Hi,

You will need two instances of SRM and two instances of vCenter:

Each vCenter will manage ESX hosts on its site. Using Linked Mode will allow you manage two sites from one vSphere client session.

Each site can be protected and recovery at the same time.

You can use your production cluster as a target for recovered VMs. No need to have a resilient cluster.

Michael.

[StaringAtTheSun]

Thanks Michael!  That answers that question.