VMs replicated without IP

[DanieleFiore201]

HI guys,

i'm currently testing vSphere replication and based on all tests i have done all recovered VMs do not have IPs configured.
I checked the admin guide PDF and this is mentioned anywhere.
Is it normal ? do i have to re-ip my VMs all the time once recovered ?

Many thanks in advance.

Daniele

[julienvarela]

Hi,

how is configured your vm on the primary site? with a static ip address or dhcp?

If you are using a dhcp server, you need to replicate it too.

Regards,

Julien

[DanieleFiore201]

Hi many thanks for fast reply , i have all VMs with fixed ip address.

[iangelov]

Please connect your network adapter of the recovered vm - it's disconnected in order to prevent IP conflict.

If protected vm is powered off or DHCP is used, it's enough.

[DanieleFiore201]

Hello,

yes i know the network is disconnected to avoid conflict but the VM is under DHCP and without fixed ip (which must be the same of the source VM).
As long as i'm doing a POC of this product for my company i have to list pro and cons , so my question is : is the VM without fixed IP by design ?

Many thanks

[DanieleFiore201]

when i wrote "but the VM is under DHCP and without fixed ip (which must be the same of the source VM)." => i mean the recovered VM.
All the VMs i want to protect are with fixed ip address and not under DHCP.

[iangelov]

Please tell me the guest OS used?

I'm asking because some linux distributions lose network connectivity when adapter id had changed.

If that's your case, there is simple workaround.

[DanieleFiore201]

Hi all of them are WIndows VMs

[iangelov]

OK, than it looks like IP configurations are not valid on recovery site.

Unfortunately, in this case you need to set manually valid IP/DNS/Gateway after recovery.

If recovery site network switches are configured in a way to work with protection

site IP configurations, then you will not have such a problem.

[DanieleFiore201]

I'm replicating the VM inside the same site and vCenter as i'm thinking to use vSphere replication as a kind of backup solution replicating from host A to host B in 2 different clusters.
So the network config is exactly the same.
I'm experiencing issues that makes me doubt about the reliability of the product which should work without further issues.

[mvalkanov]

Hi,

Please open an SR (support request), so that VMware team can assist you in resolving this issue.

vSphere Replication creates exact copy of the disk files and VM config files. The only difference in the recovered VM is that uuid.location property is removed (this prevents the I moved it / I copied it question during power on) and that the network adapter is disconnected.

These shouldn't affect IP configuration inside the OS to switch from static to DHCP-based.

Can you try to clone the same VM and run the clone on the same host/cluster, that you are using for the recovered VM, and see if the behavior is any different compared to the VM recovered via vSphere Replication?

Regards,

Martin

[Smoggy]

i've been installing VR for customers since v5.0 and never seen this. can you screenshot the TCPIP properties before the VM is recovered and after you've recovered it? what windows version is this inside the GuestOS. Something doesn't sound right here.

[DanieleFiore201]

Hi,

thanks for your reply, it sounds a bit weird i have to post screenshoots but there you are (after migration , before migration).
OS is W2k8R2

[julienvarela]

Hi,

Do you have the same mac address on both vm? before and after?

Regards,

Julien

[DanieleFiore201]

Source and destination VMs have different MAC

[julienvarela]

So that's why,

If you are restoring on the same vCenter, your VM will be automatically created with a new mac address

Regards,

Julien

[Smoggy]

correct!

sorry....i missed point where you said restore was to SAME vc!

[DanieleFiore201]

Hi Julien,

so is this the reason ? do i must take this as an assumption and expected by design ?
Nothing against it but i need to add this point in the pro & cons list.

So confirmed ?

[julienvarela · Accepted solution]

Yes, i confirm..

In a correct design, you need to have a second vcenter on your backup site with srm.

Regards,

Julien.

[Smoggy]

so you can replicate to a second site with a second vc (with or without SRM) but I think the use case here is you only want the replica copy to stay within the SAME site and be restored locally in the same vc correct? that is a use case the is supported with VR in "standalone" config and by standalone we can mean two options:

- across sites no SRM

- within single site, single vc and no SRM

i guess what you are looking for is to restore the vm locally and retain the credentials of the IP stack? correct?