Move cluster configured with SRM and Vsphere replication

[gebbie]

All,

We need to move 2 clusters in the near future to realize a geographical distance between 2 locations.

One cluster is equipped with VMware 5.0 with SRM and vSphere replication and the other cluster is running VMware 5.5 and SRM in combination with vSphere replication.

What is the best way to move those clusters, do I need to stop the replication or just pause the replication process and are these action to be done on the SRM or do we need to perform any action on the VM itself?

I have read that a stop is setting the status to unconfigured including wiping out all the files in the target directory.

Does anyone have any experience in physically moving a cluster managed by SRM (and vSphere replication)

Any help is welcome

Thanks

Gerbert Coolen

[vbrowncoat]

Are you talking about physically moving servers and storage or migrating VMs?

If you are talking about physically moving them, I would recommend shutting down the VMs being replicated. This will get all of the data replicated to the target site. Power off the VR appliances after all replicated VMs are powered off.

I'm not clear about your comments about versions. SRM only works with the same major version (eg SRM 5.0-5.0, 5.1-5.1 or 6.0 to 6.0) I just want to make sure you aren't planning on connecting your 5.0 environment with your 5.5 without first upgrading the 5.0 to 5.5.

From all other aspects, physically moving a cluster (physical hosts, storage, etc), assuming IP addresses stay the same and everything will be connected/setup the same at the new site as at the old site, basically consists of powering everything off and powering it on at the new location. Assuming you cabled everything the same it should appear to all the hosts, VMs, etc that they were just shutdown and powered up.

[gebbie]

Yes I'm talking about a physical move.

We need to move the DR side of the cluster to another physical location, no changes in IP's and no change in software. What is the best approach in order to pause the replication, stop VM's and VR's?

The main location stays as it is right now, we need to move the DR side only and the customer does not want to stop his production (main location) VM's.

Hope this clarifies your questions you have.

[vbrowncoat · Accepted solution]

Just pause replication before you shutdown the VR appliance at the target/DR site. Stop vs Pause with vSphere Replication - VMware vSphere Blog - VMware Blogs