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baumber13
Contributor
Contributor

VMware Replication on isolated network issue

Hi Guys,

I am trying to setup vmware replication over an isolated L2 link between our two data centres and running into issues and the documentation is rather hazy to say the least!

Setup

We have two separate clusters at different data centres separated by a L3 network and also we run a L2 network for our SAN replication. I want to use this L2 link to run isolated replication traffic for vmware as we also have riverbed appliances on these links to optimise this traffic. I am currently just trying to setup the basic but failing quite quickly! I have setup the VMK adaptors with both vSphere Replication and vSphere Replication NFC services and using vmkping I get responses across all hosts and between the data centres.

Issue

My issue comes when I install the replication appliance, I add another vnic and attach the original to the management network and the second to the VDS and assigned the the L2 link, both interfaces have an IP address assigned and from the L2 network I can confirm the responded to vmkping. When I go to add the IP Address for Incoming Storage Traffic I get an error saying "Given IP is not a valid local IP address" which I assume is because the management network is on another subnet/network. Now according to the documentation from here https://docs.vmware.com/en/vSphere-Replication/6.5/com.vmware.vsphere.replication-admin.doc/GUID-02D... I should be able to set the IP address for both the incoming storage traffic and then for the VRMS management traffic however I only see the option for incoming storage traffic and not management traffic......Untitled-1.png

Pretty sure I'm missing a step or being stupid with this .........

Any help would be amazing.

Cheers

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hussainbte
Expert
Expert

The traffic is sent from the vmk adapters(enabled for vSphere replication traffic) on the ESXI hosts vSphere replication appliance on site A to VR appliance on site B.

from the VR Appliance on site B using NFC the traffic is passed over to interface enabled for NFC traffic to the ESXi hosts (Site B) which write on the VMDKs.

the whole traffic flow reverses when you are replicating from Site B to Site A.

so the IP address for incoming storage traffic(Site B) should be able to communicate with vmkernel port of ESXi hosts on Site A..

Hope I have made sense..

If you found my answers useful please consider marking them as Correct OR Helpful Regards, Hussain https://virtualcubes.wordpress.com/
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hussainbte
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Expert

The traffic is sent from the vmk adapters(enabled for vSphere replication traffic) on the ESXI hosts to vSphere replication appliance on site A to VR appliance on site B.

from the VR Appliance on site B using NFC the traffic is passed over to interface enabled for NFC traffic to the ESXi hosts (Site B) which write on the VMDKs.

If you found my answers useful please consider marking them as Correct OR Helpful Regards, Hussain https://virtualcubes.wordpress.com/
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baumber13
Contributor
Contributor

Hi hussainbte,

Yes, I think I understand the idea of how this works however however I am having the issue where I cannot register the VR appliance to my VCSA/PSC. I have done a quick visio on how it all hangs together at the moment as below;

topology.PNG

Are you saying that I need to add another vnic to my Server Networks from the VR and enable NFC service just on that? I think I would still have the same issue where it says "Given IP is not a valid local IP address" and was expecting another field as stated in the documentation;

error1.PNG

One thing to point out is the replication network is completely isolated psychically so they are not routable to any other network.

Have I filled out the settings in the configuration page correctly?

Thanks

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baumber13
Contributor
Contributor

quick bump Smiley Happy

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hussainbte
Expert
Expert

What is PSC configuration you have on both sites..? are they in single domain or separate SSO domain?

If you found my answers useful please consider marking them as Correct OR Helpful Regards, Hussain https://virtualcubes.wordpress.com/
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baumber13
Contributor
Contributor

They are in a single domain.

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mylilin
Contributor
Contributor

@baumbert13 Hello. Were you able to find a solution for this? I'm having the same issue.

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hussainbte
Expert
Expert

Is 192.168.x.x a stretched vLAN?

If you found my answers useful please consider marking them as Correct OR Helpful Regards, Hussain https://virtualcubes.wordpress.com/
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hussainbte
Expert
Expert

Yes.. the first interface is in the same network as vCenter and PSC.. which is management

you can add another interface for incoming storage traffic.

Create a VM Network Adapter to Use for Incoming Replication Traffic on the Combined vSphere Replicat...

If you found my answers useful please consider marking them as Correct OR Helpful Regards, Hussain https://virtualcubes.wordpress.com/
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