Connection of multiple instances of site recovery manager and vsphere replication between Sites.

[virtualhelp]

Good night

I have the following scenario to replicate some VMs:

Site 1 (Temporary Production): vCenter 6.5 + SRM 8.4 and VR 8.4.
Site 2 (Definitive Production): vCenter 7.0 + SRM 8.5 and VR 8.5.
Site 3 (Recovery Site): vCenter 7.0 + SRM 8.5 and VR 8.5.

We have the scenario where we want to replicate some critical VMs that are in Site 1. This Site would be temporary.

We have the SRM and vsphere Replication instances connected from Site 1 to Site 2. However, when we want to connect the SRM instances from Site 2 to Site 3, it does not allow it, it gives us an error indicating that the previous sites are already connected.

Basically the plan consists of replicating some VMs from Site 1 to Site 2 and then to Site 3, where Site 3 would be our recovery site. Since Site 1 would be left out due to obsolescence issues.

We want to validate if this idea is feasible, we would display:

Site 1 (Temporary Production): vCenter 6.5 + SRM 8.4 and VR 8.4.
Site 2 (Definitive Production): vCenter 7.0 + Two instances SRM 8.5 and VR 8.5. (Here you would have Two SRM instances and two vsphere Replication instances connected to a single vcenter instance.)

Between Site 1 and Site 2 it will make the connection of sites between them. Here you would use the first instance of SRM and vsphere Replication belonging to Site 2.

Between site 2 and Site 3 it would make a new site connection between them, here what it would do is make the second SRM instance and vsphere Replication point to Site 3.

Site 3 (Recovery Site): vCenter 7.0 + SRM 8.5 and VR 8.5.

Any comment or suggestion is very helpful.
Thank you.

[maksym007]

I would suggest updating SRM and VR to the newest builds 8.7 at site 2 and 3. I would say - this is a must. 

Check if site 1 can also support version 8.7 🙂 Maybe even these patches will solve your issue. 

Now to the main part - from what I understood - you have connection problems from site 2 to site 3. because site 2 is connected with site 1. 

When VMs are already replicated from site 1 to site 2 - try to disconnect sites - and reconnect site 2 to site 3. 

I hope you dealing at this moment only with test VMs and no PROD VMs are involved. 

To be honest - very interesting topic. I will try to help. 

[maksym007]

One more thing - check if VMs after you disconnect site 1 to site 2 will change their status in vCenter from "placeholder" to normal VM. 

[virtualhelp]

Hello,

The other idea that I have is to cut the connection of Site 1 and Site 2. Connect Site 2 with Site 3 and the VMs that are in Site 1, migrate them with vmware converter to Site 2 and from there replicate to Site 3.