HP StorageWorks SVSP Virtualization Adapter for VMware Site Recovery Manager Application Notes (5697-0319, March 2010)

Restrictions
Application-level data synchronization and recovery must be considered a part of a comprehensive
disaster recovery plan before Site Recovery Manager is configured. This activity is critical, because
without additional interfaces into the application, Site Recovery Manager and the HP SAN Virtualization
Services Platform (SVSP) asynchronous mirrors can only create crash-consistent copies of the data.
Creating application-level (transaction consistent) copies of the data is not a function of Site Recovery
Manager.
All virtual disks require four paths between the host and the presenting Data Path Module, zoned
according to best practice. (See the HP StorageWorks SAN Virtualization Services Platform
Administrator Guide for SVSP zoning best practices.) Each HBA initiator port must view both storage
array controllers as targets.
If the primary site and the recovery site both have client connections open to their respective vCenter
servers, the Site Recovery Manager link between the two sites cannot be broken. All vSphere client
connections must be logged out on one side before attempting to disconnect the Site Recovery Manager
link.
Using an SVSP and Site Recovery Manager for Disaster
Recovery
The HP SVSP adapter for VMware’s Site Recovery Manager offers a DR solution that uses asynchronous
mirroring of the SVSP to provide automatic failover of servers, virtual machines, and their underlying
storage and databases.
Site Recovery Manager accelerates recovery, verifies reliable recovery, and simplifies disaster recovery
through the following functions:
• Automation
• Non-disruptive testing
• Eliminating complex manual recovery steps
• Centralizing management of recovery plans
With Site Recovery Manager, you can create, update, and document DR plans to meet recovery time
objectives (RTOs), recovery point objectives (RPOs), and compliance requirements. With Site Recovery
Manager, you can run automated tests of recovery plans without disrupting your IT environment.
Prerequisites
The following tasks must be completed before implementing a DR environment using Site Recovery
Manager and enterprise-level storage arrays or EVA storage arrays.
1. Site Recovery Manager requires two distinct virtual infrastructure sites. Each site must have its
own vCenter server and Site Recovery Manager server installed (either physical machines or
virtual machines). ESX 3.5 or ESX 4.0 must be installed on all hosts that will host the virtual
machines.
2. Configure the databases at each site to support vCenter and Site Recovery Manager. Refer to
VMware's guidelines on which databases are supported.
3. You must install Site Recovery Manager 4.0 server and the plug-in at both sites. See the VMware
vCenter Site Recovery Manager Administrator Guide that can be obtained from http://
www.vmware.com/pdf/srm-admin.pdf. See “Install the SRM Client Plug-in.”
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