QuickStart Guide vCenter Server Heartbeat 5.5 Update 2 This document supports the version of each product listed and supports all subsequent versions until the document is replaced by a new edition. To check for more recent editions of this document, see http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs.
QuickStart Guide You can find the most up-to-date technical documentation on the VMware Web site at: http://www.vmware.com/support/ The VMware Web site also provides the latest product updates. If you have comments about this documentation, submit your feedback to: docfeedback@vmware.com Copyright © 2009 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved. This product is protected by U.S. and international copyright and intellectual property laws. VMware products are covered by one or more patents listed at http://www.
Contents About This Book 5 1 vCenter Server Heartbeat Introduction 7 vCenter Server Heartbeat Protection 7 Server Protection 7 Network Protection 8 Application Protection 8 Performance Protection 8 Data Protection 9 Communications 9 2 vCenter Server Heartbeat Installation 11 Overview 11 Environmental Prerequisites 11 Common Requirements 11 Server Architecture Options 12 Virtual to Virtual (V2V) 12 Physical to Virtual (P2V) 13 Physical to Physical (P2P) 13 Primary Server 13 Secondary Server 13 Software 1
QuickStart Guide Exercise One 21 Starting Conditions Actions 22 Results 22 Exercise Two 22 Starting Conditions Actions 22 Results 22 Exercise Three 23 Starting Conditions Actions 23 Results 23 4 21 22 23 VMware, Inc.
About This Book This Quick Start Guide provides an introduction to VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat. It guides you through the steps required to install vCenter Server Heartbeat and to perform basic configuration. It provides a brief introduction to basic administration tasks and advanced configuration features. For more information, the guide provides pointers to other manuals.
QuickStart Guide Support Offerings Find out how VMware support offerings can help meet your business needs. Go to www.vmware.com/support/services VMware Professional Services VMware Education Services courses offer extensive hands-on labs, case study examples, and course materials designed to be used as on-the-job reference tools. Courses are available onsite, in the classroom, and live online.
1 vCenter Server Heartbeat Introduction 1 This chapter introduces vCenter Server Heartbeat and provides an overview of the vCenter Server Heartbeat concepts. It contains the following sections: “vCenter Server Heartbeat Protection” on page 7 “Communications” on page 9 vCenter Server Heartbeat Protection vCenter Server Heartbeat is a Windows based service specifically designed to provide high availability protection for vCenter Server configurations without requiring any specialized hardware.
QuickStart Guide A failover is similar to a switchover but is used in more urgent situations, such as when the passive server detects that the active server is no longer responding. This can occur when the active server hardware fails, loses its network connections, or otherwise becomes unavailable. Rather than the active server gracefully closing, the passive server determines that the active server has failed and requires no further operations.
Chapter 1 vCenter Server Heartbeat Introduction Data Protection Once installed, vCenter Server Heartbeat configures itself to protect files, folders, and even the registry settings for vCenter Server on the active server by mirroring these in real-time to the passive server. If a failover occurs, all files protected on the failed server are available after the failover, hosted on the Secondary server. Figure 1-3.
QuickStart Guide Figure 1-4. Communication between Primary and Secondary Servers The IP address a client uses to connect to the active server (the Principal (Public) IP address) must be configured as a static IP address (not DHCP enabled). In the example in Figure 1-4, the IP address is configured as 192.168.1.127.
2 vCenter Server Heartbeat Installation 2 This chapter discusses the installation of vCenter Server Heartbeat and provides an overview of the prerequisites for successful installation.
QuickStart Guide VirtualCenter Server 2.5 Update 2 VirtualCenter Server 2.5 Update 3 VirtualCenter Server 2.5 Update 4 VirtualCenter Server 2.5 Update 5 vCenter Server 4.0 vCenter Server 4.
Chapter 2 vCenter Server Heartbeat Installation Each virtual machine used in the V2V pair must be on a separate ESX host to guard against failure at the host level. Each virtual NIC must use a separate virtual switch. Physical to Virtual (P2V) The P2V architecture is used when the environment requires a mix of physical and virtual machines. The Secondary virtual machine must meet the minimum requirements.
QuickStart Guide Set up a workgroup prior to installing vCenter Server Heartbeat. System date, time and time zone settings must be consistent with the Primary server. Cloning Technology Options Cloning the Primary server to create a near identical Secondary server involves different techniques depending on the selected server architecture.
Chapter 2 vCenter Server Heartbeat Installation vCenter Server with SQL Server on a Separate Host When installing vCenter Server Heartbeat in an environment where SQL Server is on a separate host from vCenter Server, repeat the installation process for the Primary and Secondary server specifically for the SQL Server. To ensure proper failover, increase the default Heartbeat interval for the vCenter Server from 20 to 30 seconds.
QuickStart Guide Secondary Server Networking components on the Secondary server must be configured as follows: Same number of NICs as the Primary server Principal (Public) network connection configured with temporary network settings Channel network connection(s) configured with the following: Static IP address in a different subnet than the Principal (Public) network with a different IP address than the Primary server channel NIC Correct network mask No Gateway IP address No DNS
Chapter 2 vCenter Server Heartbeat Installation Bandwidth Determine the available bandwidth and estimate the volume of data throughput to determine acceptable latency for the throughput. Available bandwidth can affect the required queue size to accommodate the estimated volume of data. VMware recommends making a minimum of 1Mbit of spare bandwidth available to vCenter Server Heartbeat. vCenter Server Heartbeat includes a Low Bandwidth Module for use in WAN environments.
QuickStart Guide Installation Primary Server After reviewing the setup prerequisites to ensure the servers in the pair (either physical or virtual) meet the minimum requirements and completing the pre-installation tasks (Pre-Cloning for V2V and P2V environments and configuring the VMware Channel), you can begin the setup process. NOTE vCenter Server Heartbeat installs in the evaluation mode. Refer to “Post Installation Tasks” on page 19 for instructions on how to enter a production serial number.
Chapter 2 vCenter Server Heartbeat Installation Secondary Server To set up the Secondary server 1 Double-click the WinZip Self-Extracting file to start the setup process for the Secondary server (physical or virtual). 2 The Setup Introduction screen is displayed. Click OK. 3 The WinZip Self-Extractor screen is displayed. Click Setup to open the Install VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat window. 4 The first installation option to select is the Setup Type. Select Install VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat.
QuickStart Guide 4 Click Add Exclusion Filter... and enter or browse to the following path: $INSTALL_PATH_TO_ORCHESTRATOR/app-server/bin/boot.properties 20 5 Click OK. 6 Perform a switchover so that the Secondary server becomes active. 7 Launch the vCenter Orchestrator Web Configuration wizard and select Network. In the IP address field select the Principal (Public) IP address of the Secondary server. Click Apply changes.
3 Installation Verification 3 This chapter includes the following topics: “Verifying vCenter Server Heartbeat” on page 21 “Exercise One” on page 21 “Exercise Two” on page 22 “Exercise Three” on page 23 Verifying vCenter Server Heartbeat The Installation Verification process validates the installation and tests the software operation. The following exercises are examples and must be performed in order.
QuickStart Guide Actions Table 3-1. Exercise One Actions Machine Activity Result Primary Shut down vCenter Server Heartbeat. Select Stop VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat and all protected applications, then click OK. vCenter Server Heartbeat stops all monitored services and exits. With vCenter Server Heartbeat shut down, on the Primary server, go to Start > All Programs > VMware > VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat > Configure Server to launch the Configure Server wizard.
Chapter 3 Installation Verification Exercise Three Perform a switchover using vCenter Server Heartbeat Console. Perform this exercise after completing Exercises One and Two. Local users are aware that the service is unavailable for the duration of this exercise. Starting Conditions Both the File System and Registry Status are Synchronized. Actions Table 3-3. Exercise Three Actions Machine Activity Result vCenter Server Heartbeat Console Click Switchover and confirm.
QuickStart Guide 24 VMware, Inc.
