How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0?

By | August 8, 2015

VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication HBR) is a solution included in the Essentials Plus Kit and higher editions of vSphere. As I mentioned in Site Recovery Manager: Architecture Overview and Features vSphere replication can be used with SRM for Disaster Recovery purpose. However, SRM is not necessary, just potentially VMs recovery in DR would require more manual steps.

In this post you will find answers for the following questions:

  1. What's new in vSphere Replication 6.0?
  2. How to install vSphere Replication Appliances (VRA)? How to pair sites?
  3. How to configure a protection of VM by vSphere Replication?

New features of vSphere Replication 6.0

There are some new features available since vSphere Replication 6.0:

  • Network traffic compression: replicated data is now optionally compressed prior to being sent over the network, resulting in reduced replication times and less network bandwidth consumed.
  • Linux guest OS quiescing: introducing Linux guest OS quiescing service to provide file-system level crash consistency to replicated Linux-based VMs.
  • At last! Network isolation: management and replication traffic can be split over separate networks.
  • Interoperability with VMware vSphere Storage DRS at the target site: vSphere Storage DRS can now detect replica discs of replicated virtual machines at the target site.

Installing and configuring vSphere Replication 6.0

  1. Download vSphere Replication 6.0 from here.How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 down
  2. Deploy the vSphere Replication as a standard OVF template using vSphere_Replication_OVF10.ovf file. How to deploy OVF file please follow my general procedure here.
  3. After deployment the OVF and powered it on, please open a link https://IP_address_of_appliance:5480 and log in as root. How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 12
  4. On the Configuration tab please click Save and Restart Service. If prompted, please accept a certificate.How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 13
  5. Wait until the successfully save the configuration info appears and the VRM service service is running.How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 14
  6. When you log out and log in again to the Web Client on vCenter, you should see vSphere Replication option.How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 15
  7. Click on icon shown above. You should see the vSphere Replication as "Enabled (OK)". Click Manage.How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 16
  8. Click icon shown on below figure to deploy and configure the second VRA. You can deploy many VRAs to balance VMs replication between them.How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 17a
  9. Specify vSphere_Replication_AddOn_OVF10.ovf and click Next. How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 18
  10. After deployment of the second VRA and powered it on, please click on icon shown on below figure to register the second VRA.How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 17b
  11. Select the second VRA. Click OK.How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 19
  12. You should see the second VRA.How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 20
  13. Please repeat steps 2-12 in the second site. The follow step 14.
  14. Click Target Sites and icon shown below to set up the connection with the second (remote) site.How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 21
  15. Provide credentials to connect to the Platform Services Controller.How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 22
  16. Now sites should be connected and you are ready to configure protection of VMs.How to install and configure VMware vSphere Replication (Hypervisor Based Replication) 6.0 23

Configuring VM protection by vSphere Replication 6.0

We have just installed and configured vSphere Replication Appliances (VRA) and connected sites. Now we can configure a protection for VMs. Please follow the below steps:

  1. Right click on VM and Select All vSphere Replication Actions --> Configure Replication.How to configure protection HBR 6.0 1
  2. Select Replicate to a vCenter Server. Click Next. How to configure protection HBR 6.0 2
  3. Select a remote vCenter and click Next.How to configure protection HBR 6.0 3
  4. Select Auto-assign vSphere Replication server and click Next.How to configure protection HBR 6.0 4
  5. Select a datastore where the replicated files will be stored.How to configure protection HBR 6.0 5
  6. Select replication options for the virtual machine such Guest OS quiescing and Network Compression.How to configure protection HBR 6.0 6
  7. Configure recovery settings for the virtual machine.How to configure protection HBR 6.0 7
  8. Review settings and click Finish to start the replication process.How to configure protection HBR 6.0 8
  9. When you click on VM you should see the replication process/status.How to configure protection HBR 6.0 9

Conclusion

vSphere Replication is a useful feature which can be used for DR purpose. However, based on snapshots and RPO min. 15 min. are not enterprise level protection 🙂

Author: Mariusz

Architect (~ 15 years experience based on passion...) with strong background as a System Administrator and Engineer. Focused on Data Center Solutions: Virtualization/Cloud Computing and Storage/Backup Systems. Currently living in Poland.