This post is also available in: Italian

Reading Time: 3 minutes

For the new SRM 5.1 a new EqualLogic SRA is required (version 2.2) and it’s available both on EqualLogic site (in the support section) and VMware site (in the SRM download page).

The upgrade procedure is simple and it’s described in the previous post. You have simple to run the installation. But there is now a new interesting option on how storage replication (note that are used asynchronous replication) are handled:

SRA-Equallogic-2.2

Both SRA must use the same method to configure and handle the replicas:

  • Using the EqualLogic GroupManager
  • Using the integration with VMware (VSM)

Note that VSM is just the new name of the HIT/VE (for more information and how to install see this previous post). The interesting aspect is that with VSM you can create Virtual Machine Image-Consistent Replication.

When you specify VSM as the method to use for scheduling replication, the Dell EqualLogic SRA will inform SRM that the replication and recovery point contains the virtual machine snapshots. The advantage of using VSM to perform replication scheduling tasks is that it provides VM image-consistent snapshots of virtual objects on PS Series arrays. The virtual machine snapshots are quiesced (made inactive). In case of disaster recovery, the Dell EqualLogic SRA can interact with SRM to failover the virtual machine and revert to the snapshot, which improves the virtual machine survival rate.

When VSM creates replicas, it instructs the vCenter server to create quiesced VM snapshot before the replication, and then it deletes the VM snapshot after the replication. The protected site virtual machine performance will not be degraded because the VM snapshot is removed after the replica creation, and the VM snapshot only exists in the recovery point on the recovery site.

This is really an interesting aspect considering that you have similar consistency also with the SRM VM replication.

Dell-Logo VMware-Logo

Share

Virtualization, Cloud and Storage Architect. Tech Field delegate. VMUG IT Co-Founder and board member. VMware VMTN Moderator and vExpert 2010-24. Dell TechCenter Rockstar 2014-15. Microsoft MVP 2014-16. Veeam Vanguard 2015-23. Nutanix NTC 2014-20. Several certifications including: VCDX-DCV, VCP-DCV/DT/Cloud, VCAP-DCA/DCD/CIA/CID/DTA/DTD, MCSA, MCSE, MCITP, CCA, NPP.