HP MSA 2040 SAN Storage - Manual (Page 13)

: Array and volume discovery 13
2 Using SRM for disaster recovery
Once MSA Remote Snap software and VMware SRM software are configured and licensed at local and
remote sites and you have configured at least one replication set, use SMU to schedule replications.
Then use SRM to create and test one or more recovery plans. At this point, SRM is able to provide disaster
recovery, failover and failback, and reprotect operations.
The VMware Site Recovery Manager Administration Guide provides detailed instructions and information
regarding these operations, which are summarized below.
Array and volume discovery
SRM obtains information from the SRA about what volumes are being replicated by Remote Snap. SRM
then compares that list to the volumes it recognizes in a VMware environment.
For SRM planned migrations in non-disaster situations, SRM ensures that the replication is current.
For disaster recovery situations, SRM attempts to create a current replication. If this is not possible because,
for instance, the protected site is offline, SRM uses the most recent replication available at the remote site.
Use the Remote Snap scheduler to regularly perform replications to minimize data loss in the event of a
disaster, or regularly create SRM planned migrations. In either case, ensure that the volumes to be
replicated from the protected site are in a valid state so that the most recent replication at the remote site
can be used in production.
For instructions on how to configure replication schedules, see Chapter 6, “Using Remote Snap to replicate
volumes” in your HP MSA 2040 SMU Reference Guide or HP P2000 G3 MSA System SMU Reference
Guide. For more information about using Remote Snap, see the HP Remote Snap Software technical white
paper, available at:
http://h20195.www2.hp.com/V2/GetPDF.aspx/4AA1-0977ENW.pdf
See "Related information" (page 23) , for links to documentation and download locations.
Creating a recovery plan
Create a recovery plan to establish how virtual machines are recovered. A basic recovery plan includes
steps that use default values to control how virtual machines in a protection group are recovered at the
recovery site. You can customize the plan to meet your needs. Recovery plans are different from protection
groups. Recovery plans indicate how virtual machines in one or more protection groups are restored at the
recovery site.
The Recovery tab of the main SRM window guides you through the steps necessary to create, test, and run
a recovery plan. For detailed instructions, refer to the Site Recovery Manager Administration Guide.
Testing a recovery plan
You can automatically create a non-disruptive, isolated testing environment on the recovery site by using
Remote Snap and connecting virtual machines to your isolated testing network. You can also save test
results for viewing and export at any time.
Testing a recovery plan exercises nearly every aspect of a recovery plan, though several concessions are
made to avoid disruption of ongoing operations. While testing a recovery plan has no lasting effects on
either site, running a recovery plan has significant effects on both sites.
You should run test recoveries as often as needed. Testing a recovery plan does not affect replication or the
ongoing operations of either site (though it might temporarily suspend the selected local virtual machines at
the recovery site if recoveries are configured to do so). You can cancel a recovery plan test at any time.
In the case of planned migrations, a recovery stops replication after a final synchronization of the source
and the target. Note that for disaster recoveries, virtual machines are restored to the most recent available
state, as determined by the recovery point objective (RPO). After the final replication is completed, SRM