If a disaster occurs, or for testing, you can quickly create and power on VMware VMs from mirror copies that are created using NetApp Open Replication. Using an array replication failover group, you can move production VMs to a disaster recovery (DR) site (also called destination site or secondary site). Array replication is usually faster and more scalable than other types of replication.
Before you can perform array replication failovers in the Command Center, you must configure NetApp Open Replication in the CommCell Console, and then create a failover or test failover group.
The VM groups that you use to perform DR orchestration operations must be configured for IntelliSnap backups. During NetApp Open Replication, VMware IntelliSnap backups are replicated as mirror copies on a target array. In planned, unplanned, or test failover operations, the failover group or test failover group uses the mirror copies to create and then power on VMware VMs.
When you configure an array replication failover group for planned or unplanned failovers, you must select an entire VM group. You cannot exclude individual VMs from an array replication failover group. However, when you configure a test failover group, you can select individual VMs from one or more VM groups. The events that occur during a planned, unplanned or test failover operation, are determined by the configurations you make in the failover or test failover group.
You can replicate VMs for DR Orchestration using only the Primary-Mirror topology. You cannot use other topologies for DR Orchestration.
You can use DR Orchestration for NetApp Open Replication only with VMware hypervisors that are enabled for VM-centric operations (VSA V2).
Failover Operations
You can perform the following operations with array replication failover groups or array replication test failover groups:
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Planned failover
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Unplanned failover
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Test failover
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Undo failover
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Undo test failover
Related Topics
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For more information about failover operations, see DR Orchestration and Failover Groups.
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For more information about creating VM groups, see Adding a VM Group.
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For more information about setting up IntelliSnap backups, see Getting Started with IntelliSnap.