Changing target location of replication job in V6.

[tjgrie]

Is there a KB article for V6 for changing where the replica VMs reside for replication jobs? I've located the V5 one (http://www.veeam.com/kb_articles.html/KB1458) but I didn't know if the procedure had changed.

If I need to move the replica VMs around can I just storage vMotion the VMs and change the job to reflect their new location?

[Vitaliy S.]

Yes, with new replication jobs architecture, you can use storage vMotion to migrate VMs and then update these jobs with new host/datastore location of the VMs.

[tjgrie]

Cool. Thanks!

[rihardsshtrauss]

Hello,

I hope that somebody can help me with some advice about replica datastores in Veeam B&R 6.1. I need to move replicas from one datastore to another, so the one, on which replicas are now located can be freed from all data and I can use the new datastore for replicas. I tried copying data from one datastore to another, but, it seems, I did something wrong, because Veeam copied all data to the new datastore in seperate folder, which was named as datastore where replicas are now located. I hope that somebody can help we with this!

Have a nice day!

Rihards

[Vitaliy S.]

Hello Rihards,

Could you please tell me if you've updated your replication job with new datastore location?

Thank you!

[rihardsshtrauss]

Hello Vitaliy,

Yes, I changed datastore to new one, but data wasnt replicated fully, only changes were written to new datastore. Me and my college had an idea, that we could copy data from old to new storage and than change datastores, maybe that could be the solution? All the data, that was written to old datastore stayed there.

Have a nice day!

Rihards

[Vitaliy S.]

Rihards, could you please clarify how you migrated VM files? Have you used vSphere Client to migrate the VM or have you copied VM files manually?

[rihardsshtrauss]

I copied files from one datastore to another manually, and I didn't use vSphere client. I hope this anserws your question, Vitaliy.

[Vitaliy S.]

Ok, there are two way of migrating VM replica files and depending on the variant chosen there are two procedures to follow in order to continue using existing VM replica files in the replication job.

Migration with vSphere Client. If you use cold migration to change destination datastore/host of the VM replica, all you have to do next is update replication job destination using Veeam backup console. Once you do this, your job will continue running normally.

Manual migration (copying VM files manually). Now this is where it gets tricky. If you choose to go this way, then you will have to re-register VM replica in the VI. This can be done by double-clicking on VM VMX file via vSphere Client. Be aware that this operation will change VM unique ID (moref), and you will have to not only change destination target for the replication job, but also perform VM replica mapping, as this VM will be treated as a new one due to VM ID change. There is also one thing to keep in mind in this scenario - after replica mapping all existing snapshots (restore points) will be removed.

Obviously, the first option is the easiest and the recommended way to change destination target of your VM replicas. If you still have this option, please use vSphere Client to migrate your VM replica.

Hope this helps!

[rihardsshtrauss]

Thank you for your fast reply!

After reading this, I think I will try the first option, because second one sounds much more time consuming! When I will have some results, I'll report them in this forum thread!

[1-0-1]

I know the preferred way to perform seeding operations in v6.5 is to create a backup job and use that backup file to create a replica. I however wonder if it is, for example, possible to create a replication job as usual but then afterwards change the destination settings like host or cluster, resource pool and more importantly datastore without loosing the replication data from the existing job.
Would this be a matter of copying the replica folder to the new datastore and then changing the destination settings on the replication job? We currently want to start creating replicas on secondary storage until our new offsite storage unit arrives. Once it arrives we can then use the existing replica data to build the new replicas offsite and thus only continue from where we left off. All of this will be part of the same vShpere cluster. To what extend can the settings be changed in the destination tab on the replication job options and is there any special considerations?

[kjc3303]

Would this be a matter of copying the replica folder to the new datastore and then changing the destination settings on the replication job?

You will need to move all the vm files to new DS and add to inventory on the new host then map the replication job to existing replica.

The moving of files method is your choice Svmotion, veeam migrate job, Veeam file copy job depending on your infrastructure

Kev

[veremin]

Hi, Bernd,

If your VMs have been added to the replication job trough vCenter connection and there is an appropriate VMware license in place, then you can simply utilize Storage vMotion functionality in order to change underlying datastore.

*Note: Having VM being added via vCenter will guarantee that VB&R job is vMotion aware.

Otherwise, you can put into use QuickMigration functionality. With Veeam Quick Migration you’ll be able to migrate promptly one or more VM between datastores and later leverage replica mapping.

However, please be aware in case of you using replica mapping functionality all previous restore points will be lost.

During the first run, only differences between VMs will be calculated and transferred. These differences later will be used to synchronize the state of VM in DR site and the original one in Production site.After successful synchronization, there will be only two restore points. One of which is the latest state of the mapped VM (target VM), another is the latest state of the original VM on the source host.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.

[1-0-1]

Aha - great. So I can continue using my replicas on the temporary NAS device. Once the new storage unit comes I can move the temporary NAS to the offsite location - perform the vStorage Motion on the replicas (which will also include the incremental/snapshots). Then change the destination Host and datastore in my VEEAM B&R replication option and continue as normal.

[veremin]

Yep, this will do the trick.

Thanks.

[unsichtbarre]

I have an inbound replication job with about 25 VMs (8TB). The datastore (VMFS 5) selected for the job is on a SAN that needs maintenance.
I have created a new datastore (VMFS 5) of appropriate size on a different SAN, now I would like to move the VMname_replica to the new datastore.
What's going to be involved?

THX,

[foggy]

John, please use the instructions provided in this topic to change the replication target datastore.

Hope this helps. Feel free ask any additional questions should they arise.

[jnett98]

What is the best way to move my existing replicas to a different datastore without losing past restore points or CBT data? Can I sVmotion these and point the job to the new destination?

Thanks.

[Vitaliy S.]

Yes, that should work. See this topic for additional details. Thanks!

[leduke]

Hello.

I have a replication job configured on a host (esxi01) with shared Datastore (iSCSi Datastore). I want to move the target host to a second host (esxi02) on the same datastore.

How can I do ?

I wonder if I use migrate to the other host into vSphere admin console and then, edit the replication job and change the target host.

Is it the good way ?

Thank you.

[foggy]

Unless replication job has cluster as a target, you would need to map it to the migrated replica VM, so that the job could continue.

[leduke]

The target is set to the host, not on the cluster.

Can I move the target only in the job ?

[foggy]

Asked QA to make some tests. Provided replica VM ID is preserved during migration, you can just change the target host in the job settings, the replica will be picked up fine.

Otherwise, mapping the job to the replica VM at the Seeding step is required, which will result in consolidation of all replica restore points.

[leduke]

Hello.

I'll try tonight, and I'll give you feedback !

Thanks

[leduke]

Hello.

I perform a vmotion of my replication VM and change the target host into the job, and it's OK.

Thanks.

[pac001]

Hi All

I've looked for the answer through this forum and can't find it.

I have an ESX 5 DR host holding a number of guest replicas, located on the end of a slow WAN link. I've added a larger datastore to the host and now want to move those replicas to the larger datastore.

What is the correct process to move the replicas to the new datastore so that the replication jobs continue to recognise the moved replicas, and continue replication normally?

thanks.

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Peter, if VM moref ID changes during this operation, then you will need to re-map your replication job to the new target. Once you do this, your job will continue running incremental job pass. Please note that re-mapping operations removes all existing restore points (snapshots) from target replica, as it is not possible to properly map a VM to the snapshot.

[pac001]

Not the answer i'm looking for.

I've tried migrating a (not running) replica to a different datastore, then changing the datastore target in the veeam replication job, but that didn't work.
The moved replica wasn't updated with a new snapshot.

instead the replication job created a new replica "..._replica (2)"

[Vitaliy S.]

instead the replication job created a new replica "..._replica (2)"

Yes, that's expected. In order to avoid that, you need to use replica mapping feature.

[pac001]

I've think I've figured out what the problem is. The replication jobs were created a while ago when the DR host stand alone and not managed by vcenter. So the replication jobs connect directly to the DR host for the destination instead of the cluster.
Migrating these replicas around seems to throw Veeam off.

When I set up a new test replication job navigating to the source and destination hosts through the cluster, I can then vmotion the replica around and then just update the destination in the job with no problems.

using the replica mapping option seems to work ok. I haven't noticed any snapshots being removed while using it.