Manual power-on of a CDP replica

[storageguy]

Hi,

We are simulating a total production site down. Can we power-on a CDP replica without the VBR server and just by using target ESX server at the DR site?

Thanks,

[HannesK]

Hello,
no, a backup server is required (as described in the user guide)

VM replicas can be powered on only using the failover operation; manual power on is disabled.

The journals / delta management can only be done by a backup server / the failover process.

Best regards,
Hannes

[veremin]

Also, I'm wondering where your backup server is located. At the production or the Disaster Recovery site? We specifically recommend running a backup server on DR site to avoid similar cases (when a backup server becomes unavailable at the time of DR). If something happens with the production environment, you will be able to execute the required procedures (failover, failback) from the remote site smoothly. Thanks!

[storageguy]

Is this a current limitations with CDP replica? Because a regular VM replica (non CDP) can be powered-on manually by just using the vCenter server or the ESX server.

Thanks

[HannesK]

it's listed as "limitation", but one could also make it a "requirement" by saying "a backup server has to perform the failover"

yes, that's a difference to classic replication. but also with classic replication "power on" has side effects... cleaning up snapshots has to be done manually to avoid performance and disk usage impact

[storageguy]

Ok. Thanks all for clarification.

[FrenchBlue]

Also, be careful that if you are running the latest official V11a patch P20220322, cdp failover won't work if the source Vcenter cannot be reached by the VBR instance doing the failovers (which is quite likely in a real DRP case). You have to create a support case about this and install a private fix, then it works even if source Vcenter is unreachable.

[veremin]

Sorry to hear you got unexpected issues with our product. It's indeed a bug we discovered down the road for which we have already created the hotfix (which also made it to v12). Thanks!

[storageguy]

@FrenchBlue thanks for highlighting that. No wonder ours didn't work even if we used the VBR to failover the CDP replica. When we did the testing we simulated a total site down including the source vCenter server.

[storageguy]

@veremin, can you please give me the link to download this hotfix? I can't seems to find it.
We are currently running 11a P20220322. Is there latest patch than this?

Thanks

[HannesK]

support hands out the hotfix. it's bug #320719 - sorry for not mentioning that earlier.

[storageguy]

@Hannesk, so my understanding is, it's not publicly release but I can obtain it by opening a support ticket and ask them to provide me the hotfix for this bug #320719?

But why the hotfix is not release to the public though?

[HannesK]

Hello,
correct, support provides hotfixes. Please open a case to get it.

Best regards,
Hannes

[storageguy]

@Hannesk, so we are at v11a P20220322 and we have a support ticket, and support says the hotfix for the bug ##320719 is already fix in v11a P20220322?

[HannesK]

what is the support case number?

[storageguy]

@HannesK, it is Case # 05730919

[HannesK]

Hello,
I just saw in the case

We have a replica of the Veeam BR server at the DR datacenter

does the replica VBR server have the same IP / network settings as the source VBR server? Did you go through the CDP filter driver wizard again and did it ask any question (e.g. taking over the filter driver - it should not ask that, but just to be sure)?

According to support, it seems to be not the guessed bug. But log files are missing, so it's just guessing. Please provide all logs, that support is asking for.

Best regards,
Hannes