replica after migrating cluster

[matteu]

Hello,

My customer improve his vmware infrastructure and moove VM from one cluster to an other within the same vcenter and create new dvswitch.
Unfortunately, replicas are not working anymore.
I have this error : A general system error occurred : vDS host error : see faultCause (cannot create DVPort XXX of VDS DVS-YYYY on the host ZZZZZZZ)

The issue it's the VDS veeam is trying to connect the replica is the old one and it's not anymore available on the new cluster.
I use network mapping on the replica job to point to the new dvs but it's not working.
On the job, I can see the replica target is the new one.
On the replicas -> ready all my replica location are pointing to the old cluster.

Is it expected ?
What are my solution here ?

1) perform new job and use seeding with the last replica ?
2) perform new job and start new full :/
3) something to do with remove from configuration ?
Thanks

[HannesK]

Hello,
that sounds expected to me. It's hard to maintain restore points that connect to non-existing virtual hardware.

1) should work. I would remove all snapshots and connect the network correctly.
2) definitely an option, yes
3) not really, it's because of the VMware snapshots that connect to different virtual hardware

Best regards,
Hannes

[matteu]

Thanks for your answer.
I deleted all snapshot on vmware and remove configuration for the replica in Veeam (I don't know if veeam would work because on database he did some replica but on the vmware replica we delete them with the previous operation.).
Then I add again the VM on the job (it's vm object and not container) and with replica mapping the job is working.

An other question is :
When you do replica for a VM, do you also backup this VM or you use the replica as backup.

[HannesK]

hmm, I'm not sure I understand the new question.

Replication and backup are two independent processes that run at different times. Replication jobs create their own temporary snapshots on the source VM and replicate from that. Backup jobs create their own temporary snapshots on the source VM and back up from that.

[matteu]

What I mean is :
When you replicate VM for your customer, do you also use backup on the source VM ?

Replica can be used as a backup right ?
You can restore data from it without needing specific backup job. Only difference maybe is the retention. You maybe don't want 30 retention point for a replica as you want for a backup job.
Am I right ?

[veremin]

Nope, different job types server different purposes, you can find more information about this here. Thanks!

[matteu]

I agree with it.
What I mean is why do I need to backup my VM 1/day if I have 1replica/day.
My customer needs 1 replica for his VM because he wants it to be available on secondary site if the first one has an issue.
In veeam console, I can see the replica can be use to restore data too.

If I have replica with 5 restore point and for the same VM a backup job with 5 restore point (1/day) the backup job in this case is not necessary right ?
If I want 10 retention point, I will need to use backup job too.

[HannesK]

What I mean is why do I need to backup my VM 1/day if I have 1replica/day.

if that's enough, then it's enough.

Most customers want backups for weeks or even months... replica takes up full disk space on production grade storage while backups are compressed on cheaper backup storage.

for your scenarios, replicas might be "good enough" (well, 3-2-1 rule is not met)

[matteu]

Perfect
I understand for 3-2-1 rules yes and I will talk about it to my customer because some of these vm are "critical"...