Replication Re-IP, DNS and failover

[dimaslan]

Hello,
We are planning to deploy a Veeam server to the DR site for a customer to handle replication jobs and a failover plan.
There will be one or two live VMs there, one being a DC. There will be a VPN connection between the production and DR site.
The networks and IP schemes will also be different. As such, we will be using network mapping and re-ip.
I understand how this works in the beginning, but I would like some clarification on 2 things:
(Let's say the production is on 192.168.2.x and the DR site is on 192.168.3.x)
1. How are the replicas getting registered on the DR site DC?
2. In the event where a failover is activated and later we need to do a failback, what happens with the IPs? Do they get reverted to the production IPs?

Thank you.

[Egor Yakovlev]

Hi Dimitris,
Changing Domain networking is more complex than just IP change. Please check out Microsoft's Moving Domain Controller to a Different Site guide. It is not just about IP change, as dependent services reconfiguration will be required both ways - during Failover to switch settings to DR config, as well as after Failback - to reconfigure services back to original configuration. It could be achieved using scripts inside guest, scripts that are executed pre-post job from Veeam server, using Veeam Availability Orchestrator or 3rd party management software.
/Thanks!

[dimaslan]

Egor,

Thank you for your reply. Please note that at the DR site there will be a working DC already which will be part of the domain. As such, we won't need to replicate and DCs from the production site to the DR.

Thank you.

[Egor Yakovlev]

Ohh, than it is just a matter of correct DNS registration for replicas at DR site, as clients will receive DC record from DNS.
As for the 2nd question - upon Failback, replica IP is reverted back it it's original state.
/Thanks!

[dimaslan]

Great,

Thank you for this. So upon failback, Veeam reverts the IP along with the DNS to the old settings so no extra steps needed there either. It's not a big deal, just wanted to make sure since there will be a number of teams involved and we'll have to plan and document.