{"id":1053,"date":"2021-12-17T17:33:48","date_gmt":"2021-12-17T16:33:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vminded.com\/?p=1053"},"modified":"2021-12-22T11:21:02","modified_gmt":"2021-12-22T10:21:02","slug":"using-vmware-cloud-dr-to-protect-vms-in-an-sddc-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vminded.com\/index.php\/2021\/12\/17\/using-vmware-cloud-dr-to-protect-vms-in-an-sddc-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Using VMWare Cloud DR to protect VMs in an SDDC. (Part 1 – Deploying vCDR)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

VMware Cloud Disaster Recovery<\/a> is currently the solution that has the most interest from my customers and partners. It’s a solution that offers the best way to deliver an on-demand easy-to-use cost effective DRaaS solution for workloads running on-premise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few months ago, it added the ability to protect cloud workloads running in VMware Cloud on AWS<\/a> with inter<\/em>-region DR failover (i.e. failover from one region to another region). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Very recently, the solution has now the ability to protect cloud workloads running in VMware Cloud on AWS<\/a> with intra<\/strong><\/em>-region DR failover (i.e. failover into a different availability zone (AZ) within<\/em> the same region). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s see how we can leverage this to protect workloads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deploying vCDR in VMC on AWS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Accessing the vCDR dashboard<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First of all I need to access the CSP Console and locate the VMWare Cloud DR tile under the My Service menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If I click on the tile here it brings me to VMware Cloud DR landing page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As you can see it looks very similar to the CSP page. The development team have been doing a great job integrating vCDR in the Services portal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently the dashboard is showing you the health capacity<\/strong> and especially the number of protected VMS<\/strong>, the number of Protection groups<\/strong>, as well as the replication direction of each of your protected sites and recovery SDDC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my current Demo environment, there are 3 protected on-premise sites and one recovery SDDC (CSLAB-M17). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fan in architecture model is supported: 3 sites and 1 SDDC currently protected to CSLAB-M17<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The cloud backup site where the Scalable Cloud Filesystem<\/a><\/strong> stands is CSA-VCDR-SCFS<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the left, I can see the replication events and any recent alarms and alerts displayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Adding the SDDC as a new Protected site<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In this lab, the Scalable Cloud File system has already been deployed. So we can directly jump into the deployment of the vCDR connector on my VMC on AWS SDDC by clicking the Set up a protected site<\/strong> link menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here I choose VMware Cloud on AWS<\/strong> and Click Next<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The list of SDDCs in my organization are then displayed. I can see that only the SDDC that is in a different AZ from my SCFS can be used. So I picked the SDDC in US East North Virginia region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here I am presented with two choices: manually<\/strong> create the Gateway Firewall<\/strong> rules or leave vCDR automatically<\/strong> add the right rules. The DRaaS Connector is a VM that has to be deployed on a Compute segment in the SDDC. I decided to choose Automatic and pick the default segment of my SDDC. Obviously it’s up to you to choose another segment dedicated for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are not sure which option to select, see\u00a0Network Considerations for a Protected SDDC<\/a>\u00a0for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To finish the site creation I clicked Setup<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a few seconds, the SDDC (JG-LAB-TEST) appears as a Protected Site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Deploying the DRaaS Connector in the newly protected SDDC<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once the site is configured, the next step is to deploy the DRaaS connector which would enable the\u00a0SaaS\u00a0orchestrator communicate with the Protected SDDC vCenter. Refer to the\u00a0Documentation<\/a>\u00a0<\/a>for the VM CPU and network requirements<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This process is quite straight forward. Just click on the Deploy button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will presented with a screen that explains every steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First of all you have to download the virtual appliance that will enable connectivity from the SDDC to the Cloud filesystem, second connect on the console to finish setting up the IP and to enter the Cloud orchestrator FQDN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Make a note of the Console credentials, which you need to log in to the VM console: admin<\/samp>\/vmware#1<\/samp>. Also copy (or write down) the Orchestrator Fully Qualified Domain Name<\/strong> (FQDN), which you need when you configure the connector in the VM console<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few things you need to know:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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