USE VMware SITE RECOVERY MANAGER TO TEST DISASTER RECOVERY -Optimize the Disaster Recovery Plan

We have already done failover from prod to DR in my previous blog
USE VMware SITE RECOVERY MANAGER TO TEST DISASTER RECOVERY -1

Now we will Optimize the Disaster Recovery Plan

We will use the reporting features of Site Recovery Manager to view the test results and see if we can identify a problem and then reconfigure the recovery plan to address any issues

Review the dr test report for errors

If you've left the Recovery Plan page, navigate back and open the Customer Care Web App recovery plan.

1. Click on "History"

2. The report at the top of the list will be the cleanup operation we previously ran. Make sure you select the report for the Test instead, which should be the second item in the history. Click on "Export Report"

1. Leave the file format as "Web Page" and click "Generate Report."

The report for our DR test has been saved to the desktop. Minimize the open web browser and find the icon on the desktop for the saved report. Double click to open. Take a few minutes to review the report

  Our plan is attempting to start the web server and db server at the same time.  For the web application to start correctly, the database must be available when the web server starts.

Add application dependencies

We need to make sure that the DB server starts before the Web Server.  Return to the vSphere Web Client

1. Click on "Recovery Steps" at the top of the page

2. Right Click on the Web Server

3. Click on "Configure Recovery"

Configure dependencies for the web server

1. Expand "VM Dependencies"

2. Click on "Configure"

1) Check the box next to DB Server

2) Click on OK

3) When you are returned to previous window, click OK

Add new vms to the dr plan

To add the newly identified Portal Server to the DR plan we need to add it to our customer care web appProtection Group.  

1. Click on Protection Groups

2. Make sure that the Customer Care Web App protection group is highlighted in the left pane

3. Select the Summary tab

4. Click on Actions and then "Edit Protection Group"

1. Click "Next" until you get to Step 3: Virtual Machines. You will see a list of VM's that can be protected with this protection group. Notice that Portal Server is not selected!

2. Check the check box next to Portal Server to add it to the protection group. Do NOT check the box next to TestVM or you may not be able to complete later modules in this lab.

3. Click Next to move through the rest of the steps without making any additional changes. When you reach the last step click on Finish.