Implementing vVols Replication

After you enable vVols, you can implement vVols replication.

Implement vVols replication by completing the following steps:

  1. Enable vVols on each system and register the storage system in each location in the corresponding vCenter Server. See Implementing vVols.
  2. Create a 2-site partnership by using policy-based replication between the two storage systems.
  3. Enable vVols replication on the system that will be used for creating production virtual machines.

Creating a partnership for policy-based replication

Use the management GUI to create a 2-site partnership between systems by using policy-based replication.

  • Go to Copy Services > Partnerships and Remote Copy to get started.
  • If a partnership that uses policy-based replication exists between the two systems, no additional partnership configuration is needed to use vVols replication.
  • The GUI indicates when the partnership is configured and ready for use with policy-based replication.

Enabling vVols replication

Use the management GUI to enable vVols replication.

  • Go to Settings > System > VMware Virtual Volumes (vVols) to begin the setup.
  • Configuring vVols replication links the VASA ownership groups and child pools between the two systems for replicated Virtual Volumes to be manageable by using the vCenter Server in the second site. The initial setup also creates a volume group with a replication policy. More volume groups and replication policies can be created later on either of the systems.
  • After enabling vVols replication on the storage system, rescan the Storage Provider in vSphere to discover the new replication capabilities. If the storage system is already registered with vSphere on an earlier version, an extra step may be required to discover the new replication capabilities. See Updating from version 8.6.1 or earlier.
  • You can now create VM storage policies that define the replication requirements for virtual machines.
  • When a new virtual machine is created by using the policy, each of the compatible preconfigured volume groups on the storage system is available as a replication group choice in vSphere.
  • Storage Virtualize supports the use of preconfigured replication groups only. The automatic creation of replication groups by using vSphere is not supported.

Updating from version 8.6.1 or earlier

If a system with vVols configured on version 8.6.1 or earlier is updated to version 8.6.2 or later, an extra step is required to discover new capabilities of the storage system in the vSphere environment.

After the storage system software is updated to version 8.6.2 or later, perform the following steps:
  1. Using the vSphere Client, unregister the storage provider on the vCenter Server:
    1. Go to VCSA > Configure > Storage Providers.
    2. Select the storage provider and select Remove.
  2. Using the storage system command-line interface, reset the user account that is used by the vCenter server:
    1. Use the following command to remove the stored certificate and specify a temporary password for the VASA user account: chuser -nocertuid -password <new_password> <vCenter_user>
  3. Using the vSphere Client, reregister the storage provider on the vCenter Server:
    1. Go to VCSA > Configure > Storage Providers.
    2. Select Add and readd the storage provider.