RecoverPoint For VMs (RP4VMs) 5.1 Is here

Along with the release of (the Classic) RP 5.1 release which you can read about here https://volumes.blog/2017/07/06/recoverpoint-5-1-is-here-a-must-upgrade/

We have also just released RP4VMs 5.1, to me, this if where scale and simplicity made their way into the product, here are some of the new features / changes

Deployer Improvements

DEPLOYER – INSTALL A vRPA CLUSTER

You now get many more pre-automated validations done for you so you know in advanced and before the actually deployments what errors you might have.

You now also get a much more simplified network setting screen, a good divide between the LAN / WAN settings.

If the previous installation has failed, the repository volume will be deleted as well and won’t prevent you from trying again.

It will also show you some basic instructions for troubleshooting.

Replicating Resource Reservations

Enhancement of Replicate hardware changes whereby the source VM reservations (Memory or CPU) can be reflected on the replica VM.

Encompassed within the Hardware changes option during the VM
Protection Flow (shown below) or in the RP4VMs plugin, Protection-
>VM->Hardware Settings.

The resource reservation replication will enable when the replica VM is powered off
• Any CPU\Memory reservation changes performed on the source VM will reflect on the replica VM only when in image access

Shadowless SMURF

SMURF = Starting Machine Up at Remote Facility
• Shadow – use a minimal hardware machine for SMURF in order to reduce consumption of resources at the remote
• Having a VM powered up in the remote in order to access the VMDKs

Looks and sounds like a “contradiction in terms” but in reality it means no more shadow VM .vmx file – the shadow and replica will use the same .vmx file
• The look and feel remains the same

Why are we doing this?

Minimizing ReconfigVM API calls – multiple operations in the system that each independently made API reload or reconfig calls (MORef ID
and VC UID now maintained)
• NSX with network segregation feature: NSX configuration was reset when transitioning between shadow and replica due to VC UID momentarily being wrong
• Some Cloud metering and monitoring systems where sensitive to the previous configuration
• Better Storage vMotion support on both modes of the replica VM – when SvMotion was used on the shadow, the replica VM vmx was not moved (or vice versa if SvMotion on the target)

Silent Image Access

This feature allows PP4VMs and RP4VMs users to perform Image Access without powering on the Replica VM
• PP4VMs does not require the VM to be powered on to recover and for RP4VMs customers they can choose to perform to their own power up sequence outside the scope of RP.
• Supports both backup Data Domain local replica copies and RP4VMs Local and remote replica copies
• The user can initiate Recover Production or Failover without powering on the replica VM.

This feature allows RP4VMs and PP4VMs users to perform Image Access without powering on the Replica VM

If the user initiates a Failover the plugin will display the warning message above
• Note that when failing over the replica VM will remain in a powered down state and the CG will move to a “Paused” state

RE-IP OR START-UP SEQUENCE ENABLED

A validation warning will be displayed to the user requesting confirmation before finishing the “Test a Copy” Wizard
• The system will block both production recovery and failover operations and return an error message

Failover Networks

Allow users to better view and change the networks of a replica VM which will be applied after failover. This feature arose from customer
complaints about the network changing from the “Test Network” chosen when entering Image Access to a arbitrary “Failover Network” after failing over

MODIFY FAILOVER NETWORKS IN THE PLUGIN

MODIFY FAILOVER NETWORKS IN THE FAILOVER FLOW

Scale & Performance

The 5.1 release aims to improve RP4VMs scalability capabilities by protecting maximal scale with minimal number of vRPA clusters
• The goal is to increase the RP4VMs scale limitation: replicating up to 256 consistency groups on a single ‘Bronze+’ vRPA (2 vCPUs, 8 GB RAM) and above