StorageWorks Storage Mirroring application notes Guidelines for using VMware GSX Server with Storage Mirroring Part number: T2558–96023 Third edition: November 2006
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Document overview This document is a Storage Mirroring application note. An application note provides guidelines on the use of Storage Mirroring in a specific environment. This document contains: • Document overview—Explains what an application note contains, how it should be used, what you need to know before trying to use the application note, and where you can go for more information.
• Two licensed copies of VMware GSX Server 2.5.1 • Licensed copies of the operating system(s) and application(s) to be installed on the virtual machines • Two licensed copies of Storage Mirroring Configuration This solution allows you to install Storage Mirroring on the host operating system on both the source and target. It provides you the ability to maintain an up-to-date backup of the virtual hard disk image(s) from the virtual machine(s) on the source.
Alternate configuration for high availability If you want to protect only your virtual machine data files, you may want to consider this alternate high-availability configuration. CAUTION: This configuration has not gone through extensive testing and is only provided as a guideline for identifying another solution which may be possible using Storage Mirroring and VMware.
Sample implementation This section describes an example of how to configure Storage Mirroring and VMware GSX Server. Use these procedures as a guideline for creating your own implementation. Because no two environments or configurations are exactly the same, you will probably need to implement additional or different steps than what is documented here in order to make the solution work in your environment. Installing and configuring software on the source 1.
Configuring mirroring and replication 1. Select Start, Programs, Storage Mirroring, Management Console. 2. Double-click your source to log on. 3. Right-click the source and select Properties. 4. On the Source tab, enable Block Checksum All Files on a Difference Mirror and click OK. 5. Right-click your source and select New, Replication Set and enter the desired name for the replication set. 6. Select the data to protect.
• Use .SHR Share Mapping File • Active Directory—Failover Hostname 6. Verify that the VMware GSX console window is not started on the target host server. If it is started and the target virtual machine is highlighted, the pre-failover script will not start the virtual machine. See the VMware documentation for more information. 7. If a failure occurs, you will want to have the virtual machine start on the target automatically. To do this, create a batch file called postover.
2. Resolve the source machine problem that caused the failure. NOTE: If you must rebuild your hard drive, reinstall Windows and complete the instructions in ”Installing and configuring software on the source” on page 6 using the same settings as originally used. 3. Select Start, Programs, Storage Mirroring, Failover Control Center. 4. Select the target machine that is currently standing in for the failed source. 5. Verify that the target virtual machine is not running in Local Management mode.
