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Chapter 2 vCenter Server Heartbeat Installation
Bandwidth
Determine the available bandwidth and estimate the volume of data throughput to determine acceptable
latency for the throughput. Available bandwidth can affect the required queue size to accommodate the
estimated volume of data. VMware recommends making a minimum of 1Mbit of spare bandwidth available
to vCenter Server Heartbeat.
vCenter Server Heartbeat includes a Low Bandwidth Module for use in WAN environments. When enabled,
the VMware Channel compresses the data, optimizing the traffic for low bandwidth connections causing some
additional CPU load on the active server.
Latency
Latency has a direct effect on data throughput. Latency on the link must not fall below the standard defined
for a T1 connection.
Installation Process
After selecting implementation options, begin the installation process. The installation process for all scenarios
follows the same basic procedure.
Installation Options Checklist
Server architecture:
____ P2P
____ P2V
____ V2V
Cloning technology option:
____ Pre-Clone Install
____ Install Clone
Application components to protect:
____ vCenter Server with SQL Server on same host
____ vCenter Server with SQL Server on separate host
____ vCenter Server only
Network environment type:
____ LAN
____ WAN
Is the subnet the same at the Secondary site?
 If Yes, an IP address is required for this subnet
Active Directory Integrated DNS?
 If Yes, a Domain Account with rights to update DNS is required
 If No, then refer to the knowledge base articles in “Network Options” on page 15.