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About the Site Recovery Manager Database
The SRM server requires its own database, which it uses to store recovery plans, inventory information, and
similar data.
The SRM database is a critical part of any SRM installation. The database must be initialized and a database
connection created before you can install SRM. If you are updating SRM to a new release, you can use the
existing database connection, but you must back up the database first, otherwise, you will not be able to revert
to the previous release of SRM.
The SRM database at each site holds information about virtual machine configurations, protection groups, and
recovery plans. SRM cannot use the vCenter database because it has different database schema requirements,
though you can use the vCenter database server to create and support the SRM database. Each SRM site requires
its own instance of the SRM database. The database must exist before SRM can be installed. If the SRM database
at either site becomes corrupted, the SRM servers at both sites shut down.
When you install SRM, you specify the following information about how SRM connects to the database:
Connection Count
The initial connection pool size. If all connections are in use and a new one is
needed, a connection is created as long as it does not exceed the maximum
number of connections allowed. It is faster for SRM to use a connection from
the pool than to create a new one.
Max Connections
The maximum number of connections to open to the database at one time. If
the database administrator has restricted the number of connections that the
database can have open, this value cannot exceed that number.
SRM Licensing
The SRM server requires a license key to operate. Each SRM server installs with an evaluation license that is
valid for 60 days.
After the evaluation license expires, you cannot run a recovery plan or add a virtual machine to a protection
group until you install a valid SRM license key. VMware recommends that you install an SRM license key as
soon as possible after installing SRM. You can obtain a license key from your VMware sales representative.
SRM Authentication
All communications between SRM and vCenter servers take place over an SSL connection and are
authenticated by public key certificates or stored credentials.
When you install an SRM server, you must choose either credential-based authentication or certificate-based
authentication. You cannot mix authentication methods. The authentication method you choose when
installing the SRM server is used to authenticate connections between the SRM servers at the protected and
recovery sites, and between SRM and vCenter.
Certificate-Based Authentication
If you have or can acquire a PKCS#12 certificate signed by a trusted authority, use certificate-based
authentication. Public key certificates signed by a trusted authority streamline many SRM operations and
provide the highest level of security. Certificates used by SRM have special requirements. See “Requirements
When Using Public Key Certificates,” on page 15.
Site Recovery Manager Administration Guide
14 VMware, Inc.