6.1

Performing Test Recovery of Virtual Machines Across Multiple Hosts
on the Recovery Site
You can create recovery plans that recover virtual machines across multiple recovery site hosts in a
quarantined test network.
With Site Recovery Manager, the vSwitches can be DVS based and span hosts. If you accept the default test
network configured as Auto, then virtual machines that are recovered across hosts are placed in their own
test network during recovery plan tests. Each test switch is isolated between hosts. As a result, virtual
machines in the same recovery plan are isolated when the test recovery finishes. To allow the virtual
machines to communicate, establish and select DVS switches or VLANs. With an isolated VLAN that
connects all hosts to each other but not to a production network, you can more realistically test a recovery.
To achieve connectivity among recovery hosts, but maintain isolation from the production network, follow
these recommendations:
n
Create DVS switches that are connected to an isolated VLAN that is private. Such a VLAN allows hosts
and virtual machines to be connected, but to be isolated from production virtual machines. Use a
naming convention that clearly designates that the DVS is for testing use, and select this DVS in the
recovery plan test network column in the recovery plan editor.
n
Create test VLANs on a physical network, providing no route back to the protected site. Trunk test
VLANs to recovery site vSphere clusters and create virtual switches for test VLAN IDs. Use a clear
naming convention to identify that these switches are for testing. Select these switches from the test
recovery network column in the recovery plan editor.
Create, Test, and Run a Recovery Plan
You perform several sets of tasks to create, test, and run a recovery plan.
Procedure
1 Create a Recovery Plan on page 71
You create a recovery plan to establish how Site Recovery Manager recovers virtual machines.
2 Organize Recovery Plans in Folders on page 71
You can create folders in which to organize recovery plans.
3 Edit a Recovery Plan on page 72
You can edit a recovery plan to change the properties that you specified when you created it. You can
edit recovery plans from the protected site or from the recovery site.
4 Test a Recovery Plan on page 72
When you test a recovery plan, Site Recovery Manager runs the virtual machines of the recovery plan
on a test network and on a temporary snapshot of replicated data at the recovery site.
Site Recovery Manager does not disrupt operations at the protected site.
5 Clean Up After Testing a Recovery Plan on page 73
After you test a recovery plan, you can return the recovery plan to the Ready state by running a
cleanup operation. You must complete the cleanup operation before you can run a failover or another
test.
6 Run a Recovery Plan on page 74
When you run a recovery plan, Site Recovery Manager migrates all virtual machines in the recovery
plan to the recovery site. Site Recovery Manager attempts to shut down the corresponding virtual
machines on the protected site.
Site Recovery Manager Administration
70 VMware, Inc.