Replica Failover and Failback

Replica Failover and Failback

Sometimes businesses may require a substitute of the Virtual Machine that is being used for their business-critical function in times of disaster. In such cases, they will want to avoid downtime and have the VM in a ready-to-use format so that their business keeps functioning. For the above-mentioned scenario, Replication combined with Failover and FailBack is the process that meets their requirement.
The section below will guide you through the various restoration scenarios available in the VMware Replication process. 

Failover

Your primary server/VM has crashed due to a disaster. Switch over to the replicated VM to continue with production. When your source machine is down, you can use the Failover process to switch the operations from the source VM to its replica in the target server. Once the Failover process is carried out, the replica machine will perform the role of the source machine. That is, the target VM will be powered ON with the same Network and IP configurations that were configured during the replication process. You can Failover the replica to any restore point available. If any data is added when the VM is in the Failover state, it will be maintained separately in a snapshot delta file.
  1. Select the VM Replication tab and choose the Failover and Failback option. Click the Restore icon beside the required replication job.
  2. The next step is to select the restore type from the list. Select Failover as the restore type and click Next to proceed with the restore process.
  3. Choose the restore version from the tree. The restore version depends on the retention settings you have configured. Click Next to continue with the restore process.
  4. The next step is to select the restore data for the restoration. Select the VM(s) to be restored. You can search the required machine from the Search VM option. Click Next to continue further with the restore process.
  5. The last step is to review your configurations before you perform the Failover process.
  6. Verify the following – VM(s) selected for the Failover, Restore Version configured. Once done verifying the selection, click the Failover option. You will get a pop-up window to confirm the Failover process, click OK to begin the Failover.
  7. You will now be redirected to the Restore Progress page. Check the Client Name, Backup Name, and Progress status. Click the Failover and FailBack option to revert back to that page.
Notes
Note: The VM should not be manually powered on or powered on after the Failover as it may lead to data loss.

Finalize Failover

Once you have performed the Failover process, you can finalize the Failover process. This option helps you finalize the failover process and let you decide whether to:
  1. Revert to Source VM immediately
  2. Completely switch from Source VM to replica VM
  3. Rollback to the Source VM after a considerable amount of work done by the replica.
  4. Finalize Failover can be done based on the above scenarios as follows:
  1. Undo Failover
  2. Permanent Failover
  1. The above-listed options get enabled only after performing the Failover process
  2. Follow the steps given to Finalize Failover:
  3. Choose the VM Replication tab and select the Failover and Failback option.
  4. Click the Restore icon across the replication job which you had recently failed over.
  5. From the Restore type, select Finalize Failover as the restore type and click Next to proceed.
  6. The next step is to select the restore data for the restoration. Select the VM(s) to be restored. You can search the required machine from the Search VM option. Click Next to continue further with the restore process.
  7. The next step is to select the Finalize type. Three options will be displayed which are explained below:
  8. Undo Failover – This option will revert the replica machine to its original state (turned-off state) before the failover was performed. That is all the changes(work data) made in the target VM during the Failover period will be flushed and lost after undoing Failover.
  9. Permanent Failover – You can select this option if the source VM is not recoverable after a disaster. Finalizing failover will enable you to make the replica VM as the production machine permanently. The VM will be excluded from the replication schedule and further increments for the source VM will cease.

Undo Failover

  1. If you have performed the Failover process but then got your source VM running back up within the stipulated time and want to undo the Failover process, proceed with this type.
  2. Procedure
  3. Select Undo Failover from the Finalize Type and review the configurations by checking the selected VM(s) and the restoration type
  4. Click Undo Failover to begin the restore process. Select OK from the pop-up window to confirm the Failover.

Notes
Note:
  1. The changes done in the target VM machine will be lost after undoing the Failover.
  2. This option is preferred when the source VM is restored and activated successfully.

Permanent Failover

If you have failed over to the replica VM after a disaster and could not get your source VM running back up within the stipulated time, you can permanent the Failover process. The replica VM will be made the source VM permanently.
Procedure
  1. Select Permanent Failover as the Finalize Failover type and review the configurations by checking the selected VM(s) and the restoration type.
  2. Click Permanent Failover to make the Failover process permanent. Select OK from the pop-up window to confirm the Failover.
Notes
Note: The replica VM will be excluded from the replication job after completion of Permanent Failover. The same should be configured again for replication.

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