Array Manager Configuration for Periodic Replication

The FlashArray offers asynchronous replication in a periodic fashion through a mechanism called Protection Groups. A FlashArray Protection Group is a consistency group that has a remote replication schedule that specifies a replication interval (how often a snapshot is created and sent to a remote FlashArray) and a retention policy (how long each replicated snapshot is kept on the remote FlashArray). FlashArray volumes in this scenario can host a VMFS datastore or a Raw Device Mapping (RDM). SRM can then failover over the datastores/RDMs from the source FlashArray to the remote FlashArray. The FlashArray hosting the volumes can be considered the source FlashArray and the FlashArray that is being replicated to can be considered the remote FlashArray.

1. Have a replication connection enabled and healthy between your source and target arrays. This can be a synchronous or asynchronous connection--either is fine. For asynchronous, follow this guide starting on page 13. For synchronous, follow Implementing vSphere Metro Storage Cluster With ActiveCluster: Configuring ActiveCluster for the FlashArray Configuration.
2. Each SRM server should have TCP port 443 access to the virtual IPs of both FlashArrays.
3. Have at least one enabled protection group on the source array to the target array.
4. A supported release of the SRA installed on both SRM servers. Both SRAs must be the same version. Pure Storage encourages the use of the latest available version of the SRA.

   Once configurations are confirmed, log into Site Recovery Manager management interface.

   Note:

   These instructions are focused on the 8.2 release of SRM, so screenshots and exact step-by-step clicks may vary. The requirements and the inputs do not change between different releases though unless specifically noted.

   

   Then click on View Details of the SRM pair being configured to find the array manager configuration interface.

   

   First confirm that the Everpure SRA is installed. Click on Array Based Replication -> Storage Replication Adapters.

   

   Confirm that the status is OK. If so, click on Array Pairs and then the Add button.

   

   In the window that appears, select the Everpure FlashArray SRA and then Next.

   

   In this wizard, array managers are configured for both the source SRM server and the target SRM server. The first step is usually the source SRM server. Since SRM is technically a bidirectional tool (and therefore there really is no such thing as a "source" and "target" SRM server as they both can be both at the same time) it is important to verify which server is being operating on. In the Local Array Manager step in the wizard, look at the top where it says "Enter a name for the array manager on <insert vCenter name>".

   

   In the above case, the vCenter is named "vcenter-01.purecloud.com". Verify which arrays are local to the vCenter reported there in the configured environment. In this case the array flasharray-m50-1 is local to this vCenter and the flasharray-m50-2 is connected to the other vCenter.

   First, name the array manager something that makes sense. This one will be called "VC-m50-1".

   

   Next populate the connection information. Enter in the FQDN of the FlashArray (the maps to the virtual IP address of the array). IP addresses are also acceptable, but FQDNs are generally preferred.

   Note:

   The recommendation is to create a special account for SRM interaction. This can be either a local account or through an external source like LDAP. All that matters is that it is at the user level of storage admin or higher.

   

   Enter in the credentials and FQDN to the local array in the local array(s) entry form:

   

   Note:

   Note that starting with SRA release 3.1, more than one array can be entered in the local arrays address box. Each array can be entered in via comma separation. The requirement to do that though is that the same credentials are valid for each array. If they have different credentials, a separate array manager pair will need to be created.

   

   Once the local array has been added, add in the connection information for the peer array. Towards the bottom of the screen, enter in the target information for the peer array in the section called "The peer Array(s)".

   

   In this case flasharray-m20-1.purecloud.com has been entered as the peer FlashArray. This represents the following replication connection listed on flasharray-m50-1.purecloud.com:

   

   The full local array manager looks as follows:

   

   Confirm the details and click Next.

   Now for the screen labeled Remote array manager, enter in the reverse details as compared to the local array manager. This will enter in the array connection information for the remote SRM server. Confirm the listed vCenter near the top and give the array manager a name:

   

   Next, populate the array connection information. The local should be what was listed as the peer in the previous array manager and the peer should be listed as what you put in for the local array.

   

   When done, click Next.

   The next step will list discovered array pairs. The pairs that are listed will be the FlashArrays that have replication connections from the arrays entered. In the case above, the FlashArray flasharray-m50-1 was entered on one site and the FlashArray flasharray-m20-1 on the other.

   Note:

   An important point to understand is that there really isn't such a thing as a remote array manager. All array managers are local array managers. The key is a given array manager is LOCAL to a certain SRM server. That same array manager in reference to the other SRM server in that pair is REMOTE. In other words, an array manager is local to one SRM server and remote to the other one.

   These two array managers allow the SRA to see what arrays are available on either side. Since a local array manager was found for both arrays, the pairing of the two is valid.

   

   Array pairs that have identified a local manager spread across the two SRM servers will be shown as Ready to be enabled. The array pair discovery process will also find array pairs that exist to the specified arrays but are listed as No peer array pair. This means that the SRA found other arrays one or both of the specified arrays are replicating to, but it did not find an array manager that is configured with that array as a local array. For an array pair to be considered a valid array pair, both arrays must be configured as a local array in separate array managers.

   Note:

   Enabling an array pair means that SRM device discovery will occur between those arrays which lists what volumes are replicated and suitable for SRM control. If volumes getting listed on an array pair for SRM is not desired, do not enable that pair.

   Valid array pairs will be selected. If the array pair should be enabled leave it selected. If there are pairs that are valid, but for whatever reason they should not be enabled, it is safe to deselect them (they can be enabled at a later time). If there is an array pair that is not listed as ready to be enabled but it should be enabled, verify that both arrays in the pair are listed as local arrays in the array manager on their respective SRM server.

   Click Next.

   

   Verify the information and click Finish when ready.

   The selected array pairs will be enabled and will be listed in the Array Pairs screen.

   

   This will list the source/target array pairs and the corresponding array managers that control each side of the replication.