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Zerto Virtual Replication – Stay Protected even if ESXi host is in Maintenance mode

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Today it's another post about Zerto Virtual Replication and what to do in case you have to put your ESXi host into a maintenance mode. Previous posts showed the Installation, creation of VPG (virtual protection group), but also a configuration of long term backup with up to 1 year retention period. This long term backup allows you to simply restore a VM which journal does not go so far back. You have the option to recover full VM from backup. Individual files restores are possible through the JFLR (Journal File level restore) within two weeks. If you need longer period then you simply need to restore the whole VM from backup, and then pick your files.

This long term backup allows you to simply restore a VM which journal does not go so far back. You have the option to recover full VM from backup. Individual files restores are possible through the JFLR (Journal File level restore) within two weeks. If you need longer period then you simply need to restore the whole VM from backup, and then pick your files.

There might be a situation where you need to put a host into a maintenance mode (patching, hardware service…). However you may want to still be continuously protected by Zerto. In this case, Zerto needs you to do few manual tasks. Hosts you want to put into maintenance mode may be located on the protected site, but also on the recovery site. The steps are different in each case.

For the host machine on the protected site:

  • Remove affinity rules for protected virtual machines on the host that require maintenance and vMotion these machines to any other host with a VRA installed.

Zerto and Host Maintenance

  • Shut down the VRA before starting the host maintenance.
  • When maintenance finishes, power on the VRA

For the host machine on the recovery site:

  • Change Recovery VRA –  Setup > VRAs > Select VRA  and click more > Change VM Recovery VRA.

ZErto Change Recovery VRA

Select the host from the drop-down form to which you want to make a change… > Click Save button

Change Recovery VRA

Another use case of re-configuring protection would be the case where you need to move a host to a different cluster. 

  • For a host machine on the protected site – You'll again need to remove affinity rules for protected virtual machines on the host that is going to be moved and vMotion these machines to any other host in the cluster with a VRA installed > Shut down the VRA before moving the host.
  • For a host machine on the recovery site – Shut down the VRA and place the host in VMware maintenance mode. VPGs with virtual machines being recovered to the VRA will enter an error state. Move the host to the new cluster and exit maintenance mode. Then power on the VRA.

The VPGs in an error state will enter sync and then resume.

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About Vladan SEGET

This website is maintained by Vladan SEGET. Vladan is as an Independent consultant, professional blogger, vExpert x16, Veeam Vanguard x9, VCAP-DCA/DCD, ESX Virtualization site has started as a simple bookmarking site, but quickly found a large following of readers and subscribers.

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Comments

  1. Justin Paul says

    Great Article Vladan.

    You should make a note in here that in Zerto ZVR 5.0 the protected side no longer requires any manual intervention.

    You simply put the host into maintenance mode and Zerto will automatically shutdown the VRA after all of the protected workloads have been migrated off the host.