How to Perform a Test FAILOVER with Zerto on VMware Environment

 Hi all,

Last week we discussed about what is Zero and what are the components included in Zerto Virtual Replication.

We discussed how to install Zerto Virtual Manager (ZVM), Zerto Virtual Replication Appliance (VRA) and Zerto Virtual Protected Group (VPG).

Previous posts on Zerto,

  1. Disaster Recovery with Zerto
  2. Install Zerto ZVM 5.0 for vSphere Environment
  3. Install Zerto Virtual Replication Appliance VRA on VMware ESXi
  4. Configure Zerto Virtual Protection Groups VPG
  5. Create new Repository for Zerto Backup

Today we will discuss How Zerto works? we will try to perform a test failover with help of Zerto Virtual Replication suite.

Below image shows how I created my testing environment.

Lab environment created for Zerto VMware to VMware DR test.

I will give you just an understanding on my environment.

Protected Site:-

vCenter Server: vcsa01.vgyan.local (v6.5)

ESXi Servers: esxi01,02,03.vgyan.local (v6.2)

VMs: vm01,vm02,vm03

ZVM: zerto01.vgyan.local

Site: vGyan-ProductionSite

VRA: Z-VRA-esxi01,02,03.vgyan.local

VPG: vGyan-Prod-VPG-01 (2 VM) vGyan-STG-VM (1 VM)

Recovery Site:-

vCenter Server: vc02.vgyan.local (v6.5)

ESXi Servers: esxi04,05,06.vgyan.local (v6.2)

VMs: don’t have any VMs.

ZVM: zerto02.vgyan.local

Site: vGyan-DRSite

VRA: Z-VRA-esxi04,05,06.vgyan.local

VPG: vGyan-Prod-VPG-01 (2 VM) vGyan-STG-VM (1 VM)

We will try to perform a test failover from protected site to recovery site.

While performing a test failover there is no impact in the protected site or Protected VMs. So any time you can perform a test failover, if you are in a production environment make sure you have taken approvals for performing this.

Let’s start, Log in to your protected site ZVM, in the right bottom select failover mode as TEST and click on FAILOVER button.

We will discuss about LIVE fail over later.

Once the Failover Test tab opens, Select VPGs.

I am going to select both available VPGs for performing test failover.

Click Next to continue:-

In the Execution Parameters tab, Verify the available checkpoints.

If you want to change the checkpoint, click on checkpoint and select any other from the available list.

We will discuss about checkpoint later.

Click Next to continue:-

So we are ready to Failover Test, from a VMware site to another VMware site.

Click on START FAILOVER TEST button.

Now we can see in my recovery site is having there new VMs, vm01 – testing recovery,vm02 – testing recovery and vm03 – testing recovery.

It’s confirmed test recovery is working fine, but we need to make sure all the settings which we given while creating VPG also works fine.

We will have a look on my vm01 which is running on my protected site.

vm01 is having 192.168.0.145 as IPv4 address. While creating VPG we provided 192.168.0.151 as Failover/Move IP as well as Test Failover IP.

So we have to verify after a test failover the IPv4 address changed or not.

Yes, it’s changed to 192.168.0.151 on vm01 – testing recovery. Zerto done with help for VMware tools, if your VM is not having any VMware tools installed it’s not going to change the IPv4.

We are good to finish our Failover Test with Zerto Virtual Replication.

Click on TASKS and Click on STOP icon or you can go to the VPG tab select STOP icon under oration.

In the result tab, provide actual test result.

For me the Result was Success, and in the notes verify “Stop Test for VPG vGyan-Prod-VPG-01”.

I have two VPGs so I am going to perform this twice.

We Successfully completed Zerto Failover Test, we will discuss more on Zerto later.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Feel free to share this to others if it is worth sharing!!!

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Written by Sujith Surendran

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