Using vRPA for array replication between unity boxes in different sites

Question

Hi, Many questions about RPA and vRPA devices and licenses, ... in my mind but let's ask the last thing first then track down my wishes more if needed. I have two Unity 300 hybrid boxes in two sites connected to each other via a high speed 500Mbps link with a 2ms latency. I'd like to have storage array replication using Unity RP and not the hardware (Gen 6 or 5, etc) but the vRPA. I am aware that this can be done via SRM too but because of needing two vCenters and a license from VMware I'm thinking about RP. Now here are the questions: Is it possible to have array replication using vRPA (Recover point virtual appliance), again vRPA (not RP4VM) between these boxes? If yes, do I need a unity license for that, or the basic one is enough? Do we need vCenter in the second box? And do we need vRPA license? Will be so appreciated if I can have the answer to my questions so as to be able to move forward and check my options. Regards,

Idan · Answer

Yes, classic RP vRPAs are supported with VNX/VNXe and Unity. RP Basic license (RP/SE) is sufficient granted there're max of 2 RP clusters with one of the arrays above on each cluster, that's the case here. No need for additional licenses and we don't mandate vCenter at all in classic RP.

MdGanji · Answer

Thanks Idan. So to sum up please confirm this:

With two Unity 300 boxes at each site (whose FC ports are fully used and connected to the SAN environment) and with the use of their 10G Ethernet ports we can implement RecoverPoint and replicate arrays (luns) of the storage between two sites and enjoy RecoverPoint full features costing us no additional license and no secondary vCenter in the other site. Am I right here?

And using Hardware RPA is not a must and just helps us use FC ports and gain some performance improvements while anyway using Ethernet 10G ports of the storage is fully supported and enough.

So we just need to install vRPA (I have this one : EMC RPA Virtual Appliance rel5.1.SP4) on our vCenter, config the both storage arrays in sites and start our replication using RecoverPoint

Confirm all these?

Regards

Idan · Answer

Hi,

That's right but few comments:

1) Classic RP vRPAs requires vCenter

2) These vRPA require iSCSI communication w/ VNX/Unity/VNXe

3) Either FC ports for pRPAs or iSCSI ports for vRPAs cannot be the same ones as Unity Native replication (even if the native replication is not in use

Hope that helps,

Idan

MdGanji · Answer

Thanks so much. Will you please do me another favor and guide me to documents regarding to configuring vRPA. I have a limited account and I guess to be unable to search and get all documents related to this

and for last question, before going to production I like to test this vRPA thing. Is it possible to test it using two Unity VSA ?

Best regards,

Idan · Answer

No, VSA is unsupported by RP. Take a look at the RecoverPoint Installation and Deployment Guide available on support.emc.com.   Hope that helps, Idan

RecoverPoint

Was this post helpful?