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Best Practices for Disaster Recovery in XenServer

This presentation offers a comprehensive overview of integrated disaster recovery (DR) features in XenServer to efficiently recover virtual machines (VMs) following catastrophic failures. It addresses the importance of having effective recovery options, methods for backing up and restoring VM metadata, and the utility of the integrated DR Wizard. Additionally, attendees will learn best practices for successful recovery, including handling metadata, essential requirements for DR infrastructure, and leveraging available resources.

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Best Practices for Disaster Recovery in XenServer

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  1. Disaster Recover Best Practices for XenServer SUM411 May 2013 Nick Kieffer – XenServer Technical Lead

  2. Introduction This presentation is designed to provide an introduction and overview of the integrated disaster recovery (DR) feature that allows you to recover virtual machines (VMs) from a catastrophic failure that disables your production pool, along with alternatives and best practices for a successful recovery.

  3. Agenda • Why we require recovery options • VM metadata backup and restore method • How to utilize the integrated Disaster Recovery (DR) Wizard in XenServer • Tips for a successful recovery • Resources

  4. Why Disaster Recovery Matters • Every week 140,000 hard drives crash in the United States1 • In the past 2 years 50% of company’s experienced unforeseen interruption • 81% of these were closed 1 or more days2 • 43% of company’s that experience a major data loss do not reopen3 • 80% of companies that do not recover from a data loss within one month are likely to go out of business in the immediate future4

  5. Why Disaster Recovery Matters • Gartner estimates only 35% of SMB have a Recovery Plan • IDC estimates companies lose $84K per hour of downtime1 • Strategic Research estimates $90K per hour of downtime2 • Survival rate for companies without a DR plan3<10%

  6. Disaster Recovery Planning • Business Management responsible for the Business Continuity Plan (BCP) • IT responsible for the Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) • Creating a successful and effective plan: • Detection of a disaster • Damage Assessment • Recovery Time Objective • Resume Critical Business Processes

  7. What is a disaster?

  8. Agenda • Why we need recovery options • VM metadata backup and restore method • How to utilize the integrated Disaster Recovery (DR) Wizard in XenServer • Tips for a successful recovery • Resources

  9. VM Metadata backup and restore

  10. Manual restore using VM metadata • First you need to reattach the SR • Ensure to reattach and do not format the SR • With XenServer 6 we now have SR metadata on the lun • Brings in the VDI name and description as it was previously defined.

  11. Restore using the Xen text console (xsconsole) • Select “Backup, Restore and Update” from the main menu

  12. Metadata restore continued… • Select “Restore Virtual Machine Metadata” • Choose backup date you wish to restore from (if you have multiple)

  13. Restore completed successfully • For a video of this procedure, visit our Knowledge Center and search for CTX120590

  14. Metadata Restore using the CLI • Usage: /opt/xensource/bin/xe-restore-metadata [-h] [-v] [-y] [-n] [-p] [-x <VDI UUID>] [-u <SR UUID>] [-m all|sr] • -h: Display this help message • -x: Specify the VDI UUID to override probing • -p: Just scan for a metadata VDI and print out its UUID to stdout • -u: UUID of the SR you wish to restore from • -n: Perform a dry run and just echo the metadata import commands (default: false) • -l: Just list the available backup dates • -d: Specify which date to restore from (default: latest) • -m: Either 'sr' to restore only the VMs on the SR, or 'all' for VMs (default: all) • -v: Verbose output • -y: Assume non-interactive mode and yes to all questions

  15. xe-restore-metadata -u e1267248-3ed8-0609-11d4-c5d9760d2785 -m sr –y

  16. Agenda • Why we need recovery options • VM metadata backup and restore method • How to utilize the integrated Disaster Recovery (DR) Wizard in XenServer • Tips for a successful recovery • Resources

  17. Integrated Disaster Recovery Wizard

  18. Why should I use the DR wizard?

  19. Now what do I do? • Don’t panic… You are prepared for this

  20. Disaster Recovery Wizard Requirements • SAN Replication • Supported SR Types = FC or iSCSI • XS Platinum license

  21. DR Infrastructure Requirements • Hardware at DR site does not have to be the same • XenServer release version and patch level should be the same • Sufficient resources should be available to run the load you require on the hosts • The Disaster Recovery wizard does not control any Storage Array functionality

  22. What’s in the Metadata • VM Metadata contents • Name and Description • Universal Unique Identifier (UUID) • Memory, Virtual CPU(s) • Networking and Storage configuration • VM startup options • Start order • Delay interval • HA restart priority

  23. Primary Site Configuration

  24. Disaster Recovery Wizard Primary Site configuration • Enable database replication on the Primary Site

  25. Disaster Recovery Wizard Primary Site configuration Choose SR for DR metadata location

  26. Disaster Recovery Wizard Primary Site configuration • Enable database replication on the Primary Site with single command. xe sr-database-replication uuid=<sr=uuid>

  27. Secondary Site Actions

  28. Secondary Site Actions • Stop Array replication before performing failover process • This is required for the host to gain Read/Write access to the lun(s) • Connect to the SR on the secondary site in the event of a disaster: xe drtask-create type=lvmoiscsi device-config:target=<target IP> device-config:targetIQN=<target-iqn> device-config:SCSIid=<SCSI-id> sr-whitelist=<sr-uuid> • Find the database VDI’s on the recovery SR xe vdi-list sr-uuid=<sr-uuid> type=Metadata

  29. Disaster Recovery Commands Secondary Site continued… • Query the database VDI for VMs present: xe vm-list database:vdi-uuid=<vdi-uuid from previous step> • Recover a VM xe vm-recover uuid=<vm-uuid> database:vdi-uuid=<vdi-uuid> • Destroy the DR task, this will destroy any SR’s introduced by the DR task and that are not required by VMs: xe drtask-destroy uuid=<drtask-uuid>

  30. Launching the Failover Wizard from XenCenter

  31. Locate the SR that contains the DR metadata

  32. Verify ‘VM configuration data exists’

  33. Choose VMs to failover to Secondary Site

  34. Choose vAppsto failover to Secondary Site

  35. DR Wizard will restore each selected VM or vApp

  36. Summary of failover to ‘Secondary Site’

  37. VM’s recovered and running at DR site

  38. Agenda • Why we need recovery options • VM metadata backup and restore method • How to utilize the integrated Disaster Recovery (DR) Wizard in XenServer • Tips for a successful recovery • Resources

  39. Tips for a successful recovery • Ensure that all the required SR’s are attached at the DR site before starting the failover • Run monthly or quarterly “dry runs” • Have a regular backup policy in place

  40. Agenda • Why we need recovery options • VM metadata backup and restore method • How to utilize the integrated Disaster Recovery (DR) Wizard in XenServer • Tips for a successful recovery • Resources

  41. Resources

  42. Resources • XenServer 6.1 Admin Guide CTX134585 • Metadata Restore process video CTX120590 • A more Open Xen = A Stronger Xen (Tom McCafferty) • http://blogs.citrix.com/2013/04/29/a-more-open-xen-a-stronger-xenserver/ • Xen Project now part of the Linux Foundation • http://www.xenproject.org/

  43. Questions

  44. Before you leave… • Conference surveys are available online at www.citrixsynergy.com starting Friday, May 24 at 9:00 a.m. PT • Provide your feedback by 4:00 p.m. PT that day and you’ll receive a $30 Amazon.com gift card via email • Download presentations starting Monday, June 3, from your My Conference Planning tool located within the My Account section

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