How to deploy and configure EMC RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines 4.2? Part 2: Create a vRPA Cluster

In this part of deploying RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines 4.2, I will show how to create and configure vRPA Cluster. Before creating a vRPA Cluster, please ensure that the following prerequisites are met:

1. Installing the RecoverPoint for VMs splitter on each ESXi host in the ESXi cluster.
2. Configuring Software iSCSI Adapters on every ESXi host.
3. Deploying vRPAs using OVA.

The above prerequisites are covered in my another post here.

There are some prerequisites to create vRPA Cluster:

• RecoverPoint Deployment Manager (DM) 2.2 or later.
• Fully-licensed RecoverPoint for VMs 4.2 or later and licenses for each replicating VM.
• Datastore for the virtual repository must be mapped to every ESXi capable of running
  vRPAs. An additional minimum of 3 GB of storage is required for the repository.
• The vRPA has ongoing validation algorithms. A failure of any validation causes the vRPA to disconnect from the vRPA cluster (meaning that this vRPA will not function as an active RPA).
• Sharing vRPA iSCSI interfaces (iSCSI1 and iSCSI2) with the vRPA regular networks (LAN and WAN) may result in performance degradation and unexpected behavior of the vRPA.

To create a vRPA Cluster please follow the following steps:

1. Launch the Deployment Manager and select Install RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines. Click Login.
2. In the RecoverPoint Deployment Manager Wizard screen, select the RecoverPoint Installer Wizard.
3. In the Prerequisites screen, read the prerequisites. Once you have ensured that the conditions are met, select the I have fulfilled the conditions for installing the RecoverPoint cluster checkbox.
4. In the Configuration file screen, select whether to create a new installation configuration file or to continue installation from a saved file. Type the appropriate file location.
5. In the Environment settings screen, define the Cluster name. Define the environment settings.
6. In the RPA discovery screen, define how you want to set the IP addresses of the vRPAs.
7. In the IP and connectivity settings screen, define the vRPA cluster IP configurations and vRPA IP settings.
8. In the Login credentials screen, enter the default login credentials. (pass: boxmgmt)
9. In the Connectivity results screen, review the results of the connectivity test.
10. In the Cluster iSCSI settings screen, define the vRPA cluster iSCSI settings. If you want to use CHAP, configure the credentials for the iSCSI ports.
11. In the RPA iSCSI ports screen, define the vRPA cluster iSCSI IP configuration.
12. Select 3rd option (Do not update. Continue with current RecoverPoint release on RPAs).
13. In the Apply configuration results screen, the results of applying the configuration settings to all vRPAs are displayed.
14. In the vCenter Server registration screen, enter the vCenter server credentials, RecoverPoint administrator credentials (login: admin, password: admin), and the location of the vCenter certificate. The vCenter certificate can be found on the vCenter server at the following location:
    C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Virtual Center\SSL\rui.crt
    If using vCSA, the vCenter certificate can be found at the following location:
    /etc/vmware-vpx/ssl/rui.crt
    
15. In the Datastores screen, select a datastore from the Available datastores table to be the vRPA repository.
16. In the Storage configuration - cluster summary screen, review the vRPA information.
17. In the Summary screen, verify that the installation was completed successfully.

Please follow the next post about connecting vRPA clusters.

Note: You should deploy and create the second vRPA cluster (following above steps) in the second site to be able to replicate VMs between sites.