Hi, we are considering deploying stretched cluster with VMware and NetApp - is this possible to achieve? One cluster in two separate datacenters to survive site going offline? For HA and DRS we can use vCenter Server HA - 2 instances + witness. But for storage how we can achieve it? With MetroCluster? It will be seen as one storage in two datacenters? I've heard and read about vMSC (vSphere Metro Storage Cluster) - is this still a thing and could be solution for our case?
#Stretched VMware cluster with NetApp
mild dew
rich grail
vital oasis
Stretch MetroCluster is not a "stretched" cluster though... it's 2 single-node clusters in a MetroCluster configuration.
The only way I know how you can stretch a single cluster across 2 sites is by using ONTAP Select MetroCluster SDS
static pond
Even though implementing vMSC with NetApp technology is no "stretched cluster" in ONTAP-terms, VMware does call it like that: https://core.vmware.com/resource/vmware-vsphere-metro-storage-cluster-vmsc
The end result is the same basically. The data is synchronously replicated between the two sites and you have an automated transparent failover if one site fails.
With NetApp you can deploy this solution using MetroCluster: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2031038
Or you use SnapMirror Active Sync (aka SnapMirror Business Continuity): https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/83370
Both are valid working solutions which have their pros and cons.
This page has a good overview, start reading here: https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/ontap-apps-dbs/vmware/vmware_vmsc_overview.html
mild dew
Thank you very much!
mild pine
I hope I'm not hijacking any topics but has anyone checked SnapMirror/SMBC ?
https://www.netapp.com/media/21888-tr-4878.pdf
Not sure if it would be relevant for that use case (depending on the number of hosts?)
vital oasis
yes it was one of the options OG1 mentioned:
Or you use SnapMirror Active Sync (aka SnapMirror Business Continuity)
we have tested SM-AS in our lab (we were in the EAP program) and it works, but still has some shortcomings. It's in an early state as of now so it's not generally on-par with a "classical" MetroCluster setup for example, but in some use-cases it fits very well
mild pine
yes it was one of the options OG1 mentioned:
> Or you use SnapMirror Active Sync...
Sorry yeah I read it right after, I was wondering if there were any recent tests/production.
I couldn't try, I wish I could try so that I could get a better understanding what are the limitations, or the best use cases.
I wish I could get more Netapp projects so that I could spend more time on that.
uneven python
SM-AS GA is expected with the next ONTAP Release, i've you are interested in in testing that feature and have some spare hardware available (as it's not allowed to use in productive clusters) reach out to your account team. Maybe they can help you out to get the required things.