Create Array-Based Protection Groups

You create array-based protection groups to enable the protection of virtual machines in datastore groups that you configure to use array-based replication.

Site Recovery Manager computes the datastore groups when you configure the array pair or when you refresh the list of devices.

After you create a protection group, Site Recovery Manager creates placeholder virtual machines and applies inventory mappings for each virtual machine in the group. If Site Recovery Manager cannot map a virtual machine to a folder, network, and resource pool on the recovery site, Site Recovery Manager sets the virtual machine in the Mapping Missing status, and does not create a placeholder for it.

You can organize protection groups in folders. Different views in the Recovery interface display the names of the protection groups, but they do not display the folder names. If you have two protection groups with the same name in different folders, it might be difficult to tell them apart in some views in the Recovery interface. Consequently, ensure that protection group names are unique across all folders. In environments in which not all users have view privileges for all folders, to be sure of the uniqueness of protection group names, do not place protection groups in folders.

When you create protection groups, wait to ensure that the operations finish as expected. Make sure that Site Recovery Manager creates the protection group and that the protection of the virtual machines in the group is successful.

Procedure

1. Click Protection Groups in the Site Recovery Manager interface, and click Create Protection Group.
2. On the Select a Site and Protection Group Type page, select which site to protect and select Array Based Replication.
3. Select an array pair, and click Next.
4. Select a datastore group from the list, and click Next.
   When you select a datastore group, the virtual machines in that datastore group appear in the Virtual Machines on the Selected Datastore Group pane, and are marked for inclusion in the protection group after you create the protection group.
5. Type a name and optional description for the protection group, and click Next.
6. Click Finish to create the protection group and begin the protection of the specified virtual machines.
   You can monitor the progress of the tasks to create the protection group and protect the virtual machines in the Recent Tasks panel of the vSphere Client.

What to do next

Create a recovery plan with which to associate your protection groups. See Create a Recovery Plan.