Site Recovery Manager can work with an external database. To use Site Recovery Manager with an external database, you must install the database and Site Recovery Manager Server. You can install Site Recovery Manager Server by using the command-line interface or automate the Site Recovery Manager Server installation.

You can use the following procedure in the standard one-to-one Site Recovery Manager configuration and in a shared recovery site configuration. For information about a shared recovery site configuration, see Installing Site Recovery Manager to Use with a Shared Recovery Site.

If you install Site Recovery Manager in a shared recovery site, you must use custom extension keys and run the procedure on each site.

The following procedure is for an installation using the Windows LocalSystem account for the Site Recovery Manager service and DSN with SQL authentication.

Note: Use the silent installation of Site Recovery Manager Server if you use Microsoft SQL Server as an external database.

Prerequisites

Procedure

  1. Run the Site Recovery Manager installer by specifying the locale ID and the path to the log file. 
    VMware-srm-*****.exe /clone_wait /s /Llocale ID in decimal format /V"/l*vx path to the log file /qr // the installer displays a reduced user interface
    Table 1. Supported Locale IDs
    Locale ID in Decimal Format Language
    1028 Chinese, Traditional
    1031 German
    1033 English
    1034 Spanish, Traditional
    1036 French
    1041 Japanese
    1042 Korean
    2052 Chinese, Simplified
    For example, 
    VMware-srm-****.exe /clone_wait /L1033 /s /V" /l*vx C:\install.log /qr // installs Site Recovery Manager in English
    The installer displays a reduced user interface.
  2. Specify the path to the Site Recovery Manager installation directory. 
    INSTALLDIR=\"installation path\"
  3. Specify Platform Services Controller on the local site by providing the FQDN or the IP address of Platform Services Controller and the thumbprint of the certificate. Use a colon between the HEX value pairs to specify the thumbprint. 
    PLATFORM_SERVICES_CONTROLLER_HOST=FQDN or IP address
    PLATFORM_SERVICES_CONTROLLER_THUMBPRINT=Thumbprint of the certificate // use : to separate the HEX value pairs
    For example, 
    PLATFORM_SERVICES_CONTROLLER_THUMBPRINT=82:81:C5:E5:63:0D:18:0D:49:8A:A2:AA:E3:E5:0D:FC:25:7F:5D:00
  4. Enter the administrator credentials to the local Platform Services Controller. 
    SSO_ADMIN_USER=\"username\"
    SSO_ADMIN_PASSWORD=\"password\"
  5. Specify vCenter Server on the local site by providing the FQDN, and the thumbprint of the certificate. Use a colon between the HEX value pairs to specify the thumbprint. 
    DR_TXT_VCHOSTNAME=FQDN
    VC_CERTIFICATE_THUMBPRINT=Thumbprint of the certificate // use : to separate the HEX value pairs
    For example, 
    VC_CERTIFICATE_THUMBPRINT=3a:cc:4a:3e:81:cb:dc:7b:48:c4:39:00:89:ee:2a:38:6a:7a:93:2b
  6. Specify the Site Recovery Manager extension key.
    You can use a default or custom extension key. In a shared recovery site configuration, use a custom extension key. Use com.vmware.vcDr for a default key. For an extension key, you can use alphanumeric characters, a hyphen, a period, or underscore. The custom extension key must include fewer than 29 characters. The key cannot start or end with a sequence of hyphen, period, or underscore characters. 
    DR_TXT_EXTKEY=\"Site Recovery Manager key\"
    For example, 
    DR_TXT_EXTKEY=\"com.vmware.vcDr\" //use the Site Recovery Manager default extension key
  7. Specify the Site Recovery Manager plug-in description. You can use alphanumeric characters for a company name and a description. Use fewer than 50 characters for each parameter. 
    DR_TXT_PLUGIN_COMPANY=\"Company\"
    DR_TXT_PLUGIN_DESC=\"Description\"
    For example, 
    DR_TXT_PLUGIN_COMPANY=\"VMware, Inc.\"
    DR_TXT_PLUGIN_DESC=\"Created for SRM.\"
  8. Specify the Site Recovery Manager host VM by providing the FQDN or the IP address of the VM. 
    DR_CB_HOSTNAME_IP=FQDN or IP address
  9. Specify the name of the local Site Recovery Manager site. 
    DR_TXT_LSN=\"local site name\"
  10. Specify the email address of the Site Recovery Manager administrator. 
    DR_TXT_ADMINEMAIL=\"email address\"
  11. Specify whether to use an automatically generated certificate or a certificate from a certification file. 
    DR_RB_CERTSEL=0 // use an existing PKCS#12 certification file
    DR_RB_CERTSEL=1 // use an automatically generated certificate
  12. If you use an existing certification file, specify the path to the file and enter the password to access the file. 
    DR_TXT_CERTFILE=\"path to certificate file\"

    DR_TXT_CERTPWD=\"password\"
  13. If you use an automatically generated certificate, enter the description of the certificate. 
    DR_TXT_CERTORG=\"Organization\"
    DR_TXT_CERTORGUNIT=\"Organization unit\"
    For example, 
    DR_TXT_CERTORG=\"VMware, Inc.\"
    DR_TXT_CERTORGUNIT=\"ORG\"
  14. Configure Site Recovery Manager to use an external database. 
    DR_USES_EMBEDDED_DB=0 // use external database
  15. Enter SQL Server for the type of the external database. 
    DR_CB_DC=\"SQL Server\"
  16. Specify the system data source name (DSN) that points to your database. Use alphanumeric characters or underscore but do not start with an underscore or a number. 
    DR_TXT_DSN=\"System DSN\"
  17. Enter the administrator credentials of your database. 
    DR_TXT_DBUSR=\"database administrator's username\"
    DR_TXT_DBPWD=\"database administrator's password\"
  18. Clean the existing database. 
    DR_RB_EXISTDBSEL=0

Example: Silent Installation of Site Recovery Manager Server

You can use the following commands to install Site Recovery Manager Server using the Windows LocalSystem account for the Site Recovery Manager service and automatically generated certificates. 

VMware-srm-*****.exe /clone_wait /L1033 /s /V" /l*vx c:\install.log /qr 
INSTALLDIR=\"C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager\" 
PLATFORM_SERVICES_CONTROLLER_HOST=<FQDN or IP address>
PLATFORM_SERVICES_CONTROLLER_THUMBPRINT=<Thumbprint of the certificate>
SSO_ADMIN_USER=<\"username\">
SSO_ADMIN_PASSWORD=<\"<password>\">
DR_TXT_VCHOSTNAME=<FQDN> 
VC_CERTIFICATE_THUMBPRINT=<Thumbprint of the certificate> 
DR_TXT_EXTKEY=\"com.vmware.vcDr"\ 
DR_TXT_PLUGIN_COMPANY=\"VMware, Inc.\" 
DR_TXT_PLUGIN_DESC=\"VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager Extension\" 
DR_CB_HOSTNAME_IP=<FQDN or IP address> 
DR_TXT_LSN=<\"local site name\"> 
DR_TXT_ADMINEMAIL=<\"email address\">
DR_RB_CERTSEL=1
DR_TXT_CERTORG=<\"Organization\">
DR_TXT_CERTORGUNIT=<\"Organization unit\">
DR_USES_EMBEDDED_DB=0
DR_CB_DC=\"SQL Server\"
DR_TXT_DSN=<\"System DSN\">
DR_TXT_DBUSR=<\"username\">
DR_TXT_DBPWD=<\"password\">
DR_RB_EXISTDBSEL=0"

You can use the following commands to install Site Recovery Manager Server using the Windows LocalSystem account for the Site Recovery Manager service and custom certificates. 

VMware-srm-*****.exe /clone_wait /L1033 /s /V" /l*vx c:\install.log /qr 
INSTALLDIR=\"C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager\" 
PLATFORM_SERVICES_CONTROLLER_HOST=<FQDN or IP address>
PLATFORM_SERVICES_CONTROLLER_THUMBPRINT=<Thumbprint of the certificate>
SSO_ADMIN_USER=<\"username\">
SSO_ADMIN_PASSWORD=<\"<password>\"> 
DR_TXT_VCHOSTNAME=<FQDN> 
VC_CERTIFICATE_THUMBPRINT=<Thumbprint of the certificate> 
DR_TXT_EXTKEY=\"com.vmware.vcDr"\
DR_TXT_PLUGIN_COMPANY=\"VMware, Inc.\"
DR_TXT_PLUGIN_DESC=\"VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager Extension\" 
DR_CB_HOSTNAME_IP=<FQDN or IP address> 
DR_TXT_LSN=<\"local site name\"> 
DR_TXT_ADMINEMAIL=<\"email address\"> 
DR_RB_CERTSEL=0 
DR_TXT_CERTFILE=\"path to certificate file\"
DR_TXT_CERTPWD=\"password\"
DR_USES_EMBEDDED_DB=0 
DR_CB_DC=\"SQL Server\"
DR_TXT_DSN=<\"System DSN\">
DR_TXT_DBUSR=<\"username\">
DR_TXT_DBPWD=<\"password\">
DR_RB_EXISTDBSEL=0"

What to do next

Repeat the procedure on the remote site.