You isolate the network traffic to the vSphere Replication Server by adding a dedicated network adapter to the vSphere Replication appliance to handle data from each management ESXi host.

By default, the vSphere Replication appliance has one virtual machine network adapter that is used by vSphere Replication for both replication traffic and by vCenter Server for virtual machine management. To isolate the replication traffic, you add a second adapter to the appliances in both regions and configure them for replication traffic.

Procedure

  1. In a Web browser, log in to vCenter Server by using the vSphere Client.
    Setting Value
    URL https://sfo01m01vc01.sfo01.rainpole.local/ui
    User name administrator@vsphere.local
    Password vsphere_admin_password
  2. To allow changes in the hardware configuration, shut down the vSphere Replication appliance.
    1. In the Hosts and clusters inventory, expand the sfo01m01vc01.sfo01.rainpole.local tree and expand the sfo01-m01dc data center.
    2. Right-click the sfo01m01vrms01 appliance and select Power > Shut down guest OS.
    3. In the Confirm guest shut down dialog box, click Yes to proceed.
  3. Add a VM network adapter to the vSphere Replication virtual appliance for replication traffic only.
    1. Right-click the sfo01m01vrms01 virtual appliance and select Edit settings.
      The Edit settings dialog box opens.
    2. On the Virtual hardware tab, click Add new device and select Network adapter.
    3. Expand the New network section, configure the settings, and click OK.
      Setting Value
      New network sfo01-m01-vds01-replication
      Status Connected at power on
      Adapter type VMXNET 3
      Direct path I/O Enabled
    4. Right-click the sfo01m01vrms01 virtual appliance and select Power > Power On.
  4. In a Web browser, log in to vSphere Replication by using the Virtual Appliance Management Interface (VAMI).
    Setting Value
    URL https://sfo01m01vrms01.sfo01.rainpole.local:5480
    User name root
    Password vr_sfo_root_password
  5. Configure the network settings of the new network adapter eth1.
    1. Click the Network tab and click Address.
    2. Under eth1 info, configure the settings and click Save Settings.
      Setting Value
      IPv4 Address Type Static
      IPv4 Address 172.16.16.71
      Netmask 255.255.255.0
      IPv6 Address Type None
    3. Click the VR tab and click Configuration.
    4. In the IP Address for incoming storage traffic text box, enter 172.16.16.71 and click Apply network setting.
      172.16.16.71 is the IP address of the new network adapter that handles replication traffic.
  6. Repeat the steps to reconfigure the lax01m01vrms01 vSphere Replication appliance in Region B, using the values from the following table.
    Setting Value
    vSphere Replication appliance lax01m01vrms01
    New network lax01-m01-vds01-replication
    URL of vSphere Replication appliance https://lax01m01vrms01.lax01.rainpole.local:5480
    IPv4 address type Static
    IPv4 address 172.17.16.71
    Netmask 255.255.255.0
    IP address for incoming storage traffic 172.17.16.71
  7. In a Web browser, log in to vCenter Server by using the vSphere Client.
    Setting Value
    URL https://sfo01m01vc01.sfo01.rainpole.local/ui
    User name administrator@vsphere.local
    Password vsphere_admin_password
  8. On the vSphere Replication appliances, add static network routes to the hosts in the other region.
    Appliance Host Name Source Gateway Target Network
    sfo01m01vrms01.sfo01.rainpole.local 172.16.16.253 172.17.16.0/24
    lax01m01vrms01.lax01.rainpole.local 172.17.16.253 172.16.16.0/24
    1. In the Hosts and clusters inventory, expand the sfo01m01vc01.sfo01.rainpole.local tree and expand the sfo01-m01dc data center.
    2. Select the sfo01m01vrms01 virtual appliance, click the Summary tab, and click Launch web console.
    3. In the Launch console dialog box, select Web console, and click OK.
    4. Press ALT+F2 to switch to the command prompt.
    5. Log in using the following credentials.
      Setting Value
      User name root
      Password vr_root_password
    6. Edit the /etc/systemd/network/10-eth1.network file. 
      vi /etc/systemd/network/10-eth1.network
    7. To create a route to from the recovery to the protected region, add the following text at the end of the file.
      File Value for sfo01m01vrms01 Value for lax01m01vrms01
      /etc/systemd/network/10-eth1.network 
      [Route] Gateway=172.16.16.253
Destination=172.17.16.0/24
      		 
      [Route] Gateway=172.17.16.253
Destination=172.16.16.0/24
    8. To restart the network service, run the command. 
      systemctl restart systemd-networkd.service
    9. To verify the routing table, run the route -n command.
      Command Output for sfo01m01vrms01 Output for lax01m01vrms01
      route -n 
      Destination 172.17.16.0
Gateway 172.16.16.253 Iface eth1
      		 
      Destination 172.16.16.0
Gateway 172.17.16.253 Iface eth1
    10. Repeat the step on the vSphere Replication appliance in the other region.