Once the VASA providers are registered and the vVol datastores are mounted, the next step is to create one or more replication-based storage policies.
In order for VMware to recognize that a virtual machine is replicated, it must be assigned to a storage policy that indicates replication is enabled. When a replication-based storage policy is assigned to that VM, a replication group can be chosen to ensure proper consistency protection on the target FlashArrays.
To create a policy, click on the top menu and choose Policies and Profiles.
Choose VM Storage Policies and then Create VM Storage Policy:
Select one of the two vCenters and enter a name that expresses the policy contents in a meaningful way. It is useful to remember that a storage policy does not have a 1:1 mapping to replication groups: any replication group that matches the policy is valid to be used for a VM with that policy. The more specific you make the policy, the less replication groups will be matched. VMware refers to matching replication groups as compliant.
Click Next. Now choose the option "Enable rules for "com.purestorage.storage.policy" storage":
Under placement, choose at least one rule.
If the goal is to make this policy valid for any FlashArray, choose Everpure FlashArray and set it to true.
If the goal is to make this policy specific to one or more FlashArrays, choose FlashArray Group and enter in each FlashArray it should be valid for. In this case it will only be valid for the FlashArray local to vCenter-01, flasharray-m50-1.
Click on the Replication tab and choose Custom. Then click on Add Rule.
Here is where there is a lot of flexibility. At a minimum, one rule must be chosen.
Be as specific as needed-just remember that the target FlashArray must have a protection group that exactly matches the features chosen. For this example, Replication Capable was chosen and a target site of flasharray-m50-2 was selected.
This policy will then ensure that:
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The VM is being replicated to flasharray-m50-2.
Click Next. The next page will show if any FlashArrays can currently support assigning that policy.
If no vVol datastores show up as compatible, that means no vVol datastores are mounted and/or no vVol datastores are mounted from FlashArrays that can replicate to the specified target.
Note:It is important to remember that replication groups on the FlashArray are called protection groups. If a protection group is not pre-created on a FlashArray, the FlashArray will not show support for replication in compatibility check.
As you can see, the vVol datastore from flasharray-m50-1 is compatible, and this can be proven out by looking at the array. The array has a protection group that replicates to flasharray-m50-2. Since the array has at least one matching protection group, the vVol datastore is considered compatible with that policy.
Click Next.
Click Finish to create the policy.
Now repeat the process on the opposing vCenter. In this case the vCenter called vCenter-02 with the FlashArray called flasharray-m50-2.
This policy will be very similar except that is will expect any VM assigned to it to be on the FlashArray flasharray-m50-2 and replicate to flasharray-m50-1.
Note:Note that you do not need to have a protection group created on the target FlashArray. The SRM reprotect process will create one for you automatically. Therefore if no vVol datastores show up as compatible you should not be concerned.