How to Protect Data During a Virtual Migration

Failure type #2: Hardware failure

A hardware failure is less severe than a site failure, but it will still delay your virtual conversion process – unless you have a high-availability solution in place. As long as it isn’t a shared disk array in a clustered solution, you may be able to continue with your virtual migration from the remaining active node. If you have a high-availability solution in place with a redundant server, you should also be able to continue the process while you fix the failed server.

Failure type #3: Disk array failure and data loss

If you have a storage array failure with data loss, you will likely need to recover from whatever backups you have in place before proceeding with the P2V process.

You can’t avoid a disaster scenario, but you can have a recovery plan readily available if your P2V conversion process is interrupted. One solution that helps prevent data loss during a migration is high availability, in which a local redundant server with duplicate data helps keep the P2V process moving. This really is the best way to protect your data during the conversion.

Another option to consider is backing up the server. Whether or not you have an availability solution, always back up before you start any type of migration and/or maintenance of your servers.

Some disaster recovery solutions have the ability to convert physical to virtual machines. If you use one of those products, you may not have to start all over with the P2V process and just re-mirror from the last bit of converted data sent. Some of these products also provide real-time replication, minimising bandwidth utilisation and eliminating downtime requirements for the conversion. Then you aren’t limited to a scheduled outage on a weekend to complete the migration. Your challenge won’t be how to protect your data, as much as it will be how to keep users online and data current during the process.

Whatever method you choose, you should always have a recovery plan. That way, if something goes wrong with the process, you have the ability to recover from different scenarios.

Reaping the benefits

Once you have finalized the conversion, and the P2V process is successful, the last step is to make sure you include testing before you roll into production. Once testing is complete, you can immediately reap the benefits of your new virtual environment, including the most important one: reclaiming your weekends.

Brace Rennels is a Professional Services Project Manager at Double-Take Software, and a Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP). He has been involved with over 1,600 disaster recovery installations at Double-Take Software. He is responsible for managing the message of the professional services organisation, the partner channel/OEM-related services activities, and the implementation of new service programs to drive Double-Take Software’s sales.

Previously, Brace was Manager of Technical Consulting Services at OpenPages, Inc. There he worked for one of the fastest-growing content management systems for multiple channel publishing. He trained staff on how to conduct and develop Risk and Business Impact Analysis for clients. Additionally, he was a Solution Architect for designing enterprise publishing, print and Web solutions based on customer business requirements. He created the business model, methodology and mission statement for the Technical Consulting Services.

Before OpenPages, Brace worked for General Data Services (acquired by EMC Corporation in 1999) as a Senior Systems Engineer. There he performed Business Impact Analysis to assist architects for enterprise-wide solutions involving hardware, software and business processes. He was awarded the Professional Services Contributor of the Quarter award for outstanding efforts in FY99. He can be reached at brennels@doubletake.com.