Insights Windows Server 2016 Hyper-V Replication without the need of an appliance.

Windows Server 2016 Hyper-V Replication without the need of an appliance.

Hyper-V replication allow your environment to replicate from one virtual machine to another virtual machine environment without the need for additional cost of an appliance. Hyper-V Replication helps with both planned and unplanned fail over situations by having a fail over to protect the virtual machine. This feature is included in Windows Server 2012, 2012R2, and in Windows Server 2016.

Understanding fail overs

Planned Fail over – When there is a scheduled event to fail over from production to the replica server. Example: Planned maintenance on the production host server or testing fail over.
Unplanned Fail over – When there is a failure at the primary site. This is when you can bring up the replicated virtual machine on the Replica Host server with limited downtime in your production environment.

Setting up Windows Server 2016 Hyper-V VM Replication

To have Hyper-V replication on your host servers the following settings need to be setup. Log into host servers and click on Hyper-V manager. Once Hyper-V Manager has started right click on the host server and select Hyper-V Settings.(See Below)

Click on Replication Configuration and check Enable this computer as a Replica Server. The two choices of Authentication and ports are wither using HTTP over port 80 or use certificate-based authentication to (HTTPS) over port 443.(See Below)

Specify the default location to where the storage replica files will be stored during Hyper V Replication. Click browse and map the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path to where the files will be kept.(See Below)

Once Replication Configuration is setup a settings pop-up will show stating to configure firewall inbound rules.(See below)

Replication firewall rules:

Click Start – type: Control Panel

Click Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Firewall > Advanced Settings > Inbound Rules.(See Below)

Look for the following rules:
Hyper-V Replica HTTP Listener (TCP-In) – Right Click and Select Enable Rule (make sure the rule is enabled for the proper network)
Hyper-V Replica HTTPS Listener (TCP-In) – Right Click and Select Enable Rule (make sure the rule is enabled for the proper network)

Start Hyper-V Manager on the host server. Right click on the server you’re wanting to replicate changes between the host servers. Click on Enable Replication…(See Below)

Replication wizard starts and click next.(See Below)

Click on Browse.(See Below)

Type in the specify the replica host server name where the Hyper-V server should be replicated too. After this is done click next.(See Below)

Specify the connection between the two host servers. Either using port 80 or you can use port 443 using a certificate base encryption between host servers. Make sure Compress the data that is transmitted over the network is checked.(See Below)

Specify any or unwanted VHD files you do or don’t want to replicate.(See Below)

Specify the frequency at which changes will be sent to the replica server.(See Below)

Select if any additional recover points will be needed for your recovery points.(See Below)

Specify how the initial copy of the VHD’s being transferred to the replica server and schedule the initial replication.(See Below)

Enable Replication by clicking finish.(See Below)

Creating the initial check point will take a little bit depending on size of virtual machine. Once complete the virtual machine will show up on the replicated host, but will be turned off until needed. All changes will replicate to between the two hosts.