SMVI Licensing

[nsitps1976]

If I have three ESX hosts and a FAS2040 (dual) at a primary site and two ESX hosts and a FAS2040 (single) at a DR site what SMVI licensing do I require?

I will also be using snapmirror integrated with SMVI for replicating VMs from primary to DR and I wont be running any VMs that require protection at the DR site....

[alli]

Take a look at the 6th reply of this thread http://communities.netapp.com/message/20084

Side-note: If you have a flexclone licensed, I would HIGHLY recommend using NetApp Virtual Storage Console (VSC), unifying NetApp's Rapid Clone Utility with SMVI into a vCenter plug-in...makes life easy-peasy!

http://blogs.netapp.com/virtualstorageguy/2010/07/netapp-vsc-20-vcenter-plug-in-announced.html

[nsitps1976]

for some reason I cant access that thread - Access denied!

can you copy and paste for me?

[alli]

Try it now...

[aborzenkov]

The only place where license is mentioned in this thread is when it talks about SnapVault. It does not say anything about SMVI licensing … or I cannot find it ☺

[nsitps1976]

Still can't see it!

Can anyone just explain what is needed for my situation on this thread please?

[amritad]

You can have a controller or host level license for SMVI. In addition based on what you want to do you may want

1) SnapMirror (if you are interested in DR)

2) FlexClone - This provides useful functionality like

     - Single file restore

     -restore VMDK to an alternate datastore

     -NFS datastore mounts (for backup verification)

     - cloning using RCU (which is a part of VSC 2.0 release)

REgards

Amrita

[saganetapp]

Can we license SMVI per-storage basis or only per-host basis?

When I type 'license' in FAS2040 storage CLI, I can see the following SnapManger options:

smdomino

smsql

snapmanager_hyperv
snapmanager_oracle
snapmanager_sap
snapmanager_sharepoint
snapmanagerexchange

but I cannot locate license option for VI.

Anybody know?

[mlaatzar]

You can purchase SMVI licenses for your Filer(s) OR for your ESX hosts. Ask your NetApp contact, which alternative is cheaper. You have to purchase a Snapmirror license for each filer (controller). Also you have to add Flexclone licenses if you want to do Single File Restores. Do you want to use your single head filer as backup only?

[saganetapp]

OK, but where do you type storage-based license?

I don't see it in a list of licenses on my filer. Options for other SM licenses are there (smsql,...)

Is there any relevant document about SMVI licensing?

[alli]

As of right now, there isn't a "SMVI license" that you add to the controller(s). NetApp is currently using the "honor system", expecting you to try-and-buy after a short trial period. They may in the future require and actual license. so for now, licensing the controllers with FlexClone is all that you should do.

[saganetapp]

Thank you people.

My customer wants to buy SMVI, but I did not understand that FlexClone is necessary for SMVI.

I understand that FlexClone is necessary only for Single File Restore operation, and only if datastore is NFS-mounted.

Cited from SMVI 2.0 Installation and Administration Guide tells that:

"In addition, to enable the single file restore feature for an NFS datastore and perform a mount operation,

you must purchase the FlexClone license and install it on the storage system"

If datastore is SAN-mounted (not NFS), SnapDrive and SnapRestore should be sufficient for Single File Restore?

[alli]

saganetapp,

You are correct, you won't need FlexClone.

FlexClone in SMVI serves 3 purposes:

1.) NFS datastore mounts

2.) NFS SFR (note: SMVI 2.0)

3.) VMDK backup/restores

Page 23 of the SMVI best practice guide http://media.netapp.com/documents/tr-3737.pdf

[saganetapp]

OK, I read the document, but I'm still not sure.

There are 4 leves of restore granularity in SMVI 2.0:

     1) datastore,

     2) VM,

     3) VMDK, and

     4) single file.

When datastore type is VMFS, and FlexClone is not present, at which granularity restore is supported?

First two levels or all four levels?

[amritad]

FlexClone is required for 3 operations using SMVI

1) Single file restore – all operations around this

2) NFS datastore mounts

3) Restoring VMDKs to an alternate location

Apart from these 3 all backup and recovery operations will work fine even without FlexClone.

Regards

Amrita

[saganetapp]

Thanks Amrita.

In my opinion, NetApp should document SMVI licensing requirements more precisely.

Nikola

[amritad]

Hi

Thanks for the feedback. Yes I agree with you there. We will make changes to the documentation to reflect this. We did include this in the IAG and the product essentials guide but I guess we need to add more documentation around this to make it clearer.

Regards

Amrita

[nsitps1976]

I will have 2 controllers at the primary site and 1 controller at the DR site.

Do I need to license the controller for SMVI at the DR site if I am only doing single direction replication (to the DR site)? (I know I need snapmirror for all controllers)

If you purchase SMVI for the controllers (not ESX hosts) where do you apply the license if not on the controllers? Within the SMVI GUI?

Can I get away with FlexClone at the DR site only?

[alli]

nsitps1976,

To reitterate...

There isn't an actual SMVI license that you apply to the controllers. Once you have evaluated SMVI, you just have to purchase the product. SMVI is a per controller purchase. What do you believe you will need SMVI at the DR site for?

[nsitps1976]

Sorry for my ignorance here!  I have never used SMVI (as I am sure you can tell)...

As you are using SMVI to snap and replicate (using snapmirror) from the primary site to the DR site, does SMVI not need to know about the DR site and hence need licensing there? Or does it not work like this..?

Also, does SMVI have the ability to clone (Flexclone) LUNs / NFS which were replicated to the DR array, mount these to the ESX servers and register the VMs? Or do I need SRM for this?

[alli · Accepted solution]

I REALLY, REALLY recommend that you install VSC (Virtual Storage Console) instead of just SMVI. This installs on the vCenter server as a plugin and is extremely intuitive to use. This incorporates both RCU (Rapid Clone Util) and SMVI. Once installed, you literally right click on the vm or cluster or the datacenter to clone, backup/restore...it's AWESOME!

My question to you, do you have multiple vCenter servers? Depending on how complex your network is, you usually only need one. Add in all your ESX servers both at the primary and DR site. Do you plan to backup and restore at the DR? If so, yes SMVI needs to be purchased at the DR site. Other wise if your, just cloning from there...you only need flexclone. Either way, install VSC and uncheck which option (SMVI or RCU) applies. VSC is available on the NOW site to download.