How to configure Azure VMware Solution for ASR Protection

Question

In the documentation for configuring ASR to protect VMs running in AVS, the article instructs us to create a new VMware Role and a new user in the AVS vCenter. However, creation of a new user is not possible in the AVS vCenter by design. So, how should this account be configured for automatic discovery? Here is the link to the documentation:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/avs-tutorial-prepare-avs?context=%2Fazure%2Fazure-vmware%2Fcontext%2Fcontext#prepare-an-account-for-automatic-discovery

Also, should the Recovery Services Vault be created in the same region as the AVS environment or should it be created in the paired region of the AVS environment to protect against regional outtages?

Answer 1

Hello Puckett, Eddy , To answer your follow up question above.

The Azure Recovery Services Vault should be created in the paired region of the AVS environment to protect against regional outages. This is because if there is a regional outage in the region where the AVS environment is located, the paired region will still be available and the Recovery Services Vault will still be able to protect the data.

Hope that helps.

If you have any questions at all, let me know in the 'comments.'

If this helps, accept answer, so that it can help others in the community with the same query. Thanks.

Answer 2

Hello Puckett, Eddy

Good day!

The document link you mentioned might need an update from ASR product side.

Regarding the creation of a new user in the AVS vCenter, if it is not possible to create a new user in the AVS vCenter you can use the cloudadmin user.

As for as I know, Azure VMware Solution offers custom roles on vCenter Server but currently doesn't offer them on the Azure VMware Solution portal. For more information, see the Create custom roles on vCenter Server section later in this article.

Note: In Azure VMware Solution, vCenter Server has a built-in local user called cloudadmin assigned to the CloudAdmin role. You can configure users and groups in Active Directory (AD) with the CloudAdmin role for your private cloud. In general, the CloudAdmin role creates and manages workloads in your private cloud. But in Azure VMware Solution, the CloudAdmin role has vCenter Server privileges that differ from other VMware cloud solutions and on-premises deployments.

Also see, https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-vmware/concepts-identity#view-the-vcenter-server-privileges

As for the Recovery Services Vault, it is recommended to create the Recovery Services Vault in the same region as the AVS environment to protect against regional outages.

Please accept as answer and upvote if the above information is helpful for the benefit of the community.