Introduction #
In this guide, we will cover the steps to create a Disaster Recovery (DR) environment for a RELIANOID Load Balancer Cluster (2 nodes on Debian-based Linux) in Azure using the Azure Site Recovery (ASR) service. The RELIANOID Load Balancer requires activation licenses for each new instance, so we’ll also touch upon considerations for handling licensing in the DR environment.
Prerequisites #
- Azure Subscription: Ensure you have an active Azure subscription with sufficient resource limits.
- Debian-based RELIANOID Load Balancer Cluster: Ensure your on-prem or primary environment is running two nodes of the RELIANOID Load Balancer on Debian Linux.
- RELIANOID Licensing: You must have the necessary activation licenses for the load balancers when deployed in the DR site.
- Azure Site Recovery Service: Set up and configure the Azure Site Recovery service in your Azure portal.
- Network Configuration: Plan your networking needs for the DR site in Azure (VNet, Subnets, NSGs, etc.).
- Access to RELIANOID Load Balancer Configurations: Access to your load balancer’s configuration files and the ability to back them up for restoration.
Step 1: Prepare Azure Site Recovery (ASR) #
Before you can replicate your RELIANOID cluster to Azure, you need to set up ASR for your Linux VMs.
Set up a Recovery Services Vault #
1. Navigate to Azure Portal and create a Recovery Services Vault.
- Go to Create a Resource > Monitoring + Management > Recovery Services Vault.
- Provide a name, subscription, resource group, and region for the vault.
2. Configure ASR Replication Settings.
- After creating the vault, go to your vault and click Site Recovery > + Replicate.
- Select your Source Environment (On-premises or another cloud).
- For Target Environment, select Azure.
Prepare the Infrastructure #
1. Install Mobility Service on the RELIANOID Nodes:
- The Mobility Service agent is required for replicating the Linux VMs.
- Download the Mobility Service for Linux from Azure and install it on your RELIANOID Debian nodes.
2. Set Up Replication Policy:
- In the ASR Vault, configure the Replication Policy. This includes the Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and retention duration for your DR setup.
- A 15-minute RPO is generally recommended for critical systems like load balancers.
Create Azure VM Network Mapping #
- Create a Virtual Network (VNet) in the Azure region where you want the DR environment.
- Map the VNet to the replicated nodes under Network Mapping in ASR settings.
Step 2: Replicate RELIANOID Load Balancer Nodes to Azure #
Configure Replication #
1. In your Recovery Services Vault, go to Site Recovery > Replicate Application.
2. Select the Debian RELIANOID Load Balancer Nodes you wish to replicate.
3. Choose the appropriate Replication Policy.
4. Configure Disks and Storage. Ensure that both nodes have the appropriate storage options (Premium SSD for high I/O, if required).
Start Replication #
Once configured, initiate the replication. ASR will start replicating your RELIANOID nodes to Azure.
Monitor the replication process from the ASR Vault. Full replication may take some time depending on the size of the VM disks.
Step 3: Handle RELIANOID Licensing in DR #
Manual License Activation #
When your RELIANOID nodes fail over to Azure, they will require activation licenses.
- Ensure you have activation certificates ready for the new DR instances.
- Manual activation with the provided DR activation certificates are required once failover happens.
Step 4: Create a Failover and Failback Plan #
Test Failover #
In the ASR Vault, run a test failover to validate your DR setup. During the test, the load balancer nodes should start in Azure, and you should verify that:
- They are properly configured.
- Licensing is functional.
- The RELIANOID Load Balancer is operational and routing traffic.
Planned Failover (During Actual DR Event) #
If a disaster occurs and you need to failover, go to the ASR Vault and trigger a Planned Failover to Azure. This will shut down the on-prem nodes and bring up the replicated nodes in Azure.
Failback to On-prem #
After resolving the disaster, you can fail back to your on-prem environment by reversing the replication flow in ASR and performing a planned failback.
Step 5: Post-DR Considerations #
Post-Failover Validation #
After failing over to Azure, ensure the following:
- RELIANOID Load Balancer nodes are functioning correctly.
- Traffic is being properly distributed across your services.
- All activation licenses are active and validated.
Regular DR Testing #
Schedule regular DR drills and test failovers to ensure that your environment is always ready for failover. Make sure licensing and configuration changes are accounted for after each test.
Conclusion #
Creating a DR environment for your RELIANOID Load Balancer Cluster in Azure using Azure Site Recovery Service ensures high availability and business continuity. With the right replication policies, license management, and failover strategies, your critical infrastructure will be protected in case of a disaster. Always validate your failover plan with regular tests and stay in contact with us regarding licensing requirements.
References:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/migrate/tutorial-migrate-physical-virtual-machines
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/vmware-physical-mobility-service-overview#linux-machine-1
