Configuring network mappings in Site Recovery Manager to assign specific VLANs during recovery - VMware Live Recovery

Products

• VMware Live Recovery

Issue/Introduction

During a Site Recovery Manager (SRM) test failover, virtual machines (VMs) recovered in the test network cannot ping the default gateway or external IP addresses. This article explains how to configure native SRM network mappings to resolve connectivity issues when transitioning away from external tools like govc or the DR IP Customizer.

• VMs recovered in the Test Network cannot ping the default gateway or any external IP address.
• Network connectivity tests from the test VM to production resources fail.
• vSphere Client shows the VM connected to an isolated network port group (e.g., srmpg-####).
• External tools like govc or DR IP Customizer do not assign the intended VLAN or IP configuration.

 

Environment

• VMware Live Recovery 8.x
• VMware Live Recovery 9.x

Cause

This behavior is by design. When SRM performs a Recovery Plan Test, by default it creates an isolated test network to avoid any impact on the production environment. This isolated network lacks external connectivity, meaning VMs cannot reach the production gateway or other subnets.

Resolution

Fixed in Site Recovery Manager 8.x and higher. See Download Broadcom products and software for steps to download this release.

To allow external network connectivity during testing, modify the SRM network mapping to use a valid (non-isolated) test network instead of the default configuration:

1. Log in to the Site Recovery Manager interface.
2. Open Recovery Plans and select the plan requiring adjustment.
3. Click Edit Recovery Plan and navigate to the Network Mapping section.
4. Verify if the VM is mapped to an isolated network (typically named "Isolated Network (Auto Created)").
5. For each protected network, edit the Recovery Test Network mapping.
6. Manually select a valid (non-isolated) port group or designated VLAN (e.g., DRVLAN32) that has routing to the desired gateway.
7. Save the configuration and execute a Test Recovery.

By explicitly mapping the protected networks to a designated DR VLAN within the SRM Recovery Plan, the system ensures the virtual NIC is placed on the correct port group at the recovery site, bypassing the need for external customization tools.

Additional Information

• Modify the test network mapping only when external access is necessary for application validation.
• After testing, revert the network mapping to the default isolated configuration to maintain best practices.
• If you need to speak with a customer representative or a Support Engineer, see Contact Support. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on your respective region.