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Hyper-V Replica Vs Hyper-V cluster

Dear All,
I have Hyper-V replicas configured in 2 windows2012 R2 server for a VM
I need to setup VM in Node1 failover to VM in Node2 automatic.

I tried Hyper-V replica first as one of my friend told me replica will do your job.
Now I came to know replica will not do automatic failover.

Does anyone think Hyper-V cluster will do my job?
Server is like fileserver as our application is based on flat file system

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

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ASKER

-->You will need to configure Shared Storage and Cluster Shared Volumes, and Failover Clustering.
I am not clear about shared storage and shared volumes.

As of now both the nodes has its own HDD.

Is it mandatory to have a SAN or NAS?

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

You need shared storage, this can be a NAS, SAN or recently with Windows 2012, this could be SMB3 CIFS share. (which is supported for VMs and Clustering)

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ASKER

Is it possible to use Hyper-v Replica broker to failover automatic?
If yes how?

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Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

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ASKER

I request to keep this question open as I saw in a place with automatic failover.
I am trying to accomplish the same here

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

Failover Clustering will provide that function.

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ASKER

Can you provide a URL to configure step by step?

Is it mandatory to have a shared storage?

SOLUTION

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

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ASKER

I have 2 windows2012 R2 servers . Is it possible to have automatic failover using the above URl?
if yes please send which is relevant for my req

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

Yes, it is possible.

ALL URLs are relevant.

You need to

1. Build a Failover Cluster.
2. Using SMB3 for storage of virtual machines.

Do you have a third Windows 2012 R2 Server that can act as the SMB3 file share?

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ASKER

I have only 2 servers which is 2012R2

Is there any workaround if I have only 2 servers.
bcz I saw a video in Youtube it fails over automatic

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

If you only have two servers, it's difficult because you have no shared storage, in Windows 2012 R2 you can use a Windows SMB3 share as shared storage, but it's no point, creating shared storage on a host which could fail.

So we are back to no shared storage no cluster, no failover.

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ASKER

What will happen if the storage fails?

I think that is a single point of failure.
Am I right?

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

That's correct.

All VMs will fail because that is where they are stored.

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ASKER

I think manual failover is better than the one I am trying to achieve.
What is your suggestion?

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

With the hardware you currently have, manual Failover, is all that you will be able to achieve.

Which is better than none at all.

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ASKER

I've requested that this question be closed as follows:

Accepted answer: 166 points for hanccocka's comment #a40004142
Assisted answer: 167 points for hanccocka's comment #a40003801
Assisted answer: 167 points for hanccocka's comment #a40014176
Assisted answer: 0 points for abbasiftt's comment #a40014509

for the following reason:

Thanks a lot

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ASKER

Thanks Andrew