Windows Server 10 – Storage Replication

[floated align=”left”]Windows Server 10[/floated] In a series of screencasts, we’ll be presenting some of the most interesting new features in Windows Server vNext. The fact that it comes with the OS (no need of third party products) and is extremely easy to configure certainly qualifies Storage Replica as one of these features.
There are two Storage Replica scenarios:

• Server to Server replication
• Stretch cluster

In this step-by-step screencast, we demonstrate Server to Server replication with two disaster scenarios – source disk failure and losing the entire source server.

For your convenience, we provide the short plan and PowerShell commands used in the demo:

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Windows Server 10 Technical Preview: How to configure Storage Replica
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Server to Server Replication:
1. Configure fierwall rules
Enable-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup “Remote Desktop”,”File and Printer Sharing”
2. Install Windows Features
Install-WindowsFeature File-Services, WVR –IncludeManagementTools -restart
3. Prepare Data and Log Volumes
4. Create replication between the nodes
Note:
– Must be run on the source server!!!
– The command will create the specified replication groups on the source and destination nodes
New-SRPartnership -SourceComputerName FS1-10 -SourceRGName rg01 -SourceVolumeName d: -SourceLogVolumeName e: -DestinationComputerName FS2-10 -DestinationRGName rg02 -DestinationVolumeName d: -DestinationLogVolumeName e: -LogSizeInBytes 1gb
5. Create a folder with test data and share it:
1..200 | % {
fsutil file createnew d:\Projects\Project$_.dat (10MB)
fsutil file setvaliddata d:\Projects\Project$_.dat (10MB)
}
6. Simulate Hard Disk failure
7. Recover Disk, re-create partnership using FS2-10 as the source server
New-SRPartnership -SourceComputerName FS2-10 -SourceRGName rg02 -SourceVolumeName d: -SourceLogVolumeName e: -DestinationComputerName FS1-10 -DestinationRGName rg01 -DestinationVolumeName d: -DestinationLogVolumeName e: -LogSizeInBytes 1gb
8. Change replication direction, check folders, shares and permissions
Note: The command must be run on the new source server
Set-SRPartnership -NewSourceComputerName FS1-10 -SourceRGName rg01 -DestinationComputerName FS2-10 -DestinationRGName rg02
9. Export and restore shares and permissions:
# Export the Share registry key
reg export HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Shares shareperms.reg
10. Simulate server failure of the Source server and using the replica
# Uninstall WVR (restart required)
Remove-WindowsFeature WVR -Restart
# Clear the hidden attribute with DISKPART
DISKPART
LIST VOLIUME
SELECT VOLUME n
ATTRIBUTES VOLUME CLEAR HIDDEN
EXIT
# Import the shares key on the Destination server:
reg import shareperms.reg
# Restart LanmanServer service
Restart-Service LanmanServer
#Check the shares and permissions on the test folder
Get-SmbShare
Get-SmbShareAccess Projects
11. Add the name of the failed server as an additional name to the replica server
# Delete the DNS record and the Computer account of the failed server on a DC
# Force push replication if there are multiple Domain Controllers
repadmin /syncall /AeP
# Add the name of the failed server on the replica server
netdom computername FS2-10 /ADD:FS1-10.netometer.com
# Check the list of names
netdom computername FS2-10 /ENUM
# Restart the server to apply the settings
# You can remove the name with (if you recover the failed server or start a new one)
# netdom computername FS2-10 /REMOVE:FS2-10.netometer.com

You can download the [tip label=”Text File with Commands” style=”1″ href=”https://www.netometer.com/downloads/Windows-Server-10-Storage-Replica-Video.txt”]PowerShell Commands text [/tip].

Step1: Overview of Windows Server 10 Storage Replica and the setup scenarios.

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Step2: Configuring and validating Windows Server 10 Storage replica.

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Step3: Recovering from Source Data Volume failure.

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Step4: Recovering from Source Server failure.

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