Comments on: Using vCenter Heartbeat to Protect Non-vCenter SQL DB? Think Again!

By: vSphere 5.1 and vCenter Server Heartbeat 6.5 Deployment Considerations « Long White Virtual Clouds

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 04:22:28 +0000

[…] of you may also remember the article I wrote titled Using vCenter Heartbeat to Protect Non-vCenter SQL DB? Think Again!. vCenter Server Heartbeat is only licensed and supported to provide HA and protect certain […]

By: Clustering Support on vCloud Director and vCenter Databases « Long White Virtual Clouds

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:05:42 +0000

[…] Server Heartbeat a couple of times above. Some of you may also remember the article I wrote titled Using vCenter Heartbeat to Protect Non-vCenter SQL DB? Think Again!. To ensure you’re aware of what components are supported for protection with vCenter Server […]

By: @vcdxnz001

@vcdxnz001 — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 16:33:37 +0000

In reply to Remi. Hi Remi, I agree that KB article is confusing. I think what it's trying to say is that you can use SRM to protect VM's that are being managed by a vCenter Server that is using vCenter Server Heartbeat. You definitely can't put SRM Database on the same SQL system that is being used for vCenter if that SQL system is being protected by vCenter Server Heartbeat. I've asked my contacts at VMware to review that KB and make it more clear. It's totally unclear to me what they're trying to say in that KB at the moment. What is crystal clear is the EULA and the restriction of what can and can't be protected by vCenter Server Heartbeat.

By: Remi

Remi — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 08:35:19 +0000

Hi Micheal,

This KB 1014266 : "Using vCenter Heartbeat With SRM", is very confused with vCenterHB EULA as it doesn't explain that we are not allowed to secure the SRM database on the same DB server of the vCenter

By: @vcdxnz001

@vcdxnz001 — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 21:15:22 +0000

In reply to Krasi Kantchev. No problem. I'm hoping to get more awareness of this and for the product managers to make it easier to understand and also easier for customers to implement heartbeat as well. I've talked to the product manager today and hopefully an FAQ will be produced that will help. Heartbeat is a great tool and very important in enterprise and service provider environments. Used in the right way it can provide fantastic availability and protection benefits to vCenter, which is the heart of your virtual infrastructure. vCenter is especially critical when it's managing business critical infrastructure, cloud environments, and virtual desktop infrastructure. If you choose to implement heartbeat I'd love to hear how you get on. I'm going to write another article shortly on a recent installation and upgrade experience that will help other customers who are implementing vCenter Server Heartbeat.

By: Krasi Kantchev

Krasi Kantchev — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 19:54:19 +0000

Hi Michael, no need for any action. I have simply missed that part of the EULA.

You are absolutly right.

By: @vcdxnz001

@vcdxnz001 — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 08:43:06 +0000

In reply to Krasi. Hi Krasi, I'll take your feedback to the Product Manager for Heartbeat and get a response. But having just re-read the EULA myself I'm pretty sure it's covered by section 9 sub-part (a). I'm not a lawyer so it would be best to get independent legal advice on this. But the way I read the EULA having anything else protected by heartbeat other than what is specifically granted in the license agreement, and spelled out in that section, would be in breach of the license agreement. The EULA specifically says that the license is granted to protect the vCenter Server and it's database. It does not mention any other products. If the EULA is read subject to the product guide and documentation it covers all the components that can be protected by vCenter Server Heartbeat.

By: Krasi

Krasi — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 08:10:02 +0000

I have read the entire Heatdbeat EULA (http://www.vmware.com/download/eula/heartbeat_eula.html) and I wasn't able to find anything that confirms the text in bold above.