Using VXLAN to Simplify vCloud Disaster Recovery
When architecting a resilient multisite VMware virtual infrastructure, always consider the use of stretched Layer 2 networks to simplify solution design and the associated recovery process. The following are the main benefits of implementing stretched Layer 2 networks:
Ability to run workloads in more than one geographical location.
Migration of virtual machine workloads between geographic locations.
No need for
virtual machine IP address changes when migrating between environments.
Simplified disaster recovery when not using VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager.
When used with
vCenter Site Recovery Manager
, simplified disaster recovery
by not having to change IP addresses.
Even with the simplification afforded by stretched Layer 2 networks, people still tend to avoid them. The reason for this has to do with network instability that is introduced when there is a lot of latency between switching nodes on the network. Stretched Layer 2 networks also increase the failure domain radius by encompassing multiple locations. Most people do not opt for stretched Layer 2 due to the higher cost usually associated with implementation.