Protecting Virtual Machines from a vCenter Server : Replication From a Protected Site vCenter Server to a Recovery Site AWS : ZertoTools for AWS
  
ZertoTools for AWS
ZertoTools for AWS is required for protecting VMs running Windows operating system in VMware, while AWS is the recovery site platform. The tool enables the following:
■ re-IP for Windows machines upon failback to VMware site when using Zerto Import for Data Volumes import method. (Due to AWS expected behavior, VMware tools are removed for virtual machines that were imported from VMware.)
■ Supporting Zerto Import for All Volumes import method for Windows machines for failover and upon failback to VMware site.
 
BEST PRACTICE:
It is recommended to install ZertoTools before VPG creation. This ensures that all checkpoints are valid when failing over.
If you install ZertoTools after VPG creation, make sure you select a checkpoint after the installations are completed.
ZertoTools Requirements
■ ZertoTools supports the following operating systems:
■ Windows 2008R2
■ Windows 2012
■ Windows 2012R2
■ Windows 2016
■ Windows 2019* (Windows 2019 is supported only if using Zerto Import for All Volumes)
■ Run ZertoTools from C: Windows OS drive only.
■ .Net Framework 4.5 and up must be installed.
ZertoTools Limitations
■ When using the Zerto Import for All Volumes import method, ZertoTools should not be installed on machines with Windows that are Domain Controllers.
When failing over machines with Windows 2012, 2012R2 and 2016 that are Domain Controllers, the Windows Citrix PV drivers need to be downloaded manually on the protected machines.
To download and install Windows PV drivers:
a) Go to https://www.xenproject.org/downloads/windows-pv-drivers/winpv-drivers-81/winpv-drivers-820.html
b) Follow the instructions for downloading and installing all Windows PV drivers.
■ To failover Windows 2008R2 with Domain Controller, contact Zerto Support.
■ Failback for Windows machines with Domain Controller is not supported.
ZertoTools Execution Options
When an instance is created in AWS, or when performing Failover using the Zerto Import for Data Volumes and AWS Import methods, by default, Amazon will install the latest version of the AWS PV driver.
When using the Zerto Import for All Volumes import method, only the AWS PV driver version 7.4.6 version is supported when failing back from AWS to vSphere.
Therefore, there are two modes of ZertoTools to choose from:
■ Installing ZertoTools with the latest AWS PV driver.
■ When choosing this mode, you will need to downgrade the AWS PV driver before performing Failback to vSphere.
■ Installing ZertoTools with AWS PV driver version 7.4.6. This version of the PV driver supports failback to vSphere.
NOTE:
PV drivers should not be manually installed on protected VMs prior to failover. This will result in an unreachable recovery instance in AWS after the failover completes.
To execute the ZertoTools script:
1. Login to myZerto to access ZertoTools from myZerto > Support & Downloads > Tools > ZertoTools for AWS.
2. Extract the zip file and copy the Zerto Tools.bat to each protected Windows virtual machine in VMware.
3. Execute the batch files with one of the following arguments:
■ -d (downgrade): ZertoTools will automatically downgrade/install the AWS PV driver upon failover to AWS. For more information about the Downgrade Script, see Downgrade Script.
■ -l (latest): ZertoTools will install the latest version of the AWS PV driver on the instance using the Zerto Import for All Volumes import method. Before failback from AWS to vSphere, you will need to downgrade the AWS PV driver.(For instances using Zerto Import for Data Volumes and AWS Import methods, the latest AWS PV driver will be installed by Amazon).
4. Wait a few minutes and verify you get the following message: Process successfully finished.
 
IMPORTANT:
If you receive an error message, DO NOT perform failover.
5. The script downloads the AWS PV driver and installs it upon failover on the AWS machine. If the AWS PV driver download fails, manually download it from the following link
■ AWS PV driver version 7.4.6: https://s3.amazonaws.com/ec2-windows-drivers-downloads/AWSPV/7.4.6/AWSPVDriver.zip
■ AWS PV driver version <Latest>: https://s3.amazonaws.com/ec2-windows-drivers-downloads/AWSPV/Latest/AWSPVDriver.zip
 
NOTE:
If you need to download the PV driver manually, the zip file name AWSPVDRIVER should not be changed.
ZertoTools will also backup the VMtools to ensure re-IP works upon Failback to the protected VMware site.
When running ZertoTools, note the following:
■ A folder named ZertoTools is created on C:/ProgramData folder.
This folder must not be deleted.
■ Upon failover to AWS, the AWS PV driver update may force reboot of the recovered instances in AWS.
Downgrade Script
If you decide to install the latest AWS PV driver, you will need to downgrade it before failing back to vSphere.
To execute the downgrade script:
1. Login to the protected AWS instance and locate the AWS PV driver version.
2. Backup the AWS instance on which you’re going to downgrade the AWS PV driver.
3. Copy the entire directory from myZerto > Support & Downloads > Tools > Downgrade Script to the AWS protected instance.
4. Execute the batch file (not the MSI file).
 
IMPORTANT:
Your AWS machine will be disconnected for a few minutes upon execution of the batch files.
5. After a few minutes, connect to the AWS instance and verify that the AWS PV driver is version 7.4.6.
If you installed ZertoTools after VPG creation, wait for the next checkpoint to be created before performing failover.