A vSAN stretched cluster is a configuration that allows you to set up a vSAN cluster across multiple geographic locations to provide additional data protection and availability. Here is a general overview of the steps to set up a vSAN stretched cluster:
Plan your cluster: Before setting up a vSAN stretched cluster, you need to plan the overall architecture of your cluster, including the number of hosts, the number of disk groups, and the number of fault domains.
Prepare your hosts: Install vSphere and vSAN on the hosts that will be part of the stretched cluster. Make sure that all hosts are running the same version of vSphere and vSAN.
Create a vSAN cluster: Use the vSphere Web Client or vCenter Server to create a new vSAN cluster. This cluster will contain all of the hosts that will be part of the stretched cluster.
Configure vSAN network: Configure vSAN network across both sites, vSAN requires a dedicated network for storage traffic and also it’s recommended to use a low-latency, high-bandwidth network for stretched clusters.
Configure fault domains: Once the vSAN cluster is created, configure the fault domains for the stretched cluster. Fault domains are used to define the different geographic locations that make up the stretched cluster.
Configure data protection: Configure the data protection settings for the stretched cluster. This includes the number of failures to tolerate and the number of preferred sites for data recovery.
Create a vSAN stretched cluster datastore: Once the cluster is configured, create a new vSAN stretched cluster datastore. This datastore will be used to store the data for the virtual machines that will run on the stretched cluster.
Monitor the cluster: Use the vSphere Web Client or vCenter Server to monitor the health and performance of the stretched cluster. Make sure that all hosts, disks, and virtual machines are operating normally.
Test the DR: Test the disaster recovery scenario, by simulating a failure at one of the sites. This will ensure that the data is properly replicated and that the virtual machines can failover to the other site.
Repeat the steps for the other site: Repeat the steps for the other site, and make sure that the configuration is identical.
Keep in mind that setting up a vSAN stretched cluster is a complex task that requires a good understanding of vSAN, vSphere, and storage networking. It’s recommended to have a detailed plan and testing before implementing it in a production environment.