Dear Community

I am looking to deploy an SEPM solution. I have read a lot of documentation regarding replication and multi-site design.
As an alternative to that, I was wondering if it is possible to do an active/passive solution?

I have a DR site with a passive MS SQL server which contains a replica of all my active/live DBs on my production SQL server. Can I use the DB replica for a fully functioning SEPM replacement in the event that my primary site is down?

I read about how to move an SEPM to a new server, possibly with a new name and most likely a different IP address as well
http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/how-move-sepm-one-server-another-server

How to move SEPM DB
http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH167300
My problem here is that in a DR scenario, my active DB might be gone and I will only have the DB replica.

I key point is to avoid having to touch every SEP endpoint after a DR esercise.

Appreciate some advise.

Regards,
 

In a DR scenario, you would be restoring the DB on a new SEPM with same IP and Name with keystroke. all these activities are only on SEPM. no need to touch each individual.

other method is to use replication. You can have sepm on two different servers, server1 with priority 1 so that all clients talk to this SEPM. incase of failure clients would fall back to server2 with priority 2

Disaster recovery best practices for Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH160736

Configuring a management server list

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO55402

Rafeeq

Thank you for the comments.

In my DR scenario (and probably for most others as well), the DR site is a separate physical location and will most likely have a different subnet, hence it is difficult to "restore the DB on a new SEPM with same IP and Name". The Disaster Recovery best practices also says "If you have a hardware failure, you must reinstall the management server using the IP address and host name of the original management server (which is case sensitive)." Is this the only way?

The Disaster recovery document, which is referring to a DB backup performed using SEPM. Is this the only way of protecting this DB or can I use a DB replica wihch is created using MS SQL server replication?

I have done a fair bit of reading on replication, multiple sites and management server list.
I was just hoping it would be a "simpler way" of doing DR than having to have two sets of active/running servers.

Yes, you have to set a new SEPM with same IP and hostname.

You can backup using SEPM or via SQL both methods are fine.

Whats in the above document is the only way to do the DR unfortunately.

Thanks again Rafeeq

Looks like the site concept with replication is the most straight forward solution, which in addition to DR also provides me with HA on the management side (SEPM)