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VMware Live Site Recovery
What VMware Live Site Recovery is
VMware Live Site Recovery automates recovery-plan orchestration and non-disruptive testing for virtualized applications. It supports on-premises-to-on-premises disaster recovery and works with vSphere through vCenter Server plus an underlying replication technology. Replication can use vSphere Replication, storage-array replication through Storage Replication Adapters, or VMware Virtual Volumes. Deployments require vSphere, vCenter Server, and VMware Live Site Recovery at both protected and recovery sites, together with a replication product. The service can test recovery plans without disrupting production workloads, then automate failback by reprotecting virtual machines and running the plan in reverse. With vSphere Replication, selected recovery point objectives range from 1 minute to 24 hours. Supported environments include VMware Cloud Foundation and VMware vSphere Foundation, with versions determined by the Product Interoperability Matrix. It can operate offline. Pricing is on request, and protected VMs require a term subscription plus vSphere and vCenter Server licenses at both sites.
Who it suits
It suits organizations coordinating disaster recovery for virtual machines across on-premises sites. Teams needing planned testing, failover, failback, and selectable replication intervals may find its orchestration model relevant.
What it does well
- Automates failover and failback runbooks
- Tests recovery plans without disrupting production
- Supports multiple replication technologies
- Offers one-minute to 24-hour RPO selection
- Can operate without internet connectivity
What to know first
- Requires vSphere and vCenter Server at both sites
- Protected VMs require a term subscription
- Does not work with VMware Cloud on AWS
- Pricing is available only on request
Limits
Protected virtual machines require a VMware Live Recovery term subscription, and vSphere and vCenter Server licenses are required at both sites. VMware Cloud on AWS is not supported.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| VMware Live Recovery term subscription | Contact your VMware Account Representative for pricing; production support is included in the subscription term. · VMware Live Site Recovery subscriptions are required for protected VMs; vSphere and vCenter Server licenses are required at both sites | On request |
| Advanced Cyber Compliance | Contact VMware by Broadcom sales representative · VCF advanced service · VMware Live Site Recovery with vSphere Replication and vSAN Data Protection · per protected VM | On request |
| Standalone Site Recovery Manager | Contact VMware by Broadcom sales representative · Disaster recovery only · available for VCF, VVF and legacy vSphere · per protected VM | On request |
| VMware Live Recovery Cloud | Contact VMware by Broadcom sales representative · Cloud ransomware and disaster recovery · per protected VM · minimum 10 TiB protected capacity per subscription region | On request |
As vmware.com lists them, read 3 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the VMware Live Site Recovery website
- Prepare vSphere and vCenter Server at the protected and recovery sites
- Install VMware Live Site Recovery at both sites
- Provide an underlying replication product such as vSphere Replication, Storage Replication Adapters, or VMware Virtual Volumes
- Obtain a VMware Live Recovery term subscription for protected virtual machines
- Connect to the VMware Live Recovery Cloud Console for cloud benefits if required
Verdict
VMware Live Site Recovery coordinates virtual-machine recovery plans, testing, and reverse recovery across supported VMware environments. Its deployment has several required components and licensing requirements, and VMware Cloud on AWS is excluded.
Questions
What does VMware Live Site Recovery automate?
It automates recovery plans for virtual-machine failover, non-disruptive testing, and failback.
Which replication options can it use?
It can use vSphere Replication, storage-array replication through Storage Replication Adapters, or VMware Virtual Volumes.
What platforms are supported?
The product is offered for self-hosted and web use, and supports VMware Cloud Foundation and VMware vSphere Foundation.
Does it require internet access?
It can work offline. VMware recommends the VMware Live Recovery Cloud Console for cloud benefits.
How is it priced?
It is paid, with pricing available on request. A VMware Live Recovery term subscription is required for protected virtual machines.
Who provides support?
Production support is included in the VMware Live Recovery term subscription, with requests handled through the Broadcom Support Portal.
Facts from VMware Live Site Recovery's own pages
- API
- The Site Recovery API lets external software manage protection groups and recovery plans, initiate test, recovery and reprotect operations, and collect results. · vdc-download.vmware.com, 21 Oct 2026
- API languages
- The API documentation describes language-neutral web services usable from Java, C# or other WSDL-capable environments. · vdc-download.vmware.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Appliance consolidation
- From version 9.0.3, Live Site Recovery, enhanced vSphere Replication and vSAN Data Protection are combined in one Live Recovery appliance per vCenter. · knowledge.broadcom.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Cloud capacity requirement
- Live Cyber Recovery adds protected-capacity licensing with a 10 TiB minimum per subscription region. · ftpdocs.broadcom.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Company
- VMware LLC says it was founded January 1, 1998 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. · vmware.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Company facts
- LinkedIn lists VMware as a public software-development company headquartered in Palo Alto, California, with more than 10,001 employees. · linkedin.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Company founding
- Gartner lists VMware's founding year as 1998 and headquarters as California, United States. · gartner.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Deployment topology
- The FAQ says VMware Live Site Recovery supports on-premises-to-on-premises disaster recovery. · vmware.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Failback
- Automated failback reverses replication and runs the original recovery plan in the opposite direction after reprotection. · vmware.com, 21 Oct 2026
- GetApp support and platforms
- GetApp lists email/help-desk, forums and knowledge-base support, and shows web, Android and iPhone/iPad platform categories for Site Recovery Manager. · getapp.com, 21 Oct 2026
- How it works
- It integrates with vSphere through vCenter Server and an underlying replication technology, then automates recovery plans during failover or testing. · vmware.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Independent compatibility limit
- Microsoft documents that Azure VMware Solution does not support array-based replication, vVol protection groups, one-to-many or many-to-one topologies, or SRM IP customization through command-line tools. · learn.microsoft.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Independent product description
- Microsoft describes Live Site Recovery as automating failover and failback for VMs in Azure VMware Solution while providing built-in recovery testing. · learn.microsoft.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Licence
- The product and SDK are distributed under Broadcom commercial terms and an SDK License Agreement rather than an open-source licence. · developer.broadcom.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Licensing metric
- VMware Live Recovery is licensed per protected virtual machine and Broadcom recommends a minimum three-year term with production support included. · ftpdocs.broadcom.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: Gartner licensing and support
- Gartner reviewers report confusing licensing at scale, documentation gaps for complex scenarios, a learning curve and occasional slow support responses. · gartner.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: TrustRadius cost and implementation
- TrustRadius reviews criticize high licensing cost for small VM counts, difficult implementation, slow tasks, limited flexibility and weak logging. · trustradius.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Non-disruptive testing
- The product supports testing recovery plans without interrupting production workloads. · vmware.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Notable limit
- The FAQ says VMware Live Site Recovery does not work with VMware Cloud on AWS. · vmware.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Offline operation
- VMware Live Site Recovery can work offline without internet connectivity; VMware recommends connecting to the VMware Live Recovery Cloud Console to use its cloud benefits. · vmware.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Operational limit
- Recovery SDDCs can recover up to 500 VMs simultaneously and should not run longer than 14 days per calendar year under the program terms. · ftpdocs.broadcom.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Physical workloads
- The product orchestrates virtual machines; physical-server recovery must be handled by another system and coordinated with custom scripts. · vmware.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Praise: G2 recovery planning
- G2 summarizes reviewers as valuing easy recovery planning and execution without disrupting systems. · g2.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Praise: Gartner monitoring and replication
- Gartner reviewers repeatedly praise monitoring visibility, data replication and the ability to test recovery procedures safely. · gartner.com, 21 Oct 2026
Where VMware Live Site Recovery stands on Freedom251
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