VMware Live Site Recovery
VMware Live Site Recovery automates recovery plans for virtualized applications, including failover, non-disruptive testing, and failback.
What VMware Live Site Recovery is
VMware Live Site Recovery automates recovery plans for virtualized applications, including failover, non-disruptive testing, and failback. It supports on-premises-to-on-premises disaster recovery and integrates with vSphere through vCenter Server and an underlying replication product. Replication options include vSphere Replication, storage array replication through Storage Replication Adapters, and VMware Virtual Volumes. Deployments require vSphere, vCenter Server, VMware Live Site Recovery at both protected and recovery sites, and a replication product. With vSphere Replication, users can choose a recovery point objective from 1 minute to 24 hours. The product can operate offline, though VMware recommends connecting to the VMware Live Recovery Cloud Console for cloud benefits. A term subscription is required for protected VMs; vSphere and vCenter Server licenses are also required at both sites. Production support is included in the subscription term. Pricing is available through a VMware account representative. The FAQ says the product does not work with VMware Cloud on AWS.
Good
- Automates recovery-plan orchestration and failback.
- Supports non-disruptive recovery testing.
- Offers three listed replication approaches.
- Can operate without internet connectivity.
- Production support is included in the term subscription.
Watch out
- Does not work with VMware Cloud on AWS.
- Requires components at both protected and recovery sites.
- Protected VMs require subscriptions and site licenses.
- Pricing requires contacting a VMware representative.
Who it suits
It suits organizations using supported VMware environments that need coordinated recovery plans for virtual machines. It is relevant to teams that want to test recovery without disrupting production workloads.
Verdict
VMware Live Site Recovery combines recovery planning, testing, and failback for virtualized environments. Its multi-component deployment and VMware Cloud on AWS exclusion are important constraints to check.
Plans and prices
From VMware Live Site Recovery's own pricing page, checked 21 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Cyber Compliance | Priced on request | VCF advanced service · VMware Live Site Recovery with vSphere Replication and vSAN Data Protection · per protected VM · Contact VMware by Broadcom sales representative |
| Standalone Site Recovery Manager | Priced on request | Disaster recovery only · available for VCF, VVF and legacy vSphere · per protected VM · Contact VMware by Broadcom sales representative |
| VMware Live Recovery Cloud | Priced on request | Cloud ransomware and disaster recovery · per protected VM · minimum 10 TiB protected capacity per subscription region · Contact VMware by Broadcom sales representative |
| VMware Live Recovery term subscription | Priced on request | VMware Live Site Recovery subscriptions are required for protected VMs; vSphere and vCenter Server licenses are required at both sites · Contact your VMware Account Representative for pricing; production support is included in the subscription term. |
The facts
Each one read from VMware Live Site Recovery's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- API
- The Site Recovery API lets external software manage protection groups and recovery plans, initiate test, recovery and reprotect operations, and collect results.checked 21 Oct 2026
- API languages
- The API documentation describes language-neutral web services usable from Java, C# or other WSDL-capable environments.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Cloud capacity requirement
- Live Cyber Recovery adds protected-capacity licensing with a 10 TiB minimum per subscription region.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Deployment topology
- The FAQ says VMware Live Site Recovery supports on-premises-to-on-premises disaster recovery.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Failback
- Automated failback reverses replication and runs the original recovery plan in the opposite direction after reprotection.checked 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.checked 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.checked 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.checked 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.checked 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.checked 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.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Non-disruptive testing
- The product supports testing recovery plans without interrupting production workloads.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Notable limit
- The FAQ says VMware Live Site Recovery does not work with VMware Cloud on AWS.checked 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.checked 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.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Physical workloads
- The product orchestrates virtual machines; physical-server recovery must be handled by another system and coordinated with custom scripts.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Praise: Gartner monitoring and replication
- Gartner reviewers repeatedly praise monitoring visibility, data replication and the ability to test recovery procedures safely.checked 21 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- 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.checked 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.checked 21 Oct 2026
The company
- Company
- VMware LLC says it was founded January 1, 1998 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.checked 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.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Company founding
- Gartner lists VMware's founding year as 1998 and headquarters as California, United States.checked 21 Oct 2026
Money
- Limit: TrustRadius cost and implementation
- TrustRadius reviews criticize high licensing cost for small VM counts, difficult implementation, slow tasks, limited flexibility and weak logging.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Praise: G2 recovery planning
- G2 summarizes reviewers as valuing easy recovery planning and execution without disrupting systems.checked 21 Oct 2026
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