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Start-VMFailover

Module:
Hyper-V Module

Starts failover on a virtual machine.

Syntax

VMName (Default) 

Start-VMFailover
    [-VMName] <String[]>
    [-CimSession <CimSession[]>]
    [-ComputerName <String[]>]
    [-Credential <PSCredential[]>]
    [-Prepare]
    [-AsJob]
    [-Passthru]
    [-WhatIf]
    [-Confirm]
    [<CommonParameters>]

VMName_Test 

Start-VMFailover
    [-VMName] <String[]>
    [-CimSession <CimSession[]>]
    [-ComputerName <String[]>]
    [-Credential <PSCredential[]>]
    [-AsTest]
    [-AsJob]
    [-Passthru]
    [-WhatIf]
    [-Confirm]
    [<CommonParameters>]

VMObject 

Start-VMFailover
    [-VM] <VirtualMachine[]>
    [-Prepare]
    [-AsJob]
    [-Passthru]
    [-WhatIf]
    [-Confirm]
    [<CommonParameters>]

VMObject_Test 

Start-VMFailover
    [-VM] <VirtualMachine[]>
    [-AsTest]
    [-AsJob]
    [-Passthru]
    [-WhatIf]
    [-Confirm]
    [<CommonParameters>]

VMSnapshot 

Start-VMFailover
    [-VMRecoverySnapshot] <VMSnapshot>
    [-AsJob]
    [-Passthru]
    [-WhatIf]
    [-Confirm]
    [<CommonParameters>]

VMSnapshot_Test 

Start-VMFailover
    [-VMRecoverySnapshot] <VMSnapshot>
    [-AsTest]
    [-AsJob]
    [-Passthru]
    [-WhatIf]
    [-Confirm]
    [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Start-VMFailover cmdlet can be used for the following tasks:

  • Fail over a Replica virtual machine to a chosen recovery point.
  • Start a planned failover on a primary virtual machine.
  • Create a test virtual machine on a Replica virtual machine.

Examples

Example 1

PS C:\> Get-VMSnapshot VM01 -Name Snapshot01 | Start-VMFailover

This example starts failover of a virtual machine named VM01 with recovery point Snapshot01.

Note: Recovery points are stored as snapshots. To get a list of all snapshots, use the Get-VMSnapshot cmdlet.

Example 2

PS C:\> Start-VMFailover VM01 -AsTest

This example starts a test failover of a virtual machine named VM01.

Example 3

PS C:\> Get-VMSnapshot VM01 -Name Snapshot01 | Start-VMFailover -AsTest

Starts a test failover of a virtual machine named VM01 with recovery point Snapshot01.

Example 4

PS C:\> Start-VMFailover -Prepare -VMName VM01  -computername MyPrimary.contoso.com
PS C:\> Start-VMFailover -VMName VM01 -computername MyReplica.contoso.com
PS C:\> Set-VMReplication -Reverse -VMName VM01 -computername MyReplica.contoso.com
PS C:\> Start-VM -VMName VM01 -computername MyReplica.contoso.com

This example shows the cmdlets you use to perform a planned failover. The first command prepares for the planned failover of a primary virtual machine named VM01 by replicating any pending changes. The second command fails over the Replica virtual machine. The third command switches the Replica virtual machine to a primary virtual machine. The fourth command starts the virtual machine that has been switched from a Replica virtual machine to a primary virtual machine.

Parameters

-AsJob

Runs the cmdlet as a background job.

Parameter properties

Type:SwitchParameter
Default value:None
Supports wildcards:False
DontShow:False

Parameter sets

(All)
Position:Named
Mandatory:False
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False

-AsTest

Creates a test virtual machine using the chosen recovery point. You can use a test virtual machine to validate a Replica virtual machine. To stop a test failover, use the Stop-VMFailover cmdlet.

Parameter properties

Type:SwitchParameter
Default value:None
Supports wildcards:False
DontShow:False

Parameter sets

VMName_Test
Position:Named
Mandatory:True
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False
VMObject_Test
Position:Named
Mandatory:True
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False
VMSnapshot_Test
Position:Named
Mandatory:True
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False

-CimSession

Runs the cmdlet in a remote session or on a remote computer. Enter a computer name or a session object, such as the output of a New-CimSession or Get-CimSession cmdlet. The default is the current session on the local computer.

Parameter properties

Type:

CimSession[]

Default value:None
Supports wildcards:False
DontShow:False

Parameter sets

VMName
Position:Named
Mandatory:False
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False
VMName_Test
Position:Named
Mandatory:False
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False

-ComputerName

Specifies one or more Hyper-V hosts on which failover is to be started. NetBIOS names, IP addresses, and fully qualified domain names are allowable. The default is the local computer. Use localhost or a dot (.) to specify the local computer explicitly.

Parameter properties

Type:

String[]

Default value:None
Supports wildcards:False
DontShow:False

Parameter sets

VMName
Position:Named
Mandatory:False
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False
VMName_Test
Position:Named
Mandatory:False
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.

Parameter properties

Type:SwitchParameter
Default value:False
Supports wildcards:False
DontShow:False
Aliases:cf

Parameter sets

(All)
Position:Named
Mandatory:False
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False

-Credential

Specifies one or more user accounts that have permission to perform this action. The default is the current user.

Parameter properties

Type:

PSCredential[]

Default value:None
Supports wildcards:False
DontShow:False

Parameter sets

VMName
Position:Named
Mandatory:False
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False
VMName_Test
Position:Named
Mandatory:False
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False

-Passthru

Specifies that a virtual machine object is to be passed through to the pipeline representing the virtual machine on which failover is to be started.

Parameter properties

Type:SwitchParameter
Default value:None
Supports wildcards:False
DontShow:False

Parameter sets

(All)
Position:Named
Mandatory:False
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False

-Prepare

Starts the planned failover on the primary virtual machine and replicates any pending changes. To complete the planned failover, use the Set-VMReplication and Start-VM cmdlets as shown in Example 4.

Note: The primary virtual machine must be shut down to prepare it for failover.

Parameter properties

Type:SwitchParameter
Default value:None
Supports wildcards:False
DontShow:False

Parameter sets

VMName
Position:Named
Mandatory:False
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False
VMObject
Position:Named
Mandatory:False
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False

-VM

Specifies the virtual machine for which failover is to be started.

Parameter properties

Type:

VirtualMachine[]

Default value:None
Supports wildcards:False
DontShow:False

Parameter sets

VMObject
Position:0
Mandatory:True
Value from pipeline:True
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False
VMObject_Test
Position:0
Mandatory:True
Value from pipeline:True
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False

-VMName

Specifies the name of the virtual machine for which failover is to be started.

Parameter properties

Type:

String[]

Default value:None
Supports wildcards:False
DontShow:False

Parameter sets

VMName
Position:0
Mandatory:True
Value from pipeline:True
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False
VMName_Test
Position:0
Mandatory:True
Value from pipeline:True
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False

-VMRecoverySnapshot

Specifies the recovery snapshot to use during a failover. (This parameter is not required for a planned failover.)

Parameter properties

Type:VMSnapshot
Default value:None
Supports wildcards:False
DontShow:False
Aliases:VMRecoveryCheckpoint

Parameter sets

VMSnapshot
Position:0
Mandatory:True
Value from pipeline:True
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False
VMSnapshot_Test
Position:0
Mandatory:True
Value from pipeline:True
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False

-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.

Parameter properties

Type:SwitchParameter
Default value:False
Supports wildcards:False
DontShow:False
Aliases:wi

Parameter sets

(All)
Position:Named
Mandatory:False
Value from pipeline:False
Value from pipeline by property name:False
Value from remaining arguments:False

CommonParameters

This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutBuffer, -OutVariable, -PipelineVariable, -ProgressAction, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.

Outputs

None

Default

Microsoft.HyperV.PowerShell.VirtualMachine

If -PassThru is specified.