If you have been hearing more about vSphere APIs for I/O Filtering (VAIO) in Zerto conversations, there is a simple explanation: VAIO is VMware’s I/O filtering framework that has been created for Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) to build solutions on. Directionally, Zerto has supported this framework for some time and, coupled with VMware changes, this will be the preferred and default replication method used by Zerto in the not too distant future.
For most, the more important question is not what VAIO is in theory – it is what VAIO means in practice and how it will influence future considerations for the technology stack that supports your organization. To start, Zerto’s VAIO deployment is not supported with 11:11’s Disaster Recovery services today. Deeper technical details are available in articles such as Broadcom’s vSphere I/O filtering documentation, the Broadcom Compatibility Guide for VAIO solutions, Zerto’s VAIO with Zerto documentation, and the Zerto Interoperability Matrix.
Historically, Zerto has had this VAIO product since late 2019 though its support for multi-tenant architectures was, and still is, unavailable. Deeper technical details are available in articles such as Broadcom’s vSphere I/O filtering documentation, the Broadcom Compatibility Guide for VAIO solutions, Zerto’s VAIO with Zerto documentation, and the Zerto Interoperability Matrix .
So Why Has Chatter About VAIO and Zerto Resurfaced?
The topic has come back into the spotlight as the Zerto for VAIO replication method looks to be the future default for all VMware environments.
The latest versions of vSphere, ESXi, and VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) have new requirements that have influenced this change for Zerto as our team sees it. To dive a bit deeper, Zerto’s traditional replication method is via an unsigned kernel model (IE an unsigned driver) installed on every host . This component, the ‘zdriver,’ gives I/O stream visibility to Zerto. Due to changes enforced by VMware for their Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) partners, the ‘zdriver’ component will no longer be usable on VMware platforms starting with VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) and ESXi 9. Zerto with VAIO is supported for these version and appears to be the current replacement for the. VMware platform.
Although this change is not yet available and applicable to 11:11 customers, you can probably see why VAIO is at the forefront of discussions with these changes. What is more telling is that it reflects the broader future of Zerto with VMware as the VAIO-based approach is part of the modernization path for ISVs building I/O related solutions on VMware. In other words, VAIO is now much more relevant, and will become even more so, since it looks to be the de facto method for Zerto replication on the latest versions of VMware.
To reiterate, Zerto with VAIO is not the current customer-ready path for 11:11 services yet as key service provider functionality critical to multi-tenant service provider operations are not yet supported.
What does VAIO mean in practice and What Does it Change Today?
Today, 11:11 customers must not move to Zerto with VAIO. This is due to unsupported features and components when using this version of Zerto. Cornerstone multi-tenant service provider features, specifically VMware Cloud Director and replication through a Zerto Cloud Connector, are unsupported. These capabilities provide critical functionality for 11:11 and other multi-tenant Zerto service providers.
Our team and Zerto are aware of these gaps and Zerto does have a roadmap for their support in the future. Once a supported version is available, 11:11 will communicate with all of our customers to provide upgrade instructions for their services; this will not be any different than how we work with our customers to upgrade Zerto today and in concert with upgrades to the 11:11 Zerto components powering this service.
What do our customers need to do now?
The short answer is intentionally simple: DO NOTHING. To expand, the immediate takeaway for customers is that there is no action required right now, and customers should not assume that hearing about VAIO automatically means it is ready for use with their 11:11-delivered Zerto Disaster Recovery as a Service. The best approach is to stay informed, ask questions before taking any actions, and work with your contacts from 11:11 to plan ahead when everything is ready for action. It is important that all 11:11 customers know that:
- VAIO is part of the industry direction
- Zerto with VAIO is NOT available for use by 11:11 DRaaS customers today
- Until Zerto provides support for critical multi-tenant features, 11:11 and our customers must not use Zerto with VAIO.
To reiterate, when your team is planning for broader VMware modernization upgrades to the latest versions, you MUST ALWAYS include Zerto compatibility in the discussion.. Considering this will help your team avoid any disruption to your DRaaS services.
Bottom line
VAIO is an important part of Zerto’s long-term direction for modern VMware environments, but it is not yet an 11:11 customer-usable option. While 11:11 remains actively engaged on this topic, broader support ultimately depends on future Zerto enhancements for service-provider-specific functionality. Until those capabilities are available, 11:11 cannot responsibly support Zerto with VAIO in our 11:11 DRaaS service – support is tied to core Zerto functionality that is yet to be developed for multi-tenant service provider environments.
When support arrives, 11:11 will communicate all relevant details to our customers. Until then however, it is best to view VAIO as something to be aware of, but it is NOT usable with 11:11 DRaaS for Zerto today.
