Configuration of an Encrypted VM Fails with an Error "The replication of encrypted virtual machines requires Secure LWD support. Secure LWD is not available for this VM"

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

When you try to configure a replication for an encrypted virtual machine, the process fails with an error.

 "The replication of encrypted virtual machines requires Secure LWD support. Secure LWD is not available for this VM."

 

The  vCenter Server vmware-vum-server logs indicates that the ClusterApplySolutionTask for the VMware-HBR-Agent is failing with "incompatible host" errors:
Task:com.vmware.vcIntegrity.lifecycle.ClusterApplySolutionTask ID:<ID_REDACTED> . Failing remediation on incompatible host: <HOSTNAME_REDACTED>

2026-02-15T18:13:46.305+01:00 info vmware-vum-server[106392] [Originator@6876 sub=Clusters::Software::Solutions::SolutionsInternalSvc opID=0f7feb53-66a3-454d-b097-############] [AsyncServiceImpl 75] Solution Apply for solution: VMware-HBR-Agent invoked on cluster: domain-c26

2026-02-15T18:18:18.004+01:00 info vmware-vum-server[107902] [Originator@6876 sub=ClusterApplySolutionTask] [Task, 524] Task:com.vmware.vcIntegrity.lifecycle.ClusterApplySolutionTask ID:525603f9-2f5b-aa1c-76cf-############] . Failing remediation on incompatible host: ESxhost_name

2026-02-15T18:11:41.983+01:00 info vmware-vum-server[3638878] [Originator@6876 sub=ClusterApplySolutionTask] [Task, 524] Task:com.vmware.vcIntegrity.lifecycle.ClusterApplySolutionTask ID:52225614-97bc-1527-844d-############]. Failing remediation on incompatible host: ESxhost_name

To configure a replication for the encrypted VM, you must verify that the vmware-hbr-agent VIB file is installed and running on the ESXi host of the source virtual machine. If not, you must manually install it

 

Environment

VMware vSphere Replication 8.x

VMware vSphere Replication 9.x

vSphere 8.x (Managed by vSphere Lifecycle Manager / vLCM)

Cause

By default, when you power on the vSphere Replication appliance, a vSphere Installation Bundle (VIB) is installed on all supported ESXi hosts in the vCenter Server inventory where you deployed the appliance.

The automatic installation of the VIB file might fail due to different reasons.

vLCM Image Mismatch: The vLCM cluster image definition is pinned to a lower version than the ESXi version currently installed on the hosts. This downgrade protection prevents vLCM from pushing and installing the required VMware-HBR-Agent VIB.

Resolution

• Run the shell command esxcli software vib list on the source ESXi host.
  In the results, look for the vmware-hbr-agent VIB file.
  
  
  
  •  Check if vib installed and running on host
      ssh to ESXi host and verify vmware-hbr-agent is installed 
     
           esxcli software vib list | grep -i hbr
    
      ssh to ESXi host and verify vmware-hbr-agent is running
     
            /etc/init.d/hbr-agent status
    
      Set with reboot: 
     
          chkconfig --list | grep -i hbr   
          chkconfig hbr on|off 
  
  
  

If the VIB file is not available on the source ESXi host, you must install it manually or allow appliance to auto-push it to host.~

Auto deploy install VIB file

   -  ssh to VR appliance
       /opt/vmware/hms/bin/hms-configtool -cmd reconfig -property hms-auto-install-hbragent-vib=true
     
       service hms restart

Manually install VIB file

• Establish an SSH connection to the ESXi Server.
• Temporarily deactivate the firewall on the ESXi host.
  
    esxcli network firewall set --enabled false
  
  
• Run the following command:
  
    esxcli software vib install -v https://VR_APPLIANCE_IP:8043/vib/vmware-hbr-agent.vib
  
  
• Enable the firewall on the ESXi host.
  
    esxcli network firewall set --enabled true

Additional Information

Navigate to the vSphere Client and select the affected cluster.

Update the vLCM cluster image definition to match or exceed the ESXi version currently installed on the hosts.

Trigger a new compliance check for the cluster.

Select the Remediate action. This allows vLCM to successfully install the VMware-HBR-Agent VIB to the ESXi hosts.

Workaround
If the vLCM cluster image cannot be updated to match the host versions immediately, the VMware-HBR-Agent VIB can be installed manually on each ESXi host using esxcli software vib install. Note: Manual VIB installation is generally not recommended for vLCM-managed clusters and may cause drift or compliance warnings.