vSphere replication server shows disconnected with an error "Cannot retrieve replication disk space requirements: A runtime error occurred in the vSphere Replication Management Server. Exception details: 'java.lang.NullPointerException"

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms 

• vSphere replication server shows as disconnected state 
  vSphere --> Site recovery plugin--> View details --> Replication servers 
• All the replications shows as Not active with an error "Cannot retrieve replication disk space requirements: A runtime error occurred in the vSphere Replication Management Server. Exception details: 'java.lang.NullPointerException"
• The issue was observed following recent network activity in the environment 

Validation Steps: 

• Reconfiguration of VR appliance gets success. 
• validate below findings in hbrsrv.log from vSphere replication appliance. 
  
  Log path : less /opt/vmware/support/logs  
  
  2025-03-17T14:49:36.883+05:30 verbose hbrsrv[06217] [Originator@6876 sub=ReplicaTaskManager opID=####-7691-#####-9c42-###] Completed task #####-6d4c-bc8d-c9db-#######. Cleanup after 2025-03-17 09:29:36 UTC.
  2025-03-17T14:49:36.883+05:30 info hbrsrv[28575] [Originator@6876 sub=Misc opID=93c4bd2e-7691-4d26-9c42-6eaaeb88ebc5] Configuration of trusted site (####-5a72-####-8ee2-6fd7e2eb07d4) changed
  2025-03-17T14:49:42.482+05:30 verbose hbrsrv[06215] [Originator@6876 sub=Default] CloseSession called for session; <####-d55b-bf9b-c393-#####, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 8123'>, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 59436'>>
  2025-03-17T14:49:42.808+05:30 verbose hbrsrv[17966] [Originator@6876 sub=Default] CloseSession called for session; <####-ceeb-####-bf25-######, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 8123'>, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 46026'>>
  2025-03-17T14:49:42.887+05:30 verbose hbrsrv[01032] [Originator@6876 sub=SessionManager] vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.Filter.destroy: not authorized
  2025-03-17T14:49:42.887+05:30 verbose hbrsrv[01032] [Originator@6876 sub=SessionManager] Authenticated session #####-8605-####-45c5-#####, user root
  2025-03-17T14:49:42.887+05:30 verbose hbrsrv[01032] [Originator@6876 sub=SessionManager] Implicit SSL thumbprint login succeeded.
  2025-03-17T14:49:43.138+05:30 verbose hbrsrv[28578] [Originator@6876 sub=Default] CloseSession called for session; <###-4822-a171-##-#####, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 8123'>, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 59438'>>
  2025-03-17T14:49:43.141+05:30 verbose hbrsrv[28343] [Originator@6876 sub=Default] CloseSession called for session; <####-7e8c-####-2432-####, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 8123'>, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 59438'>>Attempting to re-establish connection with peer
  2025-03-17T14:49:43.205+05:30 verbose hbrsrv[06217] [Originator@6876 sub=SessionManager opID=73559419-70b3-42f5-8dac-738d8547ae0c] Socket error while sending data to peer: Network is unreachable
  2025-03-17T14:49:52.977+05:30 info hbrsrv[28575] [Originator@6876 sub=StorageManager opID=71325514-94af-41ce-9f1f-aaab03941ed4-HMSINT-65] Enable host host-8328 (name=<unset>, addr=10.129.4.130)
  
  

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi : 8.x

Cause

• Due to an issue with the secondary network adapter being disconnected, the replication server was showing as disconnected
  
  vSphere inventory -->Select Vsphere replication VM--> Edit setting --> expand network adapter2 
 

Cause Validation 

• Run ifconfig command on Vsphere replication appliance and validate if the IP address details are showing up       
  
  root@vr## [ /home/admin ]# ifconfig
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:50:56:87:06:11
          inet addr:192.####.1.##  Bcast:192.###.1.###  Mask:255.###.255.0    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Showing IP Details 
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:38659948 errors:0 dropped:4856 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:40281018 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:15931747514 (15.9 GB)  TX bytes:26855266347 (26.8 GB)
eth1   Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:###:##:##:f3:17                            >>>>>>>>>>>>>No IP details are found 
          UP BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:4587419 errors:0 dropped:2065 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:5826300 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:1059433061 (1.0 GB)  TX bytes:1330971149 (1.3 GB)

  Run networkctl command in vsphere replication appliance and check if eth1 is showing in configuring state 

         root@vr01 [ /home/admin ]# networkctl
      IDX LINK TYPE     OPERATIONAL SETUP
      1 lo   loopback carrier     unmanaged
      2 eth0 ether    routable    configured
            3 eth1 ether    no-carrier  configuring

Resolution

• Reconnect the network adapter, the replication server now shows connected and functioning as expected.
• 
• After connecting secondary network adapter replication server status