Multiple Ping-GID files are being created automatically on the datastore
Article ID: 421777
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
Vmware Site Recovery Manager (VLSR) is present but not actively replicating this VM.
Multiple Ping-GID files are being created automatically on the target datastore
Environment
VMware Live Site Recovery 9.0
Cause
Before sending actual data, the Source Host performs a "Liveness and Write" check
It creates a small marker file (PING-GID) on the target directory.
The file exists because a replication session was terminated abnormally, preventing the "Delete/Cleanup" command from executing.
Resolution
Since no replications are active, the procedure is to manually delete these files to clean up the datastore.
Alternatively, we could unregister SRM or vSphere replication
Additional Information
In Enhanced vSphere Replication, the data traffic flows directly from the Source ESXi Host to the Target ESXi Host, bypassing the vSphere Replication Appliance.
To ensure this direct path is viable, the system performs active connectivity tests:
PING: Refers to the network latency and reachability test between the hosts.
GID: Stands for Global ID, which is the unique identifier for a specific replicated VM (or Replication Group).
This confirms two things:
Network Reachability: The host can reach the target storage.
Write Permissions: The host has the necessary locks to write to that folder.
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