HCX - Validation error "Selected migration is not recommended as the Replication config is present" before RAV Migration starts

Products

• VMware HCX

Issue/Introduction

To Identify and remediate the RAV migration issue when the VM is showing VR is active when there is no actual replication started.

Please make a note and understand that while performing RAV migration, the workflow involves performing a replication first, then taking a snapshot of the VM and further performing the vMotion of the VM, and finally switching over the VM from the original state to the VM that is replicated/migrated state.


Therefore, it is very important for a VM to be compatible with 4 most important phases during the RAV workflow:

1. Replication.
2. Snapshot
3. Migration
4. Switch-Over

Symptoms:
During the RAV migration validation, it immediately fails with the error "Selected migration is not recommended as the Replication config is present"

Cause

On RAV/Bulk migration, It will run a checklist for different processes and services running in the VM. One of the steps is to enable replication for the VM. If it detects that the replication is already enabled, it will fail with that error to avoid any impact in case other applications in the VM are working with replication at that moment.

Resolution

To remediate this issue you need to disable the pre-existing replication configuration of a VM or cancel/stop the replication process of the VM.

Follow the steps documented on KB Disabling VMware vSphere Replication on a virtual machine (2106946)

Additional Information

HCX - Bulk migration error "The vm can not be migrated as replication is enabled on it." (91299)