Preparing instance for replication

A few guest-level requirements must be satisfied on each source instance before it joins a protection plan. Most are checked or automated by the protection plan wizard, but verifying them up front avoids failed first replications.

All platforms

• The guest OS, kernel, and file system must be on the support matrix.
• Disks must be directly attached block storage. Encrypted vSphere disks and pRDM are not supported.
• For migration cutovers, the source VM must be powered off and the final replication completed with zero changed data before the migrate operation — or use Auto-Migrate to orchestrate this automatically.

VMware source instances

1. Install VMware Tools

   VMware Tools must be installed and running in every VM that will be protected. The protection plan wizard cannot snapshot a VM consistently without it.

2. Enable Changed Block Tracking (CBT)

   CBT is essential for replication to the target site. When you select VMs in the protection plan wizard, a prompt asks for permission to enable CBT automatically — click Enable CBT. The vCenter role must include the Toggle disk change tracking privilege (see Permissions).

3. Optional: application-consistent snapshots

   For Windows VMs that need application consistency, leave Quiesce Guest OS enabled in the plan's advanced replication configuration. It is on by default for VMware sources.

Static IP assignment prerequisites

When the recovery target is VMware and you plan to assign static IPs to recovered VMs:

• Supported for all Windows guests, and for CentOS/RHEL 7.8, 7.9, 8.x and SLES 15 SP3 on Linux.
• The source Linux VM must have the nmcli package available.
• SLES guests require the sudo package and a btrfs (LVM) file system.
• Guest credentials must be supplied during recovery, and the Install System Agents option must be selected.

Credentials for scripts and agents

If pre/post recovery scripts are configured, or system agents and cloud packages will be installed during recovery, the recovery workflow needs guest credentials with administrator rights (Windows) or equivalent. Credentials are used only for the workflow and are not stored.

Related docs

• Guest OS support matrix

• Create a plan

• Permissions