Modifying the settings of a protected virtual machine, and adding or changing storage devices, such as hard disks or DVD drives, can affect the protection of that virtual machine.

If you use array-based replication or Virtual Volumes replication, adding or changing devices on a protected virtual machine affects protection depending on how you create the new device.

  • If the new device is on a replicated datastore that is not part of a protection group, the protection group that contains the virtual machine goes into the Not Configured state. Reconfigure the protection group to add the datastore that contains the new device to the protection group.
  • If the new device is on a replicated datastore that a different protection group protects, the protection of the virtual machine is invalid.
  • If the new device is on an unreplicated datastore, you must replicate the datastore or remove protection from the device.
  • If you use Storage vMotion to move a virtual machine to an unreplicated datastore, or to a replicated datastore on an array for which VMware Live Site Recovery does not have a storage replication adapter (SRA), the protection of the virtual machine is invalid. You can use Storage vMotion to move a virtual machine to a datastore that is part of another protection group.

If you add a device to a virtual machine that you protect by using vSphere Replication, you must reconfigure vSphere Replication on the virtual machine to select the replication options for the new device. For information about reconfiguring vSphere Replication settings, see the vSphere Replication documentation at https://docs.vmware.com/en/vSphere-Replication/index.html.

After you modify virtual machines in array-based, Virtual Volumes, and vSphere Replication protection groups, you must reconfigure protection for any virtual machines that have a status of Not Configured, Device Not Found, Unresolved Devices, or Mapping Missing. See Apply Inventory Mappings to All Members of an Array-Based, Virtual Volumes, or vSphere Replication Protection Group and Configure Inventory Mappings for an Individual Virtual Machine in an Array-Based, Virtual Volumes, or vSphere Replication Protection Group.