You cannot configure a replication because another virtual machine already exists at the target site.

Problem

You might see the following error message: 
Unable to configure replication for virtual machine VM_name because group group_name cannot be created.
Another virtual machine configured_VM_name}' that has the same instance UUID instance_UUID already exists on protection site source_site_name.

Cause

This error message might appear on the following occasions.
  • If, due to a connectivity issue or some other problem, an orphaned replication remains on one of the sites while it is deleted from the other site, the orphaned replication prevents you from configuring a new replication for the same virtual machine.
  • If you have paired two sites and reinstall the vSphere Replication Management server appliance, the other site contains information about the old appliance and database, and prevents you from configuring new replications.

Solution

  • If you have not reinstalled the vSphere Replication Management server, an orphaned replication exists in your environment. You can force stop this replication to delete it.
    1. Log in to the vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client.
    2. On the home page, click Site Recovery and click Open Site Recovery.
    3. On the Site Recovery home page, select the site pair which contains the protected site, mentioned in the error message that you received.
    4. Click the Replications tab and select a replication from Outgoing or Incoming.
    5. Click the Remove icon and select Force stop replication(s).
  • Alternatively, you can use the Managed Object Browser (MOB) of the vSphere Replication Management server to delete the replication.
    1. Navigate to https://vrms_address:8043/mob/?vmodl=1
      Where vrms_address is the IP address of the vSphere Replication Management server.
    2. Click the content value.
    3. Select the replicaManager or replicationManager value, depending on the type of replication you want to delete.
      • For an outgoing replication, click replication-manager > getOutgoingReplications.
      • For an incoming replication, click replica-manager > getIncomingReplications.
    4. Set the relevant start, count, sorters, and filter values.
      Note: You must set the start value to 0 and delete the sorters and filter values, to invoke the first page of maximum 50 listed replications. For more than 50 replications, you can use paging and make additional calls for the next pages of replications or use the sorters and filter values.
    5. Click Invoke Method.
    6. Locate the replication and click the GID link under replication value.
    7. Invoke the destroy method to remove the replication.
  • If the vSphere Replication Management server on one of the sites was reinstalled or otherwise reset:
    1. Reinstall the vSphere Replication Management server at the other site or reset its database.
    2. Connect the sites and register any additional vSphere Replication server appliances.
    3. Remove any temporary hbr* files left over from the target datastore folders.
    4. Configure all replications, reusing the existing replica .vmdk files as replication seeds.