With Configure Replication workflows in vSphere Replication plug-in, you can configure replication for virtual machines between the local site and remote vCenter Server sites.

When you configure a virtual machine for replication, vSphere Replication starts an initial configuration task during which the data of the virtual machine is sent to the target site. When you recover the replication, this creates the replica of the virtual machine and data synchronization occurs between the source and the target site. You can set multiple point in time (MPIT) instances in the recovery settings of the selected workflow. vSphere Replication retains a maximum of 24 of snapshot instances of the virtual machine on the target site.

You can configure replications for powered-off virtual machines, but the data synchronization begins when the virtual machine is powered on. When the source virtual machine is powered off, the replication appears in Not active status.

Note: Each vSphere Replication local and remote site pair (A -> B) has four different possible relations. The regular site relations are A -> B and B -> A and the relations within the same vCenter Server are A -> A and B -> B. When you select a remote site in a workflow, it has the same name regardless if it is A -> B (regular local site - remote site pair) or B -> B (pair within the same vCenter Server). Make sure you select the correct site by checking vcRemoteSite.uri to get the source site address and vcRemoteSite.localSiteUri to get the target site address.