Why it still can finish the new Replica after I delete the bigger HRL file?

Question

I found there are 2 HRL files in Hyper-V Replica folder.
one is 4K size, the other is 500M, they have same modified date and time.
I tried to delete these 2 HRL files, the bigger one can be deleted, the 4K one can not be deleted.
and after I delete the bigger HRL file, it still can successfully finish the new Replica.
question is why it still can finish the new Replica?

Answer 1

I guess it like the database, the smaller is current log, the bigger is offline/archive log(already transfered and ready be deleted by next transfer).

Answer 2

Hi,

Thanks for posting on our forum!

Based on your description, I think your hrl. files, at lease the 500M one, may actually be hrl.tmp files. Basically, once the initial replication of a VM is completed, there will be two type of hrl. files created and kept in the same directory where the Virtual Machine VHD/VHDX reside. We all commonly know that we can delete each HRL log file manually as long as the VM replication is removed. But what we often ignore is that some of so-called hrl. files are actually hrl tmp. files. These hrl tmp files can be safely deleted even if replication is running, if they date back longer than the latest successful replication cycle.

So, for your condition, there are two ways of consideration:

1. The two files are hrl tmp files or the smaller one is a hrl file and the bigger one is a hrl tmp file. If they are both tmp files, then maybe the 4K one dates back shorter than the latest replication cycle and the 500M one dates back longer. While you said that they had same modified date and time, so this option may be not true. If the 4k one is hrl. file then it cannot be deleted unless you remove current replication. Besides, whether you can still finish your replication after you delete hrl files are not dependent on the size of the files that you delete.

2) If your two files are both hrl. files which can be deleted after removing your replication, then then your condition can happen when your replication process actually was once removed, but restarted right after the removal. So you didn't realize this removal. And after restaring the process, your 4k file is firstly copied so you cannot delete it. This option can also be abnormal since you said the two files had the same modified date and time. But I still suggest you to check your event logs during replication process, to see if my assumption is true. You can go to Event Viewer>> Applications and Services Logs>> Microsoft>> Windows>> Hyper-V VMMS to find out relevant logs.

Thanks for your support! And I would really appreciate it if you could help me Accept Answer to support my work! Have a nice day! : )

BR,
Joan

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Answer 3