Core cannot contact replication server

Question

We have a Core at our HQ that replicates to another core in one of our sites. Or, I should say, should replicate because it can no longer connect. The error is: 
 ERROR 2017-06-22T11:20:22 [4110] - Replay.Core.Client.ReplicationCommunicationCoreClient (RequestUri=localhost:8006/.../ ClientAddress=::1:52370 Service=Replay.Core.Management.Replication.ReplicationManagement Method=GetRemoteCores) Error while deserialize ServerError object. POST 192.168.1.252:8006/.../sync failed with HTTP status code Forbidden: 
 
 Both Cores are on the same version (VERSION: 6.1.2.115). The sites connect to HQ over VPN. Both servers can ping each other. The server with the outgoing replication shows the status of the replication server as 'ignored', the replication server shows the connection as 'established'. 
 My google fu is letting me down on this issue. Any feedback or help would be greatly appreciated. 
 TIA.

Tim Seymour · Accepted Answer

Ignored means that you probably used the first option in the wizard when setting up replication. This option which says you are using a third party provider doesn't require you to enter a username and password. Instead what you have to do is approve the connection request made by the source core on the target core and approve any subsequent additions. If that approval does not happen before a core service restart the status becomes ignored. Since both cores are your own, I would recommend doing the following: 
 
1. Delete replication on the source core 
2. Delete replication on the target core (keep recovery points) 
3. Configure replication again but this time use the second option in the wizard that says "I have my own core" and allows you to enter the hostname of the target core and a username and password. That option will use the username and password to configure the connection and there is no request process that occurs. 
4. Validate that the replication shows as established on both sides and a replication job starts for at least one agent. 
 
Let us know if that doesn't work for you, but I'm lik 98% confident that's the issue.

lodewijk.wallijn · Answer

Tim 
 
I followed your suggestions but ran into a snag when re-configuring the replication: the Core could not contact the replication server using server name, and when using the IP gave the error 'cannot replicate to itself'. The Core has IP 192.168.3.252, the replication server 192.168.1.252. So, it seemed like the Core was disregarding the subnet when checking IP's. 
 
When I changed the replications server IP to 192.168.1.251, I was able to configure the replication. Thank you for the advice!