This knowledge base article provides guidance on resolving an error encountered while attempting to open a VMDK file, which is commonly associated with disk access from the datastore for read operations.

The error typically arises when attempting to access a disk from the datastore for read operations.

To address this issue, please ensure that the following conditions are met:

1. Check ESXi SSL Port: Ensure that the ESXi SSL port 902 is not being blocked by the NAT (Network Address Translation) or firewall settings. If backup or replication is set up at the vCenter level, it's essential to verify the SSL port for the specific host encountering the error.

2. Datastore Privileges: Confirm that the virtual machine's datastore, which is configured for backup or replication, has been granted both read and write privileges. This is crucial for proper data access.

3. Enable SSL: Make sure that SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is enabled. If it is disabled, refer to the following link for instructions on enabling SSL: (https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2007386

Note: For encrypted virtual machines (VMs), attempting to perform backup or replication might lead to the same error due to the failure to open the disk.