Remember that the download is only the beginning. Regularly update your VR appliance as patch releases (8.5.0.x) appear on the same portal, and always test your recovery workflows. With vSphere Replication 8.5, VMware has delivered an enterprise-grade DR solution that is both powerful and—when downloaded and deployed correctly—remarkably simple to manage.
A: The appliance itself is Photon OS (a lightweight Linux distribution). Downloading the OVA automatically provides this; there is no separate Linux package. vmware vsphere replication 8.5 download
This guide is accurate as of the current general availability of vSphere Replication 8.5. Always refer to the official VMware Product Documentation for the most up-to-date release notes and compatibility matrices. Remember that the download is only the beginning