diff --git a/cinder/tests/unit/volume/drivers/emc/vnx/test_common.py b/cinder/tests/unit/volume/drivers/emc/vnx/test_common.py
index 5d8e8f5614b..a3502a369cc 100644
--- a/cinder/tests/unit/volume/drivers/emc/vnx/test_common.py
+++ b/cinder/tests/unit/volume/drivers/emc/vnx/test_common.py
@@ -209,6 +209,22 @@ class TestReplicationDeviceList(test.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual('global', device.storage_vnx_authentication_type)
         self.assertEqual('/home/stack/', device.storage_vnx_security_file_dir)
 
+    def test_device_no_backend_id(self):
+        device = {'san_ip': '192.168.1.2'}
+        config = FakeConfiguration()
+        config.replication_device = [device]
+        self.assertRaises(
+            exception.InvalidInput,
+            common.ReplicationDeviceList, config)
+
+    def test_device_no_secfile(self):
+        device = {'backend_id': 'test_id',
+                  'san_ip': '192.168.1.2'}
+        config = FakeConfiguration()
+        config.replication_device = [device]
+        rep_list = common.ReplicationDeviceList(config)
+        self.assertIsNone(rep_list[0].storage_vnx_security_file_dir)
+
     def test_get_device_not_found(self):
         devices_list = common.ReplicationDeviceList(self.configuration)
         device = devices_list.get_device('array_id_not_existed')
diff --git a/cinder/volume/drivers/emc/vnx/common.py b/cinder/volume/drivers/emc/vnx/common.py
index 81eb78f03b4..63db19ab08f 100644
--- a/cinder/volume/drivers/emc/vnx/common.py
+++ b/cinder/volume/drivers/emc/vnx/common.py
@@ -359,27 +359,29 @@ class ReplicationDevice(object):
 
     @property
     def backend_id(self):
-        return self.replication_device['backend_id']
+        return self.replication_device.get('backend_id')
 
     @property
     def san_ip(self):
-        return self.replication_device['san_ip']
+        return self.replication_device.get('san_ip')
 
     @property
     def san_login(self):
-        return self.replication_device['san_login']
+        return self.replication_device.get('san_login')
 
     @property
     def san_password(self):
-        return self.replication_device['san_password']
+        return self.replication_device.get('san_password')
 
     @property
     def storage_vnx_authentication_type(self):
-        return self.replication_device['storage_vnx_authentication_type']
+        return self.replication_device.get(
+            'storage_vnx_authentication_type',
+            'global')
 
     @property
     def storage_vnx_security_file_dir(self):
-        return self.replication_device['storage_vnx_security_file_dir']
+        return self.replication_device.get('storage_vnx_security_file_dir')
 
 
 class ReplicationDeviceList(list):
@@ -399,6 +401,10 @@ class ReplicationDeviceList(list):
         if self.configuration.replication_device:
             for replication_device in self.configuration.replication_device:
                 rd = ReplicationDevice(replication_device)
+                if not rd.backend_id or not rd.san_ip:
+                    msg = _('backend_id or san_ip cannot be empty for '
+                            'replication_device.')
+                    raise exception.InvalidInput(reason=msg)
                 self._device_map[rd.backend_id] = rd
                 self.list.append(rd)
         return self._device_map
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/vnx-repv2.1-config-update-cc2f60c20aec88dd.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/vnx-repv2.1-config-update-cc2f60c20aec88dd.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..15df89f1c5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/vnx-repv2.1-config-update-cc2f60c20aec88dd.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - In VNX Cinder driver, ``replication_device`` keys, ``backend_id`` and
+    ``san_ip`` are mandatory now. If you prefer security file authentication,
+    please append ``storage_vnx_security_file_dir`` in ``replication_device``,
+    otherwise, append ``san_login``, ``san_password``,
+    ``storage_vnx_authentication_type`` in ``replication_device``.
+