Overview

The recent Windows 11 24H2 update, particularly build 26100.3194, has introduced significant challenges for IT professionals utilizing Veeam Backup & Replication. Users have reported connection failures between Veeam Recovery Media and Veeam Backup Servers, impeding critical data restoration processes.

Background on Veeam Recovery Media

Veeam Recovery Media is an essential tool designed to restore systems to a healthy state during disaster recovery scenarios. It allows IT administrators to recover data from the latest backup images efficiently.

Nature of the Issue

Post-update, users attempting to restore data using Veeam Recovery Media on systems running Windows 11 24H2 (build 26100.3194 or higher) encounter several error messages, including:

  • "Connection problems. An exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation."
  • "Failed to establish connection: no valid IP addresses were found."
  • "Unable to establish authenticated client-server connection. A call to SSPI failed; see inner exception. The local security authority cannot be contacted."
  • "The remote procedure call failed and did not execute."

These errors indicate a breakdown in network connectivity essential for Veeam Recovery Media operations. The issue appears linked to changes introduced in the February KB5051987 update for Windows 11 24H2. (veeam.com)

Technical Analysis

The root cause is under investigation by both Veeam and Microsoft. Preliminary findings suggest that modifications in the KB5051987 update may have altered network authentication protocols, affecting the Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) on which Veeam Recovery Media is built. Notably, affected systems can still establish basic network connectivity, as users can ping both the name and IP address of their Veeam backup servers from the recovery environment’s command prompt. However, the Veeam recovery application itself cannot establish a proper connection. (bleepingcomputer.com)

Implications for IT Operations

This disruption poses significant risks to organizations relying on Veeam for backup and disaster recovery. Inability to restore data promptly can lead to operational downtime, potential data loss, and compliance challenges. Given that Veeam's solutions are utilized by over 550,000 customers worldwide, including 82% of Fortune 500 companies, the impact is substantial. (bleepingcomputer.com)

Recommended Workarounds

Until a permanent fix is available, Veeam advises the following temporary solutions:

  1. Use Recovery Media from Older Builds: Create and use Veeam Recovery Media from a system running an earlier build of Windows 11, specifically build 26100.3037 or lower. This approach has been found to circumvent the connection problems introduced by the recent update. (veeam.com)
  2. Recovery Token Option: If the restore is from backups stored in a Veeam Backup & Replication repository, use the recovery token option to access the backups. (veeam.com)

It's important to note that recovery media created on different hardware may lack necessary drivers for components like network interfaces or RAID controllers, potentially complicating recovery operations. Therefore, thorough testing of recovery media is essential before deployment.

Conclusion

The Windows 11 24H2 update has inadvertently disrupted Veeam Recovery Media's functionality, highlighting the critical need for thorough testing of system updates in enterprise environments. Organizations should implement the recommended workarounds and stay informed through official communications from Veeam and Microsoft to ensure the reliability of their data recovery processes.