We moved a disk from one VM to another one and now we get an error in Azure backup "Please pass valid encryption information for VM"

Benjamin Kiser 0

We were having issues with a SQL server so we moved the disk with the databases to another VM and attached the DBs to the SQL on the new server. Everything is working besides now we are getting an encryption error when trying to backup the server and it says to "Please pass valid encryption information for VM" but I can't find any information on how to do that.

Vinod Pittala 155 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2025-01-22T20:32:57.07+00:00
Hello @Benjamin Kiser

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum, thank you for posting your query here!

It sounds like you're encountering an issue with the encryption settings for your Azure VM during the backup process. Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve this error:

1. Verify Encryption Configuration: Make sure that your VM is encrypted using supported encryption methods. Azure Backup supports VMs encrypted with Azure Disk Encryption (ADE) using standalone keys. However, if the key is part of a certificate used to encrypt a VM, it isn't currently supported. This limitation can also trigger the error message.

And when using customer-managed keys (CMK) for encryption, it's essential to ensure that the key vault and the VMs are co-located in the same region. If the encryption secrets cross regional boundaries, it can result in this error.

You can refer to the below MS article to know about the encryption methods and Supported scenarios.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-vms-encryption#supported-scenarios-for-backup-and-restore-of-encrypted-azure-vms

So, kindly confirm which type of encryption method has made on your VM?

To determine the type of encryption used on your Azure VM, you can follow these steps:

Navigate to the VM in the Azure Portal.

Under the "Settings" section, select "Disks".

Here, you can see the encryption status of each disk. If the disk is encrypted, it will show the type of encryption used, such as Azure Disk Encryption (ADE) or Encryption at Host.

If you are using customer-managed keys (CMK) for encryption, you can check the Key Vault configuration to see which keys are being used for encryption.

2. Encryption Permissions:
If you enable encryption for the VM that is already enabled for backup, you need to provide Backup with permissions to access the Key Vault. Without these permissions, backups can be disrupted, leading to this error.
So, ensure that the Azure Backup service has the necessary permissions to access the Key Vault where your encryption keys are stored. You can set these permissions by following the below 6 steps

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-vms-encryption#provide-permissions

Note: To identify a VM's associated key vault, use the following PowerShell command. Substitute your resource group name and VM name:

Get-AzVm -ResourceGroupName "MyResourceGroup001" -VMName "VM001" -Status

Look for the key vault name in this line:

SecretUrl : https://<keyVaultName>.vault.azure.net

Therefore, since you encountered this error, it's crucial to check the encryption settings and permissions for the VM and ensure that all configurations are correctly set up.

Once everything is cleared, follow the below document.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-azure-vms-encryption#before-you-start

Please let us know if you have any further queries. I’m happy to assist you further.

If the comment is helpful, please click "Upvote it"

Thank you.
Vinod Pittala 155 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2025-01-23T21:20:04.4166667+00:00

Hello Benjamin Kiser,

Please let us know if you have any further queries. I’m happy to assist you.

If the above comment is helpful, please click "Upvote it"

thank you.
Vinod Pittala 155 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2025-01-24T21:31:54.46+00:00

Hello Benjamin Kiser,

I Just want to check, is that issue resolved or else if you need any help?

Please let us know we will always help as you needed.! if you had chance please review once my previous comment.

Thank you

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We moved a disk from one VM to another one and now we get an error in Azure backup "Please pass valid encryption information for VM"

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