Veeam Backup & Replication v13 - PowerShell module 5.1

[derSchweiger]

It seems like that the PowerShell module for Veeam Backup & Replication v13 is only available für PowerShell 7.X. Since our automation heavily relies on PowerShell 5.1, is it possible to use Veeam.Backup.PowerShell with the current Veeam v13 on PowerShell 5.1?

Appreciate your help!

[Gostev]

V13 requires PowerShell 7 because built on .NET Core as opposed to .NET Framework as with previous versions.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power ... powershell

[Origin 2000]

Same Problem here. 7.x is not the default POSH for Server 2019/2022. Even when you install it than it will run parallel to POSH 5.1 You can select the new one by calling "pwsh" instead "powershell". Also its not possible any more to run a task or service as "SYSTEM".

Regards,
Joerg

[orb]

Hello,

I get why there’s confusion around PowerShell versions, it’s not always obvious why both exist.

PowerShell 5.1: It is for legacy Windows automation, AD modules tied to .NET Framework, and SYSTEM-level tasks. It’s also a common attack vector when misused.

PowerShell 7.x: Designed for APIs/JSON, better performance, improved security (side-by-side), and cross-platform support. You can run it as SYSTEM, but the behavior changed. Most likely it will break without proper adaptation or you will hit quickly a legacy wall. What’s the real advantage in doing that?

Veeam isn’t part of the OS or Windows automation landscape, so having 7.x support is a big step forward.

Hope it helps,
Oli

[derSchweiger]

Yes, I do agree that PS 7.X is a big step forward and I'm aware of the differences between .NET Framework (PS 5.1) and .NET Core (PS 7.X). Since PowerShell 5.1 remains the default on all Windows Server versions except Windows Server 2025, it seems odd (at least for me) to ship the new Veeam PowerShell module exclusively for version 7.x.
If there is no workaround available we'll swallow the pill and adapt our tooling accordingly

[david.domask]

v13 introduced the Veeam Powershell Module for Linux, and PowerShell on non-Windows OSes started at pwsh 7 (I think there was a 6.2 release, but it's not relevant)

Similarly, Microsoft no longer supports older versions of Powershell, so pwsh 7 is the clear choice for the Veeam module as it works regardless of Windows vs Linux

No workarounds available, so go ahead and install PowerShell 7

Also, off-topic but out of pure curiosity, do your other scripts written for pwsh 5.1 not work in pwsh 7.x?

[derSchweiger]

Yes, I understand why you prefer PowerShell 7 over 5.1.

In our case, however, the situation is a bit more complex. Our automation (Ansible) manages thousands of virtual machines, and PowerShell 5.1 is used consistently across our entire Windows infrastructure. As a result, we need to find a different approach for our Veeam servers, or at least adapt our existing automation, specifically for the Veeam infrastructure.