Azure updates

Support has ended for Gen 4 hardware on Azure SQL Database

Target retirement date: March 31, 2023

Gen 4 hardware on Azure SQL Database is no longer supported, effective March 31, 2023. Databases may remain on Gen 4 configurations, albeit with limitations.

• Azure SQL Database
• Retirements

App Service Environment version 1 and version 2 will be retired on 31 August 2024

Target retirement date: August 31, 2024

Migrate to App Service Environment v3 by 31 August 2024.

• App Service
• Retirements

Azure CycleCloud 8.4.0 release

Target availability: Q2 2023

We’re excited to announce the release of CycleCloud 8.4.0. Here is the list of the improvements and bug fixes: New Features • Slurm 3.0 is now supported o Support for dynamic nodes and dynamic partitions via dynamic node arrays, supporting both single and multiple VM sizes o New slurm versions 23.02 and 22.05.8 o Cost reporting via azslurm CLI o azslurm cli-based autoscaler o Ubuntu 20 support o Removed need for topology plugin, and therefore also any submit plugin • Encryption-at-host is now supported • Added Event Log for auditing storage credentials • Cluster usage schema now includes VM size details • New regions supported for pricing, including Poland, Sweden and Jio India Resolved Issues • VMSS which were removed outside of CycleCloud could trigger a null-pointer exception. • Users were not able to interact with tick boxes in forms • node.json was not parsed using utf-8 encoding on Windows • Pricing for Ultra disks was not collected correctly • VMs using Ultra disks failed to be created if there was no price information • Restoring from backup sometimes picked an older version to restore from • Restoring from backup did not work if port 80/443 was in use • LSF example template was broken • In certain cases, nodes could be added to the cluster but not counted against the limits • Users were not able to change their passwords • CVE-2021-43980 has been mitigated Here’s a link to the release notes in our public documentation: Release Notes v8.4.0 - Azure CycleCloud | Microsoft Learn UPGRADING CYCLECLOUD Please follow these links depending on the customer’s configuration:  Upgrading on Debian or Ubuntu  Upgrading on Enterprise Linux (RHEL) clones  Upgrading from the Microsoft Download centre More info: Upgrade or Migrate - Azure CycleCloud | Microsoft Docs QUESTIONS? Please feel free to get in touch at askcyclecloud@microsoft.com, or the AskCycleCloud Teams channel

• Open Source

Public preview: Private Application Gateway v2

Target availability: Q1 2023

Application Gateway v2 is introducing support for private IP only frontend configurations, enhanced control over NSG rules and support for forced tunnelling/route table rules to virtual appliances.

• Application Gateway
• Security
• Features

General Availability: New General-Purpose VMs - Dlsv5 and Dldsv5

The Dlsv5 and Dldsv5 VM series provide 2GiBs per vCPU and can offer lower price points within the general-purpose Azure Virtual Machines portfolio.

• Virtual Machines
• Services

Transition to built-in Azure Monitor alerts for Recovery Services vaults in Azure Backup by 31 March 2026

Target retirement date: March 31, 2026

Classic alerts for Azure Backup will be retired on 31 March 2026

• Azure Backup
• Retirements

Multi-Column Distribution for Dedicated SQL pools is now available!

Multi-Column Distribution (MCD) is highly desirable for easing migrations, promotes faster query performance and reduces data skew.

• Azure Synapse Analytics
• Features

Public Preview: Azure Migrate - Discover ASP.NET & Java web apps and assess ASP.NET in all environments

Discovery of Java & ASP.NET web apps and assessment of ASP.NET web apps to Azure App Service code (native) on VMware, Hyper-V and Physical servers is now in public preview.

• App Service
• Azure Migrate
• SDK and Tools
• Features

Generally available: Simpler way to renaming Network Interface (NIC) and Disks for protected VMs in Azure Site Recovery

This article describes a new feature update for Azure Site Recovery. 

• Management
• Features

Generally available: Azure Private Link support for Inbound traffic in Azure API Management

With Azure Private Link support in Azure API Management, you can now integrate clients in a virtual network privately.

• API Management
• Microsoft Build

General availability: Azure Virtual Network Manager

Azure Virtual Network Manager (AVNM) is now generally available. AVNM is a one-stop shop for managing the connectivity and security of your network resources at scale.

• Services

General availability: Reserved namespaces for subdomains

Azure Traffic Manager now enables reserving domain labels across all traffic manager profiles.

• Traffic Manager
• Services
• Features

General availability: ASP. NET web app migration to Azure App Service using PowerShell Scripts

ASP. NET web app migration to Azure App Service using PowerShell Scripts is now generally available.

• App Service
• SDK and Tools
• Features

General Availability of Azure Hybrid Benefit for SQL Server on Azure VMware Solution

Customers can now take advantage of the unlimited virtualization licensing capability included with the SQL Server Software Assurance with Azure Hybrid Benefit for SQL Server on Azure VMware Solution.

• Azure VMware Solution
• Features

Azure Machine Learning – March 2023 Region Expansion Announcement 

Azure Machine Learning is now Generally Available in the UK West region.

• Azure Machine Learning
• Regions & Datacenters

Public preview: Accelerated Connections for network virtual appliances now in Azure Marketplace

Accelerated Connections is a new product that enhances Accelerated Networking enabled vNICs, enabling customers to increase connections per second and improve performance in multiple active connection scenarios.

• Virtual Network
• Services
• Features

GA: Spot Priority Mix

Deploy a Virtual Machine Scale Set with both Spot and standard virtual machines using flexible orchestration mode.

• Virtual Machine Scale Sets
• Pricing & Offerings

Generally available: App Insights Extension for Azure Virtual Machines and VM Scale Sets

Application insights extension enables easy to use application monitoring for IIS-hosted .NET Framework and .NET Core applications running on Azure VMs and VM scale sets.

• Azure Monitor
• Features