Azure updates
Get the latest updates on Azure products and features to meet your cloud investment needs. Subscribe to notifications to stay informed.
RSS feedJune 2021
General availability: Support for SQL Server in data flows using Azure Data Factory & Azure Synapse
SQL Server is now available as a data flow source sink from your on-premises and VM-based instances in ADF and Synapse Analytics.
May 2021
Query Delta Lake files using T-SQL in Azure Synapse Analytics (public preview)
Use T-SQL in Azure Synapse to read Delta Lake format.
Public preview: Announcing Azure Synapse Link for Dataverse
Power your business applications data with analytical and predictive insights.
Private preview: NVIDIA GPU Acceleration for Apache Spark™ in Azure Synapse Analytics
Beginning today, this GPU acceleration feature in Azure Synapse is available for private preview by request.
Public preview: Apache Spark 3.0 support in Azure Synapse Analytics
The public preview announced today starts with the foundation based on the open-source Apache Spark 3.0 branch with subsequent updates leading up to a Generally Available version derived from the latest 3.1 branch.
March 2021
General availability: Dynamic data masking granular permissions for Azure SQL and Azure Synapse Analytics
Control who can access your SQL data by using dynamic data masking granular permission on your Azure SQL Database, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Azure SQL Managed Instance.
Public preview: Azure Purview powered search in Azure Synapse Analytics workspaces
Enable effortless discovery of trustworthy, valuable data with an Azure Purview powered search within Synapse Studio.
Azure SQL auditing to Log Analytics and Event Hub are now generally available
Auditing for Azure SQL Database and Azure Synapse Analytics to Log Analytics and Event Hub are now generally available, allowing the centralization of SQL audit logs into a single go-to-location.
Azure Synapse Link for Azure Cosmos DB: Azure Synapse serverless SQL pool support in general availability
Run familiar analytical T-SQL queries over data in Azure Cosmos DB in place and build rich near-time business intelligence with Synapse serverless SQL pools for Azure Synapse Link.
Azure Machine Learning - Public preview announcements Ignite, March 2021.
Azure Machine Learning has new features in preview now.
Azure SQL auditing of Microsoft operations is now in general availability
Azure SQL auditing of Microsoft operations for Azure SQL Database, Azure Synapse Analytics and Azure SQL Managed Instance is now generally available, enabling more transparency into your workforce.
Public preview: Announcing Azure Synapse Pathway: Accelerate your data warehouse migration
Azure Synapse Pathway is a point-and-click solution that simplifies and accelerates migration for both on-premises and cloud data warehouses to Azure Synapse Analytics.
February 2021
Action required: Switch to Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 by 29 February 2024
Target retirement date: February 29, 2024
Migrate to Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2.
General availability: Data flows in Azure Data Factory and Azure Synapse now support Reserved Instances
Azure Data Factory (ADF) and Azure Synapse Analytics (Synapse) now offer discounted pricing on data flows based on 1-year and 3-year reservations.
January 2021
Azure Defender for SQL (in Azure Security Center)—News and updates for December 2020
December 2020's enhancements and updates to Azure Defender for SQL in Azure Security Center.
December 2020
Additional support for managed identity in Azure Stream Analytics now in public preview
Azure Stream Analytics now supports managed identity for Blob input, Event Hubs (input and output), Synapse SQL Pools and customer storage account. As a result, customers do not have to manage service-to-service credentials by themselves, and can process events when streams of data are coming from Event Hubs in a VNet or using a firewall.
Azure Data Share snapshot sharing for SQL Database and Synapse generally available
You can now share structured data stored in relational databases and data warehouse easily and securely between internal departments, with external partners, vendors or customers for collaboration.
Transparent Data Encryption with customer-managed keys for SQL Database Hyperscale
This feature enables bring your own key (BYOK) support for data protection at rest, using Azure Key Vault, for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale customers.
November 2020
New version of SSMS and ADS tools for serverless SQL pools in Azure Synapse Analytics
Serverless SQL pool released a new version of SSMS and ADS which improves scripting in object explorer and increases stability.
October 2020
Azure Synapse Link for Azure Cosmos DB: SQL serverless runtime support in preview
Azure Synapse Link now offers preview support for querying Azure Cosmos DB data with Synapse SQL serverless.
Azure at Microsoft Build
Get answers to your questions from Microsoft and Community experts.
Community supportRead commonly asked questions on Azure updates.
FAQFind the latest news, updates, and resources for Azure partners.
Azure Partner ZoneTell us what you think of Azure and what you want to see in the future.
Provide feedbackAzure is available in more regions than any other cloud provider.
Check product availability in your region