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Custom .Net deserializer for Azure Stream Analytics will be retired on 30 September 2024.

Published date: March 29, 2024

Custom .Net Deserializer for Azure Stream Analytics will be retired on 30th September 2024. Please transition to a JSON, AVRO, or CSV built-in deserializer by that date. 

The Custom .Net deserializer (Public Preview) lets customers read data from other file formats, such as XML and other user-defined formats. While it became a valuable tool for many, overall adoption didn’t grow as much as we hoped. Here at Microsoft, we continuously adjust to changing market conditions and adapt our investments to where they can have the greatest impact. As a result of this ongoing effort, we have made the difficult decision to retire the Custom .Net deserializer for Azure Stream Analytics. 

This decision was not taken lightly, and we understand the impact it may have on your development processes. We remain committed to providing the best support for your streaming development needs and making this transition as smooth as possible. Below is the Custom .Net Deserializer retirement timeline. We have also recommended an alternative solution for your development needs to guide you through a new workflow. 

Timeline for retirement 

Custom .Net Deserializer for Azure Stream Analytics will retire on the 30th of September 2024. After that date, it will not be possible to use the feature. 

Support period  

While no new features and updates will be added, we will continue to provide technical support and recommendations regarding the custom .net deserializer until it is retired on 30th September, 2024. 

Migration assistance 

We are committed to assisting you in migrating to alternative solutions as seamlessly as possible. The existing documentation below will help you navigate the migration process. Additionally, our support team will be available to address any queries or concerns you may have. Please email us at askasa@microsoft.com

Recommended alternative solutions 

Finding suitable alternatives and guidance for these migrations is crucial to your development workflow. We recommend exploring the following tools and services: 

JSON 

We recommend using the built-in JSON deserializer for Azure Stream Analytics. 

AVRO 

For AVRO, Azure Stream Analytics supports a built-in AVRO deserializer. 
 

CSV 

For CSV, Azure Stream Analytics supports a built-in CSV deserializer

Protobuf 

We recommend pre-processing your events to convert the file format into JSON before ingesting into any of the supported inputs Azure Stream Analytics supports, such as Event Hub, IoT Hub, or Blob Input. 

XML 

We recommend pre-processing your events to convert the file format into JSON before ingesting into any of the supported inputs Azure Stream Analytics supports, such as Event Hub, IoT Hub, or Blob Input. 

Bond and other custom file formats 

We recommend pre-processing your events to convert the file format into JSON before ingesting into any of the supported inputs Azure Stream Analytics supports, such as Event Hub, IoT Hub, or Blob Input. 

Example Scenario 

Depending on your scenario, we recommend using any industry-leading tool to convert your file format to JSON, CSV, or AVRO.  For example, you can use Azure Functions to pre-process XML events and convert them to JSON before ingesting them into an EventHub and connecting to your Azure Stream Analytics job. 

More information 

The custom .net deserializer allowed Azure Stream Analytics to read from any custom file format. With the retirement of the custom .net deserializer, the only file formats Azure Stream Analytics can read from are those with built-in support, such as JSON, CSV, or AVRO.

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