Generally available: New KMS DNS in Azure Global Cloud
Published date: July 25, 2022
In late June 2022, we rolled out a new KMS DNS, azkms.core.windows.net, to improve Azure Windows activation experience in Azure Global Cloud. Specifically, all Azure Windows VMs provisioned in Azure Global Cloud from July 2022, are activated via azkms.core.windows.net; and most Azure Windows VMs provisioned in Azure Global Cloud before July 2022 remain activated via existing KMS DNS, kms.core.windows.net.
To most Azure Global Cloud customers, the transition to new KMS DNS is transparent. However, Azure Global Cloud customers who have followed trouble-shooting guides, like the ones listed below, need to include new KMS DNS, azkms.core.windows.net, and two new KMS IP addresses, 20.118.99.224 and 40.83.235.53:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/protect-azure-virtual-desktop
By March 1, 2023, kms.core.windows.net will point to 20.118.99.224 instead of 23.102.135.246. This change will have no impact to Azure Global Cloud customers who have followed trouble-shooting guides to include two new KMS IP addresses.
Blog post Azure Windows Virtual Machine Activation: two new KMS IP addresses (…and why you should care) has more details.