Generally available: New KMS DNS in Azure China Cloud

After December 15, 2022, a new KMS DNS, azkms.core.chinacloudapi.cn, will be rolled out to improve Azure Windows activation experience in Azure China Cloud. Specifically, after December 15, 2022, all Azure Windows VMs provisioned in Azure China Cloud will be activated via azkms.core.chinacloudapi.cn; and most Azure Windows VMs provisioned in Azure China Cloud before December 15, 2022 remain activated via existing KMS DNS, kms.core.chinacloudapi.cn.

To most Azure China Cloud customers, the transition to new KMS DNS is transparent. However, Azure China Cloud customers who have followed trouble-shooting guides, like the ones listed below, need to include new KMS DNS, azkms.core.chinacloudapi.cn, and two new KMS IP addresses, 159.27.28.100 and 163.228.64.161:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/azure/virtual-machines/custom-routes-enable-kms-activation

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/azure/virtual-machines/troubleshoot-activation-problems

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/firewall/protect-azure-virtual-desktop

After March 1, 2023, kms.core.chinacloudapi.cn will point to 159.27.28.100 and 163.228.64.161 instead of 42.159.7.249. This change will have no impact to Azure China Cloud customers who have followed trouble-shooting guides to include two new KMS IP addresses.