Generated on: April 02, 2026 Target period: Within the last 24 hours Processing mode: Details Mode Number of updates: 7 items
Published: April 01, 2026 21:00:19 UTC Link: Retirement: Service Fabric support for Windows Server 2022 ends on March 31, 2027 - upgrade to Windows Server 2025
Update ID: 558247 Data source: Azure Updates API
Categories: Compute, Containers, Azure Service Fabric, Retirements
Summary:
What was updated
Azure Service Fabric will retire support for clusters running on Windows Server 2022 as of March 31, 2027.
Key changes or new features
Support for Service Fabric clusters on Windows Server 2022 will end. Customers must upgrade their clusters to Windows Server 2025 to continue receiving support and updates. This change is part of aligning Service Fabric’s support lifecycle with Windows OS image support policies.
Target audience affected
This update impacts IT professionals and developers managing or deploying Service Fabric clusters on Windows Server 2022.
Important notes if any
To avoid unsupported configurations and potential security or compliance risks, all Service Fabric clusters must be upgraded to Windows Server 2025 before March 31, 2027. Begin planning migration and testing processes early to ensure a smooth transition. Failure to upgrade will result in loss of support, including critical updates and security patches. For more information, refer to the official Azure update: https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=558247
Details:
Azure Update Report: Retirement of Service Fabric Support for Windows Server 2022
Background and Purpose of the Update:
Microsoft has announced the retirement of Service Fabric support for Windows Server 2022, effective March 31, 2027. After this date, Service Fabric clusters running on Windows Server 2022 will no longer be supported. The purpose of this update is to align Service Fabric’s Windows operating system (OS) image support lifecycle with Microsoft’s broader OS support policies and to encourage customers to upgrade to Windows Server 2025 for continued support and security.
Specific Features and Detailed Changes:
Technical Mechanisms and Implementation Methods:
Use Cases and Application Scenarios:
Important Considerations and Limitations:
Integration with Related Azure Services:
Summary:
Service Fabric support for Windows Server 2022 will end on March 31, 2027; customers must upgrade their clusters to Windows Server 2025 by this date to remain supported.
Published: April 01, 2026 20:30:41 UTC Link: Retirement: Service Fabric support for Windows Server 2019 ends on March 31, 2027 - upgrade to Windows Server 2025
Update ID: 558246 Data source: Azure Updates API
Categories: Compute, Containers, Azure Service Fabric, Retirements
Summary:
What was updated
Azure Service Fabric will retire support for clusters running on Windows Server 2019 as of March 31, 2027.
Key changes or new features
Support for Service Fabric clusters on Windows Server 2019 will end. Customers must upgrade their clusters to Windows Server 2025 to continue receiving support and updates. This aligns Service Fabric’s OS image support lifecycle with Microsoft’s broader support policies.
Target audience affected
Developers and IT professionals managing Service Fabric clusters on Windows Server 2019, including those responsible for infrastructure planning, cluster maintenance, and application deployment.
Important notes if any
All Service Fabric clusters running on Windows Server 2019 must be upgraded to Windows Server 2025 by March 31, 2027, to remain in a supported state. Failure to upgrade will result in loss of support, including security updates and technical assistance. Begin planning your migration to avoid service disruptions. Review your current cluster deployments and update your infrastructure roadmap accordingly. For more details, refer to the official Azure update: https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=558246
Details:
Azure Update Report: Retirement of Service Fabric Support for Windows Server 2019
Background and Purpose of the Update:
Microsoft Azure Service Fabric is a distributed systems platform used to build scalable, reliable, and easily managed applications for the cloud. The announced update states that Service Fabric will retire support for clusters running on Windows Server 2019 as of March 31, 2027. The purpose of this update is to align Service Fabric’s Windows OS image support mode with the latest Windows Server releases, ensuring continued security, performance, and compatibility. Customers are required to upgrade their Service Fabric clusters to Windows Server 2025 by the specified date to remain in a supported state.
Specific Features and Detailed Changes:
The key change is the end of official support for Service Fabric clusters operating on Windows Server 2019. After March 31, 2027, Microsoft will no longer provide updates, security patches, or technical support for Service Fabric clusters on this OS version. The update mandates migration to Windows Server 2025, which will become the minimum supported OS for Service Fabric clusters. No new features or enhancements for Service Fabric clusters on Windows Server 2019 will be released post-retirement.
Technical Mechanisms and Implementation Methods:
To comply with this update, IT professionals must plan and execute an upgrade of their Service Fabric clusters from Windows Server 2019 to Windows Server 2025. This involves provisioning new nodes with Windows Server 2025, migrating workloads, and updating cluster configurations. The upgrade process should follow Microsoft’s best practices for Service Fabric cluster upgrades, including validating application compatibility, ensuring backup and recovery procedures, and testing cluster stability post-migration. The OS image support mode refers to the underlying operating system images used for Service Fabric cluster nodes, which must be updated to Windows Server 2025.
Use Cases and Application Scenarios:
This update is relevant for organizations running mission-critical workloads, microservices, or containerized applications on Service Fabric clusters deployed on Windows Server 2019. Typical scenarios include enterprise applications, IoT solutions, and cloud-native services that rely on Service Fabric for orchestration and lifecycle management. Upgrading to Windows Server 2025 ensures continued access to Azure support, security updates, and compatibility with new Service Fabric features.
Important Considerations and Limitations:
Integration with Related Azure Services:
Service Fabric clusters are often integrated with other Azure services such as Azure Monitor for telemetry, Azure Active Directory for authentication, and Azure DevOps for CI/CD pipelines. The upgrade to Windows Server 2025 may require updates to integration points, such as monitoring agents or security configurations. Ensure that all related services and dependencies are compatible with Windows Server 2025 to maintain seamless operations.
Summary Sentence:
Service Fabric support for Windows Server 2019 will end on March 31, 2027, requiring customers to upgrade clusters to Windows Server 2025 to maintain a supported and secure environment.
Published: April 01, 2026 19:00:05 UTC Link: Public Preview: Unlock Client-Side Configuration at Scale with Azure App Configuration and Azure Front Door
Update ID: 537234 Data source: Azure Updates API
Categories: In preview, Containers, Developer tools, Mobile, Security, Web, App Configuration, Features, Microsoft Ignite
Summary:
What was updated
Azure App Configuration now integrates with Azure Front Door, enabling secure, CDN-scale delivery of dynamic configuration data directly to client-side applications. This feature is available in Public Preview.
For more details, refer to the official Azure Update.
Details:
Azure Update Technical Report
Title: Public Preview: Unlock Client-Side Configuration at Scale with Azure App Configuration and Azure Front Door
Link: Azure Update
Background and Purpose of the Update
Modern cloud applications increasingly require dynamic configuration capabilities, especially for client-side applications such as Single Page Applications (SPAs) and mobile apps. Traditionally, configuration management has been server-centric, limiting flexibility and scalability for client-side scenarios. This update introduces a public preview of Azure App Configuration’s integration with Azure Front Door, enabling secure and scalable delivery of dynamic configuration directly to client-side applications. The purpose is to provide a robust mechanism for distributing configuration data at CDN scale, enhancing flexibility and operational efficiency for modern application architectures.
Specific Features and Detailed Changes
Technical Mechanisms and Implementation Methods
Use Cases and Application Scenarios
Important Considerations and Limitations
Integration with Related Azure Services
Summary Sentence:
Azure App Configuration’s integration with Azure Front Door, now in public preview, enables secure and scalable delivery of dynamic configuration directly to client-side applications, providing enhanced flexibility and operational efficiency for modern cloud architectures.
Published: April 01, 2026 18:30:16 UTC Link: Generally Available: Azure Data Box enhances compliance with automatic Secure Erasure Certificates
Update ID: 559772 Data source: Azure Updates API
Categories: Launched, Migration, Storage, Azure Data Box, Features
Summary:
What was updated
Azure Data Box now provides automatic generation of Secure Erasure Certificates for every completed order.
Key changes or new features
A Secure Erasure Certificate is now automatically generated and available for download after each Data Box order is completed. This certificate verifies that all data on the device has been securely erased in compliance with NIST 800-88 Revision 2 standards. This enhancement streamlines compliance documentation and audit processes by providing official proof of secure data erasure.
Target audience affected
This update primarily impacts IT professionals, compliance officers, and developers who manage data migration or transfer projects using Azure Data Box and require evidence of secure data destruction for regulatory or organizational compliance.
Important notes if any
The Secure Erasure Certificate is downloadable and can be retained for audit and compliance purposes. This feature helps organizations meet strict data protection and regulatory requirements, reducing manual tracking and paperwork. No additional configuration is required; the certificate is provided automatically after order completion.
Details:
Azure Update Report: Generally Available – Azure Data Box Enhances Compliance with Automatic Secure Erasure Certificates
Background and Purpose of the Update:
Azure Data Box is a physical device solution for secure, large-scale data transfer to and from Azure. Data security and compliance are critical concerns, especially when handling sensitive or regulated data. To address compliance requirements and provide assurance to customers, Azure Data Box now includes an enhancement that automatically generates a Secure Erasure Certificate for every completed order. This certificate verifies that all data on the device has been securely erased in accordance with the NIST 800-88 Revision 2 standard, a widely recognized guideline for media sanitization.
Specific Features and Detailed Changes:
Technical Mechanisms and Implementation Methods:
Use Cases and Application Scenarios:
Important Considerations and Limitations:
Integration with Related Azure Services:
Summary Sentence:
Azure Data Box now automatically provides a downloadable Secure Erasure Certificate for every completed order, verifying NIST 800-88 Rev. 2-compliant data erasure and enhancing compliance documentation for secure data transfers.
Published: April 01, 2026 18:15:44 UTC Link: Generally Available: Azure Data Box now supports Azure Files Provisioned v2
Update ID: 559767 Data source: Azure Updates API
Categories: Launched, Migration, Storage, Azure Data Box, Features
Summary:
What was updated
Azure Data Box now supports data ingestion into Azure Files Provisioned v2 storage accounts.
Key changes or new features
Azure Data Box can now be used to transfer data directly into Azure Files Provisioned v2 accounts. Azure Files Provisioned v2 is a new billing model that allows customers to provision and pay for specific storage capacity, IOPS, and throughput, offering greater flexibility and predictable performance.
Target audience affected
Developers, IT professionals, and storage administrators who use Azure Data Box for large-scale data migration and require integration with Azure Files Provisioned v2 storage accounts.
Important notes if any
This update enables seamless migration of large datasets into Azure Files Provisioned v2, supporting scenarios that require predictable performance and cost management. Customers can now use Data Box for initial bulk data transfer to these accounts, streamlining onboarding and migration workflows.
For more details, see the official update.
Details:
Azure Update Report: Azure Data Box Now Supports Azure Files Provisioned v2 (Generally Available)
Background and Purpose of the Update:
Azure Data Box is a physical device solution designed for secure, large-scale offline data transfer to Azure. Traditionally, Data Box supported ingestion into standard Azure Files storage accounts. With the introduction of Azure Files Provisioned v2, Microsoft has responded to customer demand for more granular control over storage performance and cost. The purpose of this update is to enable Data Box users to ingest data directly into Azure Files Provisioned v2 storage accounts, thereby leveraging the new billing and performance model.
Specific Features and Detailed Changes:
The update enables Azure Data Box devices to ingest data into Azure Files Provisioned v2 storage accounts. Azure Files Provisioned v2 is a new billing model that allows customers to provision and pay for specific capacity, IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second), and throughput values. This model differs from the traditional pay-as-you-go approach by offering predictable performance and cost management. The change ensures that data imported via Data Box can be stored in accounts configured with Provisioned v2, supporting scenarios where performance and capacity requirements are predefined.
Technical Mechanisms and Implementation Methods:
When configuring an Azure Data Box job, users can now select Azure Files Provisioned v2 storage accounts as the target destination for their data. The ingestion process remains consistent with standard Data Box workflows: data is copied onto the device, shipped to Azure, and then uploaded to the specified storage account. The underlying mechanism ensures compatibility with the Provisioned v2 model, which allocates resources based on the provisioned values set by the customer. Data Box interacts with the Azure Files APIs to facilitate seamless data transfer, ensuring that the provisioned capacity, IOPS, and throughput are respected during ingestion.
Use Cases and Application Scenarios:
This update is particularly beneficial for organizations migrating large datasets to Azure Files with strict performance or capacity requirements. Typical scenarios include:
By supporting Provisioned v2, Data Box enables customers to plan migrations with confidence, knowing their storage will meet performance SLAs.
Important Considerations and Limitations:
IT professionals should be aware of the following:
Integration with Related Azure Services:
Azure Data Box integrates seamlessly with Azure Files Provisioned v2, allowing for direct ingestion. This update enhances Data Box’s compatibility with Azure Files, supporting hybrid cloud scenarios and aligning with Azure’s broader storage ecosystem. Data Box jobs can be managed via the Azure portal, and ingested data can be accessed through Azure Files SMB/NFS protocols, enabling integration with Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Kubernetes Service, and other Azure services that consume file shares.
Summary:
Azure Data Box now supports ingestion into Azure Files Provisioned v2 storage accounts, allowing customers to provision and pay for specific capacity, IOPS, and throughput values, thereby offering greater flexibility and predictable performance for large-scale data migrations.
Published: April 01, 2026 18:15:44 UTC Link: Public Preview: Azure NetApp Files storage with cool access enhancement
Update ID: 559504 Data source: Azure Updates API
Categories: In development, Storage, Azure NetApp Files, Features
Summary:
What was updated
Azure NetApp Files now supports storage with cool access enhancement in Public Preview, specifically for Premium and Ultra service levels.
Key changes or new features
A new QoS (Quality of Service) update enables automatic throughput adjustment when cool access is enabled. As data transitions from hot to cool storage, throughput is dynamically managed to maintain hot-tier performance for active data while optimizing costs for less frequently accessed (cool) data. This enhancement allows for more efficient handling of mixed hot and cool workloads without manual intervention.
Target audience affected
Developers and IT professionals managing storage-intensive applications, especially those leveraging Azure NetApp Files for workloads with varying data access patterns (e.g., analytics, backup, or tiered storage scenarios).
Important notes if any
The feature is currently in Public Preview and available for Premium and Ultra service levels only. Users should evaluate the feature in non-production environments and monitor performance and cost impacts. This update helps balance performance and cost, making it easier to optimize storage usage for workloads with both hot and cool data requirements.
Data source: Using API data
Link: https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=559504
Details:
Azure Update Report: Public Preview – Azure NetApp Files Storage with Cool Access Enhancement
Background and Purpose of the Update
This update introduces a public preview of cool access enhancement for Azure NetApp Files (ANF) storage, specifically targeting Premium and Ultra service levels. The primary purpose is to optimize the balance between performance and cost for workloads that contain both hot and cool data. Traditionally, managing mixed-access workloads required manual intervention or resulted in suboptimal performance or higher costs. This enhancement aims to automate and streamline the process, ensuring efficient resource utilization.
Specific Features and Detailed Changes
Technical Mechanisms and Implementation Methods
Use Cases and Application Scenarios
Important Considerations and Limitations
Integration with Related Azure Services
Summary Sentence
Azure NetApp Files now offers a public preview of cool access enhancement on Premium and Ultra tiers, enabling automatic throughput adjustment for mixed hot and cool workloads to optimize performance and cost without manual intervention.
Published: April 01, 2026 18:00:10 UTC Link: Retirement: Select Azure AI Language Features
Update ID: 557394 Data source: Azure Updates API
Categories: AI + machine learning, Azure AI Language, Retirements
Summary:
What was updated
Microsoft announced the retirement of eight Azure AI Language features, effective March 20, 2027.
Key changes or new features
The following features will be retired and no longer supported after the retirement date:
No new features are being introduced; this is a deprecation notice.
Target audience affected
Developers and IT professionals using the affected Azure AI Language features in their applications, workflows, or services.
For more details and the full list of affected features, visit the official Azure Update.
Details:
Azure Update Report: Retirement of Select Azure AI Language Features
Background and Purpose of the Update
Microsoft has announced the retirement of eight Azure AI Language features, effective March 20, 2027. This update is part of Microsoft’s ongoing strategy to streamline its AI offerings, focusing on evolving technologies and consolidating feature sets. The retirement aims to encourage customers to transition to newer, more advanced AI solutions within Azure, ensuring continued innovation and support.
Specific Features and Detailed Changes
The following Azure AI Language features will be retired:
After March 20, 2027, these features will no longer be available in Azure. Customers using these features must plan migration strategies to alternative Azure AI services or update their applications accordingly.
Technical Mechanisms and Implementation Methods
These features are currently accessed via Azure AI Language APIs, which provide REST endpoints for text analytics, classification, conversational understanding, and orchestration. Retirement means that API endpoints, SDKs, and related resources for these features will be deprecated and eventually removed from the Azure platform. Existing deployments, workflows, and integrations relying on these APIs will cease to function unless migrated to supported alternatives.
Use Cases and Application Scenarios
The retiring features are commonly used in:
Organizations leveraging these scenarios must evaluate alternative Azure AI services to maintain functionality.
Important Considerations and Limitations
Integration with Related Azure Services
These features are often integrated with other Azure services such as Azure Cognitive Services, Azure Bot Service, Azure Functions, and Azure Logic Apps. Retirement may impact workflows that depend on these integrations. Customers should review documentation for alternative Azure AI offerings, such as newer Text Analytics, Language Studio, or custom AI models via Azure Machine Learning, to ensure continued interoperability.
Summary Sentence
Microsoft will retire eight Azure AI Language features—including Key Phrase Extraction, Sentiment Analysis, Custom Text Classification, CLU, CQA, and Orchestrator—on March 20, 2027, requiring customers to migrate affected workloads to alternative Azure AI solutions to maintain application functionality.
This report was automatically generated - 2026-04-02 03:04:27 UTC