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Windows Server News and Best Practices
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Hotpatching is now available for Windows Server VMs on Azure with Desktop Experience!

VishalBajaj's avatar
VishalBajaj
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Jul 18, 2023

We’re excited to announce the General Availability of Hotpatching on Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition VMs with Desktop Experience. This fulfills one of our biggest requests from customers: Hotpatching beyond Server Core. Hotpatch updates simplify securing your Windows Server devices without needing a reboot. Early adopters have reported being able to update their VMs within a couple of days as compared to previously taking weeks.  

 

Get access to this capability by using the newly released images.

 

Now, all versions of Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition on Azure and Azure Stack HCI can enable Hotpatching! This marks our continued investment in ensuring that Azure is the best destination to run Windows Server, with many capabilities to optimize your server management through services such as Azure Automanage. Watch the video and read the FAQ below to learn more!

 

 

What are the key benefits of Hotpatching?

  • Fewer reboots, which means higher availability resulting in less workload disruptions.
  • Faster deployment of updates because Hotpatch updates only contain security fixes so they are about 10x smaller, install faster, take effect without reboot. Minimal OS changes helps you manage change control.
  • Azure Update Manager provide simple update patch orchestration management.

What is new with this announcement?

We are releasing new OS images that support Hotpatching.

 

Will existing images with Desktop Experience support Hotpatching?

The existing Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition images with the Desktop Experience will not support Hotpatching. To benefit from Hotpatching, you must deploy the new OS images.

 

Are all updates installed without a reboot?

Hotpatching is limited to security fixes released for Windows operating systems (excluding .NET framework). Non security fixes and other 3rd party updates are not part of the Hotpatch program. For more information on the Hotpatch schedule and baseline patches, review the Hotpatch documentation.

 

How do I get started?

Simply Create VMs with the newly released images (Hotpatching is enabled by default). For additional information refer to this blog or the documentation.

Updated Jul 18, 2023
Version 3.0

30 Comments

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  • Dolinhas's avatar
    Dolinhas
    Brass Contributor
    Sep 08, 2023

    Hi VishalBajaj brinez-msft NedPyle 

     

    Really interested in the new Desktop Version with HP for my new File Server but....

     

    • When looking at the Update tab (portal > VM) It shows "Preview"? I thought this feature was GA? 

     

    • If I select Reboot Setting: Never Reboot  (Portal > Create VM Wizard > Management) (because of the service File Server being used 24/7) -
    1. How will I know when the update installed and the server needs a reboot (this be for the scheduled Un/Planned Baselines restart months)? I want to set a Task Schedule task to reboot it during an agreed maintenance windows with my users.
    2. When exactly is the update being installed (date/time)? Is there way to alert me? 
    3. Is it possible to use SCCM to manage hotpatching patches on these new W2K22 Images?

    Thanks Everyone :cool:

  • Guglielmo_Mengora's avatar
    Guglielmo_Mengora
    Copper Contributor
    Sep 04, 2023

    Nice news. Congratulations.

     

    However, an even hotter news would be announcing hot-patching support for every Windows Server installation, besides Azure Ed. :stareyes:

     

    Please, make it happen.

     

    Thanks.

  • Karl-WE's avatar
    Karl-WE
    MVP
    Aug 17, 2023

    VishalBajaj thank you! Understood, this is for Azure. What about VMs running on Azure Stack HCI on-premises, where I usually don't use images (except for Azure Arc Bridge), rather downloading the ISO.

    The ISO is something I am using to install WS Azure Edition VMs on AzSHCI.

  • VishalBajaj's avatar
    VishalBajaj
    Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
    Aug 07, 2023

    Karl-WE  Hotpatching is available only on the new OS images of Azure Edition with GUI (Desktop Experience). To benefit from this release, you would have to create new VMs using the released images. There is no in-place upgrade for existing Azure Edition VMs with UI. Note Hotpatching is available on all Azure Edition Core images since February 2022.

  • Karl-WE's avatar
    Karl-WE
    MVP
    Jul 20, 2023

    VishalBajaj this means if I run Azure Edition with GUI on Azure Stack HCI I need an-inplace upgrade on these to make them compatible with Hotpatching? There is no CU and including SSU taking care of, correct? 

  • brinez-msft's avatar
    brinez-msft
    Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
    Jul 19, 2023

    Wow, great to see this work finally reach our customers! It's been such as long time coming, since the original hotpatch patent from the WinXP days. And big props to all the developers that made this magical feature possible, pushing the envelope of systems development and compiler toolchains. I hope to see a "behind the scenes of hotpatching" that goes over the technical details in the future.

  • cblackuk1's avatar
    cblackuk1
    MVP
    Jul 18, 2023

    Now we just need it everywhere else and we are winning 😉 Seriously though, this is pretty cool 😄

     

    Thanks for sharing!

     

    Happy Azure Stacking! 🙂