Microsoft has announced the retirement of Azure Cache for Redis (Basic, Standard, Premium) and Azure Cache for Redis Enterprise/Enterprise Flash tiers. If you rely on these services today, it’s important to understand what’s changing, when, and how to prepare for a smooth transition to Azure Managed Redis.
What’s Retiring and When?
- Azure Cache for Redis (Basic, Standard, Premium):
- Creation blocked for new customers: April 1, 2026
- Creation blocked for existing customers: October 1, 2026
- Retirement Date: September 30, 2028
- Instances will be disabled starting October 1, 2028
- Azure Cache for Redis Enterprise/Enterprise Flash:
- Creation blocked for all customers: April 1, 2026
- Retirement Date: March 31, 2027
- Instances will be migrated to Azure Managed Redis starting April 1, 2027
Existing instances will continue to run and receive regular maintenance until their respective retirement dates. More information here.
Why Move to Azure Managed Redis?
Azure Managed Redis is built on Redis Enterprise software, offering significant improvements:
- Enterprise-grade features: Active geo-replication, Redis modules, and more
- Performance & Cost: More performant and cost-effective than all tiers of Azure Cache for Redis
- Reliability: Zone redundancy by default, up to 99.999% availability with geo-replication
- Simplified Management: Native Azure experience, no Marketplace component, easier provisioning and billing compared to Azure Cache for Redis Enterprise
Migration Guidance: What Customers Need to Do
Upgrade Early
Microsoft recommends upgrading to Azure Managed Redis as soon as possible, rather than waiting for the retirement deadline. Early migration ensures you benefit from new features and avoid last-minute disruptions.
Migration Tooling
- For Basic/Standard/Premium:
A command-line migration experience will be available in phases from November 2025, starting with the Basic caches support in preview. This tooling will allow you to migrate your cache endpoint, using the same hostname and access key for a seamless transition. - For Enterprise/EnterpriseFlash:
Migration tooling will roll out in phases starting March 2026.
Downtime:
If you use the migration tooling, expect only a brief connection blip (a few seconds) when the DNS record is updated. This is similar to the downtime experienced during regular maintenance.
Application Changes
- Update your Redis hostname and access key to point to the new Azure Managed Redis instance.
- Azure Managed Redis is clustered by default. Most client libraries (e.g., StackExchange.Redis) work out-of-the-box, but check your library’s documentation for cluster support.
- Non-clustered support is available up to 25GB, but clustering is recommended for performance and scalability.
- For migrating data, see various options outlined in this blogpost: Data Migration with RIOT-X for Azure Managed Redis | Microsoft Community Hub and here.
Reservations
You can cancel or exchange your existing reservations for Azure Cache for Redis as described in Microsoft Cost Management documentation.
Feature Parity and Regional Availability: What’s Coming and When
Azure Managed Redis is actively being enhanced to close feature gaps and expand regional coverage. Here are the key ETAs for upcoming features and regions (all dates are tentative):
Azure Public Regions
- France Central: November 2025
- Qatar Central: December 2026
Azure Sovereign Clouds
- China Cloud: February 2026
- US Gov Cloud: February 2026
Larger SKUs
- Memory Optimized, Balanced, Compute Optimized (up to 500GB): March 2026
- Flash Optimized (up to 1000GB): March 2026
Management Operations
- Scheduling maintenance windows: February 2026
- Keyspace notifications: March 2026
If you need a feature or region that isn’t yet available, reach out to support or email AzureManagedRedis@microsoft.com for guidance.
Resources for a Smooth Migration
Key Takeaways for Customers
- Don’t wait—start planning your migration to Azure Managed Redis now.
- Migration tooling will make the process easier, with phased rollouts starting November 2025.
- Feature parity is a priority, with major gaps closing by March–June 2026.
- Reach out to Microsoft support if you have blockers or need help with migration.
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