[EDIT 11/21/2023 - GA or November 2022 feature wave announced here: https://aka.ms/sqlmi-nov22fw]
November 2022 introduced a wave of new features and automatic benefits for Azure SQL Managed Instance.
The benefits in the feature wave include:
- Relaxed networking requirements: simplifies the connectivity architecture of SQL Managed Instance.
- Enhanced virtual cluster: improves the functionality of the underlying virtual cluster.
- 30-min provisioning for the first instance in a subnet: reduces the time it takes to deploy an instance from several hours to approximately 30 min.
- The 30 min provisioning feature will become available in mid-December 2022.
The new features introduced in the feature wave are:
- Instance start/stop: a feature in preview that allows you to start and stop your instance at your discretion to save on billing costs for vCores and SQL licensing.
- Zone redundancy: a feature in preview that lets you deploy your managed instance across multiple availability zones and improve the availability of your service.
- DTC (Distributed Transaction Coordinator): a feature in preview that lets you run distributed transactions in mixed environments.
(Update Nov 2023)
How to get access to November 2022 feature wave
Rollout of the November 2022 Feature Wave is happening over the course of several months. The latest rollout progress:
- [Completed] All instances on dev/test subscriptions are enrolled in the feature wave and have access to the new benefits and features.
- [Completed] Instances on production subscriptions created after October 2023 within eligible subnets in any region, are enrolled in the feature wave automatically and have access to the new benefits and features.
- [In Progress] Remaining instances on production subscriptions will be enrolled in the feature wave gradually and automatically in the following months. Enrollment happens automatically as part of regular updates during configured maintenance windows, honoring Azure Safe Deployment Practices.
Onboarding a new SQL managed instances to November 2022 feature wave
Here’s a simple workflow in Azure Portal that allows you to create a new instance which meets the requirements to be enrolled into the feature wave:
- Select a subscription, a region and a subnet that are ready for the feature wave (UI will assist you in doing so, see the steps below)
- Configure all other parameters as required
- Review your settings and click “Create”
Step 1: Open the Create Managed Instance page. Note the new Status Bar which shows feature wave eligibility. Clicking on the Status Bar will open the Feature Wave Details page.
Step 2: Use the subscription dropdown to select a subscription that is ready for the feature wave. Compatible subscriptions are shown at the top in the new “Ready for November 2022 feature wave” category
Step 3: Use the region dropdown to select a region that is ready for the feature wave. Regions where feature wave is available are shown at the top in the new “Ready for November 2022 feature wave” category
Step 4: On the “Networking” tab, select a subnet that is eligible for the feature wave. Eligible subnet types are the following:
- A newly created subnet (default choice)
- Existing subnets that are empty
- Existing subnets that only contain the instances already onboarded to the feature wave
Step 5: Review your settings and click “Create”. There’s a new section on this tab to help you ensure that all config options are compatible with November 2022 feature wave:
(Update Nov 2023)
Q&A
Q: What Azure offers and subscription types are enabled for the November 2022 Feature Wave?
All Azure subscription types are eligible for feature wave set of capabilities.
Q: How can I onboard using a region that is not yet supported?
Most Azure public regions are already supported for the November 2022 feature wave, with the support for the remaining ones coming soon.
Support for Azure government and sovereign clouds is coming in the calendar year 2023.
Q: Why is the rollout of the November 2022 feature wave slower than typical Azure SQL rollouts?
A: Feature pack contains significant new capabilities and benefits, so the rollout process needs to take longer than usual. Therefore, we’re enabling the November 20222 feature wave incrementally, instead of all-at-once.
Q: My instance is not yet enrolled in the feature wave – is there anything I can do to speed up the process?
Summary
In this article, we introduced the November 2022 feature wave and how you can enroll your Azure SQL managed instances to get access to all the new features and passive benefits.
Next steps:
- Get started with SQL Managed Instance with our Quick Start reference guide.
- Learn more about the latest innovation in Azure SQL Managed Instance announced in Nov 2022.
- Enroll in November 2022 feature wave - Azure SQL Managed Instance.