GA: Enhanced Audit in Azure Security Baseline for Linux
We’re thrilled to announce the General Availability (GA) of the Enhanced Azure Security Baseline for Linux—a major milestone in cloud-native security and compliance. This release brings powerful, audit-only capabilities to over 1.6 million Linux devices across all Azure regions, helping enterprise customers and IT administrators monitor and maintain secure configurations at scale. What Is the Azure Security Baseline for Linux? The Azure Security Baseline for Linux is a set of pre-configured security recommendations delivered through Azure Policy and Azure Machine Configuration. It enables organizations to continuously audit Linux virtual machines and Arc-enabled servers against industry-standard benchmarks—without enforcing changes or triggering auto-remediation. This GA release focuses on enhanced audit capabilities, giving teams deep visibility into configuration drift and compliance gaps across their Linux estate. For our remediation experience, there is a limited public preview available here: What is the Azure security baseline for Linux? | Microsoft Learn Why Enhanced Audit Matters In today’s hybrid environments, maintaining compliance across diverse Linux distributions is a challenge. The enhanced audit mode provides: Granular insights into each configuration check Industry aligned benchmark for standardized security posture Detailed rule-level reporting with evidence and context Scalable deployment across Azure and Arc-enabled machines Whether you're preparing for an audit, hardening your infrastructure, or simply tracking configuration drift, enhanced audit gives you the clarity and control you need—without enforcing changes. Key Features at GA ✅ Broad Linux Distribution Support 📘 Full distro list: Supported Client Types 🔍 Industry-Aligned Audit Checks The baseline audits over 200+ security controls per machine, aligned to industry benchmarks such as CIS. These checks cover: OS hardening Network and firewall configuration SSH and remote access settings Logging and auditing Kernel parameters and system services Each finding includes a description and the actual configuration state—making it easy to understand and act on. 🌐 Hybrid Cloud Coverage The baseline works across: Azure virtual machines Arc-enabled servers (on-premises or other clouds) This means you can apply a consistent compliance standard across your entire Linux estate—whether it’s in Azure, on-prem, or multi-cloud. 🧠 Powered by Azure OSConfig The audit engine is built on the open-source Azure OSConfig framework, which performs Linux-native checks with minimal performance impact. OSConfig is modular, transparent, and optimized for scale—giving you confidence in the accuracy of audit results. 📊 Enterprise-Scale Reporting Audit results are surfaced in: Azure Policy compliance dashboard Azure Resource Graph Explorer Microsoft Defender for Cloud (Recommendations view) You can query, export, and visualize compliance data across thousands of machines—making it easy to track progress and share insights with stakeholders. 💰 Cost There’s no premium SKU or license required to use the audit capabilities with charges only applying to the Azure Arc managed workloads hosted on-premises or other CSP environments—making it easy to adopt across your environment. How to Get Started Review the Quickstart Guide 📘 Quickstart: Audit Azure Security Baseline for Linux Assign the Built-In Policy Search for “Linux machines should meet requirements for the Azure compute security baseline” in Azure Policy and assign it to your desired scope. Monitor Compliance Use Azure Policy and Resource Graph to track audit results and identify non-compliant machines. Plan Remediation While this release does not include auto-remediation, the detailed audit findings make it easy to plan manual or scripted fixes. Final Thoughts This GA release marks a major step forward in securing Linux workloads at scale. With enhanced audit now available, enterprise teams can: Improve visibility into Linux security posture Align with industry benchmarks Streamline compliance reporting Reduce risk across cloud and hybrid environmentsUpgrade Azure Local operating system to new version
Today, we’re sharing more details about the end of support for Azure Local, with OS version 25398.xxxx (23H2) on October 31, 2025. After this date, monthly security and quality updates stop, and Microsoft Support remains available only for upgrade assistance. Your billing continues, and your systems keep working, including registration and repair. There are several options to upgrade to Azure Local, with OS version 26100.xxxx (24H2) depending on which scenario applies to you. Scenario #1: You are on Azure Local solution, with OS version 25398.xxxx If you're already running the Azure Local solution, with OS version 25398.xxxx, there is no action required. You will automatically receive the upgrade to OS version 26100.xxxx via a solution update to 2509. Azure Local, version 23H2 and 24H2 release information - Azure Local | Microsoft Learn for the latest version of the diagram. If you are interested in upgrading to OS version 26100.xxxx before the 2509 release, there will be an opt-in process available in the future with production support. Scenario #2: You are on Azure Stack HCI and haven’t performed the solution upgrade yet Scenario #2a: You are still on Azure Stack HCI, version 22H2 With the 2505 release, a direct upgrade path from version 22H2 OS (20349.xxxx) to 24H2 OS (26100.xxxx) has been made available. To ensure a validated, consistent experience, we have reduced the process to using the downloadable media and PowerShell to install the upgrade. If you’re running Azure Stack HCI, version 22H2 OS, we recommend taking this direct upgrade path to the version 24H2 OS. Skipping the upgrade to the version 23H2 OS will be one less upgrade hop and will help reduce reboots and maintenance planning prior to the solution upgrade. After then, perform post-OS upgrade tasks and validate the solution upgrade readiness. Consult with your hardware vendor to determine if version 24H2 OS is supported before performing the direct upgrade path. The solution upgrade for systems on the 24H2 OS is not yet supported but will be available soon. Scenario #2b: You are on Azure Stack HCI, version 23H2 OS If you performed the upgrade from Azure Stack HCI, version 22H2 OS to version 23H2 OS (25398.xxxx), but haven’t applied the solution upgrade, then we recommend that you perform post-OS upgrade tasks, validate the solution upgrade readiness, and apply the solution upgrade. Diagram of Upgrade Paths Conclusion We invite you to identify which scenarios apply to you and take action to upgrade your systems. On behalf of the Azure Local team, we thank you for your continuous trust and feedback! Learn more To learn more, refer to the upgrade documentation. For known issues and remediation guidance, see the Azure Local Supportability GitHub repository.
SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc is now generally available in the US Government Virginia region
We’re thrilled to announce that SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc on Windows is now generally available in the US Government Virginia region. With this, U.S. government agencies and organizations can manage SQL Server instances outside of Azure from the Azure Government portal, in a secure and compliant manner. SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc resources in US government Virginia can be onboarded and viewed in the Azure Government portal just like any Azure resource, giving you a single pane of glass to monitor and organize your SQL Server estate in the Gov cloud. Available Features Currently, in the US Government Virginia region, SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc provides the following features: Connect your SQL Server to Azure Arc (onboard) a SQL Server instance to Azure Arc. SQL Server inventory which includes the following capabilities in the Azure portal: View SQL Server instances as Azure resources. View databases Azure resources. View the properties for each server. For example, you can view the version, edition, and database for each instance. Subscribe to Extended Security Updates in a production environment. Manage licensing and billing of SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc. License virtual cores. Review licensing limitations. All other features aren't currently available. How to Onboard Your SQL Server Onboarding SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc in the Government cloud is a two-step process that you can initiate from the Azure (US Gov) portal. Step 1: Connect hybrid machines with Azure Arc-enabled servers Step 2: Connect your SQL Server to Azure Arc on a server already enabled by Azure Arc Limitations The following SQL Server features aren't currently available in any US Government region: Failover cluster instance (FCI) Availability group (AG) License physical cores (p-cores) with unlimited virtualization. License physical cores (p-cores) without virtual machines. SQL Server associated services: SQL Server Analysis Services SQL Server Integration Services SQL Server Reporting Services Power BI Report Server Future Plans and Roadmap This is a major first step in bringing Azure Arc’s hybrid data management to Azure Government, and we will continue to do additional enhancements to achieve service parity. Conclusion The availability of SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc in the US Gov Virginia region marks an important milestone for hybrid data management in Government. If you’re an Azure Government user managing SQL Server instances, we invite you to try out SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc in US Government in Viginia region. And please, share your feedback with us through the community forum or your Microsoft representatives. Learn More: SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc in US Government SQL Server enabled by Azure ArcUpgrading your server and client TLS protocol just got easier using Automanage Machine Configuration
Ensuring secure communication protocols across server environments has been a clear requirement for IT admins, operators, and developers for the past two decades. What wasn’t clear was how to set a desired communication protocol and maintain this at scale, until now. Tech CommunityPreview of Arc enabled SQL Server in US Government Virginia
Introduction We are excited to announce that Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server on Windows is now in public preview for the US Government Virginia region. With Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server, U.S. government agencies and organizations can manage SQL Server instances outside of Azure from the Azure Government portal, in a secure and compliant manner. Arc-enabled SQL Server resources in US Gov Virginia can be onboarded and viewed in the Azure Government portal just like any Azure resource, giving you a single pane of glass to monitor and organize your SQL Server estate in the Gov cloud. Preview features of Azure Arc-Enabled SQL Server Currently, in the US Government Virginia region, SQL Server registration provides the following features: Connect (onboard) a SQL Server instance to Azure Arc. SQL Server inventory which includes the following capabilities in the Azure portal: View the SQL Server instance as an Azure resource. View databases as an Azure resource. View the properties for each server. For example, you can view the version, edition, and database for each instance. All other features, including Extended Security Updates (ESU), are not currently available. How to Onboard Your SQL Server Onboarding a SQL Server to Azure Arc in the Government cloud is a two-step process that you can initiate from the Azure (US Gov) portal. Step 1: Connect hybrid machines with Azure Arc-enabled servers Step 2: Connect your SQL Server to Azure Arc on a server already enabled by Azure Arc Limitations The following SQL Server features are not currently available in any US Government region: Failover cluster instance (FCI) Availability group (AG) SQL Server services like SSIS, SSRS, or Power BI Report Server Future Plans and Roadmap This public preview is a major first step in bringing Azure Arc’s hybrid data management to Azure Government, and more enhancements are on the way. We will be enabling features like Arc-based billing (PAYG) and ESU purchasing along with feature parity with public cloud in future. Conclusion The availability of Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server in the US Gov Virginia region marks an important milestone for hybrid data management in Government. If you’re an Azure Government user managing SQL Server instances, we invite you to try out this public preview. And please, share your feedback with us through the community forum or your Microsoft representatives. Learn More: SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc in US Government Preview SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc Update August 14, 2025 Arc enabled SQL Server in US Government Virginia is now generally available with support for licensing and ESU. Please see SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc in US GovernmentAnnouncing the preview of Software Defined Networking (SDN) on Azure Local
Big news for Azure Local customers! Starting in Azure Local version 2506, we’re excited to announce the Public Preview of Software Defined Networking (SDN) on Azure Local using the Azure Arc resource bridge. This release introduces cloud-native networking capabilities for access control at the network layer, utilizing Network Security Groups (NSGs) on Azure Local. Key highlights in this release are: 1- Centralized network management: Manage Logical networks, network interfaces, and NSGs through the Azure control plane – whether your preference is the Azure Portal, Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI), or Azure Resource Manager templates. 2- Fine-grained traffic control: Safeguard your edge workloads with policy-driven access controls by applying inbound and outbound allow/deny rules on NSGs, just as you would in Azure. 3- Seamless hybrid consistency: Reduce operational friction and accelerate your IT staff’s ramp-up on advanced networking skills by using the same familiar tools and constructs across both Azure public cloud and Azure Local. Software Defined Networking (SDN) forms the backbone of delivering Azure-style networking on-premises. Whether you’re securing enterprise applications or extending cloud-scale agility to your on-premises infrastructure, Azure Local, combined with SDN enabled by Azure Arc, offers a unified and scalable solution. Try this feature today and let us know how it transforms your networking operations! What’s New in this Preview? Here’s what you can do today with SDN enabled by Azure Arc: ✅ Run SDN Network Controller as a Failover Cluster service — no VMs required! ✅ Deploy logical networks — use VLAN-backed networks in your datacenter that integrate with SDN enabled by Azure Arc. ✅ Attach VM Network Interfaces — assign static or DHCP IPs to VMs from logical networks. ✅ Apply NSGs - create, attach, and manage NSGs directly from Azure on your logical networks (VLANs in your datacenter) and/or on the VM network interface. This enables a generic rule set for VLANs, with a crisper rule set for individual Azure Local VM network interface using a complete 5-tuple control: source and destination IP, port, and protocol. ✅ Use Default Network Policies — apply baseline security policies during VM creation for your primary NIC. Select well-known inbound ports such as HTTP (while we block everything else for you), while still allowing outbound traffic. Or select an existing NSG you already have! SDN enabled by Azure Arc (Preview) vs. SDN managed by on-premises tools Choosing Your Path: Some SDN features like virtual networks (vNETs), Load Balancers (SLBs), and Gateways are not yet supported in the SDN enabled by Azure Arc (Preview). But good news: you’ve still got options. If your workloads need those features today, you can leverage SDN managed by on-premises tools: - SDN Express (PowerShell) - Windows Admin Center (WAC) The SDN managed by on-premises tools continues to provide full-stack SDN capabilities, including SLBs, Gateways, and VNET peering, while we actively work on bringing this additional value to complete SDN enabled by Azure Arc feature set. You must choose one of the modes of SDN management and cannot run in a hybrid management mode, mixing the two. Please read this important consideration section before getting started! Thank You to Our Community This milestone was only possible because of your input, your use cases, and your edge innovation. We're beyond excited to see what you build next with SDN enabled by Azure Arc. To try it out, head to the Azure Local documentation Let’s keep pushing the edge forward. Together!Hotpatching for Azure Arc–Connected Servers: General Availability and Subscription Details
Effective July 16, 2025, Hotpatching for Windows Server 2025 on Azure Arc–connected machines will be generally available (GA) and transition to a paid subscription model. This post provides technical details on the service, the value of hotpatching for on-premises servers, and important enrollment information for customers. What Is hotpatching? Hotpatching enables you to install OS security updates on Windows Server without requiring a reboot. This technology, previously exclusive to Windows Server Datacenter: Azure Edition, is now available for on-premises and hybrid environments through Azure Arc. Hotpatching has been in public preview at no cost, but as of July 16, 2025, a monthly subscription fee of $1.50 USD per CPU core will apply. Why hotpatching for on-premises servers? Minimize downtime: Apply critical security updates without interrupting workloads or requiring planned maintenance windows. Improve security posture: Reduce the window of vulnerability by deploying patches as soon as they are available. Operational efficiency: Eliminate the need for frequent reboots, simplifying patch management for IT teams. Consistent experience: Use the same hotpatching process across Azure, on-premises, and hybrid environments with Azure Arc. Enrollment and billing To receive hotpatches on Windows Servers outside of Azure, customers must enroll their servers. The servers must be on the latest cumulative update released during a baseline month (January, April, July and October) by Microsoft on the second Tuesday of the month. Only enrolled servers will continue to receive hotpatches and be billed accordingly. Preview customers: If already enrolled during the preview period, then no action is needed to continue to receive hotpatches. If you enrolled in hotpatching during the Preview and do not wish to be billed after GA, you must disenroll your servers before July 16, 2025, to avoid charges. New customers: Enroll your eligible Windows Server 2025 machines via Azure Arc to activate hotpatching and start receiving updates. How to enroll in hotpatching To begin receiving hotpatches for your Azure Arc–connected Windows Server 2025 machines, follow these steps: Prerequisites Ensure your machine is connected to Azure Arc. Ensure Virtualization Based Security (VBS) is enabled and running. Confirm that the latest cumulative update from a baseline month (January, April, July, or October) is installed. Hotpatching is only offered if this requirement is met. Enrollment via Azure Portal Connect your server to Azure Arc. Navigate to the Windows Server resource in the Azure Arc portal. Click on the Hotpatch blade Check the box “I want to license this Windows Server to receive monthly hotpatches” and click on confirm under the hotpatch blade. Note: Enrollment operation takes a few minutes, so you may need to manually refresh the Azure portal to see the updated status. How to disenroll from hotpatching If you no longer wish to receive hotpatches or want to avoid billing after the preview period ending on July 16, 2025, you must disenroll from hotpatching service on Azure Arc portal. Disenrollment via Azure portal Go to the Azure Arc–connected server in the Azure Arc portal. Open the hotpatch blade. Uncheck the box “I want to license this Windows Server to receive monthly hotpatches” and click on confirm. Important: Disenroll before disconnecting the machine from Azure Arc. If you disconnect first, billing may continue for up to 30 days after the last connection. See this blog post for additional details. Disenrollment via API Set subscriptionStatus to "Disable" in the license profile payload. This action is synchronous and should reflect immediately, though portal refresh may still be required. Learn more If you’re interested in learning more, check out our April blog post and the on-demand session on Hotpatching and Update Management from our recent Windows Server Summit virtual event.
