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Control updates with Maintenance Configurations and the Azure portal

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Applies to: ✔️ Linux VMs ✔️ Windows VMs ✔️ Flexible scale sets ✔️ Uniform scale sets

With Maintenance Configurations, you can now take more control over when to apply updates to various Azure resources. This topic covers the Azure portal options for creating Maintenance Configurations. For more about benefits of using Maintenance Configurations, its limitations, and other management options, see Managing platform updates with Maintenance Configurations.

Create a Maintenance Configuration

  1. Sign in to the Azure portal.

  2. Search for Maintenance Configurations.

    Screenshot showing how to open Maintenance Configurations

  3. Click Create.

    Screenshot showing how to add a maintenance configuration

  4. In the Basics tab, choose a subscription and resource group, provide a name for the configuration, choose a region, and select one of the scopes we offer which you wish to apply updates for. Click Add a schedule to add or modify the schedule for your configuration.

    Important

    Certain virtual machine types and schedules will require a specific kind of scope. Check out maintenance configuration scopes to find the right one for your virtual machine.

    Screenshot showing Maintenance Configuration basics

  5. In the Schedule tab, declare a scheduled window when Azure will apply the updates on your resources. Set a start date, maintenance window, and recurrence if your resource requires it. Once you create a scheduled window you no longer have to apply the updates manually. Click Next.

    Important

    Maintenance window duration must be 2 hours or longer.

    Screenshot showing Maintenance Configuration schedule

  6. In the Machines tab, assign resources now or skip this step and assign resources later after maintenance configuration deployment. Click Next.

  7. Add tags and values. Click Next.

    Screenshot showing how to add tags to a maintenance configuration

  8. Review the summary. Click Create.

  9. After the deployment is complete, click Go to resource.

Assign the configuration

On the details page of the maintenance configuration, click Machines and then click Add Machine.

Screenshot showing how to assign a resource

Select the resources that you want the maintenance configuration assigned to and click Ok. The VM needs to be running to assign the configuration. An error occurs if you try to assign a configuration to a VM that is stopped.

Screenshot showing how to select a resource

Check configuration

You can verify that the configuration was applied correctly or check to see any maintenance configuration that is currently assigned to a machine by going to the Maintenance Configurations and checking under the Machines tab. You should see any machine you have assigned the configuration in this tab.

Screenshot showing how to check a maintenance configuration

Check for pending updates

You can check if there are any updates pending for a maintenance configuration. In Maintenance Configurations, on the details for the configuration, click Machines and check Maintenance status.

Screenshot showing how to check pending updates

Delete a maintenance configuration

To delete a configuration, open the configuration details and click Delete.

Screenshot that shows how to delete a configuration.

Next steps

To learn more, see Maintenance and updates.