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Release notes - SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc

  • Article

Applies to: SQL Server

This article lists:

  • Release dates
  • Extension version numbers
  • High level feature descriptions
  • Links to additional feature documentation

Extension versions are cumulative. Higher extension versions include all of the updates from previous versions. A release may include internal features. If the version release notes don't describe features, then the updates were internal.

April 16, 2024

Extension version: 1.1.2656.138

 This version is no longer available. A new version will be available shortly.

April 9, 2024

Extension version: 1.1.2647.136

 This version is no longer available. A new version with these features will be available shortly.

Move resources

Updated licensing and configuration support

  • Physical core licensing
  • Unlimited virtualization support
  • ESU support
  • Database inventory feature for all license types

For details, review:

Note

The new licensing and billing features may not be available in all regions immediately. They should be available in all regions within 5 business days of the release.

Updated performance dashboard

March 12, 2024

Extension version: 1.1.2620.127

Backup management

Streamlined network endpoints

Prior to this release, Azure Arc data processing endpoint was at san-af-<region>-prod.azurewebsites.net.

Beginning with this release both Azure Arc data processing, and Azure Arc data telemetry use *.<region>.arcdataservices.com.

February 13, 2024

Extension version: 1.1.2594.118

Azure SQL migration readiness assessment (preview)

SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc automatically generates Azure SQL migration assessments.

A migration assessment:

  • Evaluates the readiness of your SQL Server instances for migration to Azure SQL
  • Recommends the optimal size for the Azure SQL destination
  • Identifies any migration blockers or issues that you need to resolve before moving to Azure SQL
  • Provides step-by-step guidance on how to mitigate any issues

Use migration assessments to ensure a successful migration.

For details, review View SQL Server migration assessment - SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc.

Create Azure SQL Managed Instance

You can create an Azure SQL Managed Instance from the portal. Available from Azure Arc | SQL Server instances in the portal.

Additional feature updates for SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc

  • Support for TLS 1.3
  • Improved prompt for feedback in Azure portal
  • Monitoring | Show monitoring upload status on Arc SQL Server overview in portal
  • For SQL Server 2012, updates through Microsoft Update are automatically applied if Extended Security Updates (ESU) is enabled

Region availability

The following regions are now available for SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc, and Data Services enabled by Azure Arc:

  • Sweden Central
  • Norway East
  • UK West

For a complete list of regions, see Supported Azure regions.

January 16, 2024

Extension version: 1.1.2566.109

December 12, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2526.108

Azure extension for SQL Server

  • Data processing service (DPS) connectivity available in Azure portal

  • Performance dashboard shows

    • IOPS
    • Queue latency storage IO

    For information, review Storage I/O.

December 1, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2512.104

November 14, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2504.99

Azure extension for SQL Server

Setup

  • Track the provision state and (extension service) status of Azure extension for SQL Server - general availability.
    • Beginning with this release, you can track the provisioning status of Azure Arc extension for SQL Server and Azure Arc guest agent in the properties tab for Arc enabled SQL Server.

For information about server monitoring capabilities, review Automatically connect your SQL Server to Azure Arc.

For information about database status and inventory capabilities, review View SQL Server databases - Azure Arc.

Creates a server role and a database role, maps logins, and grants permissions. For details, see Roles created by Azure Extension for SQL Server installation.

Back up and restore

  • Configure backups at instance level using custom schedule for SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc instances for both portal and CLI - public preview.

    • Configure Automated Backups with a custom schedule and custom retention period, on an Arc enabled SQL Server.

    For more information, review Manage automated backups - SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc.

  • Point-in-time-restore using Azure CLI and Azure portal - public preview.

    • Restore a database to a point-in-time restore of their databases, if automatic backups are enabled. Restore can be done either from Azure portal or via az CLI.

    For more information, review Restore to a point-in-time.

Monitoring

  • Performance dashboards of an individual SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc instance in the Azure portal - public preview.

For more information, review Monitor SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc.

High availability

  • Manage Always On availability group - manual failover - public preview.
    • Perform a planned, manual failover on an availability group replica, using Azure portal.
  • Availability group status - Track the availability upload status | public preview.
    • Beginning with this release, track the status and see the last time that the availability group inventory data is updated. The portal shows two new properties, Upload status and Last collected time in the Availability Groups tab of the Arc-enabled SQL Server.

For more information, review Always On availability groups inventory and status.

Networking
  • Support for separate proxy bypass value for Arc SQL Server only - general availability.

For information, review Proxy bypass for private endpoints.

Least privilege

Support for least privilege available for Arc SQL Server only - preview.

With SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc, you can run the agent extension service with least privilege. To configure the service to run with least privilege, follow the steps in this article Configure least privilege.

October 13, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2474.69 - Enables failover cluster instance discovery.

Azure extension for SQL Server

  • Enable extended support updates (ESU) for failover clusters (general availability).

  • SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc failover cluster (preview).

    • Features include:
      • Render failover cluster instances in Azure portal.
      • Inventory databases
      • Defender

    For details, see View Always On failover cluster instances in Azure Arc.

October 10, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2467.69

September 19, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2451.59

September 13, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2440.53

Azure extension for SQL Server

  • Automatic updates generally available

August 10, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2406.45

Azure extension for SQL Server

July 13, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2384.34

Azure extension for SQL Server

  • Proxy bypass is now supported for Arc SQL Server Extension. Starting this release, you can also specify services which should not use the specified proxy server. For examples and technical information, see Proxy bypass for private endpoints.

June 13, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2355.20

Azure extension for SQL Server

  • Support for being able to view your SQL Server configuration is now available. See Manage SQL Server license and billing options.
    • View SQL Server instances
    • Modify host level properties like license type
    • Subscribe to Extended Security Update (ESU)
    • Skip instances

May 09, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2313.14

Azure extension for SQL Server

Additional improvements

  • Arc virtual machines on-boarded from AWS use AWS resource name rather than host computer name. Fix allows customers to provide a name when onboarding using script.
  • Fixed a bug where the setting to exclude instances in portal throws an incorrect error about excluding SQL instance name separated by space.
  • Fixed a bug where the Purview governance status does not report correctly upon on-demand refresh intermittently.

April 10, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2284.7

Note

This release is only available for SQL Server on Windows. This release is not available for SQL Server on Linux.

Azure extension for SQL Server

  • Backups | Configure Automatic Backups for Arc SQL Server with a default schedule.
  • Automatic built-in backups with default schedule of weekly full, daily diff, and transaction logs every 5 min for every database.
  • Configure backup file retention with the --retention-days parameter. Values from 0 to 35 days. Default is 0 days.
  • Azure Policy to enable best practices assessment at scale. For details, see Configure SQL best practices assessment.

March 9, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2256.66

Azure extension for SQL Server

  • Best practices assessment supports multiple instances of SQL Server on a physical or virtual server host.
  • Support for Microsoft Update to update an Arc-enabled SQL Server. Automatically installs updates marked as Critical or Important. Doesn't automatically install other updates.

February 17, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2231.59

Azure extension for SQL Server

January 17, 2023

Extension version: 1.1.2202.47

Azure extension for SQL Server

  • Best practices assessment (BPA) on Arc-enabled SQL Server

    The SQL best practices assessment feature of the Azure portal:

    • Identifies possible performance issues
    • Evaluates that your SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc is configured to follow best practices
    • Provides comprehensive mitigation guidance
    • To experience best practices assessment, upgrade to the latest extension version.

  • Azure Arc-enabled Database resource populates the earliest restore time and last backup time for database resources as a resource

  • Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) licensing option is now extended to SQL Server 2012 and above

  • Ability to set the licensing type during onboarding Arc-enabled SQL Server.

  • Ability to skip instances during onboarding to Azure

December 13, 2022

Extension version: 1.1.2167.41

Azure extension for SQL Server

  • Support to view databases as a resource added for SQL Server 2014 (12.x), and SQL Server 2016 (13.x). Review View SQL Server databases - Azure Arc.
  • Support for Web and Express editions.