Azure Update Manager is Now Generally Available

Cloud Computing

Key takeaways:

  • Microsoft introduces Azure Update Manager, a powerful Software as a Service (SaaS) solution for managing software updates on Windows and Linux machines across Azure, on-premises, and multi-cloud environments.
  • Azure Update Manager empowers IT admins with features like tracking update compliance, instant deployment of critical updates, and management of extended security updates (ESUs) for Azure Arc-enabled virtual machines.
  • Microsoft plans to enhance Azure Update Manager with upcoming capabilities, such as pre and post-update deployment scripts and the ability to create alerts based on updates data.

Microsoft has announced the general availability of Azure Update Manager for enterprise customers. This tool simplifies and enhances the update management process for IT professionals across diverse environments.

“Azure Update Manager provides a SaaS solution to manage and govern software updates to Windows and Linux machines across Azure, on-premises, and multi-cloud environments. It is an evolution of Azure Automation Update management solution with new features and functionality, for assessment and deployment of software updates on a single machine or on multiple machines at scale,” Microsoft explained.

Azure Update Manager allows IT Pros to track update compliance of their fleet of machines in Azure, on-premises, and other cloud environments. The service also lets administrators instantly deploy critical updates in order to secure their systems. It’s possible to manage extended security updates (ESUs) for their Azure Arc-enabled virtual machines.

Additionally, IT admins can use scheduled patching to define recurring time windows for the deployment of updates and reboots. It’s also possible to configure a common patching schedule for machines grouped together based on standard Azure constructs.

Azure Update Manager supports flexible patching options like hot patching, automatic VM guest patching in Azure, as well as customer-defined maintenance schedules. Moreover, the service can automatically track client devices for pending updates every 24 hours. Azure Update Manager can also flag out-of-compliance machines. Other capabilities include support for custom reports and granular access management to Azure resources.

Azure Update Manager is Now Generally Available

New features coming to Azure Update Manager

Microsoft has announced several new capabilities coming to Azure Update Manager. The service will let users run scripts before and after the deployment of updates on machines. Azure Update Manager will allow administrators to create alerts based on updates data for their environments.

Microsoft plans to retire the Azure Log Analytics agent (Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA)) in August 2024. The company has warned that this change could lead to issues, and customers should switch to Azure Update Manager as soon as possible. Microsoft notes that Azure Update Manager is available at no additional charge for managing Azure VMs. However, customers would need to pay $5 per server per month for Arc-enabled Servers.