Azure Update - 6th June 2025

Key Concepts:

• Azure Data Box: Offline data migration solution for importing/exporting data to/from Azure.
• Azure Container Apps: Container hosting service.
• Azure Files NFS: Network File System shares in Azure Files.
• Azure Storage Mover: Service for migrating file shares to Azure.
• Azure Blob Containers: Scalable storage for unstructured data.
• PostgreSQL Flexible Server: Managed PostgreSQL service with flexible configuration.
• Major Version Upgrade: Upgrading the PostgreSQL database engine to a newer version.
• Microsoft Fabric Data Factory: Data integration service within Microsoft Fabric.
• Data Pipeline: A series of data processing steps.
• Upsert: Database operation that inserts a new record if it doesn't exist, or updates it if it does.
• Managed Identity Authentication: Using Azure-managed identities for authentication.
• PG Cron Extension: PostgreSQL extension for job scheduling.
• Premium SSD v2: High-performance SSD storage with dynamic IOPS and throughput.
• Azure Load Balancer: Service for distributing network traffic.
• Azure Functions: Serverless compute service.
• Functions Bindings: Declarative way to connect Azure Functions to other services.
• Azure Site Recovery: Disaster recovery service for replicating workloads.
• Azure Migrate: Service for assessing and migrating on-premises workloads to Azure.
• Zone Redundant Storage (ZRS): Storage replication across availability zones.
• AI Managed Network: Secure network configuration for AI services.
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Mechanism for controlling access to Azure resources.
• Azure Quota Groups: Feature for sharing quotas across multiple subscriptions.
• Enterprise Agreement (EA): Licensing agreement for large organizations.

1. Azure Data Box Next Generation

• The next generation of Azure Data Box is highlighted as an intuitive and easy-to-use offline data migration solution.
• It allows users to move data into or out of Azure without relying on network transfers.
• The process involves receiving a physical Data Box unit, copying data to it, and then shipping it back for data import.
• The video covers the entire process, including encryption and data scrubbing.

2. Azure Container Apps and Azure Files NFS

• Azure Container Apps now supports Azure Files NFS (Network File System) shares.
• This enables multiple containers to connect to the same file share, providing shared storage capabilities.
• Azure Files initially supported SMB (Server Message Block) protocol, and the addition of NFS expands its versatility.

3. Azure Storage Mover and SMB to Blob Migration

• Azure Storage Mover can now migrate data from SMB file shares to Azure Blob containers.
• Previously, it could move NFS shares to Blob and SMB shares to Azure Files.
• This update provides flexibility to migrate content from on-premises Windows servers (SMB) to Azure Blob storage.

4. PostgreSQL Flexible Server Major Version Upgrade

• The PostgreSQL Flexible Server now supports in-place major version upgrades (preview).
• Users can upgrade from version 11 through 16, all the way up to 17.
• The upgrade is in-place, meaning the server endpoint remains the same, avoiding app reconfiguration and manual data migration.
• The upgrade process can be initiated from the Azure portal or CLI.
• The system automatically handles logical replication and high availability (HA) during the upgrade.
• Testing the upgrade on a clone of the production server is recommended before applying it to the production environment.

5. Microsoft Fabric Data Factory Updates for PostgreSQL

• Upsert and script activities are now available in Microsoft Fabric Data Factory pipelines for PostgreSQL flexible databases (GA).
• Upsert: Merges insert and update operations, simplifying data integration into existing tables. If a record doesn't exist, it inserts it; otherwise, it updates it.
• Script Activity: Allows executing custom SQL scripts as part of the data workflow for advanced logic.
• Azure Data Factory to PostgreSQL now supports managed identity authentication.
• Data pipelines can use the managed identity of the Azure Data Factory (either system-assigned or user-assigned) to authenticate with the PostgreSQL database, eliminating the need to manage secrets.

6. PostgreSQL 17 PG Cron Extension and Premium SSD v2

• The PG Cron extension in PostgreSQL 17 is now generally available (GA).
• It provides native job scheduling capabilities within the PostgreSQL database, using the standard cron syntax.
• PostgreSQL can now use Premium SSD v2 storage.
• Premium SSD v2 offers dynamic IOPS and throughput, independent of capacity, and sub-millisecond latency.
• These disks can be used as part of PostgreSQL high availability deployments.

7. MySQL Flexible Server High Availability and Azure Load Balancer

• MySQL Flexible Server high availability can now integrate with the standard Azure Load Balancer (preview).
• Incoming data flows are routed through the Azure Load Balancer to the active instance, optimizing the data path and improving performance.

8. MySQL Functions Bindings (GA) and Triggering (Preview)

• MySQL Functions Bindings are now generally available (GA).
• Bindings simplify input and output operations from Azure Functions to MySQL databases.
• MySQL Triggering, which allows events in MySQL to trigger Azure Functions, is still in preview and only available for dedicated and premium plans.

9. Miscellaneous Updates

• Azure Site Recovery now supports Premium SSD v2 disks (preview).
• Azure Migrate now supports Zone Redundant Storage (ZRS) in preview.
• This allows migrating to ZRS disks, providing three copies of data distributed across availability zones.
• Microsoft and CrowdStrike have an agreement on threat actor naming.
• They provide a mapping table to correlate different names used for the same threat actors, available in JSON, KQL, and XLS formats.
• AI Managed Network has a role-based access control (RBAC) change in GA.
• The managed identity used by Azure Machine Learning workspaces or AI Foundry hubs must have a specific network connection approver role or custom role to allow private endpoint connections.
• Azure Quota Groups are now generally available (GA) for Enterprise Agreement (EA) customers.
• Quota groups allow sharing quotas across multiple subscriptions.
• Subscriptions can request quotas from the quota group, transfer unused quotas, and request additional quotas for the group.
• This feature is currently only for IAS compute resources, and a subscription can only belong to one quota group.

10. Synthesis/Conclusion

This Azure update covers a range of enhancements across various services, focusing on improved data management, storage options, security, and operational efficiency. Key takeaways include the expanded capabilities of Azure Data Box, the integration of NFS with Azure Container Apps, the new migration paths with Azure Storage Mover, and the simplified database management with PostgreSQL Flexible Server and MySQL Flexible Server. The introduction of Azure Quota Groups also provides better quota management for enterprise customers. These updates collectively aim to provide users with more flexible, secure, and efficient solutions for their cloud workloads.