What is Azure Local?
What is Azure Local?
Azure Local is a cloud-connected infrastructure enabled by Azure Arc to run VMs, containers and selected Azure services in distributed environment. Azure Local runs on customer owned hardware and managed by the customer using cloud connected tools.
For more details, please refer to the Azure Stack Tech Community Blog
What does this mean for Azure Stack HCI?
Azure Stack HCI is now part of Azure Local. All Azure Stack HCI customers running their production workloads will now run these workloads on Azure Local. Azure Stack HCI customers or partners have no action: they do not need to opt-in or migrate anything.
Given that Azure Stack HCI is now Azure Local, are there any differences between the two?
Azure Local subsumes Azure Stack HCI and is a brand-new platform that incorporates many more capabilities than Azure Stack HCI. For example, Azure Local will be available in three different form factors. In November 2024, the 1U/2U server form factor (the only form factor available for Azure Stack HCI) is GA. Azure Local will be also available to deploy on small industrial PCs/edge devices (preview). Azure Local will also be able to run on Linux for the small form factor devices in CY25. Additionally, customers will be able run Azure Local in a disconnected mode (‘air gap”) and this is currently in preview.
What does that mean for Azure Stack Edge and Azure Stack Hub?
Going forward, Azure Local is Microsoft’s primary investment for distributed hybrid infrastructure. Azure Local will eventually extend to cover all the scenarios previously addressed by Azure Stack products. For example, Microsoft will announce that Azure Local works with smaller form factors (preview) and with disconnected operations (preview). Until these capabilities are generally available, there is no change to Azure Stack Edge or Azure Stack Hub. These products remain available as standalone products, separate from Azure Local.
As a customer update to Azure Local, what are the new features available and how do they augment the capability of the pillars of the adaptive cloud?
The following shows the association of Azure Local to each pillar of the adaptive cloud.
Pillar 1: Operate infrastructure from the cloud
- Deploy/configure infrastructure from cloud, including templates/IaC
- Update infrastructure from cloud, including at-scale
- Infrastructure monitoring from cloud, including at-scale
Pillar 2: Support for all the workloads & services you need
- Deploy and manage virtual machines
- Deploy and manage containers / AKS
- Deploy and manage Azure Virtual Desktop
- Deploy and manage Azure IoT Operations*
- Deploy and manage generative AI / SLMs / RAG*
Pillar 3: Right-size your infrastructure with flexible hardware and software options
- Choose from variety of hardware from your preferred vendor
- Fully disconnected operations to meet regulatory requirements
- Scale down with lower-cost edge devices
Pillar 4: Advanced security made easy
- Security posture is hardened by default
- Integration with Defender for Cloud
- Safeguard workloads with Trusted Launch VMs
- Network segmentation with network security groups (NSGs)
Product Overview
Besides the feature additions discussed in the previous section, what are the other enhancements available with Azure Local?
The Azure Local software now includes Azure Kubernetes Service for Azure Local integrated in the offering greatly simplifying container application deployments. For greater flexibility, Azure Local will also be available on a Linux operating system (in 2025) for the small form factor and the 1U/2U from factor. Additionally, the capability of running Azure Local disconnected will also be added to the offering.
The capability of running Azure Local disconnected has been mentioned, how is this accomplished?
The capability for running Azure Local disconnected is a preview capability that requires customer registration. Customer installs a software package on an existing Azure Local cluster connected to Azure. With that in place, it enables fully disconnected operations with a locally hosted control plane.
Azure Stack HCI was tightly integrated with Azure Arc, with that in mind how are Azure Local and Azure Arc related?
Azure Arc is the enabling technology for our entire adaptive cloud approach. It is a bridge that extends Azure to other environments and other clouds. Azure Local is a full-stack infrastructure solution that includes the capabilities of Azure Arc built-in and set up automatically. Use Azure Arc when your environment already has infrastructure; use Azure Local when you need new or refreshed infrastructure.
Is Azure Local managed by Microsoft?
No, customers own the hardware and have operational control of their Azure Local environment. Day-to-day monitoring, management, support, and other functions are surfaced through Azure tools, but actions are customer-initiated. For example, when a software update is available, a notification appears in the Azure portal prompting you to apply the update. Customers may choose to outsource some or all operations to their solution vendor or another professional services provider.
What is the update process for the new Azure Local?
Azure Local is transitioning to quarterly “YY-MM” releases. The new solution scope now includes: Azure Arc extensions, Azure Arc resource bridge, Solution Builder Extension, AKS enabled by Azure Arc, etc. All these components will be packaged and versioned as one validated “recipe.” New features and updates will now be available every quarter.
What can we expect as far as new Azure services that can be run on Azure Local?
Adding new workloads enabled by Azure Arc in an ongoing process to maximize the value of the cloud connected architecture. New services now in preview are: Azure AI, Azure ML, and IoT Operations (to be GA in November 2024).
Are the solutions available different than what was available for Azure Stack HCI?
For the Azure Local 1U/2U server form factor, the solution still comes as: Validated Nodes, Integrated System and Premier Solutions.
There is a mention of a smaller form factor solution for Azure Local in preview for Ignite. What is the solution and what does it provide?
This is one of the new capabilities of Azure Local, it brings the ability to do edge computing on very small devices (industrial PCs type) and a lower price point than the traditional 1U/2U server deployment. It offers cloud connectivity integrated with Azure Arc, the ability to run container applications with Azure Kubernetes Service, offers central monitoring and security and it will be available in both a Windows and Linux version. This solution form factor is for cluster of up to 3 nodes and up to 15 cores/node. This solution is not based on hyper-convergence but will offer basic hardware resiliency.
Is Azure Local a replacement for VMware?
Azure Local is not designed to replace data centers or support large-scale migrations from VMware. For VMware migrations, Microsoft recommends using Azure VMware Solution, which offers the fastest and easiest path to the cloud, allowing IT administrators to leverage their existing VMware skills and subscriptions.
However, Azure Local can be an option for certain durably on-premises use cases, particularly for edge solutions in industries such as manufacturing and retail where customers are needing support across hundreds of distributed locations. Azure Local uses the Hyper-V hypervisor to run VMs and Azure Kubernetes Service enabled by Azure Arc to run container applications. This makes it a viable solution for customers with on-premises VMware workloads in the scenarios highlighted above who also want to move away from VMware licensing. Additionally, a new tool (currently in preview, with general availability expected in Q1 CY25) simplifies the migration of VMware VMs to Azure Local.
What is the minimum and maximum scale for Azure Local?
Small form factor solutions scale from 1 to 3 nodes (each node 15 cores or fewer) and the 1U/2U server form factor scales from 1 to 16 nodes per cluster.
Availability, Pricing, Licensing, and Support Details
What is the price of Azure Local?
Azure Local is an Azure Service with a price of USD $10/per physical core per month for the 1U/2U form factor. For customers that have an enterprise agreement with Software Assurance, other purchasing options exist. See Azure Hybrid Benefit. The pricing for the small form factor has not been finalized.
How do I buy Azure Local?
For the 1U/2U from factor: review networking requirements and other prerequisites, and then browse the solutions catalog to find validated hardware from your preferred vendor. Many solutions come with the Azure Local software preinstalled and ready to use. If not, you can download and install Azure Local from the Azure portal. Once installed, Azure Local connects to Azure for day-to-day monitoring, management, support, and other functions. Azure Local is billed automatically to your Azure subscription.
Does the Azure Hybrid Use Benefit (AHUB) apply to Azure Local?
For the 1U/2U from factor, the answer is yes. Azure Local is priced on a per physical core basis on your on-premises servers. If you are a Windows Server Datacenter customer with active Software Assurance, you may also choose to exchange core licenses to activate Azure Hybrid Benefit, which waives the Azure Local host service fee and Windows Server subscription. Note that the validity of AHUB for the small form factor and “rack scale” format have not been determined.
How do I license guests on Azure Local?
You may either use Azure Hybrid Benefit or purchase Windows Server subscription. Compare Options
Are Extended Security Updates (ESU) available at no cost when migrating my Windows Server 2008/R2 workloads to Azure Local?
You will get extended security updates at no cost when you migrate your Windows Server 2008/R2, SQL Server 2008/R2, Windows Server 2012/R2 and SQL Server 2012 workloads to Azure Local. This applies for the 1U/2U from factor only.
Will Azure Local work with Azure “Sovereign” clouds?
Yes, check Azure Updates on a regular basis. Availability of Azure sovereign clouds that Azure Stack HCI can connect to will be extended based on demand.
Other FAQs
Where can I learn more about Azure Local?
Read the Azure Local announcement.
Will there be breaking changes to APIs or namespaces? Will I be required to update the code?
Microsoft will not make breaking changes to APIs/namespaces and will not require customers to update the code.
Will there be any changes to Windows Server?
The Windows Server operating system remains unchanged.
Will there be any pricing changes when Azure Stack HCI is rebranded as Azure Local?
No, there are no pricing changes.
Will there be any changes to Azure Hybrid Benefit (AHB)?
The current benefits for AHB remains unchanged.
Will there be any impact on the current customers who have deployed Azure Stack HCI?
There should be no impact on end-customer experience as the features set of Azure Local will permit running the same workloads as running on Azure Stack HCI.
This article appears courtesy of Microsoft. Published 11/19/24.