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The priority for Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell remains to provide our customers with the most complete, secure, and easy to use set of tools to manage Azure resources.
At Microsoft Ignite 2023, we are announcing it. the following new capabilities delivering on our priorities:
Extending our coverage
In the past 6 months, we have added or refreshed coverage for those new or existing Azure services within 30 days of their General Availability.
Services with new commands
Note: To use the commands associated with each you may need to manually install the Azure CLI extension or the PowerShell module.
To know all the commands that have been updated as well as the complete list of great and exciting new features of this release of the Azure client tools, consult the release notes respective of each tool:
We are committed to making Azure resources manageable through the command line tool of your choice. Over the last 6 months we added 12 Azure PowerShell modules or Azure CLI extensions that support new services and refreshed two resource API versions.
Supporting our ongoing effort to address the inconsistencies between commands, we are standardizing how we build our commands and refreshing legacy code when necessary. We have increased by 13% the number of commands built using this standard approach and will continue this effort in the coming months.
Improving supportability of Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell
Being supported is a shared responsibility between the customers that need to stay on a supported version and the product team that should do its due diligence to inform customers they are in an unsupported mode.
We are improving the overall supportability of Azure clients through the following announcements:
Azure Advisor recommendations for Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell
Azure Advisor can now notify Azure subscriptions where an outdated versions of Azure client tool is used. Customers can receive our recommendation by enabling Azure Advisor and configure in the Operational Excellence category.
The current definitions of outdated versions are:
We encourage everyone to upgrade to the latest version to benefit from the improvements in terms of security, performance and user experience.
In-tool notification of available update with Azure PowerShell
In-tool notifications for version upgrades of Azure PowerShell are a feature released in Azure PowerShell module version 10.3.0. In the 10.3.0 version, it is disable by default. From version 11.0.0, it will be enabled by default, and all clients will see relevant notification.
When you upgrade to version 11.0.0, the reminder switch is turned on by default. When users run the first cmdlet in Azure PowerShell, if the user is using a version lower than the latest version, the system will prompt you to upgrade to the latest version for the first time. Notices will be sent every 30 days thereafter. If running a script, it is also presented with a warning message. Here are examples:
If you want to disable this feature, please refer to the configuration document.
https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/azure/configure-global-settings?#upgrade-notifications
Breaking Change for document improvement in Azure PowerShell
To help customers know what may impact their scripts and pipelines when updating the client version they use, we enhanced our upcoming breaking change page by adding the target version of the module and the version of Az.
Our next release with breaking changes will accompany Microsoft Build.
To read more about the breaking changes in this version, see our Upcoming Breaking Changes doc and ensure your environment is ready to install the newest version of Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell.
Azure CLI: Upcoming breaking changes in Azure
Azure PowerShell: Upcoming breaking changes in Azure PowerShell | Microsoft Learn
AzureRM Retirement
This is a reminder that the AzureRM PowerShell modules will retire on February 29, 2024.
If you have not done so yet, please update your scripts that use AzureRM PowerShell modules to use the Azure PowerShell modules by 29 February 2024.
You can automatically update your scripts using the getting started guide.
Related documents:
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/azure-tools-blog/azurerm-will-retire-by-29-february-2024/ba-p/2156169
Usability improvements
The Azure command line team is continuously working on making Azure cli and Azure PowerShell easier to use by addressing the challenges that our customers are facing when using the tools.
Highlighted Update: Azure Copilot for Azure CLI
Microsoft Copilot for Azure is an AI companion that helps you design, operate, optimize, and troubleshoot your cloud infrastructure and services. Combining the power of cutting-edge large language models (LLMs) with the Azure Resource Model, Copilot for Azure enables rich understanding and management of everything that’s happening in Azure, from the cloud to the edge.
We added to Copilot for Azure the knowledge of Azure CLI commands and end-to-end scenarios to answer questions related to Azure CLI commands or scripts following our best practices.
When you tell Microsoft Copilot for Azure (preview) about a task you want to perform by using Azure CLI, it provides a script with the necessary commands. You'll see which placeholder values that you need to update with the actual values based on your environment.
To learn more about Microsoft Copilot for Azure and how it can help you, visit: Simplify IT management with Microsoft Copilot for Azure – save time and get answers fast
Please click here to sign up. We’ll onboard customers into the preview on a weekly basis. In the coming weeks, we'll continuously add new capabilities and make improvements based on your feedback.
Key Vault template-based preview version
We have released template-based previews of Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell for Key Vault:
This preview based on template deployments brings the following benefits:
Read the following article to learn more about this preview: Announcing template-based previews of Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell for Key Vault deployments - Microsoft Community Hub
AAD renamed to Microsoft Entra ID on Azure CLI and Azure
Azure AD has been renamed. Microsoft Entra ID is the new name for Azure AD. The names Azure Active Directory, Azure AD, and AAD are replaced with Microsoft Entra ID. Detailed refer New name for Azure Active Directory.
For Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell, the reference documentation for Azure CLI and PS has been changed to accommodate this action, but nothing has been changed on the command line so as not to cause a breaking change.
Trim Azure CLI’s docker image size
We are delighted to announce that the docker image size of azure-cli has been significantly reduced from 1.1GB to 700MB (trimmed 36.3% of the original package) with the release of version 2.54.0.
This accomplishment is achieved by two key changes:
You can find the full list of excluded packages at [Packaging] BREAKING CHANGE: Remove unnecessary packages in docker image by bebound · Pull Request #27567 · Azure/azure-cli.
General Availability of Az.Tools.Installer for Azure PowerShell
We are delighted to announce the general availability of Az.Tools.Installer after 3 years’ preview. Thousands of customers have downloaded and used it. We recommend you try it if you don't have a chance yet.
Az.Tools.Installer is a tool for modules and version management of Azure PowerShell modules. It only contains 3 cmdlets for installation, uninstallation and update separately, very easy to use.
With it you can
- Install the specific Az modules you are using instead of all and manage them.
- Remove all previously installed Az and AzureRM modules with one cmdlet.
- Update to the new version by replacing the previous one.
- Performance improvement especially in PowerShell core compared to the PowerShellGet cmdlets
- Install a single online NuGet package with a URL.
For more information of how to use it, please refer to the module documentation . Please let us know about your experience with the module, ask for feature or report issues you may have on GitHub or on Twitter.
Thank you all for using Azure command-line tools and we look forward the continue improving your experience.
We hope you enjoy Ignite and all the great work being released this week. We'd love to hear your feedback so feel free to reach out any time.
Continue reading...
At Microsoft Ignite 2023, we are announcing it. the following new capabilities delivering on our priorities:
- Extending our coverage and improving how we build commands.
- Improving the supportability of Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell
- Usability improvements
Extending our coverage
In the past 6 months, we have added or refreshed coverage for those new or existing Azure services within 30 days of their General Availability.
Services with new commands
| Service Name | Azure PowerShell commands | Azure CLI commands |
| Fluid Relay | https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/az.fluidrelay | az fluid-relay |
| StorageCache | Az.StorageCache Module | az amlfs |
| GraphServices | Az.GraphServices Module | az graph-services |
| NewRelic | Az.NewRelic Module | az new-relic |
| Quantum | Az.Quantum Module | Quantum |
| PaloAltoNetworks | Az.PaloAltoNetworks Module | az palo-alto |
| SiteRecovery | New-AzRecoveryServicesVault (Az.RecoveryServices) | az site-recovery |
| AzureSphere | Az.NewRelic Module | az sphere |
| ElasticSAN | Az.ElasticSan Module | az elastic-san |
| StorageMover | Az.StorageMover Module | az storage-mover |
| Attestation | Az.Attestation Module | az attestation |
| Connectedvmware | / | az connectedvmware |
Note: To use the commands associated with each you may need to manually install the Azure CLI extension or the PowerShell module.
To know all the commands that have been updated as well as the complete list of great and exciting new features of this release of the Azure client tools, consult the release notes respective of each tool:
- Azure CLI: Release notes & updates – Azure CLI
- Azure PowerShell: Azure PowerShell release notes
We are committed to making Azure resources manageable through the command line tool of your choice. Over the last 6 months we added 12 Azure PowerShell modules or Azure CLI extensions that support new services and refreshed two resource API versions.
Supporting our ongoing effort to address the inconsistencies between commands, we are standardizing how we build our commands and refreshing legacy code when necessary. We have increased by 13% the number of commands built using this standard approach and will continue this effort in the coming months.
Improving supportability of Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell
Being supported is a shared responsibility between the customers that need to stay on a supported version and the product team that should do its due diligence to inform customers they are in an unsupported mode.
We are improving the overall supportability of Azure clients through the following announcements:
- Notification about the use of unsupported versions of Azure clients
- In-tool notification of available update
- List of upcoming breaking changes
- Retirement of AzureRM PowerShell modules
Azure Advisor recommendations for Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell
Azure Advisor can now notify Azure subscriptions where an outdated versions of Azure client tool is used. Customers can receive our recommendation by enabling Azure Advisor and configure in the Operational Excellence category.
The current definitions of outdated versions are:
- Azure CLI: version earlier than 2.42.0
- Azure PowerShell: 1.*.* - 9.*.*
We encourage everyone to upgrade to the latest version to benefit from the improvements in terms of security, performance and user experience.
In-tool notification of available update with Azure PowerShell
In-tool notifications for version upgrades of Azure PowerShell are a feature released in Azure PowerShell module version 10.3.0. In the 10.3.0 version, it is disable by default. From version 11.0.0, it will be enabled by default, and all clients will see relevant notification.
When you upgrade to version 11.0.0, the reminder switch is turned on by default. When users run the first cmdlet in Azure PowerShell, if the user is using a version lower than the latest version, the system will prompt you to upgrade to the latest version for the first time. Notices will be sent every 30 days thereafter. If running a script, it is also presented with a warning message. Here are examples:
- If all Az modules are installed, the warning message will be as below for PowerShellGet 2.*.
- If only a few Az modules are not installed, the warning message will be below for PowerShellGet 3.*.
If you want to disable this feature, please refer to the configuration document.
https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/azure/configure-global-settings?#upgrade-notifications
Breaking Change for document improvement in Azure PowerShell
To help customers know what may impact their scripts and pipelines when updating the client version they use, we enhanced our upcoming breaking change page by adding the target version of the module and the version of Az.
Our next release with breaking changes will accompany Microsoft Build.
To read more about the breaking changes in this version, see our Upcoming Breaking Changes doc and ensure your environment is ready to install the newest version of Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell.
Azure CLI: Upcoming breaking changes in Azure
Azure PowerShell: Upcoming breaking changes in Azure PowerShell | Microsoft Learn
AzureRM Retirement
This is a reminder that the AzureRM PowerShell modules will retire on February 29, 2024.
If you have not done so yet, please update your scripts that use AzureRM PowerShell modules to use the Azure PowerShell modules by 29 February 2024.
You can automatically update your scripts using the getting started guide.
Related documents:
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/azure-tools-blog/azurerm-will-retire-by-29-february-2024/ba-p/2156169
Usability improvements
The Azure command line team is continuously working on making Azure cli and Azure PowerShell easier to use by addressing the challenges that our customers are facing when using the tools.
Highlighted Update: Azure Copilot for Azure CLI
Microsoft Copilot for Azure is an AI companion that helps you design, operate, optimize, and troubleshoot your cloud infrastructure and services. Combining the power of cutting-edge large language models (LLMs) with the Azure Resource Model, Copilot for Azure enables rich understanding and management of everything that’s happening in Azure, from the cloud to the edge.
We added to Copilot for Azure the knowledge of Azure CLI commands and end-to-end scenarios to answer questions related to Azure CLI commands or scripts following our best practices.
When you tell Microsoft Copilot for Azure (preview) about a task you want to perform by using Azure CLI, it provides a script with the necessary commands. You'll see which placeholder values that you need to update with the actual values based on your environment.
To learn more about Microsoft Copilot for Azure and how it can help you, visit: Simplify IT management with Microsoft Copilot for Azure – save time and get answers fast
Please click here to sign up. We’ll onboard customers into the preview on a weekly basis. In the coming weeks, we'll continuously add new capabilities and make improvements based on your feedback.
Key Vault template-based preview version
We have released template-based previews of Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell for Key Vault:
This preview based on template deployments brings the following benefits:
- Consistency: Ensure consistent behavior and defaults between Azure CLI, Azure PowerShell, and Portal.
- What-If: Support a ‘what if’ option to predict the impact of deployment before the command is executed.
- Idempotency: Sending the same request multiple times will produce the same result, regardless of resource state.
Read the following article to learn more about this preview: Announcing template-based previews of Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell for Key Vault deployments - Microsoft Community Hub
AAD renamed to Microsoft Entra ID on Azure CLI and Azure
Azure AD has been renamed. Microsoft Entra ID is the new name for Azure AD. The names Azure Active Directory, Azure AD, and AAD are replaced with Microsoft Entra ID. Detailed refer New name for Azure Active Directory.
For Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell, the reference documentation for Azure CLI and PS has been changed to accommodate this action, but nothing has been changed on the command line so as not to cause a breaking change.
Trim Azure CLI’s docker image size
We are delighted to announce that the docker image size of azure-cli has been significantly reduced from 1.1GB to 700MB (trimmed 36.3% of the original package) with the release of version 2.54.0.
This accomplishment is achieved by two key changes:
- Removal of unnecessary packages: We have removed several development tools packages (such as gcc) and unused packages from the docker image, resulting in savings of 200MB. If you rely on these packages, don’t forget to install them manually.
- Improved docker build process: We have utilized RUN --mount to remove the intermediate COPY layer in the image, which saves an additional 200MB. This change will also result in faster execution time when running docker pull commands.
You can find the full list of excluded packages at [Packaging] BREAKING CHANGE: Remove unnecessary packages in docker image by bebound · Pull Request #27567 · Azure/azure-cli.
General Availability of Az.Tools.Installer for Azure PowerShell
We are delighted to announce the general availability of Az.Tools.Installer after 3 years’ preview. Thousands of customers have downloaded and used it. We recommend you try it if you don't have a chance yet.
Az.Tools.Installer is a tool for modules and version management of Azure PowerShell modules. It only contains 3 cmdlets for installation, uninstallation and update separately, very easy to use.
With it you can
- Install the specific Az modules you are using instead of all and manage them.
- Remove all previously installed Az and AzureRM modules with one cmdlet.
- Update to the new version by replacing the previous one.
- Performance improvement especially in PowerShell core compared to the PowerShellGet cmdlets
- Install a single online NuGet package with a URL.
For more information of how to use it, please refer to the module documentation . Please let us know about your experience with the module, ask for feature or report issues you may have on GitHub or on Twitter.
Thank you all for using Azure command-line tools and we look forward the continue improving your experience.
We hope you enjoy Ignite and all the great work being released this week. We'd love to hear your feedback so feel free to reach out any time.
- Let's be in touch on X (Twitter) : @azureposh @AzureCli
Continue reading...