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--- ms.assetid: title: "Whats new in Azure Arc-enabled VMware vSphere" description: This article describes the new features and enhancements supported in Azure Arc-enabled VMware vSphere. ms.author: v-gajeronika ms.reviewer: v-gajeronika author: Jeronika-MS ms.date: 02/10/2026 ms.topic: whats-new ms.service: azure-arc ms.subservice: azure-arc-vmware-vsphere ms.custom: references_regions --- # What's new in Azure Arc-enabled VMware vSphere Azure Arc-enabled VMware vSphere receives new features and enhancements on an ongoing basis. This article provides an overview of the recent developments, which are common to both on-premises VMware and Azure VMware Solution private clouds. ## September 2025 - Retirement notice: Azure Kubernetes Service on VMware (Preview) is retiring on March 16, 2026. ## August 2025 - Rollout to Italy North region. ## June 2025 - Ability to customize guest operating system settings while creating Windows virtual machines. ## May 2025 - Installation of the Arc agent on Linux machines using SSH-based authentication. ## January 2025 - [Windows Server Management](/azure/azure-arc/servers/windows-server-management-overview) for VMware VMs with active Windows Server Software Assurance licenses, giving you cost benefits on Azure Update Manager, Azure Change Tracking, and Inventory billing and exclusive capabilities. ## October 2024 - Ability to install Arc agents at scale on VMware VMs using out-of-band methods such as: - Service principal - System Center Configuration Manager script - System Center Configuration Manager custom task sequence - Group policy - Ansible playbook ## September 2024 - [Terraform templates](/azure/templates/microsoft.connectedvmwarevsphere/clusters?pivots=deployment-language-terraform) based VM management (AzAPI provider) - [Bicep templates](/azure/templates/microsoft.connectedvmwarevsphere/clusters?pivots=deployment-language-bicep) based VM management - [ARM templates](/azure/templates/microsoft.connectedvmwarevsphere/clusters?pivots=deployment-language-arm-template) based VM management ## August 2024 - [Python SDK](/python/api/overview/azure/mgmt-connectedvmware-readme) based VM management - [Java SDK](/java/api/overview/azure/resourcemanager-connectedvmware-readme) based VM management - [JavaScript SDK](/javascript/api/overview/azure/arm-connectedvmware-readme) based VM management - [.NET SDK](/dotnet/api/overview/azure/resourcemanager.connectedvmwarevsphere-readme) based VM management - [Go SDK](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-go/sdk/resourcemanager/connectedvmware/armconnectedvmware#section-documentation) based VM management ## June 2024 - [Azure-CLI](/cli/azure/connectedvmware) based VM management - [Azure REST APIs](/rest/api/azure-arc-vmware/operation-groups) based VM management - [Azure PowerShell](/powershell/module/az.connectedvmware) based VM management ## April 2024 - Support to install Arc agent over private endpoints on VMware VMs at-scale. ## March 2024 - Public preview of [Azure Kubernetes Service on VMware](/azure/aks/hybrid/aks-vmware-overview). ## February 2024 - Rollout to five new regions: - East Asia - Japan East - North Central US - UK West - Central India ## November 2023 (General Availability) - Ability to [link VMs](/azure/azure-arc/vmware-vsphere/enable-virtual-hardware) with Arc agent installed to leverage self-service lifecycle and power cycle management. - Procurement and delivery of [Extended Security Updates](/azure/azure-arc/vmware-vsphere/deliver-extended-security-updates-for-vmware-vms-through-arc) for Windows Server and SQL server Arc-enabled VMware/AVS VMs. - Microsoft-managed upgrade support for Azure Arc resource bridge. ## September 2023 - Installation of the Arc agent [at scale](/azure/azure-arc/vmware-vsphere/enable-guest-management-at-scale) on VMware on-premises and Azure VMware Solution private cloud VMs. - Support for Azure services to [govern, protect, configure, and monitor](/azure/azure-arc/servers/overview#supported-cloud-operations) Arc-enabled VMware/AVS VMs. - Ability to [recover](/azure/azure-arc/vmware-vsphere/recover-from-resource-bridge-deletion) the Azure Arc resource bridge in case of accidental deletion. ## August 2023 - Manual [upgrade support](/azure/azure-arc/vmware-vsphere/administer-arc-vmware#upgrade-the-arc-resource-bridge-manually) for Azure Arc resource bridge. ## Next steps - Plan your resource bridge deployment by reviewing the [support matrix for Arc-enabled VMware vSphere](support-matrix-for-arc-enabled-vmware-vsphere.md). - When ready, [connect VMware vCenter Server to Azure Arc by using the helper script](quick-start-connect-vcenter-to-arc-using-script.md).