# Azure product updates - 2026-08-19 **6 new update(s)** — first seen in this run. The last 7 day(s) are rescanned every time so late or backdated announcements are not missed. Grouped by Azure product category. Source: [Azure Updates](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates) ## Summary by category | Category | Updates | GA | Preview | Top products | | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | --- | | [Databases](#databases) | 3 | 2 | 1 | Azure SQL Database | | [AI + machine learning](#ai-machine-learning) | 1 | 1 | - | Azure Databricks | | [Compute](#compute) | 1 | 1 | - | Virtual Machines | | [Management and governance](#management-and-governance) | 1 | 1 | - | Azure Site Recovery | ## Databases ### [Generally Available: Azure SQL updates for mid-August 2026](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates?id=569145) **Status:** Launched | **Published:** 2026-08-19 | **Products:** Azure SQL Database | **Tags:** Feature Azure SQL updates in mid-August 2026 introduce generally available features in Visual Studio Code for customizable keyboard shortcuts, free tier database provisioning, and a new SQL formatter, enhancing developer productivity and ease of database management. - Shortcuts Configuration GA allows users to customize and manage keyboard shortcuts for Quick Queries, Query Editor, and Results Grid directly in VS Code, speeding up common database tasks. - Azure SQL Database Provisioning GA enables easy creation of free tier managed Azure SQL databases via a single-page wizard in VS Code, supporting ARM, Bicep, and Terraform deployment scripts and post-deployment actions. - New built-in SQL Formatter (preview) in VS Code formats T-SQL code on demand or on save with customizable casing, alignment, multiline formatting, and preserves comments, improving code consistency. - These updates streamline database development workflows by integrating key management and provisioning features directly into Visual Studio Code, benefiting prototyping, dev/test, and production scenarios. Documentation: [MSSQL Extension for VS Code v1.45 | Introducing SQL Formatter - Azure SQL Dev Corner](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/azure-sql/vscode-mssql-august2026/) ### [Public Preview: SQL Formatter in MSSQL extension](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates?id=569155) **Status:** In preview | **Published:** 2026-08-19 | **Products:** Azure SQL Database | **Tags:** Feature The MSSQL extension for VS Code v1.45 introduces a public preview of a customizable SQL Formatter for cleaner code, alongside generally available Azure SQL Database provisioning and shortcuts configuration features to streamline development and database management. - SQL Formatter (public preview) enables on-demand or automatic formatting of T-SQL with customizable casing, alignment, multiline list formatting, and preserves comments using the ScriptDOM library. - Azure SQL Database provisioning (GA) allows developers to create free tier managed Azure SQL databases via a single-page wizard in VS Code, with post-deployment actions and exportable ARM, Bicep, and Terraform scripts. - Shortcuts Configuration (GA) offers a centralized interface to save reusable SQL queries, assign custom keybindings, and manage MSSQL commands for query editor and results view, integrated with VS Code keyboard shortcuts. - These updates improve code consistency, accelerate database setup, and enhance workflow customization for developers using the MSSQL extension in Visual Studio Code. Documentation: [MSSQL Extension for VS Code v1.45 | Introducing SQL Formatter - Azure SQL Dev Corner](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/azure-sql/vscode-mssql-august2026/) ### [Generally Available: Azure SQL Database provisioning in MSSQL extension](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates?id=569160) **Status:** Launched | **Published:** 2026-08-19 | **Products:** Azure SQL Database | **Tags:** Feature Azure SQL Database provisioning in the MSSQL extension for VS Code is now generally available, enabling developers to create free tier managed databases directly from the editor with Infrastructure-as-Code support, improving development speed and consistency. - Provision fully managed free tier Azure SQL Databases at no cost directly from VS Code using a single-page wizard. - Export deployment scripts in ARM, Bicep, and Terraform formats for repeatable, automated deployments across teams and environments. - Automatically add database connections post-provisioning and access connection strings and migration commands instantly to accelerate development. - Shortcuts Configuration feature is also GA, allowing users to save reusable SQL queries and customize keybindings within the MSSQL extension for improved productivity. Documentation: [MSSQL Extension for VS Code v1.45 | Introducing SQL Formatter - Azure SQL Dev Corner](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/azure-sql/vscode-mssql-august2026/) ## AI + machine learning ### [Generally Available: Azure Databricks Lakebase in four additional regions](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates?id=569684) **Status:** Launched | **Published:** 2026-08-19 | **Products:** Azure Databricks | **Tags:** Feature Azure Databricks Lakebase is now generally available in four additional Azure regions, expanding deployment options and regional availability for customers. - Lakebase is generally available in North Central US, France Central, Germany West Central, and East Asia regions. - This expansion provides customers with more regional deployment choices for their Lakebase workloads. - Broader regional availability helps meet data residency, compliance, and latency requirements. - Customers can now deploy Lakebase closer to their users and data sources in these new regions. Documentation: [August 2026 - Azure Databricks](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/databricks/release-notes/product/2026/august#lakebase-available-in-four-new-azure-regions) ## Compute ### [Generally Available: vCore Customization: Disable Multithreading and Configurable Constrained Cores](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates?id=569051) **Status:** Launched | **Published:** 2026-08-19 | **Products:** Virtual Machines | **Tags:** Feature Azure Virtual Machines now generally support vCore customization with options to disable SMT/HT and configure constrained cores, enabling optimized performance and reduced software licensing costs. - Introduces disabling of Simultaneous Multi-Threading/Hyper-Threading (SMT/HT) for improved latency consistency and performance. - Allows selection of specific vCPU counts independent of VM size to better align with workload demands and software licensing requirements. - Available in all Azure public regions and supports VM Scale Sets with Uniform orchestration mode. - Configuration supported via Azure portal, ARM templates, CLI, and PowerShell; currently limited to first-party Azure OS images, excluding third-party licensed marketplace images. ## Management and governance ### [Generally Available: BYON (Bring Your Own NIC) in Azure Site Recovery](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates?id=569515) **Status:** Launched | **Published:** 2026-08-19 | **Products:** Azure Site Recovery | **Tags:** Feature Azure Site Recovery is now generally available with Bring Your Own NIC (BYON) capability, allowing customers to use pre-provisioned network interfaces during failover to maintain networking configurations and reserved IPs, enhancing disaster recovery control. - BYON enables attachment of existing NICs in the target region for Azure-to-Azure test-failover and failover scenarios. - Preserves prepared networking setups and reserved IP addresses, providing greater control over disaster recovery environments. - Improves consistency and reduces configuration efforts during failover operations. - Available now for enterprise customers using Azure Site Recovery. Documentation: [New feature updates in Azure Site Recovery - Azure Site Recovery](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/feature-updates-whats-new#byon-bring-your-own-nic-in-azure-site-recovery) --- _Generated automatically on 2026-08-19 23:27 UTC._