# Azure product updates - 2026-09-17 **4 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) | 2 | - | 2 | Azure SQL Database, Azure Database for PostgreSQL | | [Containers](#containers) | 1 | - | 1 | Azure Red Hat OpenShift | | [Other](#other) | 1 | - | - | | ## Databases ### [Public Preview: Azure SQL updates for mid-September 2026](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates?id=571056) **Status:** In preview | **Published:** 2026-09-16 | **Products:** Azure SQL Database | **Tags:** Feature Azure SQL now supports configurable soft delete for logical servers, enabling self-restore within a retention period to prevent accidental data loss without Microsoft support. - Soft delete can be configured for Azure SQL logical servers with retention periods from 1 to 7 days, allowing recovery of deleted servers and their databases. - This feature improves operational safety by reducing risks during automation, scripted cleanup, or bulk operations. - Soft delete retention can be set or updated via PowerShell, Azure CLI, or Azure portal (for existing servers), but not during server creation in the portal. - Customers gain enhanced governance and protection by adding a recovery buffer to mitigate irreversible loss due to human error. Documentation: [Restore a Deleted Logical Server (Preview) - Azure SQL Database](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/deleted-logical-server-restore?view=azuresql&tabs=azure-portal) ### [Public Preview: PostgreSQL skills and MCP plugin for Azure Database for PostgreSQL](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates?id=569664) **Status:** In preview | **Published:** 2026-09-16 | **Products:** Azure Database for PostgreSQL | **Tags:** Features Azure Database for PostgreSQL now supports a public preview of PostgreSQL skills and an MCP plugin that enable AI coding assistants to provide context-aware, expert guidance and safely act on live PostgreSQL databases, improving development accuracy and operational safety. - The plugin integrates expert-curated PostgreSQL and Azure Database for PostgreSQL skills with an MCP server to inspect live database context, run queries, and apply changes. - Available through AI coding assistants like GitHub Copilot CLI, Claude Code, and Codex CLI, it delivers tailored guidance based on schema, PostgreSQL version, extensions, and Azure environment. - Supports scenarios including query tuning, vector search, JSONB, partitioning, security, Azure provisioning/scaling, high availability, failover, and advanced features like Apache AGE knowledge graphs. - Ensures safe operations by confirming destructive actions, enforcing Azure-specific constraints, and validating changes before applying, thus enabling verified and deployment-aware database management. Documentation: [Postgres Skills: Give Your AI Agent PostgreSQL Expertise | Microsoft Community Hub](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/adforpostgresql/postgres-skills-give-your-ai-agent-postgresql-expertise/4556705) ## Containers ### [Public Preview: Azure Red Hat OpenShift with hosted control planes](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates?id=571621) **Status:** In preview | **Published:** 2026-09-16 | **Products:** Azure Red Hat OpenShift | **Tags:** Feature Azure Red Hat OpenShift with hosted control planes is now in public preview, offering a fully managed control plane to accelerate application modernization, simplify operations, and enhance security. - Hosted control planes run the OpenShift control plane as a fully managed service by Microsoft and Red Hat SREs, separate from customer worker nodes. - Public preview is available in multiple regions including UK South, Canada Central, Australia East, Switzerland North, Brazil South, Central India, East US 2, and West Europe. - This deployment model enables faster cluster provisioning, scalable development/test environments, and independent lifecycle management of control plane and worker nodes. - Security is strengthened with managed identities, workload identities, short-lived tokens, default etcd encryption, and bring-your-own keys to meet compliance and regulatory needs. Documentation: [Azure Red Hat OpenShift with hosted control planes now available in public preview | Microsoft Community Hub](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/appsonazureblog/azure-red-hat-openshift-with-hosted-control-planes-now-available-in-public-previ/4555997) ## Other ### [Retirement Update: SAP container images removed October 14, 2026](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates?id=571342) **Status:** Retirement | **Published:** 2026-09-16 | **Tags:** Retirements Microsoft is retiring the containerized SAP data connector by October 14, 2026, requiring customers to migrate to the supported agentless SAP data connector to ensure continued SAP log ingestion in Microsoft Sentinel. - The containerized SAP data connector was retired on September 14, 2026, and container images will be removed on October 14, 2026, disabling new pulls and deployments. - Customers must migrate to the agentless SAP data connector, which offers simplified deployment, reduced maintenance, and a future-proof architecture based on SAP Integration Suite and SAP Cloud Connector. - Migration involves running the agentless connector alongside the containerized agent, validating log ingestion, and then decommissioning the containerized agent to maintain uninterrupted SAP log collection. - Existing analytics rules, workbooks, and playbooks remain functional with the agentless connector, which provides feature parity and supports extensions without changes to existing content. Documentation: [Migrate to the Microsoft Sentinel agentless SAP data connector](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sentinel/sap/sap-agent-migrate) --- _Generated automatically on 2026-09-17 01:12 UTC._