Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows Server
This article provides information on ESU on Azure VMs and Azure Arc machines.
What are Extended Security Updates
Extended Security Updates for Windows Server include security updates and bulletins rated critical and important for a maximum period of time from the end of extended support, depending on the version.
Extended Security Updates doesn't include new features, customer-requested non-security hotfixes, or design change requests. For more information, see Overview of Extended Security Updates for Windows Server 2008, 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2.
Azure virtual machines
ESUs are available free of charge and by default for servers hosted in Azure.
Azure Arc enabled machines
ESUs are available to purchase for servers not hosted in Azure. Using Azure Update Manager, you can deploy Extended Security Updates for your Azure Arc-enabled Windows Server 2012 / R2 machines.
Enroll Windows Server 2012 ESU on Arc machines
To enroll in Windows Server 2012 Extended Security Updates on Arc connected machines, follow the guidance on How to get Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 via Azure Arc.
Next steps
- Learn about the supported regions for Azure VMs and Arc-enabled servers.
- Learn on the Update sources, types managed by Azure Update Manger.
- Know more on supported OS and system requirements for machines managed by Azure Update Manager.
- Learn on Automatic VM guest patching.
- Learn more on unsupported OS and Custom VM images.
- Learn more on how to configure Windows Update settings to work with Azure Update Manager.
- Learn about security vulnerabilities and Ubuntu Pro support.