Basic load balancer retired

MashaMSFT · MashaMSFT · commit 5015e82cd7a8 · 2025-10-15T13:21:48.000-07:00
diff --git a/azure-sql/includes/sql-vm-basic-load-balancer-retired.md b/azure-sql/includes/sql-vm-basic-load-balancer-retired.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+title: Basic load balancer retirement note
+author: MashaMSFT
+ms.author: mathoma
+ms.topic: include
+---
+> [!NOTE]
+> The Basic load balancer has been retired. For new deployments, use the Standard load balancer. If you have an existing deployment that uses the Basic load balancer, [upgrade to the Standard load balancer](/azure/load-balancer/load-balancer-basic-upgrade-guidance). 
diff --git a/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-az-commandline-configure.md b/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-az-commandline-configure.md
@@ -214,11 +214,9 @@ Manually create the availability group as you normally would, by using [SQL Serv
 
 [!INCLUDE [sql-ag-use-dnn-listener](../../includes/sql-ag-use-dnn-listener.md)]
 
-The Always On availability group listener requires an internal instance of Azure Load Balancer. The internal load balancer provides a "floating" IP address for the availability group listener that allows for faster failover and reconnection. If the SQL Server VMs in an availability group are part of the same availability set, you can use a Basic load balancer. Otherwise, you need to use a Standard load balancer.  
+The Always On availability group listener requires an internal instance of Azure Load Balancer. The internal load balancer provides a "floating" IP address for the availability group listener that allows for faster failover and reconnection. The internal load balancer should be in the same virtual network as the SQL Server VM instances. 
 
-> [!IMPORTANT]
-> - The internal load balancer should be in the same virtual network as the SQL Server VM instances. 
-> - The public IP resource for each SQL Server VM should have a Standard SKU to be compatible with the Standard load balancer. To determine the SKU of your VM's public IP resource, go to **Resource Group**, select your **Public IP Address** resource for the desired SQL Server VM, and locate the value under **SKU** in the **Overview** pane.  
+[!INCLUDE [sql-vm-basic-load-balancer-retired](../../includes/sql-vm-basic-load-balancer-retired.md)]
 
 The following code snippet creates the internal load balancer:
 
diff --git a/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-listener-powershell-configure.md b/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-listener-powershell-configure.md
@@ -55,27 +55,6 @@ If you're restricting access with an Azure Network Security Group, ensure that t
 - The load balancer floating IP addresses for the AG listener
 - The cluster core IP address, if applicable.
 
-## Determine the load balancer SKU required
-
-[Azure load balancer](/azure/load-balancer/load-balancer-overview) is available in two stock-keeping units (SKUs): Basic and Standard. The standard load balancer is recommended as the Basic SKU will be [retired on September 30, 2025](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates/azure-basic-load-balancer-will-be-retired-on-30-september-2025-upgrade-to-standard-load-balancer/). The standard load balancer is required for virtual machines in an availability zone. Standard load balancer requires that all VM IP addresses use standard IP addresses.
-
-The current [Azure Quickstart Template](availability-group-quickstart-template-configure.md) for an availability group uses a basic load balancer with basic IP addresses.
-
-> [!NOTE]  
-> If you use a standard load balancer and Azure Storage for the cloud witness, you need to configure a [service endpoint](/azure/storage/common/storage-network-security?toc=%2fazure%2fvirtual-network%2ftoc.json#grant-access-from-a-virtual-network) .
-
-The examples in this article specify a standard load balancer. In the examples, the script includes `-sku Standard`.
-
-```powershell
-$ILB= New-AzLoadBalancer -Location $Location -Name $ILBName -ResourceGroupName $ResourceGroupName -FrontendIpConfiguration $FEConfig -BackendAddressPool $BEConfig -LoadBalancingRule $ILBRule -Probe $SQLHealthProbe -sku Standard
-```
-
-To create a basic load balancer, remove `-sku Standard` from the line that creates the load balancer. For example:
-
-```powershell
-$ILB= New-AzLoadBalancer -Location $Location -Name $ILBName -ResourceGroupName $ResourceGroupName -FrontendIpConfiguration $FEConfig -BackendAddressPool $BEConfig -LoadBalancingRule $ILBRule -Probe $SQLHealthProbe
-```
-
 ## Example Script: Create an internal load balancer with PowerShell
 
 > [!NOTE]  
@@ -131,6 +110,8 @@ foreach($VMName in $VMNames)
     }
 ```
 
+[!INCLUDE [sql-vm-basic-load-balancer-retired](../../includes/sql-vm-basic-load-balancer-retired.md)]
+
 <a id="Add-IP"></a>
 
 ## Example script: Add an IP address to an existing load balancer with PowerShell
diff --git a/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-load-balancer-portal-configure.md b/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-load-balancer-portal-configure.md
@@ -39,12 +39,7 @@ In this portion of the task, do the following steps:
 1. Configure the back-end pool.
 1. Create the probe.
 1. Set the load-balancing rules.
-
-> [!NOTE]  
-> If the SQL Server instances are in multiple resource groups and regions, perform each step twice, once in each resource group.
->
-> [!IMPORTANT]  
-> On September 30, 2025, the Basic SKU for the Azure Load Balancer will be retired. For more information, see the [official announcement](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates/azure-basic-load-balancer-will-be-retired-on-30-september-2025-upgrade-to-standard-load-balancer/). If you're currently using Basic Load Balancer, upgrade to Standard Load Balancer prior to the retirement date. For guidance, review [upgrade load balancer](/azure/load-balancer/load-balancer-basic-upgrade-guidance).
+1. If the SQL Server instances are in multiple resource groups and regions, perform each step twice, once in each resource group.
 
 ### Step 1: Create the load balancer and configure the IP address
 
@@ -66,9 +61,10 @@ First, create the load balancer.
    | **Resource Group** | Use the same resource group as the virtual machine. |
    | **Name** | Use a text name for the load balancer, for example **sqlLB**. |
    | **Region** | Use the same region as the virtual machine. |
-   | **SKU** | Standard |
    | **Type** | Internal |
 
+   [!INCLUDE [sql-vm-basic-load-balancer-retired](../../includes/sql-vm-basic-load-balancer-retired.md)]
+
 1. Select **Next: Frontend IP Configuration**
 
 1. Select **Add a frontend IP Configuration**
diff --git a/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-manually-configure-tutorial-single-subnet.md b/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-manually-configure-tutorial-single-subnet.md
@@ -388,10 +388,7 @@ In Azure virtual machines, the listener requires a load balancer. The next step
 
 On Azure virtual machines in a single subnet, a SQL Server availability group requires a load balancer. The load balancer holds the IP addresses for the availability group listeners and the Windows Server failover cluster. This section summarizes how to create the load balancer in the Azure portal.
 
-A load balancer in Azure can be either *standard* or *basic*. A standard load balancer has more features than the basic load balancer. For an availability group, the standard load balancer is required if you use an availability zone (instead of an availability set). For details on the difference between the SKUs, see [Azure Load Balancer SKUs](/azure/load-balancer/skus).
-
-> [!IMPORTANT]  
-> On September 30, 2025, the Basic SKU for Azure Load Balancer will be retired. For more information, see the [official announcement](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates/azure-basic-load-balancer-will-be-retired-on-30-september-2025-upgrade-to-standard-load-balancer/). If you're currently using Basic Load Balancer, upgrade to Standard Load Balancer before the retirement date. For guidance, review [Upgrade Load Balancer](/azure/load-balancer/load-balancer-basic-upgrade-guidance).
+[!INCLUDE [sql-vm-basic-load-balancer-retired](../../includes/sql-vm-basic-load-balancer-retired.md)]
 
 1. In the Azure portal, go to the resource group that contains your SQL Server VMs and select **+ Add**.
 1. Search for **load balancer**. Choose the load balancer that Microsoft publishes.
diff --git a/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-quickstart-template-configure.md b/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-quickstart-template-configure.md
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ Manually create the availability group as you normally would, by using [SQL Serv
 
 [!INCLUDE [sql-ag-use-dnn-listener](../../includes/sql-ag-use-dnn-listener.md)]
 
-The Always On availability group listener requires an internal instance of Azure Load Balancer. The internal load balancer provides a "floating" IP address for the availability group listener that allows for faster failover and reconnection. If the SQL Server VMs in an availability group are part of the same availability set, you can use a Basic load balancer. Otherwise, you need to use a Standard load balancer. 
+The Always On availability group listener requires an internal instance of Azure Load Balancer. The internal load balancer provides a "floating" IP address for the availability group listener that allows for faster failover and reconnection. 
 
 > [!IMPORTANT]
 > The internal load balancer should be in the same virtual network as the SQL Server VM instances. 
diff --git a/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-vnn-azure-load-balancer-configure.md b/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-vnn-azure-load-balancer-configure.md
@@ -37,8 +37,7 @@ You can create either of these types of load balancers:
 
   To use an external load balancer, logically allocate an IP address in the same subnet as the availability group that doesn't conflict with any other IP address. Use this address as the frontend IP address for the load-balancing rules. 
 
-> [!IMPORTANT]
-> On September 30, 2025, the Basic SKU for Azure Load Balancer will be retired. For more information, see the [official announcement](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates/azure-basic-load-balancer-will-be-retired-on-30-september-2025-upgrade-to-standard-load-balancer/). If you're currently using Basic Load Balancer, upgrade to Standard Load Balancer before the retirement date. For guidance, review [Upgrade Load Balancer](/azure/load-balancer/load-balancer-basic-upgrade-guidance).
+[!INCLUDE [sql-vm-basic-load-balancer-retired](../../includes/sql-vm-basic-load-balancer-retired.md)]
 
 To create the load balancer:
 
diff --git a/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/failover-cluster-instance-overview.md b/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/failover-cluster-instance-overview.md
@@ -194,7 +194,6 @@ Azure Virtual Machines supports Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (M
 On Azure Virtual Machines, MSDTC isn't supported for Windows Server 2016 or earlier with Clustered Shared Volumes because:
 
 - The clustered MSDTC resource can't be configured to use shared storage. On Windows Server 2016, if you create an MSDTC resource, it doesn't show any shared storage available for use, even if storage is available. This issue was fixed in Windows Server 2019.
-- The basic load balancer doesn't handle RPC ports.
 
 ## Related content
 
diff --git a/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/hadr-windows-server-failover-cluster-overview.md b/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/hadr-windows-server-failover-cluster-overview.md
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ Azure virtual machines support Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS
 On Azure Virtual Machines, MSDTC isn't supported for Windows Server 2016 or earlier with Clustered Shared Volumes because:
 
 - The clustered MSDTC resource can't be configured to use shared storage. On Windows Server 2016, if you create an MSDTC resource, it doesn't show any shared storage available for use, even if storage is available. This issue was fixed in Windows Server 2019.
-- The basic load balancer doesn't handle RPC ports.
+
 
 ## Related content
 
diff --git a/docs/integration-services/scale-out/scale-out-support-for-high-availability.md b/docs/integration-services/scale-out/scale-out-support-for-high-availability.md
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ On Azure virtual machines, this configuration step requires additional steps. A
 
 1.  You have to set up an Azure domain. Windows Server Failover Clustering requires all computers in the cluster to be members of the same domain. For more info, see [Enable Microsoft Entra Domain Services using the Azure portal](/azure/active-directory-domain-services/create-instance).
 
-2. You have to set up an Azure load balancer. This is a requirement for the availability group listener. For more info, see [Tutorial: Load balance internal traffic with Basic Load Balancer to VMs using the Azure portal](/azure/load-balancer/tutorial-load-balancer-basic-internal-portal).
+2. You have to set up an Azure load balancer. This is a requirement for the availability group listener. For more info, see [Configure a load balancer and availability group listener](/azure/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-load-balancer-portal-configure).
 
 ## 8. Update the Scale Out Master address in SSISDB
 
