Merge pull request #36661 from MicrosoftDocs/main

Auto Publish – main to live - 2026-02-19 23:30 UTC

Author: learn-build-service-prod[bot]

azure-sql/database-watcher-manage.md

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ After you create and configure a watcher following the steps in this article, yo
 
 To use database watcher, the following prerequisites are required.
 
-- You need an active Azure subscription. If you don't have one, [create a free account](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?icid=azurefreeaccount). You need to be a member of the **Contributor** role or the **Owner** role for the subscription or a resource group to be able to create resources.
+- You need an active Azure subscription. If you don't have one, [create a free account](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?cid=msft_learn). You need to be a member of the **Contributor** role or the **Owner** role for the subscription or a resource group to be able to create resources.
 
 - To configure and start a watcher, you need an existing SQL target: an Azure SQL database, elastic pool, or SQL managed instance.
     - If you don't already have an Azure SQL database created, visit [Quickstart: Create a single database](database/single-database-create-quickstart.md). Look for the option to use your offer to [Try Azure SQL Database for free](database/free-offer.md).

azure-sql/database/always-encrypted-enclaves-getting-started-sgx.md

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ This tutorial teaches you how to get started with [Always Encrypted with secure
 
 ## Prerequisites
 
-- An active Azure subscription. If you don't have one, [create a free account](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?icid=azurefreeaccount). You need to be a member of the Contributor role or the Owner role for the subscription to be able to create resources and configure an attestation policy.
+- An active Azure subscription. If you don't have one, [create a free account](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?cid=msft_learn). You need to be a member of the Contributor role or the Owner role for the subscription to be able to create resources and configure an attestation policy.
 - Optional, but recommended for storing your column master key for Always Encrypted: a key vault in Azure Key Vault. For information on how to create a key vault, see [Quickstart: Create a key vault using the Azure portal](/azure/key-vault/general/quick-create-portal). 
   - If your key vault uses the access policy permissions model, make sure you have the following key permissions in the key vault: `get`, `list`, `create`, `unwrap key`, `wrap key`, `verify`, `sign`. For more information, see [Assign a Key Vault access policy](/azure/key-vault/general/assign-access-policy).
   - If you're using the Azure role-based access control (RBAC) permission model, make you sure you're a member of the [Key Vault Crypto Officer](/azure/role-based-access-control/built-in-roles#key-vault-crypto-officer) role for your key vault. See [Provide access to Key Vault keys, certificates, and secrets with an Azure role-based access control](/azure/key-vault/general/rbac-migration).

azure-sql/database/always-encrypted-enclaves-getting-started-vbs.md

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ This tutorial teaches you how to get started with [Always Encrypted with secure
 
 ## Prerequisites
 
-- An active Azure subscription. If you don't have one, [create a free account](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?icid=azurefreeaccount). You need to be a member of the Contributor role or the Owner role for the subscription to be able to create resources.
+- An active Azure subscription. If you don't have one, [create a free account](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?cid=msft_learn). You need to be a member of the Contributor role or the Owner role for the subscription to be able to create resources.
 - Optional, but recommended for storing your column master key for Always Encrypted: a key vault in Azure Key Vault. For information on how to create a key vault, see [Quickstart: Create a key vault using the Azure portal](/azure/key-vault/general/quick-create-portal).
   - If your key vault uses the access policy permissions model, make sure you have the following key permissions in the key vault: `get`, `list`, `create`, `unwrap key`, `wrap key`, `verify`, `sign`. See [Assign a Key Vault access policy](/azure/key-vault/general/assign-access-policy).
   - If you're using the Azure role-based access control (RBAC) permission model, make you sure you're a member of the [Key Vault Crypto Officer](/azure/role-based-access-control/built-in-roles#key-vault-crypto-officer) role for your key vault. See [Provide access to Key Vault keys, certificates, and secrets with an Azure role-based access control](/azure/key-vault/general/rbac-migration).

azure-sql/database/azure-sql-dotnet-entity-framework-core-quickstart.md

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ This quickstart describes how to connect an application to a database in Azure S
 
 ## Prerequisites
 
-- An [Azure subscription](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?icid=azurefreeaccountdotnet/).
+- An [Azure subscription](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?cid=msft_learn).
 - A SQL database configured for authentication with Microsoft Entra ID ([formerly Azure Active Directory](/entra/fundamentals/new-name)). You can create one using the [Quickstart: Create a single database - Azure SQL Database](single-database-create-quickstart.md).
 - [.NET 9.0](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download) or later.
 - [Visual Studio](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/) or later with the **ASP.NET and web development** workload.

azure-sql/database/azure-sql-dotnet-quickstart.md

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ This quickstart describes how to connect an application to a database in Azure S
 
 ## Prerequisites
 
-- An [Azure subscription](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?icid=azurefreeaccountdotnet/).
+- An [Azure subscription](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?cid=msft_learn).
 - An Azure SQL database configured for authentication with Microsoft Entra ID ([formerly Azure Active Directory](/entra/fundamentals/new-name)). You can create one using the [Create database quickstart](single-database-create-quickstart.md).
 - The latest version of the [Azure CLI](/cli/azure/get-started-with-azure-cli).
 - [Visual Studio](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/) or later with the **ASP.NET and web development** workload.

azure-sql/database/azure-sql-javascript-mssql-quickstart.md

@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ You can learn more about passwordless connections on the [passwordless hub](/azu
 
 ## Prerequisites
 
-* An [Azure subscription](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?icid=azurefreeaccountnodejs/)
+* An [Azure subscription](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?cid=msft_learn)
 * A database in Azure SQL Database configured for authentication with Microsoft Entra ID ([formerly Azure Active Directory](/entra/fundamentals/new-name)). You can create one using the [Create database quickstart](./single-database-create-quickstart.md).
 * Bash-enabled shell
 * [Node.js LTS](https://nodejs.org/)

azure-sql/database/azure-sql-python-quickstart.md

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ This quickstart describes how to connect an application to a database in Azure S
 
 ## Prerequisites
 
-- An [Azure subscription](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?icid=azurefreeaccountpython/).
+- An [Azure subscription](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?cid=msft_learn).
 - An Azure SQL database configured with Microsoft Entra authentication. You can create one using the [Quickstart: Create a single database - Azure SQL Database](single-database-create-quickstart.md). Alternatively, you can use a [SQL database in Microsoft Fabric](/fabric/database/sql/create).
 - Visual Studio Code with the [Python extension](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-python.python).
 - Python 3.10 or later.

azure-sql/database/backup-immutability.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ description: Learn how Azure SQL Database immutability works for long-term reten
 author: WilliamDAssafMSFT
 ms.author: wiassaf
 ms.reviewer: dinethi
-ms.date: 11/29/2025
+ms.date: 02/19/2026
 ms.service: azure-sql-database
 ms.subservice: backup-restore
 ms.topic: concept-article
@@ -54,6 +54,14 @@ Possible actions across time based and legal hold immutability:
 - Time-based immutability is in effect until the retention of the backup expires.
 - Legal hold can be applied on any backup even if already has a time-based immutability. When legal hold is applied, backups continue to be available and immutable even when the retention expires until the legal hold is removed.
 
+## Immutable long-term backups and deleting logical servers
+
+Starting on 17 February 2026, when you configure immutability for an Azure SQL Database with a Long Term Retention (LTR) policy, the associated logical server will be blocked from deletion.
+
+The logical server can be deleted only after all immutable backups are removed, including both time based immutable backups and backups under legal hold. 
+
+To delete long-term backups, see [Delete long-term backups](long-term-backup-retention-configure.md#delete-ltr-backups).
+
 ## Pricing
 
 There's no additional cost for enabling immutability on the backups.

azure-sql/database/connect-github-actions-sql-db.md

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Get started with [GitHub Actions](https://docs.github.com/en/actions) by using a
 ## Prerequisites
 
 You need:
-- An Azure account with an active subscription. [Create an account for free](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?icid=azurefreeaccount?WT.mc_id=A261C142F).
+- An Azure account with an active subscription. [Create an account for free](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?cid=msft_learn).
 - A GitHub repository with a dacpac package (`Database.dacpac`). If you don't have a GitHub account, [sign up for free](https://github.com/join).  
 - An Azure SQL Database. [Quickstart: Create an Azure SQL Database single database](single-database-create-quickstart.md).
 - A [.dacpac file](/sql/relational-databases/data-tier-applications/data-tier-applications#benefits-of-data-tier-applications) to import into your database.

azure-sql/database/connect-query-dotnet-core.md

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ In this quickstart, you'll use [.NET](https://dotnet.microsoft.com) and C# code
 
 To complete this quickstart, you need:
 
-- An Azure account with an active subscription. [Create an account for free](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?icid=azurefreeaccount?ref=microsoft.com&utm_source=microsoft.com&utm_medium=docs&utm_campaign=visualstudio).
+- An Azure account with an active subscription. [Create an account for free](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?cid=msft_learn).
 - [.NET SDK for your operating system](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download) installed.
 - A database where you can run your query.