Are the latest windows server images like 2022/2019 (or newer) from marketplace always with latest patches?

Question

I would like to create windows server VMs in Azure using marketplace latest images like 'MicrosoftWindowsServer:WindowsServer:2022-datacenter-g2:latest' .

So I would like to know whether the latest windows server images like 2022/2019 (or newer) from marketplace are always with latest patches?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Hello,

When you create a Windows Server Virtual Machine (VM) in Azure using the latest images from the Marketplace, such as 'MicrosoftWindowsServer:WindowsServer:2022-datacenter-g2:latest', these images are typically pre-configured with the most recent updates available at the time of their release by Microsoft.

The keyword 'latest' in the image reference generally signifies that you're getting the newest version of that image available in the Marketplace, which includes the base operating system and any cumulative updates or service packs applied up until the point the image was last updated by Microsoft. However, it's important to note that "latest" does not dynamically update once the VM is deployed; it refers to the latest build of the image at deployment time.

After deployment, it's still crucial to run Windows Update manually or configure automatic updates within the VM to ensure your server has all the post-deployment security patches and updates. This is because even though the image starts off with the latest updates at deployment, new updates could be released, necessitating further patching for continued security and stability.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/azure/virtual-machines/windows/updates-included-windows-server-images

Best Regards,

Hania Lian

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