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Request for SKU Name Mapping for Gen1 vs Gen2 VM

madhushree 0 Reputation points
2025-07-10T07:08:00.8666667+00:00

Subject: Inconsistent and undocumented SKU naming conventions for Gen1 and Gen2 Azure VM Images

Issue Summary: We have encountered inconsistencies in the SKU naming for Azure Compute Virtual Machines when differentiating between Generation 1 and Generation 2 image SKUs. While creating test virtual machines, we observed that the SKU names vary without a consistent pattern across generations. For example:

Some Gen2 images use SKU names like "server"

Others use "server-gen2"

Similar inconsistencies may exist in Gen1 SKUs as well

This lack of consistency makes it difficult to programmatically determine whether a VM image is Gen1 or Gen2 — especially important because trusted launch is only supported on Gen2, and we need to separate them out for compliance and automation.

Our Ask: We would like a comprehensive and up-to-date list of:

All possible SKU values that represent Generation 1 images

All possible SKU values that represent Generation 2 images

Additionally:

Is there any programmatic way to determine the generation of an image (e.g., property, tag, or metadata) via the Azure REST API?

  • If not, can you consider exposing this parameter in the Azure VM Get API or any related API for clarity?Subject: Inconsistent and undocumented SKU naming conventions for Gen1 and Gen2 Azure VM Images Issue Summary:
    We have encountered inconsistencies in the SKU naming for Azure Compute Virtual Machines when differentiating between Generation 1 and Generation 2 image SKUs. While creating test virtual machines, we observed that the SKU names vary without a consistent pattern across generations. For example:
    • Some Gen2 images use SKU names like "server"
    • Others use "server-gen2"
    • Similar inconsistencies may exist in Gen1 SKUs as well
    This lack of consistency makes it difficult to programmatically determine whether a VM image is Gen1 or Gen2 — especially important because trusted launch is only supported on Gen2, and we need to separate them out for compliance and automation. Our Ask:
    We would like a comprehensive and up-to-date list of:
    • All possible SKU values that represent Generation 1 images
    • All possible SKU values that represent Generation 2 images
    Additionally:
    • consider exposing this parameter in the Azure VM Get API or any related API for clarity?
Azure Virtual Machines
Azure Virtual Machines

An Azure service that is used to provision Windows and Linux virtual machines.

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  1. Mounika Reddy Anumandla 7,135 Reputation points Moderator
    2025-07-10T07:46:53.64+00:00

    Hi madhushree,

    The inconsistent SKU naming conventions for Gen1 and Gen2 images in Azure are a known challenge, particularly when you're trying to automate VM provisioning with constraints like Trusted Launch, which only works with Gen2.

    Azure doesn't publish a definitive list that maps Gen1/Gen2 across all publishers and SKUs as this list would also change frequently as new images are published.

    I will share the feedback with the Microsoft product team. Meanwhile, you can programmatically determine the generation of an image using the Azure Compute REST API (or CLI/PowerShell) by inspecting the hyperVGeneration property.

    Lists all available Resource SKUs:

    GET https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/{subscription-id}/providers/Microsoft.Compute/skus?api-version=2021-07-01

    User's image

    User's image

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/compute/virtual-machines/get?view=rest-compute-2025-02-01&tabs=HTTP

    Hope it helps!

    Let me know if you have any further queries!

    If the comment is helpful, please click "upvote" to let us know!

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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