Determining the Functional Lifespan of Deprecated Windows.Azure.Storage 9.3.3 NuGet Package

Question

We are aware that the Windows.Azure.Storage NuGet package is deprecated and will no longer receive support. However, we need to determine when the package will be completely discontinued. Specifically, if we do not update the project and continue using the existing package, how long will it remain functional without encountering any issues?

Answer 1

@Prasanth Kumar M Thanks for posting your query on Microsoft Q&A.

As per Microsoft support policy, when a library is in Deprecated stage of its life cycle, it implies that the library no longer conforms to our most up-to-date Azure SDK Guidelines, or has been superseded by a more recent release. In both cases, the current library is deprecated in favor of a newer library. Typically, deprecation occurs at the same time the replacement library is transitioned to Active, after which the releases will only address the most critical bug fixes and security fixes for at least another 12 months.

As of March 31, 2023, Windows.Azure.Storage NuGet package is considered obsolete and no longer monitored. While it may continue to function for some time, relying on it for the long term is not advisable. As mentioned above, any critical bugs will not be fixed beyond 12 months of time limit from its deprecation.

SDK will no longer receive updates from Microsoft unless otherwise specified in the separate customer agreement. The package will remain available via public package managers and the GitHub repo, which can be maintained by the community.

Microsoft encourages developers to upgrade to the replacement package, Azure.Storage.Common, to ensure continued support, receive updates, and maintain compatibility with evolving Azure services. Transitioning to the new package will help you avoid potential issues and benefit from improved performance and features.

You can check the lifecycle stage for your package at this page.

Note: Azure SDK Lifecycle and support are governed by the latest Microsoft Modern Lifecycle Policy

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