Important notice: Three-year reserved instances for D, Ds, Dv2, Dsv2, and Ls series VMs can no longer be purchased or renewed

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Important notice: Three-year reserved instances for D, Ds, Dv2, Dsv2, and Ls series VMs can no longer be purchased or renewed

Philip 60

current_reserv.JPGI received an email with the subject: "Important Notice: Three-Year Reserved Instances for D, Ds, Dv2, Dsv2, and Ls Series VMs Can No Longer Be Purchased or Renewed."

I currently have two reservations that fall under this category, which will expire in late June 2025. I would appreciate some guidance on how to proceed. I have a few concerns:

Will my currently running machines be affected?
I noticed in the support links that migration is required. Do I need to migrate to a different server?
What necessary steps should I follow?
when this is done, will a downtime is required?
what exactly is migrated?

Panchas MS 0 Reputation points

2025-04-02T14:52:58.4233333+00:00

Hi Mounika Reddy Anumandla,

I have received a retirement notice stating that the D, Ds, Dv2, Dsv2, and Ls series Azure Virtual Machines will be retired.

To clarify the affected SKUs, could you please provide sample VM SKUs for each series? The exact names used in the Azure portal would be helpful, as the high-level markings are causing confusion and making it difficult for us to determine which specific SKUs will be impacted.

We have the below list. I am sure all of the listed VMs will be affected.
Mounika Reddy Anumandla 6,940 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-03T04:43:22.91+00:00

Hi Panchas MS,

I see you have raised a question here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2243298/provide-the-sample-vm-sku-for-each
I will address you issue there. Thank you for your patience and understanding!
Anji Muduthanapally 5 Reputation points

2025-04-03T07:01:36.5466667+00:00

hi
I have the VM Standard_D2s_v3

so for example: Standard_D1v2 to Standard_D5_v2 are in retiring list, Standard_D3_v2 will be retired and should be migrated. But if Standard_D2s_v3 is not there if I'm not wrong, so its not going to be retired?

Also i have another doubt, Seems like the vm sizes im using are not gonna retire according to the retiring list provided by Microsoft. So, if my vm sizes are not gonna expire means, i wouldnt have got the notification saying "D, Ds, Dv2, Dsv2, and Ls series Azure VM's will be retired on May1", which means one or more of my listed vm sizes are going to retire? I'm i missing anything here, if the VM size I'm using does not come under retirement list, why i got notification in azure portal? what should i do?
Mounika Reddy Anumandla 6,940 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-03T09:37:40.35+00:00
Hi Anji Muduthanapally,

You're thinking in the right direction!
No, Standard_D2s_v3 is NOT part of the retirement list (which includes D, Ds, Dv2, Dsv2, and Ls Series). Since Dsv3 is not mentioned in the retirement announcement, your Standard_D2s_v3 VM should remain unaffected.

The Azure notification applies at the subscription level, meaning:

You likely have one or more VMs from the retiring series (D, Ds, Dv2, Dsv2, or Ls Series) still running in your environment.

Even if your Standard_D2s_v3 isn't affected, another VM in your subscription or resource group may be impacted.

Run this in Azure Cloud Shell to list VMs with their sizes:

az vm list --query "[].{Name:name, Size:hardwareProfile.vmSize}" -o table

If No Retiring VMs Are Found

You can ignore the notification for now.

Microsoft may have sent the notification as a precaution. Microsoft could be issuing a broad notification. Sometimes, Azure sends alerts even if only a subset of your VMs are affected, as a precaution.

If You Find a Retiring VM

Plan a migration to a newer VM series (Dv5, Dsv5, or Ev5).

Hope this helps!
Anji Muduthanapally 5 Reputation points

2025-04-07T06:08:12.72+00:00

Thank you! @Mounika Reddy Anumandla :)

These are the VM's sizes in my subscription, I'm hoping "Microsoft may have sent the notification as a precaution." as you mentioned.
Size

Standard_D2s_v3

Standard_B4ms

Standard_B8ms

Standard_B2ms

Standard_B2s

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Panchas MS 0 Reputation points

2025-04-02T14:52:58.4233333+00:00

Hi Mounika Reddy Anumandla,

I have received a retirement notice stating that the D, Ds, Dv2, Dsv2, and Ls series Azure Virtual Machines will be retired.

To clarify the affected SKUs, could you please provide sample VM SKUs for each series? The exact names used in the Azure portal would be helpful, as the high-level markings are causing confusion and making it difficult for us to determine which specific SKUs will be impacted.

We have the below list. I am sure all of the listed VMs will be affected.
Mounika Reddy Anumandla 6,940 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-03T04:43:22.91+00:00

Hi Panchas MS,

I see you have raised a question here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2243298/provide-the-sample-vm-sku-for-each
I will address you issue there. Thank you for your patience and understanding!
Anji Muduthanapally 5 Reputation points

2025-04-03T07:01:36.5466667+00:00

hi
I have the VM Standard_D2s_v3

so for example: Standard_D1v2 to Standard_D5_v2 are in retiring list, Standard_D3_v2 will be retired and should be migrated. But if Standard_D2s_v3 is not there if I'm not wrong, so its not going to be retired?

Also i have another doubt, Seems like the vm sizes im using are not gonna retire according to the retiring list provided by Microsoft. So, if my vm sizes are not gonna expire means, i wouldnt have got the notification saying "D, Ds, Dv2, Dsv2, and Ls series Azure VM's will be retired on May1", which means one or more of my listed vm sizes are going to retire? I'm i missing anything here, if the VM size I'm using does not come under retirement list, why i got notification in azure portal? what should i do?
Mounika Reddy Anumandla 6,940 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-03T09:37:40.35+00:00

Hi Anji Muduthanapally,

You're thinking in the right direction!
No, Standard_D2s_v3 is NOT part of the retirement list (which includes D, Ds, Dv2, Dsv2, and Ls Series). Since Dsv3 is not mentioned in the retirement announcement, your Standard_D2s_v3 VM should remain unaffected.

The Azure notification applies at the subscription level, meaning:

You likely have one or more VMs from the retiring series (D, Ds, Dv2, Dsv2, or Ls Series) still running in your environment.

Even if your Standard_D2s_v3 isn't affected, another VM in your subscription or resource group may be impacted.

Run this in Azure Cloud Shell to list VMs with their sizes:

az vm list --query "[].{Name:name, Size:hardwareProfile.vmSize}" -o table

If No Retiring VMs Are Found

You can ignore the notification for now.

Microsoft may have sent the notification as a precaution. Microsoft could be issuing a broad notification. Sometimes, Azure sends alerts even if only a subset of your VMs are affected, as a precaution.

If You Find a Retiring VM

Plan a migration to a newer VM series (Dv5, Dsv5, or Ev5).

Hope this helps!
Anji Muduthanapally 5 Reputation points

2025-04-07T06:08:12.72+00:00

Thank you! @Mounika Reddy Anumandla :)

These are the VM's sizes in my subscription, I'm hoping "Microsoft may have sent the notification as a precaution." as you mentioned.
Size

Standard_D2s_v3

Standard_B4ms

Standard_B8ms

Standard_B2ms

Standard_B2s

Answer 1

Mounika Reddy Anumandla 6,940 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Philip,

Your current Azure VMs (D, Ds, Dv2, Dsv2, and Ls-series) will continue operating after Reserved Instance (RI) expiration in June 2025, but you’ll lose RI discounts and transition to pay-as-you-go billing.

Will running machines be affected? No, VM retirement occurs in 2028, so your workloads remain operational after RI expiration. However:

Costs will increase due to pay-as-you-go rates starting July 2025.
Mandatory migration to newer VM series (e.g., Dasv5, Dsv5, Lsv3) is required before 2028.

Do you need to migrate? Yes, but timing depends on your priorities:

Migrate now to secure RI discounts on newer VM series
Migrate later (before 2028) to avoid downtime during retirement.
By migrating to newer VM series, you gain access to improved price-performance ratios, broader regional availability, and the latest hardware capabilities.
Microsoft recommends migrating to newer generations, such as: Dsv3 / Dsv4 / Dsv5 series Dasv4 / Dasv5 series Esv3 / Esv4 / Esv5 series (for memory-intensive workloads).

What necessary steps should I follow?
Please follow the steps mentioned in the document: Necessary Steps.

Will downtime be required?

It depends on how you migrate:

Resizing an existing VM (if available) - Minimal downtime (~minutes).
Recreating VMs on a new SKU - Requires stopping and redeploying, which can result in longer downtime.

What exactly is migrated?

VM Configuration (CPU, memory, storage) will change based on the new instance type.
OS Disk and Data Disks - If resizing, they remain intact. If recreating, you may need to attach them manually.
Network Configurations -Ensure the new VM retains the same public IP, NSGs, and virtual network settings.

Hope this helps!

If the information is helpful, please click upvote or tag me in the comments to let us know!

Philip 60 Reputation points

2025-04-02T10:32:44.3066667+00:00

Since I have my VMs, which are in production and used as an Oracle machine and a domain controller, can you help me with a step-by-step guide and the precautions that need to be taken?
Mounika Reddy Anumandla 6,940 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-02T11:47:39.8966667+00:00
Hi Philip,

I can provide you with below steps:

Step-by-Step Migration Guide:
Optional: For Reserved Instance (RI) customers only

Review your current reservations using the Azure Reservation Management page.

If applicable, exchange existing reservations for newer VM series or trade in your reservations for an Azure Savings Plan for compute.

Before migrating, gather details about your current VMs: VM size: az vm show --resource-group <resource-group> --name <vm-name> --query "hardwareProfile.vmSize" -o table OS version: az vm get-instance-view --resource-group <resource-group> --name <vm-name> --query "osProfile.computerName" Attached disks: az vm show --resource-group <resource-group> --name <vm-name> --query "storageProfile.dataDisks" Networking details: Virtual network, public IP, NSG rules. Precaution: Document all these details before proceeding.

Select a comparable size from the table in the doc that meets your CPU, memory, and storage needs.
For Oracle Machine Check Oracle's certified Azure VM series for your workload. This article describes how the right VM size and storage options you choose affects your Oracle workload performance - input/output operations (IOPS) and throughput - dependability, and cost. For Domain Controller (DC) Domain controllers should avoid downtime to prevent authentication failures. Ensure that AD replication is working before proceeding. AFAIK, you can choose Dsv5 or Dasv5 for compute-optimized performance.

Prepare for Migration: Resize In-Place (Minimal Downtime)
Resize the Virtual Machine You can resize your VM through the Azure portal, Azure CLI, or PowerShell. Follow these steps: Stop (deallocate) the VM. Resize the VM to your selected v6 series. Start the VM after resizing. Refer to the full Azure VM resizing guide for more detailed instructions.

Hope this helps!
Philip 60 Reputation points

2025-04-02T13:04:35.5533333+00:00

Hi Mounika. Thank you so much for your prompt response.
I have attached two servers below that are part of the affected series list. I’d appreciate it if you could clarify something for me. Based on the article you provided, do we need to deallocate the respective machines first, then switch them to the recommended series, and finally restart the servers?If we're merely modifying the size, will this action genuinely not affect my system? I want to ensure that users can continue to access it seamlessly as usual. Only the size is changed and this action will not impact my system and the users can use it as it is.
Mounika Reddy Anumandla 6,940 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-03T04:42:04.74+00:00

Hi Philip,
In some cases, you must deallocate the VM first. Deallocation may be necessary if the new size isn't available on the same hardware cluster that is currently hosting the VM. It is important to understand that even when deallocation is not necessary, if the virtual machine is currently running, changing its size will cause it to restart. For this reason you should consider changing VM size as a disruptive procedure, especially for stateful workloads that are hosted on the VM.For further information, please go through the document:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/sizes/resize-vm?tabs=portalHope this helps!

Please let me know for further queries!
Philip 60 Reputation points

2025-04-04T08:19:29.87+00:00

Hi Mounika,

If I resize the resources after deallocating them, will there be any changes to the disk? What I mean is that, since the machines are in production, there shouldn’t be any changes within the server after the resize, right?

From the screenshot, I shared earlier, which size do you think would be best for the resize?

Additionally, in this situation, I believe resizing the VMs would be more effective than recreating them, as recreating would be more tedious. What are your thoughts on this?
Mounika Reddy Anumandla 6,940 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-04T09:44:03.3933333+00:00
Hi Philip,

Below are the Recommended Replacement VM Series.

AFAIK, Since DS1_v2 and DS2_v2 are retiring, you can migrate to the Dsv5 series (Standard_D2s_v5), which offer better performance and long-term support.
Will Resizing Affect the Disk and Data?
No, resizing a VM will NOT affect your OS or data disks.

Persistent Disks (OS + Data Disks): Remain unchanged after resizing. All your files, applications, and configurations stay intact.

Temporary Disk (/mnt/resource on Linux, D: on Windows): WILL be lost after resizing. If you store important data here, move it to a persistent disk before resizing.

Yes, you must deallocate (stop) the VM before resizing. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/sizes/resize-vm?tabs=portal

Resizing is the best option because:

Faster and less downtime compared to recreating the VM.

No need to reconfigure networking, NSGs, or attached disks.

Recreation would require reinstallation of software and reconfigurations.

Hope it clarifies!
Philip 60 Reputation points

2025-04-04T11:14:52.3833333+00:00

Hi Mounika,

Thank you for the update!

After resizing, will there be any need to make additional changes inside the machine or configurations? Or are the changes applied during the resizing process, requiring no further steps?
Mounika Reddy Anumandla 6,940 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-07T03:44:37.3866667+00:00

Hi Philip,

Thank you for replying back!
After Resizing a VM in Azure:

You do NOT need to make any changes inside the machine or to its configurations. The changes are handled entirely by the Azure platform during the resize process.

All you have to do is Choose the right SKU and go through the limitations mentioned in the document: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/sizes/resize-vm?tabs=portal#limitations
Hope it helps!

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Important notice: Three-year reserved instances for D, Ds, Dv2, Dsv2, and Ls series VMs can no longer be purchased or renewed

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