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Configure automated patching for Arc-enabled SQL Servers

  • Article

Applies to: SQL Server

You can configure automated patching for SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc.

Automated patching:

  • Establishes a maintenance window for an Arc-enabled SQL Server instance

  • Works at the host operating system level and applies to all installed SQL Server instances

  • Only installs automated updates during this maintenance window

    For SQL Server, this restriction ensures that system updates and any associated restarts occur at the best possible time for the SQL Server instances and their hosted databases.

  • Currently only works on Windows hosts

    It configures Windows Update/Microsoft Update which is the service that ultimately does the patching.

  • Applies Windows and SQL Server updates marked as Important or Critical

Important

Only Windows and SQL Server updates marked as Important or Critical are installed. Other SQL Server updates, such as service packs and cumulative updates that are not marked as Important or Critical, must be installed manually.

Settings

The following table describes the options that you may configure for automated patching. Automated patching is currently only configurable through the Azure portal, ARM API, and Azure Policy.

Setting Possible values Description
Automated Patching Enable | Disable Enables or disables automated patching.
Maintenance schedule Daily | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday The weekly schedule for downloading and installing Windows, SQL Server, and Microsoft updates.
Maintenance start hour 0:00-23:00 The local start time to apply updates.

Configure in the Azure portal

Use the Azure portal to configure automated patching for existing Arc-enabled SQL Server instances.

  1. In the portal, locate the Server - Azure Arc.
  2. Under Operations, select SQL Server Configuration.
  3. Under Patching, you can enable or disable patching and set a maintenance schedule.

When you enable or configure automated patching, Azure configures the Azure Extension for SQL Server in the background.

Note

Patching only applies to servers covered with Software Assurance or pay-as-you-go license type. If the server license type is license only, the option to select patching is disabled.

To change the license type to license only, follow these steps:

  1. Unsubscribe from patching and ESU if it is enabled.
  2. Save the change.
  3. Wait approximately 5 minutes for the saved change to complete.
  4. Set the new license type.

Next steps

Manage SQL Server license and billing options