What’s coming?

Learn about upcoming Azure Databricks releases.

Predictive optimization enabled by default on all new Azure Databricks accounts

On November 11, Databricks will enable predictive optimization as the default for all new Azure Databricks accounts. Previously, it was disabled by default and could be enabled by your account administrator. When predictive optimization is enabled, Azure Databricks automatically runs maintenance operations for Unity Catalog managed tables. For more information on predictive optimization, see Predictive optimization for Unity Catalog managed tables.

Reduced cost and more control over performance vs. cost for your serverless compute for workflows workloads

In addition to the currently supported automatic performance optimizations, enhancements to the serverless compute for workflows optimization features will give you more control over whether workloads are optimized for performance or cost. To learn more, see Cost savings on serverless compute for Notebooks, Jobs, and Pipelines.

Changes to enablement defaults for AI/BI Genie

On November 14, 2024, the toggle to opt in to the Genie Public Preview will be turned on by default. To manage previews, see Manage Azure Databricks Previews. AI/BI Genie will become generally available on December 9, 2024, at which point users with elevated privileges, such as account and workspace admins, can control access to Genie using the toggle that controls access to Azure AI services-powered AI assistive features. See Use Databricks Assistant.

Changes to legacy dashboard version support

Databricks recommends using AI/BI dashboards (formerly Lakeview dashboards). Earlier versions of dashboards, previously referred to as Databricks SQL dashboards are now called legacy dashboards. Databricks does not recommend creating new legacy dashboards. AI/BI dashboards offer improved features compared to legacy dashboards, including AI-assisted authoring, draft and published modes, and cross-filtering.

To help transition to the latest version, upgrade tools are available in both the user interface and the API. For instructions on how to use the built-in migration tool in the UI, please see Clone a legacy dashboard to an AI/BI dashboard. For tutorials about creating and managing dashboards using the REST API at Use Azure Databricks APIs to manage dashboards.

Changes to serverless compute workload attribution

Currently, your billable usage system table might include serverless SKU billing records with null values for run_as, job_id, job_run_id, and notebook_id. These records represent costs associated with shared resources that are not directly attributable to any particular workload.

To help simplify cost reporting, Databricks will soon attribute these shared costs to the specific workloads that incurred them. You will no longer see billing records with null values in workload identifier fields. As you increase your usage of serverless compute and add more workloads, the proportion of these shared costs on your bill will decrease as they are shared across more workloads.

For more information on monitoring serverless compute costs, see Monitor the cost of serverless compute.

The sourceIpAddress field in audit logs will no longer include a port number

Due to a bug, certain authorization and authentication audit logs include a port number in addition to the IP in the sourceIPAddress field (for example, "sourceIPAddress":"10.2.91.100:0"). The port number, which is logged as 0, does not provide any real value and is inconsistent with the rest of the Databricks audit logs. To enhance the consistency of audit logs, Databricks plans to change the format of the IP address for these audit log events. This change will gradually roll out starting in early August 2024.

If the audit log contains a sourceIpAddress of 0.0.0.0, Databricks might stop logging it.

Legacy Git integration is EOL on January 31

After January 31, 2024, Databricks will remove legacy notebook Git integrations. This feature has been in legacy status for more than two years, and a deprecation notice has been displayed in the product UI since November 2023.

For details on migrating to Databricks Git folders (formerly Repos) from legacy Git integration, see Switching to Databricks Repos from Legacy Git integration. If this removal impacts you and you need an extension, contact your Databricks account team.

JDK8 and JDK11 will be unsupported

Azure Databricks plans to remove JDK 8 support with the next major Databricks Runtime version, when Spark 4.0 releases. Azure Databricks plans to remove JDK 11 support with the next LTS version of Databricks Runtime 14.x.

Automatic enablement of Unity Catalog for new workspaces

Databricks has begun to enable Unity Catalog automatically for new workspaces. This removes the need for account admins to configure Unity Catalog after a workspace is created. Rollout is proceeding gradually across accounts.

sqlite-jdbc upgrade

Databricks Runtime plans to upgrade the sqlite-jdbc version from 3.8.11.2 to 3.42.0.0 in all Databricks Runtime maintenance releases. The APIs of version 3.42.0.0 are not fully compatible with 3.8.11.2. Confirm your methods and return type use version 3.42.0.0.

If you are using sqlite-jdbc in your code, check the sqlite-jdbc compatibility report.