Sysadmin Central

Microsoft has announced the deprecation of the Basic SKU for Public IP addresses in Azure, with a retirement date set for September 30, 2025. After this date, Basic-tier Public IPs will no longer function, necessitating a move to Standard-tier Public IPs to maintain uninterrupted service.

Key Dates to Remember

• March 31, 2025 – Final day to create new Basic Public IP addresses. Post this date, creation of new Basic Public IPs will be disabled.
• September 30, 2025 – Retirement date, existing Basic Public IP addresses will cease to operate.

Benefits of Upgrading to Standard Public IP Addresses

Transitioning to Standard Public IPs offers several enhancements –

• Enhanced Security – Operates on a ‘secure by default’ model, requiring explicit Network Security Group (NSG) rules to permit inbound traffic.
• Availability Zones – Supports zone-redundant and zonal configurations, providing higher availability and resilience.
• Broader Service Integration – Compatible with services like Standard Load Balancer, Azure Firewall, and NAT Gateway.

Identifying Affected Resources Using Azure Resource Graph Explorer

To locate resources using the basic tier, use the Azure Resource Graph Explorer with the following query –

resources
| where type == "microsoft.network/publicipaddresses" and sku.name == 'Basic'
| project id, name, resourceGroup, subscriptionId, location

This query will generate a list of all Public IPs across your subscriptions, detailing their IDs, names, resource groups, subscription IDs, and locations.

Upgrade Process

Upgrading from Basic to Standard Public IP addresses involves several steps –

1. Review Differences – Understand the distinctions between Basic and Standard Public IPs, including allocation methods, security models, and feature support.
2. Plan the Upgrade – Assess the impact on your applications and schedule the upgrade to minimize downtime.
3. Execute the Upgrade –
   • Disassociate Public IP – Detach the Basic Public IP from associated resources.
   • Upgrade IP – Change the SKU from Basic to Standard using Azure Portal, PowerShell, or CLI.
   • Reassociate Public IP – Attach the upgraded Standard Public IP back to the original resources.
   • Detailed guidance for this process is available in this article – Upgrading a basic public IP address to Standard SKU – Guidance
4. Validate – Ensure that your applications function correctly with the new Standard Public IP addresses.

Important Considerations

• Disassociation Requirement – The Public IP must be disassociated from resources before upgrading.
• Static Allocation – Ensure the Public IP is set to static allocation prior to the upgrade to retain the IP address.
• Resource Compatibility – Some resources, like VPN Gateways, may not support Standard Public IPs. Check compatibility and plan accordingly.