Click Through Demo for Windows Server 2012 Extended Security Updates Enabled by Azure Arc
As many of you know, Windows Server 2012 is reaching end-of-support (EoS) on October 10, 2023. Extended Security enabled by Azure Arc is the best way for customers to get trusted security updates and benefit from cloud capabilities including discovery, management, and patching, all in one offering.
We've created a step-by-step demo showing you how to create your ESU license in the Azure Portal and modify your existing cores if you end up migrating or upgrading your Windows Server version.
First, customers should start with enabling Azure Arc on their servers with their preferred option for deployment and networking.
- Establish Azure foundation. Create an Azure account, setting up billing alongside the subscriptions and resource groups to server as a landing zone for your Arc-enabled servers.
- Define networking approach. Select from public endpoint, proxy server, and private endpoint connectivity options to meet your organization’s networking requirements.
- Onboard to Azure Arc. Install the Azure Connected Machine agent to connect your servers to Azure with the flexibility of at-scale deployment options like Group Policy and Configuration Manager.
Then, follow these two steps to create your license.
Creating the ESU license in Azure Portal
Get started today!
Extended Security Updates enabled by Azure Arc are available today for purchase for Windows 2012/2012 R2 and SQL Server 2012.
To learn more, check out the resources here.
- FAQ on Extended Security Updates - Product Lifecycle FAQ - Extended Security Updates | Microsoft Learn
- Extended Security Updates enabled by Azure Arc technical documentation: Extended Security Updates (ESUs) enabled by Azure Arc
- John Savill YouTube video on how to configure ESUs: So You're Still Running Windows/SQL 2012. Now What?
Published on:
Learn moreRelated posts
New Secure Boot update resources for Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, and Microsoft Intune
New documentation is now available to help IT administrators prepare for Secure Boot certificate updates and manage update readiness across vi...
Azure DocumentDB: A Fully Managed MongoDB-Compatible Database
Running MongoDB at scale eventually forces a trade-off: invest heavily in managing your own infrastructure or move to a managed service and ri...
Azure SDK Release (February 2026)
Azure SDK releases every month. In this post, you'll find this month's highlights and release notes. The post Azure SDK Release (February 2026...
Recovering dropped tables in Azure Databricks with UNDROP TABLE
Oops, Dropped the Wrong Table? What now? We’ve all been there: you’re cleaning up some old stuff in Databricks, run a quick DROP TABLE… and su...
Azure Developer CLI (azd) – February 2026: JMESPath Queries & Deployment Slots
This post announces the February 2026 release of the Azure Developer CLI (`azd`). The post Azure Developer CLI (azd) – February 2026: JM...
Improved Python (PyPi/uvx) support in Azure MCP Server
Azure MCP Server now offers first-class Python support via PyPI and uvx, making it easier than ever for Python developers to integrate Azure i...
Microsoft Purview: Data Lifecycle Management- Azure PST Import
Azure PST Import is a migration method that enables PST files stored in Azure Blob Storage to be imported directly into Exchange Online mailbo...