In September 2023, we announced that new virtual networks will default to requiring explicit outbound connectivity methods instead
of having a fallback to default
outbound access connectivity. The default behavior change will
now apply to API versions released after March 31, 2026, providing you with
additional time.
After March 31, 2026, new virtual networks will default
to creation of private subnets which can no longer use default
outbound access connectivity. All virtual machines that
require public endpoint access will need to use explicit outbound connectivity
methods such as Azure NAT Gateway, Azure Load Balancer outbound rules, or a
directly attached Azure public IP address. This change does not affect existing virtual networks, including any
new virtual machines deployed within them. If required, you can still create
new subnets without the private setting by choosing the appropriate
configuration option during creation. However,
we strongly recommend transitioning to an explicit outbound method so that:
- Your
workloads won’t be affected by public IP address changes.
- You
have greater control over how your VMs connect to public endpoints.
- Your
VMs use traceable IP resources that you own.
If you deploy VMs on Azure Cloud Services (extended
support), this won’t affect you and you don’t need to take any action.
Recommended action
Transition any existing VMs that rely on default outbound
access to use an explicit method of connectivity.