Automation

by
Rob Sanfilippo

by
Rob Sanfilippo

Before joining Directions on Microsoft, Rob worked at Microsoft for 14 years where he designed technologies for Microsoft products and... more

Azure Automation helps automate deployment, management, and other repetitive IT processes using runbooks, which are compilations of workflows or procedures and operations that run on the PowerShell Workflow engine.

Product: Automation

Near-Term Roadmap (2026–2027)

Support for PowerShell 7.6 runbooks and runtime environment is generally available.

Support for Python 2.7 and 3.8 and for PowerShell 7.1 and 7.2 will be retired on Sept. 30, 2026.

Azure Automation State Configuration is being retired on Sept. 30, 2027. Microsoft provides guidance for migrating to Azure Machine Configuration, which provides additional features.

Long-Term Roadmap (Beyond 2027)

Desired State Configuration for Azure VMs is being retired on Mar. 31, 2028, and customers should use Azure Machine Configuration instead.

AI-based deployment and management assistance is available through Azure Copilot and its associated agents, and those agents or others not delivered with Azure Copilot might eventually evolve to replace Automation.