What is Microsoft Azure Linux 4.0?

Microsoft's first commercial Linux distribution optimized for cloud and AI workloads on Azure.

Can Azure Linux 4.0 run on bare metal servers?

Yes, though Microsoft's support focuses primarily on cloud-based Azure scenarios.

How does Azure Linux 4.0 affect Microsoft licensing?

It provides an alternative to Windows Server for Azure workloads with dedicated support.

What percentage of Azure runs on Linux?

Microsoft reports that two-thirds of customer cores in Azure currently run Linux.

Microsoft Azure Linux 4.0 Commercial Distribution Release

Microsoft has announced plans to release Azure Linux 4.0 as a complete commercial distribution, marking the company's first publicly available Linux offering optimized for cloud and AI environments. This development positions Microsoft to compete directly with Amazon Linux while leveraging the fact that two-thirds of Azure customer cores currently operate on Linux platforms.

Built on Fedora foundations, this new distribution will be available for virtual machines, containers, and bare-metal installations. The move represents a significant strategic shift for Microsoft, acknowledging Linux's dominant role across its services including Microsoft 365, GitHub, and ChatGPT infrastructure.

Read the full article at Directions on Microsoft →

This post is a paraphrased overview based on an article originally published by Directions on Microsoft.