Microsoft has recently announced the inclusion of Almalinux in the list of Linux distributions officially recommended for use in the Azure cloud environment. This announcement comes as more than 60% of customer systems in Azure currently utilize Linux in their environment. Alongside Almalinux, other approved distributions in the list include Inux, Oracle Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and Suse.
The inclusion of these distributions in the list signifies their compliance with Microsoft’s criteria regarding testing, delivery of updates, and provision of support. The formation of the list also takes into consideration the demand from Azure customers for these distributions. Suppliers offering support for assembly for Azure are required to enter into an agreement with Microsoft, outlining the requirements for updates, issue resolution, and the readiness to adapt the product to new Azure capabilities and changes.