What you need to know
- Microsoft is retiring its Azure Blockchain Service on September 10, 2021.
- No new deployments will be allowed after May 10, 2021, but existing deployments will be supported until September 10, 2021.
- A Microsoft doc helps guide people through the process of migrating ledger data to alternatives.
Microsoft will retire its Azure Blockchain Service this fall. As of May 10, 2021, no new deployments or member creation will be allowed on the service. All existing deployments will be supported until the shutdown date of September 10, 2021.
Blockchain is most recognized as the technology behind cryptocurrency, but it is also used in several other areas. Blockchain is a shared ledger that can store a transaction history, which is why it works with crypto, but it can also be used for other forms of record keeping.
There are several alternatives to Azure Blockchain Service, but Microsoft recommends ConsenSys Quorom Blockchain Service in an updated support doc (via ZDNet).
Microsoft's support doc outlines some of the advantages of Quorum BlockChain Service, which is a managed offering by ConsenSys.
- Managed offering - Quorum Blockchain Service has no extra management overhead compared to Azure Blockchain Service.
- Ledger technology - Based on ConsenSys Quorum which is an enhanced version of the GoQuorum Ledger technology used in Azure Blockchain Service. No new learning is required. For more information, see the Consensys Quorum FAQ.
- Continuity - You can migrate your existing data on to Quorum Blockchain Service by ConsenSys. For more information, see Export data from Azure Blockchain Service
"Quorum Blockchain Service (QBS) is a fully managed blockchain service that will provide a seamless migration experience for Microsoft customers," says the ConsenSys website. "With QBS, there is no need for users to manually provision hardware, configure software or set-up networking and security components."
