Have questions about Cloud Service Extended Support Sunset in 2027

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Have questions about Cloud Service Extended Support Sunset in 2027

Mike Sachais 5

Received email about Cloud Service Extended support sunsetting in 2027. I have a Web Forms application that I will not be upgrading. Are there any options available to run that Web Forms application on the Azure platform other than the Extended Cloud Service or do I need to look for another platform provider. I'd prefer to stay in Azure, but upgrading is not an option. Thank you.

Nikhil Duserla 6,960 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-03T16:01:03.4033333+00:00

Hi @Mike Sachais,You might want to explore Azure App Service, which supports running legacy applications like Web Forms. Alternatively, Azure Virtual Machines can provide a more traditional environment to host your application, enabling you to keep your existing setup without the need for an upgrade.

If you're not familiar with the Azure service selected in the previous section, see this overview documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/architecture/guide/technology-choices/compute-decision-tree#understand-the-basic-features

If you have any further queries, do let us know.
Mike Sachais 5 Reputation points

2025-04-05T15:51:27.48+00:00

Thank you. My application uses Crystal Reports which today is installed during my deployment to azure using a startup.cmd file. Does the App Service support that? If not, if I use a Virtual Machine, will I need to purchase or do anything special regarding networking, IIS, SQL Server set up? Today, I am given a web site name that I forward to in my Domain setup. Will it work the same on a virtual machine? I guess what I am asking is that I am a developer without deep infrastructure knowledge and don't want to purchase use of an empty VM (Server) that I have to purchase and install various software components and configure to make my web app work.

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Nikhil Duserla 6,960 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-03T16:01:03.4033333+00:00

Hi @Mike Sachais,You might want to explore Azure App Service, which supports running legacy applications like Web Forms. Alternatively, Azure Virtual Machines can provide a more traditional environment to host your application, enabling you to keep your existing setup without the need for an upgrade.

If you're not familiar with the Azure service selected in the previous section, see this overview documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/architecture/guide/technology-choices/compute-decision-tree#understand-the-basic-features

If you have any further queries, do let us know.
Mike Sachais 5 Reputation points

2025-04-05T15:51:27.48+00:00

Thank you. My application uses Crystal Reports which today is installed during my deployment to azure using a startup.cmd file. Does the App Service support that? If not, if I use a Virtual Machine, will I need to purchase or do anything special regarding networking, IIS, SQL Server set up? Today, I am given a web site name that I forward to in my Domain setup. Will it work the same on a virtual machine? I guess what I am asking is that I am a developer without deep infrastructure knowledge and don't want to purchase use of an empty VM (Server) that I have to purchase and install various software components and configure to make my web app work.

Answer 1

Hello @Mike Sachais ,

Azure App Service doesn't inherently support Crystal Reports, as it is primarily designed for web applications, while Crystal Reports typically requires a more traditional environment with specific dependencies like Windows Server or IIS. To use Crystal Reports, deploy your application on a Virtual Machine, which gives you full control over the environment, allowing you to install Crystal Reports and its dependencies.

Hosting your web application on a Virtual Machine can operate similarly to a physical server, as long as you configure networking, IIS, and SQL Server correctly. Ensure you have the appropriate licenses and set up your domain settings to ensure seamless access.

Key Considerations for Virtual Machine Hosting:

Public IP Address: When you create an Azure VM, it will typically be assigned a public IP address. Ensure this IP is configured properly in your DNS settings for domain forwarding, similar to how you configure it in Azure App Service.

Virtual Network (VNet): If your VM needs to communicate securely with other Azure resources (e.g., additional VMs or services), you may want to configure a Virtual Network (VNet) to manage internal traffic. For basic web hosting, the default setup with a public IP address may suffice.

Firewall and Ports: Verify that the required ports for your web application (typically port 80 for HTTP and 443 for HTTPS) are open in the VM's Network Security Group (NSG) settings.

Web Server (IIS): You’ll need to install and configure Internet Information Services (IIS) on your VM if your application requires IIS to serve HTTP requests.

Installation: On a Windows Server-based VM, IIS can be installed through Server Manager or PowerShell. While IIS is included with Windows Server, you may need to configure it based on your specific application needs.

Public IP: Make sure the public IP address assigned to your Azure VM is static or reserved to prevent it from changing after a restart.

DNS Records: Once your domain points to the VM's public IP, users should be able to access your web application hosted on IIS, just as they would with an Azure App Service.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure smooth operation of your web application hosted on an Azure Virtual Machine.

Nikhil Duserla 6,960 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-09T10:12:28.93+00:00

Hello @Mike Sachais ,

I have provided more details, hope it helps. If it does, I would request you to kindly please consider accepting it as an answer and do a thumbs up at “Was it helpful”. This in turn will benefit other community members with similar scenario navigate better to right solution.
Nikhil Duserla 6,960 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-10T14:46:03.44+00:00

Hello @Mike Sachais ,

I have provided more details, hope it helps. If it does, I would request you to kindly please consider accepting it as an answer and do a thumbs up at “Was it helpful”. This in turn will benefit other community members with similar scenario navigate better to right solution.

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Have questions about Cloud Service Extended Support Sunset in 2027

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