Microsoft Azure Linux 4.0 general-purpose server distro
Microsoft $MSFT is shipping its own general-purpose server Linux. Azure Linux 4.0, a Fedora-based distro, is in public preview for Azure VMs, its first supported Linux beyond container hosting. Azure Container Linux is now generally available. Per Microsoft.
Microsoft is now shipping its own general-purpose server Linux, a notable step for a company that once described open-source Linux as a threat to its business. According to Microsoft, Azure Linux 4.0, a Fedora-based distribution, has entered public preview for Azure virtual machines. It is the first time the company has offered a supported Linux operating system beyond container hosting, extending its homegrown OS into mainstream cloud server workloads. Alongside it, Azure Container Linux, an immutable host built on the Flatcar project Microsoft acquired, has reached general availability. Both products are aimed at cloud-native and AI workloads. For enterprise IT teams that run Linux on Microsoft $MSFT Azure, the change means they can now use a Microsoft-supported distribution tuned specifically for the platform rather than relying solely on third parties. The strategic logic is straightforward: by owning the operating system layer underneath its cloud, Microsoft reduces its dependence on Red Hat, Ubuntu and SUSE for Azure workloads and gains tighter control over performance, security and update cadence. Full general availability with production-grade certification is expected later in 2026.