(Cloud) Tip of the Day: Announcing New Module 'Az'

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Today's tip...

In August 2018 we released a new module, 'Az', which combines the functionality of the AzureRM and AzureRM.Netcore modules. Az runs on both PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell Core. 'Az' ensures that the PowerShell and PowerShell Core cmdlets for managing Azure resources will always be in sync and up to date. In addition, Az will simplify and regularize the naming of Azure cmdlets, and the organization of Azure modules. Az is intended as a replacement for the AzureRM.Netcore and AzureRM modules.

 

Az currently ships in Cloud Shell, and can be found on the PowerShell Gallery here.

 

Az is a new module, and reorganizing and simplifying cmdlet names involves breaking changes, so we have added features to Az to make it easier to transition to the simplified, normalized names in your existing scripts.

 

New Features:

  • PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell Core support in the same module
  • PowerShell Core Edition and PowerShell Desktop Edition cmdlets always in sync and up to date with latest Azure capabilities
  • Shortened and normalized cmdlet names - all cmdlets use the noun prefix 'Az'
  • Normalized module organization - data plane and management plane cmdlets in the same module for each service
  • Enhanced authentication for Netcore
    • Self-renewing Service Principal Authentication
    • Service Principal Certificate Authentication (in the future)
  • Enable/Disable-AzureRmAlias cmdlets to manage compatibility with scripts based on AzureRM

 

Supported Platforms:

  • PowerShell 5.1 with .Net Framework 4.7.2 or later [Windows only]
  • PowerShell Core 6.0 - Windows, Linux, macOS
  • PowerShell Core 6.1 - Windows, Linux, macOS

 

Timeline:

  • Initial Release - August 2018
  • Az at functional parity with AzureRM - November 2018
  • Last version of AzureRM with new Azure features - December 2018