Staging CCC doc

Author: MashaMSFT

azure-sql/includes/virtual-machines-best-practices-vm-size.md

@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ ms.custom:
    - The [Mbsv3 and Mbdsv3 series](../virtual-machines/windows/performance-guidelines-best-practices-vm-size.md#mbsv3-and-mbdsv3-series) VMs provide a high memory allocation and the highest I/O throughput-to-vCore ratio amongst the M-series family, along with a consistent memory-to-vCore ratio of at least 8:1. 
 - Start development environments with the lower-tier D-Series, B-Series, or Av2-series and grow your environment over time.
 - Check [VM supportability](../virtual-machines/windows/performance-guidelines-best-practices-vm-size.md#supportability) to avoid unsupported configurations.
+- Use [VM vCore customization](../virtual-machines/windows/performance-guidelines-best-practices-vm-size.md#vm-vcore-customization) to appropriately allocate vCPUs for your workload and VM and reduce SQL Server licensing costs.

azure-sql/toc.yml

@@ -1453,7 +1453,7 @@
         href: managed-instance/managed-instance-link-configure-how-to-ssms.md
       - name: Configure link with scripts
         href: managed-instance/managed-instance-link-configure-how-to-scripts.md
-      - name: Fail over a Link
+      - name: Fail over a link
         href: managed-instance/managed-instance-link-failover-how-to.md
       - name: Migrate with the link
         href: managed-instance/managed-instance-link-migrate.md
@@ -1651,6 +1651,8 @@
           href: virtual-machines/windows/sql-assessment-for-sql-vm.md
         - name: Analyze I/O performance
           href: virtual-machines/windows/storage-performance-analysis.md
+        - name: VM vCore customization
+          href: virtual-machines/windows/vm-vcore-customization-for-sql.md
       - name: Security
         items:
         - name: Microsoft Entra authentication

azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/doc-changes-updates-release-notes-whats-new-archive.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: Learn about the features and documentation improvements for SQL Ser
 author: MashaMSFT
 ms.author: mathoma
 ms.reviewer: wiassaf, mathoma
-ms.date: 01/22/2025
+ms.date: 01/16/2026
 ms.service: azure-vm-sql-server
 ms.subservice: service-overview
 ms.topic: whats-new
@@ -18,6 +18,24 @@ This article summarizes older documentation changes associated with new features
 Return to [What's new in SQL Server on Azure VMs?](doc-changes-updates-release-notes-whats-new.md)
 
 
+## 2025
+
+| Changes | Month | Details |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| **New Azure SQL hub** | September | Choosing the right Azure SQL service can be challenging. To make this easier, we built the [Azure SQL hub at aka.ms/azuresqlhub](https://aka.ms/azuresqlhub), a new home for everything related to Azure SQL in the Azure portal. For more information, read the blog post [Introducing the Azure SQL hub: A simpler, guided entry into Azure SQL](https://aka.ms/azuresqlhubblog). |
+| **SQL Server 2025** | May | SQL Server 2025 is now [available to deploy as an image](sql-server-on-azure-vm-iaas-what-is-overview.md#licensing) for SQL Server on Azure VMs. Review [SQL Server 2025](/sql/sql-server/what-s-new-in-sql-server-2025) to learn more.  |
+| **I/O Analysis GA** | April | Use the Azure portal to identify performance issues with your SQL Server workloads from exceeding virtual machine and data disk limits. This feature is now generally available (GA). Review [I/O Analysis](storage-performance-analysis.md) to learn more. | 
+|**Place `tempdb` to ephemeral storage** | April | If you're manually installing SQL Server to an Azure VM, be sure to [place `tempdb` on ephemeral storage](../windows/tempdb-ephemeral-storage.md) to improve performance. This is a best practice for SQL Server on Azure VMs. |
+| **Azure Elastic SAN GA** | March | Configure an Azure Elastic SAN for improved performance, throughput, and cost with both new and existing SQL Server on Azure VMs. Using Azure Elastic SAN with SQL Server on Azure VMs is generally available. Review [Azure Elastic SAN](storage-configuration-azure-elastic-san.md) to learn more. |
+| **Deployment and installation failures** | March | The SQL Server on Azure VM team has identified issues that can cause your SQL Server VM fail to deploy, or prevent you from installing SQL Server to an Azure VM. To learn more, review [VM deployment failure](/troubleshoot/sql/azure-sql/sql-deployment-fails-drive-not-ready) and [SQL Server installation failure](/troubleshoot/sql/azure-sql/sql-installation-fails-sector-size-error-azure-vm). |
+| **FCI with Azure Elastic SAN GA** | March | Deploy your SQL Server failover cluster instance (FCI) by using an Azure Elastic SAN. Using the Azure Elastic SAN with your failover cluster instance is now generally available. Review [FCI with Azure Elastic SAN](failover-cluster-instance-azure-elastic-san-manually-configure.md) to learn more. |
+|**Manual installation best practices** | March | We've added a section with best practices to follow when you're manually installing SQL Server to your Azure VM. Review [Manual installation best practices](performance-guidelines-best-practices-checklist.md#manually-install-sql-server-to-an-azure-vm) to learn more. |
+| **Enable Microsoft Entra authentication for unregistered instances** | February | It's now possible to enable Microsoft Entra authentication for unregistered instances SQL Server installed to your Azure VMs, such as when you have multiple instances on the same VM. Review [Microsoft Entra authentication](configure-azure-ad-authentication-for-sql-vm.md#enable-microsoft-entra-authentication-for-unregistered-instances) to learn more. |
+| **Managed identity support for SQL Server 2022 on Azure VM** | January | Starting with SQL Server 2022 Cumulative Update 17 (CU17), managed identities are supported for SQL Server on Azure VMs (Windows only). Users can now [back up to and restore SQL Server on Azure VM databases from Azure Blob storage](backup-restore-to-url-using-managed-identities.md), and utilize [EKM with AKV and Managed HSM on SQL Server on Azure VMs](managed-identity-extensible-key-management.md). |
+| **Modernization Advisor preview** | January | Use the **Modernization Advisor** in the Azure portal for your SQL Server on Azure VM to determine if you can save on cost or optimize your performance by migrating your workload to Azure SQL Managed Instance. This feature is currently in preview. Review [Modernization Advisor](../modernization-advisor.md) to learn more. |
+| **SQL Insights retired** | January | SQL Insights has been retired and is no longer available. Consider using [Azure Monitor SCOM Managed Instance](/azure/azure-monitor/scom-manage-instance/overview) with the [SQL Server management pack](/system-center/scom/sql-server-management-pack-monitoring-configuration) or another monitoring solution to monitor SQL Server on Azure VMs. |
+
+
 ## 2024
 
 | Changes | Month | Details |

azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/doc-changes-updates-release-notes-whats-new.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: Learn about the new features for and improvements to SQL Server on
 author: MashaMSFT
 ms.author: mathoma
 ms.reviewer: randolphwest, dpless
-ms.date: 11/18/2025
+ms.date: 01/26/2026
 ms.service: azure-vm-sql-server
 ms.topic: whats-new
 ms.custom:
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ The following table lists the features of SQL Server on Azure VMs that are curre
 | --- | --- |
 | [Modernization Advisor](../modernization-advisor.md) | Use the Modernization Advisor in the Azure portal to help you determine if migrating to Azure SQL Managed Instance saves you money or optimizes performance. |
 | [Premium SSD v2 in the Azure portal](storage-configuration-premium-ssd-v2.md) | Deploy your SQL Server on Azure VM with Premium SSD v2 disks in the Azure portal for improved throughput and performance. |  
+| [VM vCore customization](vm-vcore-customization-for-sql.md) |Customize the number of vCPUs presented to the guest OS for SQL Server workloads with configurable constrained cores (CCC), and disable Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT). This capability allows you to appropriately size the vCPU count to match your SQL Server licensing needs while preserving the VM's memory and I/O capabilities. |
+
+
 
 ## General availability (GA)
 
@@ -56,63 +59,22 @@ The following table lists features of SQL Server on Azure VMs that have been mad
 
 Learn about significant changes to the SQL Server on Azure VMs documentation. For previous years, see the [What's new archive](doc-changes-updates-release-notes-whats-new-archive.md).
 
-### September 2025
-
-| Changes | Details |
-| --- | --- |
-| **New Azure SQL hub** | Choosing the right Azure SQL service can be challenging. To make this easier, we built the [Azure SQL hub at aka.ms/azuresqlhub](https://aka.ms/azuresqlhub), a new home for everything related to Azure SQL in the Azure portal. For more information, read the blog post [Introducing the Azure SQL hub: A simpler, guided entry into Azure SQL](https://aka.ms/azuresqlhubblog). | 
-
-### May 2025
-
-| Changes | Details |
-| --- | --- |
-| **SQL Server 2025** | SQL Server 2025 is now [available to deploy as an image](sql-server-on-azure-vm-iaas-what-is-overview.md#licensing) for SQL Server on Azure VMs. Review [SQL Server 2025](/sql/sql-server/what-s-new-in-sql-server-2025) to learn more.  |
-
-### April 2025
-
-| Changes | Details |
-| --- | --- |
-| **I/O Analysis GA** | Use the Azure portal to identify performance issues with your SQL Server workloads from exceeding virtual machine and data disk limits. This feature is now generally available (GA). Review [I/O Analysis](storage-performance-analysis.md) to learn more. | 
-|**Place `tempdb` to ephemeral storage** | If you're manually installing SQL Server to an Azure VM, be sure to [place `tempdb` on ephemeral storage](../windows/tempdb-ephemeral-storage.md) to improve performance. This is a best practice for SQL Server on Azure VMs. |
-
-### March 2025
+### January 2026
 
 | Changes | Details |
-| --- | --- |
-| **Azure Elastic SAN GA** | Configure an Azure Elastic SAN for improved performance, throughput, and cost with both new and existing SQL Server on Azure VMs. Using Azure Elastic SAN with SQL Server on Azure VMs is generally available. Review [Azure Elastic SAN](storage-configuration-azure-elastic-san.md) to learn more. |
-| **Deployment and installation failures** | The SQL Server on Azure VM team has identified issues that can cause your SQL Server VM fail to deploy, or prevent you from installing SQL Server to an Azure VM. To learn more, review [VM deployment failure](/troubleshoot/sql/azure-sql/sql-deployment-fails-drive-not-ready) and [SQL Server installation failure](/troubleshoot/sql/azure-sql/sql-installation-fails-sector-size-error-azure-vm). |
-| **FCI with Azure Elastic SAN GA** | Deploy your SQL Server failover cluster instance (FCI) by using an Azure Elastic SAN. Using the Azure Elastic SAN with your failover cluster instance is now generally available. Review [FCI with Azure Elastic SAN](failover-cluster-instance-azure-elastic-san-manually-configure.md) to learn more. |
-|**Manual installation best practices** | We've added a section with best practices to follow when you're manually installing SQL Server to your Azure VM. Review [Manual installation best practices](performance-guidelines-best-practices-checklist.md#manually-install-sql-server-to-an-azure-vm) to learn more. |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| **VM vCore customization for SQL Server on Azure VMs preview** | You can now customize the number of vCPUs presented to the guest OS for SQL Server workloads with configurable constrained cores (CCC), and disable Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT). This capability allows you to appropriately size the vCPU count to match your SQL Server licensing needs while preserving the VM's memory and I/O capabilities. This feature is now in preview. For more information, see [VM vCore customization for SQL Server on Azure VMs](vm-vcore-customization-for-sql.md). |
 
-### February 2025
-
-| Changes | Details |
-| --- | --- |
-| **Enable Microsoft Entra authentication for unregistered instances** | It's now possible to enable Microsoft Entra authentication for unregistered instances SQL Server installed to your Azure VMs, such as when you have multiple instances on the same VM. Review [Microsoft Entra authentication](configure-azure-ad-authentication-for-sql-vm.md#enable-microsoft-entra-authentication-for-unregistered-instances) to learn more. |
-
-### January 2025
-
-| Changes | Details |
-| --- | --- |
-| **Managed identity support for SQL Server 2022 on Azure VM** | Starting with SQL Server 2022 Cumulative Update 17 (CU17), managed identities are supported for SQL Server on Azure VMs (Windows only). Users can now [back up to and restore SQL Server on Azure VM databases from Azure Blob storage](backup-restore-to-url-using-managed-identities.md), and utilize [EKM with AKV and Managed HSM on SQL Server on Azure VMs](managed-identity-extensible-key-management.md). |
-| **Modernization Advisor preview** | Use the **Modernization Advisor** in the Azure portal for your SQL Server on Azure VM to determine if you can save on cost or optimize your performance by migrating your workload to Azure SQL Managed Instance. This feature is currently in preview. Review [Modernization Advisor](../modernization-advisor.md) to learn more. |
-| **SQL Insights retired** | SQL Insights has been retired and is no longer available. Consider using [Azure Monitor SCOM Managed Instance](/azure/azure-monitor/scom-manage-instance/overview) with the [SQL Server management pack](/system-center/scom/sql-server-management-pack-monitoring-configuration) or another monitoring solution to monitor SQL Server on Azure VMs. |
-
-
-### November 2024
+### September 2025
 
 | Changes | Details |
-| --- | --- |
-| **Mbsv3 and Mbdsv3 VM series GA** | A powerful new VM series that currently delivers one of the highest IOPS and GB throughput, with substantial vCore and memory options. This VM series is now generally available. Review [Mbsv3 and Mbdsv3 series](performance-guidelines-best-practices-vm-size.md#mbsv3-and-mbdsv3-series) to learn more. |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| **New Azure SQL hub** | Choosing the right Azure SQL service can be challenging. To make this easier, we built the [Azure SQL hub at aka.ms/azuresqlhub](https://aka.ms/azuresqlhub), a new home for everything related to Azure SQL in the Azure portal. For more information, read the blog post [Introducing the Azure SQL hub: A simpler, guided entry into Azure SQL](https://aka.ms/azuresqlhubblog). |
 
-### October 2024
-
-| Changes | Details |
-| --- | --- |
-| **Microsoft Entra authentication in any cloud**| It's now possible to configure Microsoft Entra authentication for your SQL Server on Azure VMs in any cloud. Review [Microsoft Entra authentication](configure-azure-ad-authentication-for-sql-vm.md) to learn more. |
 
 ## Archive
 
+
 For updates made in previous years, see the [What's new archive](doc-changes-updates-release-notes-whats-new-archive.md). 
 
 ## Contribute to content

azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/performance-guidelines-best-practices-vm-size.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: Provides VM size guidelines and best practices to optimize the perf
 author: dplessMSFT
 ms.author: dpless
 ms.reviewer: randolphwest, mathoma
-ms.date: 04/02/2025
+ms.date: 01/26/2026
 ms.service: azure-vm-sql-server
 ms.subservice: performance
 ms.topic: best-practice
@@ -225,6 +225,10 @@ For example, the [M64-32ms](/azure/virtual-machines/constrained-vcpu) requires l
 > - Medium to large data warehouse workloads may still benefit from [constrained vCore VMs](/azure/virtual-machines/constrained-vcpu), but data warehouse workloads are commonly characterized by fewer users and processes addressing larger amounts of data through query plans that run in parallel.
 > - The compute cost, which includes operating system licensing, will remain the same as the parent virtual machine.
 
+## VM vCore customization
+
+With [VM vCore customization](vm-vcore-customization-for-sql.md), you can customize the number of vCPUs presented to the guest OS for SQL Server workloads, and disable Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT). This capability allows you to appropriately size the vCPU count to match your SQL Server licensing needs while preserving the VM's memory and I/O capabilities.
+
 ## Related content
 
 To learn more, see the other articles in this best practices series: