Merge pull request #36835 from lcwright/dev/lancewright/unified-sql-vm-management

Unified inventory for SQL Server on Azure VMs - new article and cross-references

Author: v-ccolin

azure-sql/includes/sql-virtual-machines/unified-inventory.md

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+author: MashaMSFT
+ms.author: mathoma
+ms.date: 03/18/2026
+ms.service: azure-vm-sql-server
+ms.topic: include
+---
+> [!NOTE]
+> You can now view individual SQL Server on Azure VM instances and databases in the Azure portal by using the **SQL Server instances** resource. To learn more, see [unified inventory (preview)](../../virtual-machines/windows/unified-inventory-sql-vm.md).

azure-sql/toc.yml

@@ -1532,6 +1532,8 @@
         href: virtual-machines/windows/sql-server-iaas-agent-extension-automate-management.md
       - name: Modernization Advisor
         href: virtual-machines/modernization-advisor.md
+      - name: Unified inventory (preview)
+        href: virtual-machines/windows/unified-inventory-sql-vm.md
     - name: Quickstarts
       items:
       - name: Portal

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: 03/02/2026
+ms.date: 03/16/2026
 ms.service: azure-vm-sql-server
 ms.topic: whats-new
 ms.custom:
@@ -38,10 +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. |  
+| [Unified inventory](unified-inventory-sql-vm.md) | View your SQL Server on Azure VM and SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc resources in a single pane in the Azure portal. With unified inventory, you can view your *SQL Server instance* resources, making it easier to monitor and maintain your SQL Server workloads in Azure. |
 | [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)
 
 The following table lists features of SQL Server on Azure VMs that have been made generally available (GA) within the last 12 months:
@@ -57,6 +56,13 @@ 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).
 
+### March 2026
+
+| Changes | Details |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| **Unified inventory preview** | You can now view your SQL Server on Azure VM and SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc resources in a single pane in the Azure portal. With unified inventory, you can view your *SQL Server instance* resources, making it easier to monitor and maintain your SQL Server workloads in Azure. This feature is now in preview. For more information, see [Unified inventory for SQL Server on Azure VMs](unified-inventory-sql-vm.md). |
+
+
 ### January 2026
 
 | Changes | Details |

azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/manage-sql-vm-portal.md

@@ -16,12 +16,14 @@ tags: azure-resource-manager
 
 [!INCLUDE [appliesto-sqlvm](../../includes/appliesto-sqlvm.md)]
 
-In the [Azure portal](https://portal.azure.com), the [**SQL virtual machines**](https://portal.azure.com/#blade/HubsExtension/BrowseResource/resourceType/Microsoft.SqlVirtualMachine%2FSqlVirtualMachines) resource is an independent management service to manage SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) that have been registered with the [SQL Server IaaS Agent extension](sql-server-iaas-agent-extension-automate-management.md). You can use the resource to view all of your SQL Server VMs simultaneously and modify settings dedicated to SQL Server:
+In the [Azure portal](https://portal.azure.com), the [**SQL virtual machines**](https://portal.azure.com/#servicemenu/SqlAzureExtension/AzureSqlHub/SqlVirtualMachine) resource is an independent management service to manage SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) that have been registered with the [SQL Server IaaS Agent extension](sql-server-iaas-agent-extension-automate-management.md). You can use the resource to view all of your SQL Server VMs simultaneously and modify settings dedicated to SQL Server:
 
 :::image type="content" source="./media/manage-sql-vm-portal/sql-vm-manage.png" alt-text="Screenshot of accessing the SQL virtual machines resource in the Azure portal.":::
 
 The **SQL virtual machines** resource management point is different to the **Virtual machine** resource used to manage the underlying VM such as to start it, stop it, or restart it.
 
+[!INCLUDE [unified-inventory](../../includes/sql-virtual-machines/unified-inventory.md)]
+
 ## Prerequisites
 
 The **SQL virtual machines** resource is only available to SQL Server VMs that have been [registered with the SQL IaaS Agent extension](sql-agent-extension-manually-register-single-vm.md).

azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/media/unified-inventory-sql-vm/unified-inventory.png

@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ The checklists in this article provide a brief overview of the more comprehensiv
 - [HADR configuration](hadr-cluster-best-practices.md)
 - [Collect baseline](performance-guidelines-best-practices-collect-baseline.md).
 
-Enable [SQL Assessment for SQL Server on Azure VMs](sql-assessment-for-sql-vm.md) and your SQL Server will be evaluated against known best practices with results  on the [SQL VM management page](manage-sql-vm-portal.md) of the Azure portal.
+[!INCLUDE [unified-inventory](../../includes/sql-virtual-machines/unified-inventory.md)]
+
+Enable [SQL Assessment for SQL Server on Azure VMs](sql-assessment-for-sql-vm.md) and your SQL Server will be evaluated against known best practices with results on the [SQL VM management page](manage-sql-vm-portal.md) of the Azure portal.
 
 For videos about the latest features to optimize SQL Server VM performance and automate management, review the following Data Exposed videos:
 

azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/media/unified-inventory-sql-vm/update-extension.png

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ Register your SQL Server VM with the [SQL IaaS Agent extension](sql-server-iaas-
 
 This article teaches you to register a single SQL Server VM with the SQL IaaS Agent extension. Alternatively, you can register all SQL Server VMs in a subscription [automatically](sql-agent-extension-automatic-registration-all-vms.md) or [multiple VMs in bulk using a script](sql-agent-extension-manually-register-vms-bulk.md).
 
-[!INCLUDE [SQL VM feature benefits](../../includes/sql-vm-iaas-extension-permissions.md)]
+[!INCLUDE [unified-inventory](../../includes/sql-virtual-machines/unified-inventory.md)]
 
 ## Overview
 

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

@@ -18,16 +18,18 @@ tags: azure-resource-manager
 > * [Automate management with the Windows SQL Server IaaS Agent extension](sql-server-iaas-agent-extension-automate-management.md)
 > * [SQL Server IaaS Agent extension for Linux](../linux/sql-server-iaas-agent-extension-linux.md)
 
-The SQL Server IaaS Agent extension (SqlIaasExtension) runs on SQL Server on Azure Windows Virtual Machines (VMs) to automate management and administration tasks.
+The SQL Server IaaS Agent extension (`SqlIaasExtension`) runs on SQL Server on Azure Windows Virtual Machines (VMs) to automate management and administration tasks. 
 
 This article provides an overview of the extension. To install the SQL Server IaaS Agent extension to SQL Server on Azure VMs, see the articles for [Automatic registration](sql-agent-extension-automatic-registration-all-vms.md), [Register single VMs](sql-agent-extension-manually-register-single-vm.md),  or [Register VMs in bulk](sql-agent-extension-manually-register-vms-bulk.md). 
 
+[!INCLUDE [sql-vm-deployment-failure](../../includes/sql-vm-deployment-failure.md)]
+
 To learn more about the SQL Server on Azure VM deployment and management experience, watch the following Data Exposed videos:
 
 - [Automate Management with the SQL Server IaaS Agent extension](/shows/data-exposed/azure-sql-vm-automate-management-with-the-sql-server-iaas-agent-extension-ep-2?WT.mc_id=dataexposed-c9-niner-mighub)
 - [New and Improved SQL on Azure VM deployment and management experience](/shows/data-exposed/new-and-improved-sql-on-azure-vm-deployment-and-management-experience?WT.mc_id=dataexposed-c9-niner-mighub).
 
-[!INCLUDE [sql-vm-deployment-failure](../../includes/sql-vm-deployment-failure.md)]
+[!INCLUDE [unified-inventory](../../includes/sql-virtual-machines/unified-inventory.md)]
 
 ## Overview