Microsoft Azure Standard Public IPs now zone-redundant by default

Effective September 5, 2024, Microsoft Azure Standard Public IPs are zone-redundant by default. This means they are automatically created across three zones in a region unless a specific zone is selected during deployment. This comes at no extra cost.

What are Azure Public IPs?

Azure Public IP addresses allow internet resources to communicate with Azure resources. They enable inbound and outbound connectivity to and from Azure services, such as Virtual Machines, Load Balancers, and Application Gateways. Public IPs can be static (dedicated to a resource until unassigned) or dynamic (assigned temporarily for outbound communication).

Comparing Basic and Standard SKU Public IPs

Currently, two stock keeping units (SKUs) of Public IPs exist—Basic and Standard. Basic SKU Public IPs are suitable for simpler, less critical applications and are being retired in September 2025. Standard SKU Public IPs provide advanced features (like zone-redundancy) and higher resiliency, making them a better choice for critical applications:

	Basic SKU Public IPs	Standard SKU Public IPs
Retirement	Retirement in September 2025.	The focus is shifting to Standard SKU Public IPs due to the retirement of the Basic SKU.
Features	Basic connectivity features without advanced capabilities.	Advanced features, including support for zone redundancy, which enhances resiliency by distributing the IP across three zones within a region.
Availability Zones	They do not support zone redundancy, meaning they are not distributed across multiple availability zones.	They support zone-redundant, zonal, and non-zonal configurations, providing flexibility and higher availability.
Cost	Less expensive but come with fewer features and lower resiliency.	More expensive than Basic SKU IPs, but offer greater control, flexibility, and resiliency.
Use Cases	Suitable for less critical applications where high availability and advanced features are not required.	Ideal for critical applications that require high availability, advanced features, and the ability to withstand zone failures.

Applicable Regions

Zone redundancy for public IPs is now available by default in 12 regions. Microsoft plans to expand to more regions in the coming months. The aim is to eventually provide this benefit across all regions.

In the Azure portal, these IPs are now called zone-redundant and non-zonal. Once all regions have this feature, the non-zonal option will be eliminated.

This rollout will be incremental, and currently, the following regions have zone redundancy:

Europe:

Central Poland
Central France
East Norway
West Central Germany
Italy North
Sweden Central

North America:

Central Canada
West US 2

Asia:

Central Israel
Central Qatar

Africa:

South Africa North

South America:

South Brazil

Find an updated list of zone-redundant regions here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/ip-services/public-ip-addresses#availability-zone.

FAQ

Do I need to set this zone-redundancy up?

No. Unless you specifically choose a single zone during deployment, your Microsoft Azure Standard Public IPs will automatically be zone-redundant. Hence, it requires no additional setting up from your side.

I only have Basic SKU Public IPs. Does zone-redundancy apply to me?

No. You need to upgrade your Basic SKU Public IPs to Standard SKU Public IPs. Only then, they will be zone-redundant. No extra steps or actions are needed apart from the upgrade.

Does this also apply to existing Standard Public IPs?

Yes. Both previously created Standard Public IPs without specified zones and newly created Standard Public IP get this zone-redundancy free of charge. This applies only in the regions specified in the “Applicable Regions” section above.

How can I be sure that my IP address is zone-redundant?

Check if your IP address JSON resembles the first or second image below. Both will be zone-redundant. Note that it needs to be Standard, and not Basic: