Microsoft has issued an urgent notification to developers relying on .NET, warning them to migrate away from azureedge.net domains as Edgio, the content delivery network (CDN) provider hosting these links, will soon shut down operations due to bankruptcy.
The change affects key domains for .NET installer links and content distribution pipelines, requiring immediate attention from developers to avoid disruptions in early 2025.
The domains dotnetcli.azureedge.net and dotnetbuilds.azureedge.net—integral for distributing .NET components, Docker configurations, and CI/CD pipelines—are expected to go offline permanently by the first quarter of 2025.
Developers must update configurations to direct traffic to new Microsoft-managed domains, builds.dotnet.microsoft.com and ci.dot.net, to maintain functionality.
Edgio’s Shutdown and Its Impact on Microsoft’s .NET Infrastructure
The changes arise from Edgio’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, which has forced Microsoft to transition its CDN services to other providers, including Akamai and Azure Front Door.
Edgio’s platform is slated for a complete shutdown on January 15, 2025. Microsoft confirmed that affected domains might experience intermittent downtime leading up to this date.
Rich Lander, Program Manager for .NET, emphasized the urgency of these updates: “We are sorry that we are making changes that affect running infrastructure and asking you to react to them during a holiday period. As you can see, the need for these changes was unexpected and we are trying to make the best choices under a very compressed schedule.”
Microsoft has outlined the following timeline for the transition:
- January 3, 2025: Configuration changes to Azure CDN by Edgio profiles will no longer be allowed.
- January 7, 2025: Automatic migration for users who have not updated or set a feature flag to block migration begins.
- January 15, 2025: Edgio’s CDN services will shut down entirely, rendering the domains inoperable.
Developers are encouraged to search their codebases, scripts, and Dockerfiles for references to the affected domains and replace them with the new Microsoft-managed URLs. This includes ensuring firewalls are updated to allow traffic to and from builds.dotnet.microsoft.com and ci.dot.net.
Microsoft assured developers that the new domains are path-compatible with the old ones, making the migration process straightforward for most users.
What Developers Need to Know
While Microsoft has already updated GitHub Actions and Azure DevOps pipelines to use the new domains, not all tools have received updates. Azure DevOps Server, for instance, will not support the new domains until early 2025, potentially causing delays for some enterprise users.
Microsoft acknowledged the difficulties imposed by the holiday season, with many IT teams operating with reduced staff.
Developers can track migration updates and report issues on Microsoft’s GitHub repository (dotnet/core #9671). Urgent issues can be addressed via email at [email protected].
Technical Context: Transitioning to Azure Front Door
As part of the transition, Microsoft is leveraging Azure Front Door alongside Akamai and other CDN providers to distribute .NET builds. Azure Front Door, a cloud-based service designed for high availability and secure web application delivery, will play a central role in this migration. For developers unfamiliar with this platform, Azure Front Door provides advanced routing, load balancing, and caching capabilities that enhance performance and reliability.
Microsoft is also using Azure Traffic Manager to dynamically route requests among its CDN providers. This strategy aims to minimize potential disruptions during the migration process while ensuring scalability.
Ownership and Security Questions
Microsoft has acquired ownership of the retiring azureedge.net domains to prevent third-party misuse. Scott Hanselman, a prominent figure in Microsoft’s developer community, explained: “No other party will ever have access to use these domains.”
This move mitigates the risk of supply chain attacks, which could have occurred had the domains fallen into the wrong hands.
However, Microsoft’s decision to retire the domains operationally, rather than continuing to use them, has drawn criticism. Rich Lander noted that continuing to use the domains was not an option provided to Microsoft, but details on why remain unclear. Some developers have expressed frustration over the urgency and timing of the migration.
Broader Implications of Edgio’s Shutdown
Edgio’s bankruptcy has had a ripple effect on cloud services beyond Microsoft. Azure CDN from Edgio users are also required to migrate their workloads to Azure Front Door or other CDN providers before January 15, 2025. Automatic migrations may result in feature and performance discrepancies, posing challenges for businesses relying on these services.
Microsoft’s guidance for Azure CDN users includes validating workloads on Azure Front Door, adopting custom domains, and monitoring logs for potential issues during the migration. The company cautioned that automatic migrations are a “best effort” process, and users with business-critical workloads should migrate manually to avoid complications.
Staying Informed
Developers can stay updated through Microsoft’s GitHub page. For issues encountered during the transition, Microsoft encourages direct communication via its dedicated support channels.
