⚠️Microsoft's Log Analytics agent (MMA) will be retired in Aug 2024.

This post clarifies its impact on Microsoft Defender for Cloud and customers.

⚠️Microsoft's Log Analytics agent (MMA) will be retired in Aug 2024. This post clarifies its impact on Microsoft Defender for Cloud and customers. Two Defender for Cloud plans depend on MMA: Defender for Servers Plan 2 and Defender for SQL server on machines.

📌Azure Monitoring Agent (AMA) won’t be required for Defender for Servers but will remain necessary for Defender for SQL server on machines. Defender for Servers' capabilities and the auto-provisioning process for both agents will be adjusted.

📌 The following Defender for Servers Plan 2 features will be deprecated in their Log Analytics version in Aug 2024 and delivered over a new infrastructure:

1. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) integration for Windows servers 2012 R2, 2016: Unified agent integration is needed for MDE support and extended feature set. 

2. OS level detections will be provided by MDE. 

3. Detections indicating non-Microsoft's Anti-malware activities will be deprecated by end of 2023, while Microsoft’s Anti-malware activities will be provided by MDE. 

4. Adaptive Application Controls based on MMA will be deprecated. A next-generation of this feature is under evaluation.  

5. Endpoint protection discovery recommendations will be deprecated, with a new agentless version available by April 2024. 

6. Missing OS patches based on MMA will be deprecated. A new version integrated with Update Management Center is already available.

7. OS misconfigurations based on MMA will be deprecated. A new

version integrated with MDVM premium capabilities will be available by April 2024.

8. File Integrity Monitoring based on MMA will be deprecated, with a new version available, agent-based or agentless, by April 2024. 

500MB data ingestion over defined tables will remain supported over AMA agent for Defender for Servers P2 subscriptions. Machines are eligible for this benefit only once, even if both agents are installed.

Want to learn more?

Tech community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-defender-for-cloud/microsoft-defender-for-cloud-strategy-and-plan-towards-log/ba-p/3883341