What you need to know Microsoft is retiring its Azure Blockchain Service on September 10, 2021. No new deployments will be allowed after May 10, 2021, but existing deployments will be supported until September 10, 2021. A Microsoft doc helps guide people through the process of migrating ledger data to alternatives. Microsoft will retire its Azure Blockchain Service this fall. As of May 10, 2021, no new deployments or member creation will be allowed on the service. All existing deployments will be supported until the shutdown date of September 10, 2021. Blockchain is most recognized as the technology behind cryptocurrency, but it is also used in several other areas. Blockchain is a shared ledger that can store a transaction history, which is why it works with crypto, but it can also be used for other forms of record keeping.