Dependency Agent and VM Insights Map - EOL

Hello @Muthusamy, Reegan

Thank you for reaching out.

Since you've confirmed that the Dependency Agent is not currently installed on the listed VMs, the retirement recommendation is most likely appearing because of residual VM Insights configuration such as a Data Collection Rule (DCR) that still has the "Processes and dependencies (Map)" option enabled, or an Azure Policy assignment that references the Dependency Agent. Even without the agent binaries, these configurations can trigger the recommendation.

Here's how to remediate this:

1. Verify no Dependency Agent extension exists

You can confirm across all your VMs at once using this Azure Resource Graph query in Resource Graph Explorer:

Resources
| where type in (
    'microsoft.compute/virtualmachines/extensions',
    'microsoft.hybridcompute/machines/extensions',
    'microsoft.connectedvmwarevsphere/virtualmachines/extensions')
| where 'Microsoft.Azure.Monitoring.DependencyAgent' == properties.publisher
| project subscriptionId, resourceGroup, name

If your VMs don't appear here, the agent is confirmed not installed.

2. Check and update VM Insights Data Collection Rules (DCRs)

Go to Azure Monitor → Data Collection Rules and look for DCRs prefixed with MSVMI- (auto-created by VM Insights). If any of these DCRs have the "Processes and dependencies (Map)" data source enabled, either remove the DCR association from the affected VMs or recreate the DCR without the Map option. This is the most common reason the recommendation persists even when the agent isn't installed.

3. Review and update Azure Policy assignments

If you used Azure Policy initiatives like "Enable Azure Monitor for VMs with Azure Monitoring Agent (AMA)" to onboard VM Insights, check the enableProcessesAndDependencies parameter. Set it to false to prevent compliance issues or unintended reinstallation of the Dependency Agent. You may also need to run a remediation task after updating the policy.

4. Clean up related alert rules (if any)

If you have alert rules referencing the VMComputer, VMProcess, VMConnection, or VMBoundPort tables, review and update or remove them, as these tables are tied to the Map feature being retired.

Once you complete the above steps, the recommendation should clear after the next Advisor evaluation cycle.

Note: VM Insights itself is not being retired, only the Map feature and the Dependency Agent component. Performance monitoring with Azure Monitor Agent continues to work as expected.

Official Microsoft documentation for reference:

• VM Insights Map and Dependency Agent Retirement Guidance
• Remove Dependency Agent from Azure VMs and VMSS
• Enable VM Insights using Azure Policy

Hope this helps. Please let us know if you have any further questions.

Thanks,

Suchitra.