GitHub + Azure migration

GitHub is moving to Azure. Here's what that means for your team.

GitHub announced it will migrate its entire infrastructure to Azure over the next 18 months. See what that means for your data, toolchain, and deployment options.

For:

  • VPs of Engineering
  • CTOs & CIOs
  • CISOs
  • Heads of Platform & DevOps
See how GitLab compares to GitHub

Let's talk about your options.

You'll also receive our GitLab migration guide — FREE.

GitHub is moving to Azure. Is your team ready?Talk to an expertTalk to an expert

What's at stake

GitHub's roadmap disruption

GitHub's CTO told teams to put feature work on hold to focus on the Azure migration. New capabilities for your workflows could take longer to land.

Platform instability

GitHub reported over 30 service incidents across 2025, including outages affecting Git operations, Actions, search, and Copilot. In March 2026, their CTO published a public response acknowledging the pattern.

Data residency gaps

GitHub Enterprise Cloud data residency is limited to four regions, runs only on Azure, and some data may still be transferred outside your chosen region without notification. GitHub Copilot carries additional residency caveats.

GitHub + Azure vs GitLab:

What you need to know

GitHub + Azure

GitLab

Platform scope
Toolchain tax

GitHub's security scanning, AI, and advanced CI/CD are native but sold as separate paid add-ons on top of the base platform price. Value stream analytics, DORA metrics, DAST, and compliance automation are not available from GitHub at any tier and require third-party tools to fill.

No toolchain tax

GitLab puts planning, source code, CI/CD, security, and deployment into a single application with one permission model, one audit trail, and shared analytics.That means fewer tools to run, fewer integrations to maintain, and one place to apply policies and AI across the whole lifecycle.

AI & agents
Cloud-only execution

GitHub Copilot always runs in provider clouds (Azure/OpenAI, Anthropic via Bedrock/GCP, Google Gemini, xAI), even when you supply your own API keys or use GitHub Enterprise Server. There is no way to run Copilot models or agents fully on-premises or air-gapped.

Self-hosted

GitLab Duo Self-Hosted and GitLab Duo Agent Platform Self-Hosted let you run models and agents on your own infrastructure (on-prem or private cloud) via a self-hosted AI Gateway, including fully offline and air-gapped setups.

Security & compliance
Add-on

GitHub Advanced Security adds CodeQL-based code scanning, secret scanning, and dependency review on top of GitHub, purchased separately from the base plans. It does not provide native DAST or API security testing at any tier and relies on marketplace actions and partner tools for container image scanning.

Built-in

GitLab Premium includes SAST, secret detection, and container scanning natively — no separate paid add-ons required. Organizations that need deeper coverage can upgrade to GitLab Ultimate, which adds dependency scanning, DAST, API security testing, centralized security policy enforcement, and more.

Deployment options
Azure Dependent

GitHub.com is actively migrating its infrastructure to Microsoft Azure. As of March 2026, 12.5% of traffic has moved, with a target of 50% by July. GitHub Enterprise Server remains available for self-managed deployments. GitHub Copilot is delivered exclusively as a cloud-hosted service with no self-hosted option.

Flexible

GitLab self-managed runs on AWS, GCP, Azure, or on-premises infrastructure. GitLab Dedicated provides isolated single-tenant SaaS hosted on AWS in your chosen region. GitLab's roadmap is independent of any single cloud provider, so your DevSecOps platform aligns with your cloud strategy, not someone else's.

CI/CD economics
Uncertain

Orchestration fees postponed — for now. GitHub announced $0.002/min orchestration fees for self-hosted runners, then indefinitely postponed implementation after enterprise backlash.

Predictable

GitLab charges zero orchestration fees for self-hosted CI/CD runners. Period.

Data residency & sovereignty
Azure regions only

GitHub Enterprise Cloud with data residency is powered by Microsoft Azure and available in select regions tied to Azure's footprint. GitHub.com stores data on Azure infrastructure with no customer control over region selection.

Data stays where you put it

GitLab Dedicated is deployed in your preferred AWS region with full data isolation, bring-your-own-key encryption, and private networking. GitLab self-managed gives complete control over where your data resides, on any infrastructure you choose, meeting even the strictest sovereignty requirements.

Let's talk about
your options

Book a meeting

In the session

What we'll talk through

  • Review how you use GitHub today: SaaS, Enterprise Server, Actions, and Advanced Security.

  • What the infrastructure migration means for your reliability, compliance, and cloud strategy.

  • What realistic options look like if you decide to act — from using GitLab CI/CD alongside GitHub, to broader consolidation.

  • What teams in similar situations typically get right and wrong about migration timing and sequencing.

What you walk away with

  • A clearer read on how GitHub's Azure move affects your stack.

  • Context on what teams in similar situations are doing and what's working for them.

  • A recommended next step that fits where you are — whether that's a deeper technical conversation, resources to share with your team, or just staying informed.

  • A sense of whether this warrants action now, later, or not at all.

Now is the time to evaluate your options,

before unplanned changes force

the conversation.

Talk to our team

A 30-minute call now is cheaper than a reactive move in 18 months.

Book a meeting