Thursday 23 February 2017

February Azure Newsletter

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  Microsoft
 
 
   
   
Be informed
 
   
 
Introducing Service Map for dependency-aware monitoring, troubleshooting, and workload migrations
Service Map, a new solution in Microsoft Operations Management Suite Insight & Analytics, discovers and maps server and process dependencies in real time, to help you eliminate the guesswork of problem isolation; identify connections and broken links in your environment; and perform Azure migrations without leaving critical systems behind. The Service Map public preview supports any TCP-connected process in Windows and Linux guests, in any cloud, and on-premises. Watch now.

Watch now
 
 
 
   
 
Azure DocumentDB: Xamarin support and IP filtering
Azure DocumentDB announces a few service and client SDK updates. DocumentDB supports policy-driven IP-based access controls for inbound firewall support. The latest release of the DocumentDB .NET Core SDK is fully Xamarin compatible and can be used to build applications that target iOS, Android, and Mono (Linux).
 
Azure DocumentDB partitioned collection: Minimum throughput levels lowered by 75 percent
You can now create Azure DocumentDB partitioned collections with throughput levels as low as 2,500 request units (RUs). This change means customers who want to utilize the scale of DocumentDB partitioned collections can now get started at a cost 75 percent lower than the previous minimum provisioned throughput of 10,000 RUs. Learn more.
 
Azure DocumentDB: ODBC driver generally available
The Azure DocumentDB ODBC driver is now generally available, so you can renormalize data in DocumentDB, analyze it, and create reports using BI and analytics solutions like Microsoft Power BI and Tableau.
 
Azure DocumentDB: S1, S2, and S3 performance levels to retire
On August 1, 2017, the S1, S2, and S3 performance levels in Azure DocumentDB will be retired. Customers can continue using these performance levels through the Azure portal or APIs until August 1, 2017. Beyond that date, each collection that uses the S1, S2, and S3 performance levels will be moved to a single partition collection with equivalent throughput, without any downtime. Post-migration, customers will pay single partition collection prices.
 
New Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets features generally available
Several new Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets features are generally available, bringing enhanced scale, better application support, and easier manageability to the platform.
 
Azure Functions Proxies in public preview
Azure Functions Proxies enables developers to easily create function proxies. Developers can now create a single API definition for multiple function apps and backend services. This feature lets developers decouple the app-facing API from their backend services, thus shielding apps from any backend code changes. Learn more.
 
Azure CLI 2.0 is now generally available
Azure CLI 2.0 Compute, Storage, and Network commands are now generally available, with more on the way. It's easy to install on the platform of your choice, is idiomatic and native to the Bash environment, and supports tab completion and pipeable outputs for interacting with popular Linux command-line tools, such as grep, cut, and jq. Check out CLI on GitHub, see our documentation and samples, and give us feedback.
 
Azure Network Watcher in public preview
Azure Network Watcher enables you to monitor and diagnose conditions at a network scenario level using the network diagnostic and visualization tools provided by the service. You can also remotely capture network traffic on a virtual machine using packet capture; gain insight into your network traffic using flow logs; and diagnose VPN connectivity issues. Plus, it integrates with existing Azure services. Learn more about Network Watcher capabilities on the Azure Blog.
 
Azure Analysis Services in public preview in additional regions
Azure Analysis Services is available in public preview in two additional regions: North Central US and Brazil South, joining Southeast Asia, North Europe, West Europe, West US, South Central US, East US 2, and West Central US. Built on the proven analytics engine in Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services, Analysis Services lets you host semantic data models in the cloud, so users in your organization can then connect to your data models using tools like Excel, Power BI, and others to create reports and perform ad hoc data analysis. Learn more.
 
Azure Analysis Services programmability and automation
Azure Friday's Scott Hanselman learns about the rich programmability APIs and automation opportunities in Azure Analysis Services, built on the proven analytics engine in Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services. Watch now.

Watch now
 
Azure HDInsight available in additional regions
Azure HDInsight for Linux is now available in Canada East, Canada Central, West Central US, Germany Central, Germany Northeast, and Brazil South regions. HDInsight is a fully managed cloud Hadoop offering that provides open-source analytic clusters for Spark, Hive, MapReduce, HBase, Storm, Kafka, and R Server backed by a 99.9 percent service-level agreement (SLA).
 
Microsoft Cognitive Services: Custom Speech Service in public preview
Custom Speech Service (previously named CRIS), part of Microsoft Cognitive Services, is now available as a public preview service in the Azure portal. Custom Speech Service can overcome speech recognition barriers like speaking style, background noise, and vocabulary.
 
Managed Disks for Azure Storage generally available
Managed Disks for Azure Storage is generally available in most Azure regions, with more regions being added soon. With Managed Disks, customers only need to specify the desired disk type (Standard or Premium disk) and disk size, and then Azure will create and manage the disk for them. For more information, visit the Azure Blog and this documentation webpage.
 
Larger block blobs generally available in Azure Storage
With larger block blobs now generally available, the maximum file size has been increased from 195 GB to 4.77 TB. You can immediately begin taking advantage of this improvement in any existing Azure Blob storage or general-purpose storage account across all Azure regions. For more information, please visit the Azure Blog.
 
Storage Service Encryption for Azure File storage in public preview
When you enable Storage Service Encryption for Azure File storage, your data is automatically encrypted for you. This enables IT organizations that want to lift and shift their on-premises file shares to the cloud using Azure Files to protect their data at rest using industry standard 256-bit AES encryption. Learn more on the Azure Blog.
 
Azure Search now available in UK South
With Azure Search available in the UK South region, Azure Search is now available in all public geographies. It's currently available in the following regions: Australia East, Brazil South, Canada Central, Central India, East Asia, East US, Japan West, North Central US, North Europe, South Central US, Southeast Asia, West Central US, West Europe, and West US.
 
Simpler Azure Management Libraries for .NET and Java
Beta 5 of the simplified Azure Management Libraries for .NET and Java is available. These libraries improve developer experience by providing a higher-level, object-oriented API. For .NET, it's only one C# statement to authenticate; for Java, it's one statement to authenticate. For either .NET or Java, it's one statement to create a virtual machine or modify an existing virtual network, and more. See plenty of ready-to-run sample code for .NET and Java that illustrates management scenarios (more than 50 end-to-end scenarios). Give it a try and send us your feedback for .NET or Java.
 
Azure now available from local datacenters in Korea
The new Azure from local datacenters in Korea (Korea Central [Seoul] and Korea South [Busan]) combines the most complete, intelligent cloud with local data residency for speed and performance. This trusted cloud includes replication of data in multiple regions across Korea, giving customers reliable data protection for business continuity in both pure cloud and hybrid scenarios. And with 38 cloud regions globally, organizations in Korea can easily bring their apps closer to their customers around the world. Learn more.
 
 
   
   
Be empowered
 
   
 
Join us for the complimentary Azure Marketplace virtual lab series
Are you interested in partner solutions like Veeam, Mesosphere, Red Hat, or Barracuda but aren't sure how to get started? Join us for a complimentary virtual lab. The Azure Marketplace virtual lab series covers how to deploy these apps directly to Azure in 45 minutes or less through a hands-on demo. Register now.

Register now
 
 
 
   
 
Create a path to career advancement
Increase your cloud knowledge with Pluralsight and Microsoft Virtual Academy training courses when you join Microsoft IT Pro Cloud Essentials. Joining is free and provides IT implementers with hands-on experience so they can succeed. Join now.
 
Cloud is driving next-generation IT skills
Cloud computing requires new IT skills. IT professionals will need to consider the impact of IT trends and focus on developing skills that will be critically important in the near future. Learn more from IDC in the Market Spotlight video. Watch now.
 
Build your cloud and infrastructure skills at Microsoft Tech Summit
Attend a free, two-day technical training event with top Microsoft engineers. Discover how Microsoft's enterprise solutions can help you be more successful and productive, and add value to your organization. Take advantage of more than 70 training sessions, hands-on labs, and expert access. Find an event near you or save the date to watch a keynote livestream. Don't miss out!
 
Azure Developer Workshop
Watch here for a practical, hands-on introduction to Azure for developers. Expert instructors Susan Ibach of Microsoft and Jeff Prosise from Wintellect fill you in on the details you need on Azure Storage, Stream Analytics, Machine Learning, Microsoft Cognitive Services, containers, Docker, and much more.
 
Cloud Cover: Azure Analysis Services
In this episode, learn about Azure Analysis Services, now available as a fully managed service in Azure. It helps you manage data modeling and create BI solutions from tabular data in the cloud or on-premises.

Watch now
 
Case study: Data analytics and smart buildings increase comfort and energy efficiency
Smart-energy buildings at Microsoft have improved energy efficiency by 15 percent. But there's so much more to it. Using energy-smart building software and tools, the company can proactively monitor climate to keep employees comfortable and productive, identify energy-saving opportunities, prioritize maintenance work, and reduce operational costs—all while reducing its environmental footprint. Read more on IT Showcase.

Read more
 
Digital transformation and the Internet of Things
In this on-demand webinar, learn about the business value Internet of Things (IoT) technologies bring to companies of all sizes across industries by connecting people, assets, processes, and systems. This webinar covers the benefits you can expect from an IoT solution, real-world use cases across several industries, best practices, how to get started, and how to navigate the stages of a solution to maximize value.
 
Case study: Using IoT devices and data analytics to create a safer workplace at Microsoft
Security cameras, alarms, panic buttons, access control systems—failure of any of these "smart" security devices at Microsoft is not an option. Using System Center, a first-of-its-kind solution, the company protects its workers and assets by proactively managing 25,000 Internet of Things (IoT) security devices across more than 800 buildings. Read more on IT Showcase.

IT Showcase
 
What organizations need to succeed
Where do organizations start in digital transformation, and if your organization has already started, how do you move faster and further ahead? In this webinar, Ray Wang, Principal Analyst, Founder, and Chairman of Constellation Research, as well as author of Disrupting Digital Business explains why digital transformation must be every organization's immediate focus and imperative. We'll also reveal keys to transformational success, including the roles of company culture, data-driven decision making, and innovative technology. Register to view on demand.
 
Case study: Optimizing resource efficiency in Azure
When it works at Microsoft, we feel confident it will work for our customers. And using Azure to optimize cloud usage and save money worked for us. Read more on IT Showcase.

IT Showcase
 
ASP.NET Core 1.0 cross-platform
If you are ready to build and deploy ASP.NET Core 1.0 apps on Mac or Linux, you'll want to watch this course! Our team of experts show you how. You'll get the basics of ASP.NET Core and find out what tools are available on Mac and Linux before exploring more advanced topics, including deploying on a Linux server, getting started with containers and Docker, and much more. View the course.
 
Maximizing your mobile budget: Planning for long-term ROI
Many businesses struggle to answer a simple question: "How much should my mobile apps cost?" Without a solid answer, dev teams often make planning decisions in the dark, wondering if they spent too much or are getting blindsided by unexpected costs. Learn how to project accurate costs for the lifetime of an app, use best practices to predict and help control mobile dev and maintenance costs, map business goals to technology decisions, and choose a development platform that will provide the best long-term ROI. Register for this webinar.
 
DevOps webinar: Shipping five-star apps with mobile DevOps
Register for this on-demand webinar to learn how to improve your apps with mobile DevOps processes and continuous integration; automate app testing and debugging on more than 2,000 real devices and 400 configurations; and continuously distribute your apps, collect feedback, and release updates and new features.
 
ESG: Why the cloud should be part of your data protection strategy
Check out this white paper from ESG to see how IT leaders and their organizations are handling their changing data protection needs, and get insight into choosing a cloud backup solution. Download the free report.

Download the free report
 
The new post-breach approach to endpoint security
In this on-demand webinar, learn how Windows Defender can help you better detect, investigate, and respond to threats lurking in and around your network. The best way to thwart a breach is to assume a breach. A new post-breach security solution approach is required. Are you protected? In this webinar, we discuss why having a post-breach approach is necessary, how Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection provides post-breach support, and how to start a trial of Windows Defender ATP for your organization.
 
Revolutionize your app business with Microsoft SQL Server 2016
Learn how Microsoft SQL Server solutions are built to adapt, so you can build differentiated, intelligent apps that will delight your customers. Learn about the latest updates to SQL Server with SQL Server 2016 SP1 and SQL Server vNext; how SQL Server 2016 can help you add intelligence to your apps to make your offerings more competitive; and about our SQL Server 2016 Accelerator program that offers real-world advice from our technical experts. Find out how you can get access to technical and go-to-market resources to upgrade or migrate your applications to SQL Server 2016.
 
Microsoft SQL Server on Linux: World-class RDBMS, open-source enterprise environment
Today's IT organizations must contend with multiple data types and many development languages; work within a mix of on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments; and reduce operational costs. In this on-demand webinar, learn how to choose the best platform for your data and applications. Microsoft SQL Server is bringing its world-class relational database management system (RDBMS) to open-source enterprise ecosystems with SQL Server on Linux. Learn what's next for SQL Server on Linux and how to determine which SQL Server edition to deploy.
 
See why Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security is loved by users and trusted by IT
Join us for a Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security overview. Digital transformation is changing how companies work every day, and this can introduce new security challenges. Enterprise Mobility + Security can help your people stay productive while you keep your company information safer as you embrace mobility and the cloud.
 
 
   
   
Be entertained
 
Cloud Tweaks
*Comic source: www.cloudtweaks.com. Reprinted with permission.
 
 
   
   
Be inspired
 
Fujitsu  
Fujitsu earns customers' trust by anticipating cloud needs
Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand is a leading managed services provider. Thousands of organizations, both commercial and government, depend on it to reliably run and manage their critical business applications in the cloud. Fujitsu uses Microsoft Operations Management Suite as a predictive analytics tool to monitor and forecast Azure capacity needs for each customer, so critical applications can run cost-effectively and without interruption.
Learn more
 
 
Lobster Ink  
Training company takes on the world from the cloud
Lobster Ink provides online training for thousands of hotels around the world, with high-quality, consistent, compelling training on everything from how to make a bed to how to make a Bloody Mary cocktail. Lobster Ink rewrote its entire learning platform for cloud delivery using Azure platform services. Now, the Lobster Ink training platform can scale to millions of simultaneous learners from all over the world.
Learn more
 
 
   
    Be enhanced
    Partners
     
   
Riverbed  
Unlock cloud's agility by automating secured connectivity to Azure with SD-WAN
Riverbed SteelConnect automates orchestration of secured connectivity into and between Azure networks. Software-defined control via policy-based management helps ensure that security and performance persists from the mobile or static user to the app server, regardless of network health. With Azure providing agility, efficiency, and security, SteelConnect is the natural next step for agility, efficiency, performance, and security for your network.
Visit Marketplace page
 
 
     
   
Azure Marketplace
 
Mesosphere  
Featured: Esri chooses Azure and Mesosphere DC/OS to build real-time, predictive mapping
Learn how geospatial intelligence leader Esri built a 21st-century mapping solution while slashing operational costs, reducing complexity, and accelerating time to market, all while providing customers with unprecedented performance and scalability. Esri's infrastructure is powered by the Azure cloud, Azure Container Service, and Mesosphere DC/OS. Read how Esri's real-time and big data deployments were reduced from weeks to minutes.
Visit Marketplace page
 
 
Citrix  
Featured: Simplify Windows 10 on Azure deployments with Citrix XenDesktop Essentials Service
XenDesktop Essentials simplifies Windows 10 migration, expedites desktop deployment, and streamlines ongoing management at scale while delivering a rich user access experience from any device. As the first Citrix Cloud service to be available exclusively in Azure Marketplace, Citrix and Microsoft deliver a single interface for configuring and managing the new XenDesktop Essentials Service and the associated Azure infrastructure, side by side. See how XenDesktop Essentials can simplify your Windows 10 migration on Azure.
Visit Marketplace page
 
 
 
   
   
Editor's note
 
Hi,

It's always exciting to hear about the different industries that use Azure to help inform decision-making processes. In January, I read a blog post about a company that's developing apps to help farmers, and they're using Azure IoT Suite and the Azure cloud platform to help provide data-based predictions. And this is just the start. Read more—maybe you'll come away inspired to create an app that will help your industry figure out new efficiencies!

Miwa
 
 
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