Azure Weekly Issue 155: 31st December 2017
Hello & Happy New Year! I was intending to publish the first new issue of Azure Weekly on the 14th of January, but there was such a torrent of updates over the festive break that I thought it would be worthwhile creating a bumper edition covering the last three weeks.
First off, possibly the #1 item on most organisations risk logs for 2018, GDPR. Microsoft France have released a detailed implementation guide:
GDPR How-to: Get organized and implement the right processes. The second big noteworthy announcement was around pricing changes for Cosmos DB entry point for unlimited containers is now 60% cheaper and other improvements.
HDInsights had three big announcements: both integration with Azure Log Analytics and Apache Kafka for Azure HDInsight have reached General Availability, while Enterprise Security Package preview is available.
Other announcements include Azure Service Bus Geo-disaster recovery goes GA, while New Alerts in Azure Monitor and subscription level budgets via ARM APIs are available in preview.
Other content items of note are Serverless workflows with Durable Functions On .NET, another reference architecture and automation blueprint has been released, this time for for Financial Services web applications, and finally the new Channel 9 AI Show has an interesting episode focusing on Neuroscience with Azure Machine Learning.
Normal Azure Weekly service will resume on Sunday 14th of January.
AI + Machine Learning
Covering: Azure Batch AI, Azure Bot Service, Microsoft Genomics, Machine Learning services, Machine Learning Studio, Cognitive Services, Bing APIs, Computer Vision API, Content moderator, Custom Services, Emotion API, Face API, Language Understanding (LUIS), Linguistic Analysis API, QnA Maker API, Speaker Recognition API, Text Analytics API, Translator Speech API, Translator Text API, Web Language Model API
- Also on Channel 9, Sonya Koptyev and a guest present Neuroscience with Azure Machine Learning on the AI Show
- Also on MSDN, Samuel Lester presents Exploring Big Data: Course 9 – Developing Big Data Solutions with Azure Machine Learning
- On MSDN, Lee Stott (@lee_stott) describes Microsoft Cognitive Services: The Language Understanding LUIS and presents Azure Deep Learning and ND, NC series with NVidia
- Michael Crump (@mbcrump) writes Azure Tips and Tricks Part 70 - Key Phrase Extraction with Cognitive Service and Azure, Part 71 - Language Detection with Cognitive Service and Azure and Part 72 - Sentiment Analysis with Cognitive Service and Azure
Analytics
Covering: Azure Databricks, HDInsight, Data Factory, Stream Analytics, Data Lake Analytics, Event Hubs, Power BI, Azure Analysis Services, Apache Spark for HDInsight, Apache Storm for HDInsight, R Server for HDInsight, Data Catalog
- On MSDN, Ashish Thapliyal (@ashishth) announces that Azure HDInsight Integration with Azure Log Analytics is now generally available, and, on the Azure blog, writes XBox - Analytics on petabytes of gaming data with Azure HDInsight and Azure HDInsight Performance Benchmarking: Interactive Query, Spark and Presto
- Also on the Azure blog, Raghav Mohan announces the Apache Kafka for Azure HDInsight general availability
- On Channel 9, Scott Hanselman and Raghav Mohan talk about Apache Kafka on HDInsight on Azure Friday
- Also on the Azure blog, Bhanu Prakash announces the Enterprise Security Package preview for Azure HDInsight
- Also on MSDN, Buck Woody carries on his series DevOps for Data Science – Automated Testing
- Devin Knight (@knight_devin) gives his Power BI Custom Visuals Class Module 82 – Text Filter and Module 83 – ChartAccent – LineChart
- Manuel A Quintana covers Power BI – Problem, Design, Solution Folder Source Option for JSON files
- Vincent-Philippe Lauzon writes Azure Databricks – Getting Started
Compute
Covering: Virtual Machines, Functions, Batch, Service Fabric, Virtual Machine Scale Sets, Cloud Services, Linux Virtual Machines, SAP HANA on Azure Large Instances
- On MSDN, Anand Kumar R (@ranand12) posts Azure Serverless Computing Explained in less than 5 minutes
- Also on MSDN, Justin Clareburt writes Take a Break with Azure Functions
- Also on MSDN, Jason Boeshart (@jboeshart) discusses Using Managed Service Identities in Functions to Access Key Vault
- On TechNet, Tsuyoshi Ushio (@sandayuu) talks about Azure Functions dynamic queue message routing for Storage Queue and Service Bus samples
- On Channel 9, Rich Lander and Chris Gillum talk about Serverless workflows with Durable Functions on the On .NET show
- John Savill explains if it is possible to Add NICs to an Azure VM and describes how to Auto shutdown Azure VMs
- Vincent-Philippe Lauzon writes about Recurrent serverless batch job with Azure Batch
Containers
Covering: Container Registry, Container Instances, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Web App for Containers
- On the Azure podcast, Evan Basilik, Cale Teeter, Dan Garfield and Jessica Deen present Episode 209 - DevOps with Kubernetes
- On Code Project, Allen O'Neil walks through Exposing ports to Kubernetes pods on Azure
- On MSDN, Monu Bambroo writes Docker Blog Series Part 5 – Understanding new container management features in Service Fabric
- Also on MSDN, Steve Lasker (@SteveLasker) blogs about OS & Framework Patching with Docker Containers – a paradigm shift
Databases
Covering: Azure SQL Database, Azure Cosmos DB, SQL Data Warehouse, Redis Cache, SQL Server Stretch Database, SQL Server on virtual machines, Table storage, Azure Database for PostgreSQL, Azure Database for MySQL
- On the Azure blog, Linda Wang presents the New connectors available in Azure Data Factory V2
- Also on the Azure blog, Rimma Nehme (@rimmanehme) talks about Azure CosmosDB: Entry point for unlimited containers is now 60% cheaper and other improvements
- On TechNet, the SQL Server Team announces that The December release of SQL Operations Studio is now available
- Also on TechNet, Rohit Minni (@rohit_minni) blogs about Performing SQL Bulk Copy with Azure Automation/PowerShell while modifying source data
- On the MSSQL Tips site, Vitor Montalvao writes Learn how to Migrate a SQL Server database to SQL Azure server and gives an Azure SQL Database Backup and Restore Overview
- Radu Vunvulea (@RaduVunvulea) gives some Azure SQL Data Sync Tips and Tricks
- On MSDN, Michael Hansen writes SQL Server 2017 Always On with Cloud Witness – Azure Resource Manager Template
- Also on MSDN, Dynamics Lifecycle Services Communication gives a Notice of upcoming change: Removing Azure SQL Server administrative access to Tiers 2, 3, 4, and 5 Sandbox environments deployed in Microsoft subscription
- Simon Foster (@funkysi1701) describes Getting started with Azure Table Storage
Developer Tools
Covering: Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, SDKs, Developer tool integrations, CLIs, Blockchain Workbench
- Michael Crump (@mbcrump) writes Azure Tips and Tricks Part 69 - Access and embed Azure Cloud Shell Anywhere
- On MSDN, Julian Atanasoae describes How to build a VSTS assistant – The Life and Times of a Kanban bot – Part 1
- On the .NET Curry blog, Subodh Sohoni (@subodhsohoni) talks about NuGet Package Management in VSTS
- Donovan Brown highlights that Load Tests are not in every VSTS Region
- On Stackify Blog, Matt Watson presents Developer Things 3: How Stackify Does DevOps Without an Ops Team with Jason Taylor
- On TechNet, Willem Kasdorp writes about Get-UniqueString: generate unique ID for Azure Deployments
DevOps
Covering: Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS), Azure DevTest Labs, DevOps tool integrations, Azure DevOps Projects, Azure Lab Services
Identity
Covering: Azure Active Directory, Multi-factor Authentication, Azure Active Directory Domain Services, Azure Active Directory B2C
- On the Azure blog, Ben Kliger writes Announcing the public preview for Adaptive Application Controls
- Also on the Azure blog, Eric Tierling writes about the GDPR How-to: Get organized and implement the right processes
- Also on the Azure blog, Yossi Weizman and Dotan Patrich explain How Azure Security Center detects vulnerabilities using administrative tools
- Also on TechNet, Yuri Diogenes (@yuridiogenes) writes a few posts about the Azure Security Center: Upcoming Azure Security Center Book, Azure Security Center User Voice, Azure Security Center Overview Page Updated and Exporting Computers that are not Compliant with Security Baseline Recommendations in Azure Security Center
- On TechNet, Courtenay Bernier talks about Azure AD B2B... how to work with partners and subsidiaries
- On the ITProToday site, John Savill answers: What is Azure AD Pass-through Authentication?
- Andrei Dzimchuk covers Setting up your ASP.NET Core 2.0 apps and services for Azure AD B2C
- Sam Cogan (@samcogan) describes Azure Security Audits with Pester
Integration
Covering: Service Bus, Logic Apps, Event Grid
- On MSDN, Ch. Wolf announces that Azure Service Bus Geo-disaster recovery is now generally available
- Also on MSDN, Sjoukje Zaal (@SjoukjeZaal) writes Azure Content Spotlight – Azure Logic Apps On-premises Data Gateway
- On Code Project, Ashwin Upadhyay writes Azure Logic Apps - Debatching Pattern
Internet of Things
Covering: IoT Hub, IoT Suite, IoT Edge, IoT Central, IoT solution accelerators, Time Series Insights, Azure Maps, Azure Sphere
- On MSDN, Ch. Wolf announces that Azure Event Hubs Managed Service Identity MSI and Role-based access control RBAC preview released
- On Channel 9, Olivier Bloch and Tim Laverty present: Meet the new Azure IoT Remote Monitoring Preconfigured Solution on the Internet of Things Show
- Radu Vunvulea (@RaduVunvulea) writes IoT Home Automation - Device tracking capabilities
Management and Governance
Covering: Backup, Site Recovery, App Insights, Azure Advisor, Sceduler, Automation, Log Analytics, Azure Monitor, Security & Compliance, Protection & Recovery, Automation & Control, Insight & Analytics, Azure Service Health, Microsoft Azure portal, Azure Resource Manager, Cloud Shell, the Azure mobile app, Azure Policy, Cost Management, Azure Managed Applications
- On the Azure blog, Shankar Sivadasan and Kiran Madnani write about the New Alerts (preview) in Azure Monitor
- Also on the Azure blog, Vinod Kurpad announces the preview release of subscription level budgets via ARM APIs
- On TechNet, Rob Davies (@rodavies) describes Monitoring Application Gateway with Azure Log Analytics
- Stefan Roth (@stefanroth_net) blogs about Azure Log Analytics – Portal Refresh
Media
Covering: Media services, Encoding, Live and On-Demand Streaming, Azure Media Player, Content Protection, Media Analytics, Video Indexer
Microsoft Azure Stack
Covering: Azure Stack
Migration
Covering: Azure Database Migration Service, Azure Migrate, Data Box
Mobile
Covering: App Service (Mobile), Notification Hubs, Mobile apps, API apps, Visual Studio App Centre, Xamarin
Networking
Covering: ExpressRoute, Azure DNS, Virtual Network, Traffic Manager, Load Balancer, VPN Gateway, Application Gateway, Network Watcher
Security
Covering: Azure Information Protection, Key Vault, Security Center, Azure DDoS Protection, Azure Advanced Threat Protection
Storage
Covering: Storage, StorSimple, Data Lake Store, Blob Storage, Disk Storage, Managed Disks, Queue Storage, File Storage, Storage Explorer, Archive Storage
- Radu Vunvulea (@RaduVunvulea) writes Demystify how Shared Access Signature SAS is created inside Azure Storage
- Sonia Gupta announces that Azure Backup now supports BEK encrypted Azure virtual machines
Web
Covering: App Service (Web), API Management, Content Delivery Network, Azure Search, Web apps, Azure SignalR Service
- On MSDN, Ben Perkins (@csharpguitar) describes How to capture an ASP.NET Core memory dump on Azure App Service, explains how to Deploy to an Azure App Service using KUDU and a zip file, describes How to make a local deployment and create a zip file for drag and drop deployment and talks about the Azure App Service Disk Length Queue
- Simon J.K. Pedersen writes Lets Encrypt on Azure Web Apps using a Function App for Automated Renewal
- On Code Project, Debendra Dash covers Hosting Your MVC Application in Cloud with DataBase Migration from Local to Azure
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