Azure Weekly Issue 296: 18th October 2020
This week the Azure Updates Team have announced that Azure Cognitive Services has achieved human parity in image captioning, which is a huge breakthrough in Microsoft's push towards full accessibility. And, elsewhere, they have announced that Azure Blob storage point-in-time restore now generally available.
Also around Machine Learning, Sander van de Velde has provided a great example of running ML.Net models inside an Azure IoT Edge module.
On the Azure DevOps podcast, Stefan Schackow runs through what's New in Azure App Service. On Azure Tips and Tricks, Michael Crump walks through 5 Tips to save money with Virtual Machines.
On the endjin blog, Ed Freeman has written a post detailing how to use the Azure CLI to manage access to Synapse Studio, and James Dawson says GitOps - it's not just for Kubernetes!
Finally there's a very interesting article about using the Azure CLI to query for consumption cost data (az consumption usage list). This could prove very useful when benchmarking workloads.
AI + Machine Learning
Covering: Anomaly detector, Azure Bot Service, Azure Machine Learning, Azure Open Datasets, Bing APIs, Cognitive Services, Computer Vision, Content moderator, Custom vision, Data Science Virtual Machines, Face, Form Recogniser, Immersive Reader, Ink Recogniser, Language Understanding (LUIS), Machine Learning Studio, Microsoft Genomics, ML.NET, Personaliser, Project Cortex, QnA Maker, Speaker Recognition, Speech-to-Text, Speech translation, Text Analytics, Text to Speech , Translator Speech, Translator Text
- On the Azure blog, Julia White (@julwhite) announces the Advanced Azure Machine Learning Nanodegree program with Udacity
- On Azure Medium, Aaron Bornstein discusses Training Your First Distributed PyTorch Lightning Model with Azure ML
- The Azure updates team announces Machine Learning open sourcing for R and Python Custom Runtime and highlights that Azure Cognitive Services has achieved human parity in image captioning
- On Channel 9, Nayer Wanas and Alan Liu discuss How Language Understanding enables Voice Commands in Word Dictation
Analytics
Covering: Apache Spark for HDInsight, Apache Storm for HDInsight, Azure Analysis Services, Azure Data Explorer, Azure Data Share, Azure Databricks, Azure Stream Analytics, Azure Synapse Analytics, Data Catalog, Data Factory, Data Lake Analytics, Event Hubs, HDInsight, .NET for Apache Spark, R Server for HDInsight
- The Azure updates team announces that Azure Data Explorer now supports Compute Isolated SKUs and announces the Azure Data Explorer data connector for Azure Synapse
- On the Microsoft BI Tools blog, Joost van Rossum (@ssisjoost) explains how to Execute pipelines from an other Data Factory Sync
- On SQL Server Central, Sucharita Das writes about Incremental Data loading through ADF using Change Tracking
- On the Azure blog, Daniel Yu talks about how to Gain real-time insights on Oracle E-Business Suite data with Azure and Incorta
Compute
Covering: Azure CycleCloud, Azure Dedicated Host, Azure Functions, Azure VMware Solution by CloudSimple, Batch, Cloud Services, Linux Virtual Machines, SAP HANA on Azure Large Instances, Service Fabric, Virtual Machines, Virtual Machine Scale Sets
- The Azure updates team announces Azure Virtual Machines DCsv2-series expanding within Europe, United Kingdom and United States
- On Code Project, Duncan Edwards Jones (@Merrion) talks about Event Sourcing on Azure Functions
- Mikhail Shilkov (@MikhailShilkov) writes about Open Source Workflows as Code
Containers
Covering: Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure Red Hat OpenShift, CNAB, CNCF, Container Instances, Container Registry, Porter, WSL, Web App for Containers
- Roy Kim (@roykimyyz) provides a Comprehensive Guide To Create an Azure Kubernetes Service with Az CLI
- On Channel 9, Jeremy Likness (@jeremylikness) talks about Using Azure Container Registry for building and deploying .NET Core Apps
- On Azure Tips and Tricks, Michael Crump (@mbcrump) walks through Azure Functions on Kubernetes with KEDA (Part 2 of 2)
- Also on Channel 9, Hamish Watson (@TheHybridDBA) talks about Infrastructure as Code and Azure – A Match Made in the Cloud (Part 2)
- The Azure updates team announces the Public preview of Service Fabric managed clusters
Databases
Covering: Azure Cosmos DB, Azure Database for MariaDB, Azure Database for MySQL, Azure Database for PostgreSQL, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Database Edge, Azure Cache for Redis, SQL Data Warehouse, SQL Server on virtual machines, SQL Server Stretch Database, Table storage
- On the Azure blog, Kyle Teegarden highlights that Zone Redundancy for Azure Cache for Redis is now in preview
- The Azure updates team has made some announcements:
Row Level Security now generally available for Azure Data Explorer,
T-digest extension for Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Hyperscale (Citus),
Zone Redundancy in preview for Azure Cache for Redis,
Zone redundant configuration for Azure SQL DB general purpose tier
and Azure Synapse Link for Azure Cosmos DB: SQL serverless runtime support in preview - On the Microsoft BI Tools blog, Joost van Rossum (@ssisjoost) discusses Synapse snack: No new Azure SQL Database allowed
- On SQL Server Central, Mohammed Moinudheen describes Auto Scaling Azure SQL DB using Automation runbooks
- On the SQL Server Blog, Alan Yu (@AlanYuSQL) highlights that The October 2020 release of Azure Data Studio is now available
Developer Tools
Covering: App Configuration, Azure Lab Services, CLIs, Developer tool integrations, SDKs, Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio Online
- The Azure updates team highlights that Azure Dev Spaces is retiring on 31 October 2023
- On Code Project, Lin (Wei) Wei-Han Lin discusses Azure CLI Dynamic Query Consumption Cost Data (az consumption usage list)
DevOps
Covering: Azure Artifacts, Azure Boards, Azure DevOps, Azure Pipelines, Azure Repos, Azure Test Plans, Azure DevTest Labs, DevOps tool integrations
- On the endjin blog, James Dawson (@James_Dawson) covers GitOps: Not Just For Kubernetes!
- The Azure updates team announces that Azure DevTest Labs is now available in more regions and you can now Create a network isolated lab in Azure DevTest Labs
- On the Microsoft DevOps blog, Sidi Merzouk describes the Azure DevOps Roadmap update for 2020 Q4
- Also on the Microsoft DevOps blog, Steven Murawski (@StevenMurawski) lists the Top Stories from the Microsoft DevOps Community
- On Channel 9, Kyle Ruddy (@kmruddy) talks about Remote State Management with Terraform Cloud
- On the Azure Developer Community Blog, Tanmayee Kamath highlights that Azure DevTest Labs is available in UAE North, Germany West Central and Norway East regions
- On Azure Tips and Tricks, Michael Crump (@mbcrump) walks through Serverless operations with Azure DevOps
Hybrid
Covering: Azure Arc, Azure Stack
- Thomas Maurer (@thomasmaurer) highlights the Azure Stack Hub Partner Solutions Series
- The Azure updates team announces Distributed database transactions spanning multiple Azure SQL Managed Instances
Identity
Covering: Azure Active Directory (AD), Azure Active Directory B2C, Azure Active Directory Domain Services
- Jan Egil Ring (@janegilring) introduces The Privileged Identity Management Tools PowerShell module (PIMTools)
- On the Azure blog, Mark Russinovich (@markrussinovich) highlights that Azure and Intel commit to delivering next generation confidential computing
- Charbel Nemnom (@charbelnemnom) explains How to Monitor Azure AD Emergency Accounts With Azure Sentinel
- Damien Bowden (@damien_bod) walks through Using Key Vault certificates with Microsoft.Identity.Web and ASP.NET Core applications
- Thomas Thornton (@tamstar1234) discusses Azure Managed Identities and Service Principals
Integration
Covering: Azure API for FHIR, Event Grid, Logic Apps, Service Bus
- On BizTalk Gurus, Sandro Pereira (@sandro_asp) asks: What do I need to do to start developing Logic Apps from Visual Studio?
Internet of Things
Covering: Azure Digital Twins, Azure IoT Central, Azure IoT Edge, Azure IoT Hub, Azure IoT solution accelerators, Azure Maps, Azure Sphere, Azure Time Series Insights, IoT DevKit, WildernessLabs, Windows 10 IoT Core Services
- The Azure updates team announces that the Azure IoT Edge 1.0.10 release is now available, the Azure Sphere update 20.10 is now available for compatibility testing and runs through some Azure IoT Central new and updated features—September 2020
- On Channel 9, Erik Udstuen (@twin_thread) talks about Developing the Last Mile of IIoT and Predictive Operations Solutions
- Sander van de Velde describes Running ML.Net models inside an Azure IoT Edge module
Learning
Covering: Microsoft Certifications, Azure Certifications, Microsoft Learning Paths, Certification Pathway Information
- Adam Marczak (@MarczakIO) continues working throught the Azure-900 learning path, this time focusing on Azure Firewall, Azure Identity Services - Authentication, Authorization & Active Directory (AD) and Azure DDoS Protection
- Tobias Zimmergren (@zimmergren) blogs about Passing AZ-500: Microsoft Certified Azure Security Engineer Associate
Management and Governance
Covering: Automation, Azure Advisor, Azure Backup, Azure Blueprints, Azure Lighthouse, Azure Managed Applications, Azure mobile app, Azure Monitor, Azure Policy, Azure Resource Manager, Azure Service Health, Azure Site Recovery, Cloud Shell, Cost Management, Microsoft Azure portal, Sceduler
- On the endjin blog, Ed Freeman (@edfreeman_) discusses How to use the Azure CLI to manage access to Synapse Studio
- Marcel Zehner (@marcelzehner) discusses Nested & linked ARM templates
- Sam Cogan (@samcogan) describes Storing Pulumi State in Azure
- The Azure updates team announces Azure Site Recovery TLS Certificate Changes, discusses a New alert query examples topic in Log Analytics and announces that Azure Monitor Log Analytics data export is in public preview
- Daniel Neumann (@neumanndaniel) covers Unix time format in Azure Resource Manager templates
- On Azure Tips and Tricks, Michael Crump (@mbcrump) lists 5 Tips to save money with Virtual Machines
- On the Azure podcast, Evan Basalik discusses Advancing the Outage Experience
- On the Microsoft BI Tools blog, Joost van Rossum (@ssisjoost) covers how to Create Azure Automation Runbook
- Thomas Maurer (@thomasmaurer) describes Automanage for Azure virtual machines
- Robert Smit (@Clustermvp) discusses PerfInsights self-help diagnostics tool in Azure Troubleshooting and reporting
Media
Covering: Azure Media Player, Content Protection, Encoding, Live and On-Demand Streaming, Media Analytics, Media Services, Video Indexer
Migration
Covering: Azure Database Migration Service, Azure Migrate, Data Box
- On .NET Rocks, Mike Richter (@michaelsrichter) talks about Migrating .NET Applications to Azure
- On the Microsoft site, a reporter delves into how RB will use Microsoft’s Azure cloud and M365 in ‘factory of the future’ transformation
Mobile
Covering: App Service (Mobile), Mobile apps, Notification Hubs, Visual Studio App Centre, Xamarin
- On the DEV site, Nitya Narasimhan covers Start.Dev.Change - An Intro to Mobile Development
Networking
Covering: Application Gateway, Azure Bastion, Azure DNS, Azure ExpressRoute, Azure Firewall, Azure Firewall Manager, Azure Front Door, Azure Internet Analyzer, Azure Private Link, Content Delivery Network, Load Balancer, Network Watcher, Traffic Manager, Virtual Network, Virtual WAN, VPN Gateway, Web Application Firewall
- Mike Pfeiffer (@mike_pfeiffer) talks about Azure Networking & Security with Derek Smith
Security
Covering: Azure DDoS Protection, Azure Information Protection, Azure Sentinel, Key Vault, Security Center
- On Microsoft Security blog, Teri Seals-Dormer explains Advanced protection for web applications in Azure with Radwares Microsoft Security integration
- On the DEV site, Justin Yoo (@justinchronicle) discusses Binding Let's Encrypt SSL Certificate to Azure Functions
Storage
Covering: Archive Storage, Avere vFXT for Azure, Azure Data Lake Store, Azure FXT Edge Filer, Azure HPC Cache, Azure NetApp Files, Blob Storage, Disk Storage, File Storage, Managed Disks, Queue Storage, Storage Accounts, Storage Explorer, StorSimple
Web
Covering: API apps, API Management, App Service (Web), Azure Cognitive Search, Azure SignalR Service, Azure Spring Cloud, Web apps
- On the Microsoft DevOps blog, Abel Wang (@abelsquidhead) writes about a Static Web App PR Workflow for Azure App Service Using Azure DevOps
- Jeffrey Palermo (@jeffreypalermo) talks about Whats New in Azure App Service with Stefan Schackow
- The Azure updates team covers App Service Private Endpoints now generally available and describes Public Preview: JBoss EAP on Azure App Service
Windows Virtual Desktop
Covering: Windows Virtual Desktop
- On the Hanu blog, Imran Khan covers Windows Virtual Desktop
- Christiaan Brinkhoff (@Brinkhoff_C) talks about Windows Virtual Desktop Deployment Recommendations and Best Practices
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