Azure Weekly
Issue #30 - 13th June 2015
This week Web Apps were in the limelight. Web vulnerability scanning is now available for the Azure App Service. The service, from Tinfoil Security, can be accessed through the Web App settings in the Azure portal, and comes in several tiers from basic (est. $3 pcm) to enterprise (est. $500 pcm). The ability to configure intermediate certificates for a TLS/SSL endpoint was also announced. Web App users with MySQL apps can also now choose a new ClearDB tier which sits just above the free tier, and permits 250 MB of storage and up to 10 concurrent database connections.
Azure users were notified that the TLS/SSL cipher suites for Web Apps are being updated starting from 18 July 2015. Users can check whether clients that access Web Apps will still function correctly by testing that they get HTTP 200 status from https://testsslclient.trafficmanager.net/.
Stepping back into the wider Azure platform, the Azure Infrastructure Services Implementation Guidelines have been updated. The guidelines describe the steps for an Azure IT workload deployment, covering naming conventions, subscriptions and accounts, storage, virtual networks, Cloud Services, Availability Sets and Virtual machines.
⚖️ Management and Governance
- Alexandre Brisebois (@Brisebois) explains how to create MultiGeo Environments using Azure Resource Manager and discusses use the Azure Resource Manager Copy Operation to Deploy Duplicates
On the Docker blog, Michael Chiang writes setting Up a Minecraft Server Using Docker Part 1 and Mario Ponticello talks about two New Official Repos Added in May
On the PluralSight blog, Michael Simmons writes up his lessons learned: Azure Operational Insights Preview
On TechNet, Matt Hester presents Azure in 5 Minutes: Customize the Microsoft Azure Preview Portal
- Clemens Reijnen (@ClemensReijnen) explains how to organize, start, stop, schedule and snooze Azure VMs and stay within your Azure MSDN benefit boundary.
'Adminian' delves into troubleshooting Azure Resource Manager Failed Messages
- Radu Vunvulea writes about different ways to access Azure instances using Public IP
On the Windows IT Pro site, John Savill (@NTFAQGuy) answers the question about how can I create an IaaS VM using Azure Resource Manager
🖥️ Compute
On the Azure blog, Joe Davies writes about New Azure Infrastructure Services Implementation Guidelines
Also on the Azure blog, Ning Kuang announces the availability of Cloud Foundry on Azure
The new cloud Foundry template in Azure is also covered on Channel 9
On the Microsoft Openness site, Mark Hill writes that Alter Way Is the Open Source on Microsoft Azure Partner of the Year
Robert Smit (@Clustermvp) writes about the new version of Microsoft Message Analyzer which now has added support for Azure
On the Azure podcast, Cale and Evan talk to Jason Johnson from the Azure Customer Response Team in episode 80 - Azure Support
🌐 Networking
On the Windows IT Pro site, John Savill (@NTFAQGuy) answers the question if I use ExpressRoute Premium do I pay for crossregion bandwidth?
💡 Internet of Things
On the Azure blog, Byron Tardif, Program Manager - Azure Websites, introduces a new DB tier for Azure customers running MySQL applications such as WordPress. The new Titan DB tier, which includes 250 MB of storage and up to 10 concurrent database connections, sits between the free Mercury tier and the Venus, Saturn and Jupiter tiers
Also on the Azure blog, Nazim Lala, Software Engineer - Azure Websites, announces web Vulnerability Scanning for Azure App Service powered by Tinfoil Security and writes about intermediate TLS certificates for Azure App Service Web Apps
Also on the Azure blog, Zain Rizvi describes how to use new functionality which lets you auto-update your Azure Site Extension
Also on the Azure blog, Dan Kogan writes that businesses are driving increased sales and delivering improved customer experiences. And theyre doing it in record time with Azure App Service
On the Xamarin blog, Pierce Boggan explains how to build Your Own Selfies App with Xamarin.Forms and Azure
- On MSDN, 'Mertunan' describes Azure App Service: Logic Apps
Troy Hunt (@troyhunt) writes it's time for A grade SSL on Azure websites
On the Microsoft Openness site, Jose Miguel Parrella writes about how to automate deployment of an Azure-hosted APT repository
Sacha Barber writes Azure : Event Hubs A First Look
⚙️ Data and Analytics
On the Azure blog, Stephen Baron writes that importing Data to DocumentDB Just Got Faster and Easier
- On the endjin blog, Alice Waddicor (@AliceWaddicor) delves into Azure data services part 1: HDInsight
On TechNet, Ml Blog Team describes how ML was able to Predict School Dropout Risk & Boost Graduation Rates
On the Revolution Analytics blog, Joseph Rickert talks about Using Azure as an R datasource: Part 2 Pulling data from MySQL/MariaDB
📦 Storage
On the SQL Server Pro site, Grant Fritchey walks through gathering data about your v12 Azure SQL Database
On the MSSQL Tips site, Tim Smith writes about automating a Heartbeat Check against an Azure SQL Database using PowerShell
On the Database Journal site, Marcin Policht describes automating Image-Based Deployment of SQL Server on Azure IaaS VMs Combining OS Installation and SQL Server Sysprep
🎬 Media
On the Azure blog, Manling Zhang, Program Manager - Media Services, annouces custom origin support for Azure CDN. CDN endpoints can now be created for any origin, not just for your own Azure Services. Multiple CDN endpoints can be created for the same origin, and any folder path can be used as the origin path
⚙️ Hybrid Integration
On the Azure blog, Kundana Palagiri announces that Jelastic is available in Azure in two modes – Jelastic Hybrid cloud and a Virtual Private cloud in Azure
- 'Gaurav' describes Azure Service Bus As I Understand It: Part I Overview
On the Windows IT Pro site, John Savill (@NTFAQGuy) answers the question is Microsoft Azure Stack really WAPv2?
Herve Roggero writes what is the Service Bus for Windows Server
⚙️ Identity and Access Management
On TechNet, Alex Simons writes that Azure AD Premium was deemed a visionary in the Gartner IDaaS Magic Quadrant
On Brisbane Cloud User Group blog, there's an article on Azure Active Directory and Windows 10: Microsoft's Hybrid Vision
On the Redmond magazine site, Kurt Mackie writes that Microsoft is aligning Azure Active Directory for Windows 10 Mobile Device Management Scenarios
On the Windows IT Pro site, John Savill (@NTFAQGuy) answers the question what rules need to be enabled to allow Azure AD Application Proxy communication through Network Security Groups?