Azure Weekly
Issue #304 - 13th December 2020
With the recent general availability of Azure Synapse, last week's announcement of Azure Purview, the announcement of new ML features for Azure Synapse, and new features in Azure Functions, this week there has been a load of excellent content!
Ron L'Esteve provides some "Getting Started with Azure Synapse Analytics Workspace" Samples. Rohan Kumar discusses how we can harness analytical and predictive power with Azure Synapse Analytics. And, in a similar vein, John Macintyre describes how to unleash the power of predictive analytics in Azure Synapse with machine learning and AI.
On Channel 9, Adi Polak and Simon Whiteley dliver a hands-on workshop: Intro to Serverless SQL. On Azure Medium, Ari Bornstein discusses no Code Data Enrichment with Azure Synapse and Azure Machine Learning. And, on the Microsoft site there is an excellent tutorial on how to Train a machine learning model code-free in Azure Synapse with Apache Spark and automated ML.
Moving on to Azure Purview, the updates team highlights how Microsoft Azure Purview provides unified data governance. James Serra provides a walkthrough of the new Microsoft data governance product. And finally, on the tech community, Vishal Anil discusses how to map your data estate with Azure Purview.
Elsewhere, Nitya Narasimhan runs through #SeasonsOfServerless Solution 2: "Developing Lovely Ladoos".Anthony Chu highlights .NET 5 support on Azure Functions and support for any language with Custom Handlers.Michael Crump explains how to run C# notebooks with Azure Cosmos DB. Azure Digital Twins now generally available.
Finally, as I'm a EV owner in the UK, this article grabbed my attention; UKs first electric car charging forecourt opens to the public, powered by Microsoft Azure and Dynamics. I love GRIDSERVE's vision of what forecourt charging should look like; the latest episode of Fully Charged has the exclusive, in-depth first look.
⚙️ AI + Machine Learning
- On Tech Community blog, John MacIntyre explains how to Unleash the power of predictive analytics in Azure Synapse with machine learning and AI
- The Azure updates team announces that Azure Machine Learning updates December 2020 are in public preview and that New features are now available for Azure Form Recognizer
- On Channel 9, Yaron Haviv talks about The Data Behind MLOps
- On Azure Medium, Ari Bornstein (@pythiccoder) discusses No Code Data Enrichment with Azure Synapse and Azure Machine Learning
🔎 Analytics
- James Serra (@JamesSerra) highlights - Azure Synapse Analytics is GA!
- On Tech Community blog, John Macintyre (@thisisjohnmac) writes about how to Quickly Get Started with Azure Synapse Studio
- On the MSSQL Tips site, Ron L'Esteve provides some "Getting Started with Azure Synapse Analytics Workspace" Samples
- On the Azure blog, Rohan Kumar describes how to Harness analytical and predictive power with Azure Synapse Analytics
- On Tech Community blog, Charles Feddersen covers how to Access and analyze all data from the Data Hub in Azure Synapse Analytics
- On channel 9, Adi Polak and Simon Whiteley provide a Hands-on Workshop: Intro to Serverless SQL
- The Azure updates team announces the Public preview of Azure Data Explorer dashboards October update, that Grafana query editor for Azure Data Explorer is in public preview, highlights that Azure Data Factory is now available in five new regions and announces that Azure Data Factory data flow connectors are now generally available for CDM and Delta Lake.
- The Azure updates team announces that Azure Databricks is now available in Azure Government and in the Azure China region
🖥️ Compute
- On Tech Community blog, Anthony Chu (@nthonyChu) writes about .NET 5 support on Azure Functions
- The Azure updates team announces that Azure Functions custom handlers are now generally available and that Java Azure Functions support on Linux is now generally available
- In line with this, Anthony Chu (@nthonyChu) talks about Azure Functions in Any Language with Custom Handlers
- On AzureFunBytes, Dean Bryen (@deanbryen) discusses Azure Functions fundamentals.
- Nitya Narasimhan provides #SeasonsOfServerless Solution 2: "Developing Lovely Ladoos"
- Abhishek Gupta (@abhi_tweeter) explains how to Build a Serverless app using Go and Azure Functions
- On Azure Tips and Tricks, Michael Crump (@mbcrump) walks through How to run C# notebooks with Azure Cosmos DB
🚢 Containers
- John Joyner (@john_joyner) covers Azure Kubernetes Container monitoring: Move or Consolidate workspaces
- The Azure updates team announces the General availability of Azure Red Hat OpenShift support for OpenShift 4.5, the Public preview of Azure Monitor for containers new Reportstab & deployment live logs, discusses Enabling IBM WebSphere Liberty and Open Liberty on Azure Red Hat OpenShift and announces that AKS resources view is generally available
- Daniel Neumann (@neumanndaniel) blogs about how to Increase your application availability with a PodDisruptionBudget on Azure Kubernetes Service
- On the DEV site, Waldek Mastykarz (@waldekm) discusses how to "Use Docker containers like a pro"
- And Geert Baeke blogs about Azure AD pod-managed identities in AKS
🗄️ Databases
- The Azure updates team has made a few announcements:
Azure Data Share snapshot sharing for SQL Database and Synapse generally available,
Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Single Server: logical decoding feature is now generally available,
Transparent Data Encryption with customer-managed keys for SQL Database Hyperscale,
Stop/start functionality for Azure Database for MariaDB is now in public preview
and Private link for Azure SQL Data Sync on Azure SQL Database now in public preview - On Tech Community blog, Claire Giordano (@clairegiordano) writes about When to use Hyperscale (Citus) to scale out Postgres
- Jose M Jurado (@jmjuradodiaz) provides a PHP Console Script for Testing connection in Azure SQL
- Shashikant Shakya (@shashikantshakya) describes how to Auto Stop and Start your Azure Database for MySQL Single Server using PowerShell runbook
- Yochanan Rachamim (@ryochanan) blogs about how to Import a database when policy "Azure SQL DB should avoid using GRS backup" is enforced
- On SQL Server Central, Mohammed Moinudheen discusses Azure SQL Database TDE Customer Managed Keys
- On Azure Medium, Davide Mauri (@mauridb) runs through Autoscaling Azure SQL Hyperscale
🛠️ Developer Tools
- Scott Hanselman (@shanselman) writes about why You should be customizing your PowerShell Prompt with PSReadLine
- The Azure updates team announces that App Configuration is now generally available in China and US Government clouds
- On the DEV site, Chris Noring (@chris_noring) explains how to Use and manage feature flags in .NET Core, locally and with Azure
- Tobias Zimmergren (@zimmergren) introduces The LogAnalytics.Client NuGet for .NET Core
🔩 DevOps
- The Azure updates team announces New enhancements to pull request experience in Azure Repos
- On the Black Marble blog, Richard Fennell (@richardfennell) describes Running UWP Unit Tests as part of an Azure DevOps Pipeline
- On the Microsoft DevOps blog, Gloridel Morales announces Azure DevOps Server 2020.0.1 RC and covers December patches for Azure DevOps Server and Team Foundation Server
- Also on the Microsoft DevOps blog, Steven Murawski (@StevenMurawski) lists the Top Stories from the Microsoft DevOps Community – 2020.12.04
- On Channel 9, James Tramel (@tramel_james) talks about Using your organizational DevTest benefits
🧬 Hybrid
- Thomas Maurer (@thomasmaurer) explains How to install and set up an Azure Stack HCI Host
- On the Azure blog, Talal Alqinawi covers how Azure Stack HCI delivers world-class hyperconverged infrastructure
- The Azure updates team announces that Azure Stack Edge Virtual Machine Support is in public preview, that Azure Stack Edge Kubernetes system is now available and that Machine Learning on Azure SQL Managed Instance now available
- On Channel 9, Lior Kamrat (@liorkamrat) talks about Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes with GitOps
- On Tech Community blog, Mara Steiu (@MSteiu) introduces the Private Link for SQL Data Sync Public Preview
🎭 Identity
- On the Check your Logs blog, Cary Sun (@SifuSun) explains How to remove Users Objects that were synchronized through the Azure active directory connect tool
- The Azure updates team announces the Public preview of AKS pod identity
- Damien Bowden (@damien_bod) covers Using multiple APIs in Angular and ASP.NET Core with Azure AD authentication
- On Tech Community blog, Sonia Cuff describes Troubleshooting log on errors to an Azure AD DS domain joined Windows Server VM
- Daniel Neumann (@neumanndaniel) describes Azure Reservations and the RBAC dilemma
- On Microsoft Security blog, Teri Seals-Dormer explains how to Deliver productive and seamless user experiences with Azure Active Directory
- On The Azure Podcast, Ankur Patel covers Verifiable Identity with Blockchain
🔌 Integration
- Abhijit Jana (@AbhijitJana) talks about Azure Communication Services – Building an experimental messaging solution
- The Azure updates team announces some Logic Apps runtime platform updates and development capabilities
- On the Azure Developer Community Blog, Derek Li covers What's New in Logic Apps
- On Tech Community blog, Christopher Scott describes App Registration Expiration Monitoring and Notifications
💡 Internet of Things
- On the Microsoft site, a reporter covers - UKs first electric car charging forecourt opens to the public, powered by Microsoft Azure and Dynamics
- On the Azure blog, Sam George (@samjgeorge) highlights that Azure Digital Twins now generally available: Create IoT solutions that model the real world
- On the DEV site, Adam Jackson (@adamj89) highlights The Cloud Skills Show: IoT for Good
- Sander van de Velde describes Counting the current number of IoT Hub messages and devices
- On Tech Community blog, John Lian (@jlian) describes how MQTT 5 enhances device connectivity to IoT Hub and blogs about a 40% smaller TLS handshake with ECC cert for IoT Hub
- The Azure updates team announces HoloLens 2 Development Edition expands to new markets
- Also on the Azure blog, Bill Karagounis blogs about Azure Modular Datacenter – Mission resiliency for the field
📚 Learning
- On Tech Community blog, Lee Stott (@lee_stott) discusses Delivering Microsoft AI-900 Fundamentals curricula & certifications in education
- Also on Tech Community blog, Peter Gallagher talks about Studying for the AZ220 Azure IoT Developer Cert and prefer videos using Pluralsight
- Adam Marczak (@MarczakIO) continues his series on the AZ-900 exam, this week covering Azure Policy
- On the DEV site, Julien Dubois (@juliendubois) highlights a New Java learning path on Microsoft Learn
⚖️ Management and Governance
- Michael Jonsson (@Michael_Jonsson) describes Azure Monitor for PaaS services, where is the AI and how do I ARM it?
- The Azure updates team has made a few announcements: Microsoft Azure Purview provides unified data governance,
Azure Automation is now available in Norway East region,
New Azure Monitor Agent and Data Collection Rules capabilities released in public preview,
Infrastructure Encryption for Azure Monitor dedicated clusters now generally available
and Microsoft to establish new datacenter region in Denmark - On Tech Community blog, Pierre Roman (@pierreroman) discusses some Log Analytics Workspace Design Gotchas
- Also on Tech Community blog, Roy Gal blogs about Log Analytics table pane - only show tables with data
- James Serra (@JamesSerra) highlights the New Microsoft data governance product: Azure Purview
- Kavya Chandra explains how to Classify your data using Azure Purview
- Vishal Ani blogs about how you can Map your data estate with Azure Purview
- Anthony Bartolo (@WirelessLife) highlights: Microsoft Announces GA of Azure Synapse and Public Preview of Azure Purview data catalog
- On the DEV site, Julien Dubois (@juliendubois) highlights the Terraform for Java developers video series
🚌 Migration
- Radu Vunvulea (@RaduVunvulea) provides the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework - Part 3: Data Migration
- Thomas Maurer (@thomasmaurer) blogs about how to Start your Cloud Project with Microsoft FastTrack for Azure
- On Tech Community blog, Ed Price helps us Discover the Azure Architecture Center
- On the Microsoft site, a reporter highlights that University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust chooses to run new data hub on Microsoft Azure cloud
🌐 Networking
- On the MSSQL Tips site, Carla Albanes discusses how to Setup Microsoft SQL Server Failover Cluster Instance Behind an Azure Internal Load Balancer
- On Tech Community blog, Ankit Sharma describes Troubleshooting Storage Firewall Issues
- Tobias Zimmergren & Jussi Roine (@CtrlAltAzure) discuss Azure in Space
🔐 Security
- Geert Baeke describes Azure Key Vault Provider for Secrets Store CSI Driver and Certificates with Azure Key Vault and Nginx Ingress Controller
- Charbel Nemnom (@charbelnemnom) blogs about Azure Defender for Azure DNS in Azure Security Center and Azure Defender for ARM in Azure Security Center
- On Tech Community blog, Kanishka Srivastava highlights Microsoft Defender for Endpoint on iOS is generally available
- Also on Tech Community blog, Shoham Dasgupta highlights that Transparent Data Encryption with customer-managed keys for Azure SQL Hyperscale is now available
- Also on Tech Community blog, Sarah Lean (@TechieLass) discusses Security (Azure Unblogged)
- On Microsoft Security blog, Lauren Goodwin highlights the New cloud-native breadth threat protection capabilities in Azure Defender
- On the Azure blog, Tom Keane (@tomwkeane) announces The broadest range of cloud innovation across US Government data classifications
- John Barbare discusses Microsoft Secure Score Across the Microsoft Security Stack
- The Azure updates team announces that Azure IRAP has assessed seven additional services and granted them the level of PROTECTED
- Jay Gordon (@jaydestro) covers Azure Sentinel and AKS
📦 Storage
🔗 Web
- On the DEV site, Aaron Powell (@slace) discusses Static Web Apps on DevOps Labs
- On Tech Community blog, Jia Gu discusses how to Self-restore Deleted APIM Service
- The Azure updates team highlights that Azure portal to end support for Internet Explorer 11 on March 31, 2021, and announces that App Service Environment v3 is now available in public preview and that App Service Anti-Virus Logs is in public preview
- Tobias Zimmergren (@zimmergren) covers how to Enable the Health-Check capabilities in Azure App Service
- On the Azure blog, Albert Greenberg (@AlbertGreenberg) discusses how Microsoft introduces steps to improve internet routing security
💻 Windows Virtual Desktop
- Alan Kinane (@Azure_Alan) provides some Windows Virtual Desktop Christmas Crackers
- Christiaan Brinkhoff (@Brinkhoff_C) explains How to exclude files and extensions from syncing to OneDrive – to run better on a Windows Virtual Desktop environment
- Travis Roberts (@Ciraltos) highlights Azure Monitor for WVD in Public Preview