Azure Weekly Issue 353: 12th December 2021
This is going to be the last issue of 2021, so that I can spend some time tweaking the newsletter in preparation for 2022.
To start there are two welcome Storage announcements: Immutable storage with versioning for Blob Storage is now Generally Available and Azure Storage: Attribute-based Access Control ABAC conditions with principal attributes now in public preview.
There's a useful post on Automate Playwright Testing With GitHub Actions, another on Monitoring Azure Policy Compliance States and a An introduction to the Cloud Adoption Framework Manage methodology.
Finally to finish, two interesting posts - the first features the awesome SandDance library in Azure Data Studio - A SandDance demo and finally a fascinating deep dive into how the UK COVID-19 dashboard was built using Postgres and Citus for millions of users.
Thanks for reading the newsletter this year, and I'll see you again in 2022.
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
- Bala Venkataraman explains how to Updated CLI and ARM REST APIs for Azure Machine Learning
- Foteini Savvidou covers Saving Santa Claus with Azure Custom Vision and Python
- Also on Tech Community blog, Donna Forlin announces Azure Machine Learning is now integrated with Seeq Workbench
- On the Azure blog, Tom Keane (@tomwkeane) announces that Geospatial imagery unlocks new cloud computing scenarios on Azure
- The Azure Updates Team announce Azure Machine Learning Terraform configuration templates general availability
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, Azure Purview
- Mark Kromer (@kromerbigdata) blogs about Introducing the Flowlets preview for ADF and Synapse
- Suraj Thakur explains how to Transform Your Data with Azure Data Factory
- James Serra (@JamesSerra) covers Azure Synapse Analytics November updates
- Fikrat Azizov talks about Implementing Deduplication Logic in the Lakehouse using Synapse Analytics Mapping Data Flow
- Hristo Hristov writes about Why use Python?
- Dany Hoter describes how to Direct Query from Excel to Azure Data Explorer aka Kusto
- The Azure Updates Team announce Azure HDInsight 2018-06-01 preview API will be retired on 30 November 2024
- On SQL Server Central, Daniel Calbimonte describes Azure Data Studio - A SandDance demo
- Dhanasuya Guruswamy explains how to Get the best out of Azure Data Factory – Part 1
- Deepak Agrawal describes Azure Data Explorer offers on AMD SKUs
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 announce the Public preview availability of Virtual Machine restore points
- Laura Redfern highlights the Azure CycleCloud Learning Circle Series for Academic and Industry Customers
- Radu Vunvulea (@RaduVunvulea) writes COVID-19 is a cloud security catalyst
- John Kilmister (@johnkilmister) delves into Templating HTML Emails in Azure Functions
- Episode 111 of Ctrl+Alt+Azure asks How do you choose the correct Azure compute service?
- Dinesh Reddy explains how to Protect Azure Virtual Machines from failure and data loss using multi-disk consistent restore points
- Johannes Ebner shares Modern Game Studio - How to transfer builds and large files in a distributed environment?
Containers
Covering: Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure Red Hat OpenShift, CNAB, CNCF, Container Instances, Container Registry, Porter, WSL, Web App for Containers
- Michael C. Bazarewsky writes about AKS Infrastructure Multitenancy for ISVs
- The Azure Updates Team announces Azure Monitor containers insights preview version for Azure Red Hat OpenShift v4.x will be retired by 31 May 2022
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
- Mohammed Moinudheen shares Options to migrate on-premises SQL Server database to Azure SQL Database
- Anna Hoffman (@AnalyticAnna) talks about Azure SQL News Update: A Year in Review
- Claire Giordano (@clairegiordano) covers UK COVID-19 dashboard built using Postgres and Citus for millions of users
- Ahmed Mahmoud describes Learning from Expertise 5: Ops What should I do after accidentally deleted SQL DB Server
Developer Tools
Covering: App Configuration, Azure Lab Services, CLIs, Developer tool integrations, SDKs, Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio Online
- On the Visual Studio blog, Leslie Richardson covers the VS 2022 Launch Recap: Extensibility and asks How Can We Improve Extensibility in Visual Studio?
- Florian Eiden explains how to Send data to live outputs in VS Code with the Azure Stream Analytics Tools latest release
- Marc Goodner writes about Embedded Software Development in Visual Studio
DevOps
Covering: Azure Artifacts, Azure Boards, Azure DevOps, Azure Pipelines, Azure Repos, Azure Test Plans, Azure DevTest Labs, DevOps tool integrations
- Nitya Narasimhan (@ntiya) writes Let's Automate Playwright Testing With GitHub Actions
Hybrid
Covering: Azure Arc, Azure Stack
- Tracie Zenti explains how to Expand hybrid management tools with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform on Azure
- David Kurth announces Update 2108 now available for Azure Stack Hub
- Thomas Maurer (@thomasmaurer) explains how to Extended Security Updates for Windows Server and SQL Server in Azure and Azure Stack and talks about Azure Arc Jumpstart Lightning Azure Arc-enabled servers metadata tags
Identity
Covering: Azure Active Directory (AD), Azure Active Directory B2C, Azure Active Directory Domain Services
- Episode 404 of The Azure Podcast covers a Microsoft Maintained Linux Distribution: When Windows is nowhere to be found - Making Azure better with CBL Mariner
- Alex Simons Azure discusses the end of support for Azure AD Graph permission sign up through portal UX
Integration
Covering: Azure API for FHIR, Event Grid, Logic Apps, Service Bus
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
- Michael C. Bazarewsky talks about IoT: Scaling Out an Azure IoT Solution to Support Millions of Devices
- Shane Baldacchino describes Bridge Building – Mosquitto MQTT to Azure IOT Using Paho MQTT and the Azure IoT Device SDKs
- Zachary Cavanell discusses Contact Space Satellites to Access Data — Azure Orbital
- Tom Keane (@tomwkeane) writes about New satellite connectivity and geospatial capabilities with Azure Space
- Florian Stein writes IoT data processing - part 1: Azure Synapse Analytics and part 2: Azure Stream Analytics & Functions
Learning
Covering: Microsoft Certifications, Azure Certifications, Microsoft Learning Paths, Certification Pathway Information
- Liberty Munson writes about Available now: Exam AZ-800 beta and Exam AZ-801 beta
- Gita Sharma explains how to Prove your skills. Protect your investment.
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, Scheduler, Azure Purview
- Tao Yang (@MrTaoYang) describes Monitoring Azure Policy Compliance States - 2021 Edition
- Braja Rakhal Das walks through Monitoring Service Fabric Services CPU and Memory utilization with Log Analytics
- Damien Caro writes about Why is Az 7 an important release for Azure PowerShell
- Linda Wang blogs about Azure Purview advances support for SaaS applications – Salesforce scan
- Naga Yenamandra talks about Overlay business context using Business Glossary in Azure Purview
- Thuan Nguyen describes Play with Tag on Azure Subscriptions
- Thomas Maurer (@thomasmaurer) writes about An introduction to the Cloud Adoption Framework Manage methodology
Media
Covering: Azure Media Player, Content Protection, Encoding, Live and On-Demand Streaming, Media Analytics, Media Services, Video Indexer
- The Azure Updates Team writes about General availability: Azure Communication Services interoperability with Microsoft Teams
Migration
Covering: Azure Database Migration Service, Azure Migrate, Data Box
Mobile
Covering: App Service (Mobile), Mobile apps, Notification Hubs, Visual Studio App Centre, Xamarin
- Tomasz Poszytek covers Display images in Adaptive Cards
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
- Tao Yang (@MrTaoYang) discusses Azure Resource Graph Query For Network Security Group Rules
- Umar Mohamed Usman blogs about Deploying API Management in an Internal mode
- The Azure Updates Team talks about India Central Availability Zones now generally available
- Sander van de Velde discusses Jump box part 1: Secure access to private cloud VM using Azure Bastion
Security
Covering: Azure DDoS Protection, Azure Information Protection, Azure Sentinel, Key Vault, Security Center
- Chris Hallum explains how to Protect your printers, cameras and the rest of your IoT devices starting today
- TJ Banasik announces The Microsoft Sentinel: Zero Trust TIC3.0 Solution
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
- The Azure Updates Team announce Immutable storage with versioning for Blob Storage is now generally available
- The Azure Updates Team announce Azure Storage: Attribute-based Access Control ABAC conditions with principal attributes now in public preview
- The Azure Updates Team announce Azure Storage: Secure access to storage account from a virtual network/subnet in any region now in public preview
Web
Covering: API apps, API Management, App Service (Web), Azure Cognitive Search, Azure SignalR Service, Azure Spring Cloud, Web apps
- On the DEV site, Nitya Narasimhan (@ntiya) explains how to Let's Build A Recipe Blog with Azure Static Web Apps & Hugo
- Joo Dinis describes Using API Management WebSockets
- Aaron Powell (@slace) covers GraphQL on Azure: Part 8 - Logging
Azure Virtual Desktop
Covering: Azure Virtual Desktop
Azure Weekly Archive
If you would like to read more interesting articles from the Azure ecosystem check out our archive where you will find all of the back issues.
Contribute Content
If you would like to contribute any content to the Azure Weekly newsletter, please email azureweekly@endjin.com