Azure Weekly Issue 455: 25th February 2024

First up, a new service! This looks particularly useful for orgs that have a lot of data, and want to automate the lifecycle: Introducing Azure Storage Actions: Serverless storage data management. Another useful new service is the Azure API Center: The First Look - which allows you to catalog your APIs.

Next, in AI, there's a new service which makes RAG over your own data, much simpler; On Your Data is now Generally Available in Azure OpenAI Service. Two other interesting posts: Deploying Azure Kubernetes Service Demo Store App with Azure Open AI and Embedding flows created with Microsoft Prompt Flow in your own applications.

There are a number of good Microsoft Fabric related posts: Spreadsheets to Lakehouse - A History of Microsoft Fabric and Deploying to Development, Test and Production environments in Microsoft Fabric. Using Fabric for IoT scenarios in Microsoft Fabric RTA: Copilot supports KQL, and new learning resources in Unlocking Your Career Potential with Microsoft Fabric Career Hub.

Finally, we're only a few months away from SQLBits - the leading conference for data professionals to network, develop and share data knowledge. Marisa Mathews highlights all the Microsoft sessions at SQLBits 2024. (A reminder that Ed Freeman and Barry Smart are running a 1 day workshop: DataOps: How to Deliver Data Faster and Better with Microsoft Cloud. Book now!)

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

• Pavan Li writes about On Your Data is now Generally Available in Azure OpenAI Service
• Kim Brooks explains how to AI for nonprofits: Taking the first steps
• Panu Oksala writes about Semantic Kernel
• Geert Baeke (@GeertBaeke) walks through Embedding flows created with Microsoft Prompt Flow in your own applications
• Nitya Narasimhan (@ntiya) discusses A code-first experience for building a copilot with Azure AI
• Krishna Doss writes Azure AI Translator announces Synchronous Document Translation

Analytics

Covering: Apache Spark for HDInsight, Azure Analysis Services, Azure Data Explorer, Azure Data Share, Azure Databricks, Azure Stream Analytics, Azure Synapse Analytics, Data Factory, Event Hubs, HDInsight, Microsoft Purview, Microsoft Fabric

• Saveen Reddy highlights the Microsoft Fabric February 2024 Update
• Sean Mirabile discusses Fabric Data Pipelines – Advanced Scheduling Techniques Part 1
• Greg Beaumont discusses Spreadsheets to Lakehouse - A History of Microsoft Fabric
• Kevin Chant covers Deploying to Development, Test and Production environments in Microsoft Fabric
• Marisa Mathews says Get ready for take off with Microsoft at SQLBits 2024
• Bethany Jepchumba (@bethanyjep), Cloud Advocate, talks about Microsoft Fabric AI Hack Workshop: Build a Custom Object Detection Model Feb 20, 2024
• The Azure Updates Team announce Update records in a Kusto Database public preview
• Vincent-Philippe Lauzon (@vplauzon) explains how to Update records in a Kusto Database Public Preview
• Temidayo Omoniyi explains how to Dynamically Move Multiple Tables in Bulk using Azure Data Factory ForEach and Lookup Activities
• Eric Melcher discusses Drive your AI enablement journey with master data management from Profisee in Azure Marketplace
• Adi Eldar describes Azure Data Explorer Breaking changes February 2024

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

• Marco Netto walks through Quick HPC Cluster Creation with Apps using CycleCloud and EESSI: A WRF example
• On Stackify Blog, Hit Subscribe writes about Getting Started With Azure Serverless
• Sandro Pereira (@sandro_asp) writes about Seamlessly Adding Tags to Azure Function Apps via Visual Studio: A Guide for Enhanced Resource Management
• The Azure Updates Team announces General Availability: Trusted launch for Azure VMs in China regions

Containers

Covering: Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure Red Hat OpenShift, CNAB, CNCF, Container Instances, Container Registry, Porter, WSL, Web App for Containers

• The Azure Updates Team announces Public Preview: Regional Disaster Recovery by Azure Backup for AKS
• Richard Hooper (@Pixel_Robots) blogs about Introducing Enhanced Security in Azure Kubernetes Service: Disabling SSH Access on Cluster Nodes and walks through Streamlining Observability: Integrating AKS and Managed Prometheus with an Existing Grafana Workspace
• Roy Kim (@roykimyyz) walks through Deploying Azure Kubernetes Service Demo Store App with Azure Open AI Part 1 and Part 2
• Rachit Tandon blogs about Using Azure Python SDK to manage Azure Container Apps - Part 2

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

• Pieter Vanhove (@Pieter_Vanhove) writes about Always Encrypted with secure enclaves - Intel SGX vs VBS
• Tanayankar Chakraborty walks through Migrating an Azure SQL DB to a SQL MI by utilizing SqlPackage/ADF

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, Maia Kelner highlights the Streamlined Extension Manager comes to Visual Studio 17.9
• Also on the Visual Studio blog, Sinem Akinci talks about Using Copilot Chat with C++ in Visual Studio: Generate code, fix functions, and more..
• On Visual Studio Magazine, David Ramel (@dramel) covers Copilot Chat Highlights Visual Studio 2022 17.10 Preview 1 and writes about As New Visual Studio Extension Manager Previews, Mads K Floats New Tool Ideas
• Nikita Bajaj blogs about Azure Automation supports Azure CLI commands in runbooks
• On the Visual Studio blog, Maia Kelner covers VisualStudio.Extensibility: Install extensions without restarting Visual Studio
• Elio Struyf (@eliostruyf) explains how to Protect keys by keeping those out of your VS Code settings
• Aaron Powell (@slace) writes about Exploring OpenAI With Aspire Preview 3
• Dhruv Muttaraju explains how to Accelerate developer onboarding with the configuration-as-code customization in Microsoft Dev Box

DevOps

Covering: Azure Artifacts, Azure Boards, Azure DevOps, Azure Pipelines, Azure Repos, Azure Test Plans, Azure DevTest Labs, DevOps tool integrations

• Brianna McGovern explains how to Streamline workflows with DevOps solutions from GitHub and Azure
• On the Data Exposed show Anna Hoffman (@AnalyticAnna) and Drew Skwiers-Koballa provide an Overview of GitHub Actions deployments for Azure
• On epsiode 226 of the Ctrl+Alt+Azure podcast, Tobias Zimmergren & Jussi Roine (@CtrlAltAzure) are joined by Jack Tracey to talk about Azure Verified Modules
• Levi Masonde talks about Azure Resource Management Templates to Simplify Cloud Entities

Hybrid + Multicloud

Covering: Azure Arc, Azure Stack

• Thomas Maurer (@thomasmaurer) blogs about SCVMM management for Azure Stack HCI 23H2
• Annu Priya explains how to Enable Change Tracking and Inventory for Arc Onboarded Machines Windows and Linux
• Aidan Finn (@joe_elway) blogs about Azure & Oracle Cloud Interconnect

Identity

Covering: Azure Active Directory (AD), Azure Active Directory B2C, Azure Active Directory Domain Services

• Alexander Zagranichnov covers Keeping track of object deletions in Microsoft Entra ID

Integration

Covering: Azure API for FHIR, Event Grid, Logic Apps, Service Bus

• James Yu explains how to Enable Automatic Secret rotation by triggering Azure Function from Event Grid over virtual network and explains How to trigger Azure Function from Event Grid over virtual network
• Omar Abu Arisheh explains how to Identify Logic Apps Consumption that are using deprecated V1 Actions and Triggers for SQL Connector

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

• Sander van de Velde writes about Microsoft Fabric RTA: Copilot supports KQL

Learning

Covering: Microsoft Certifications, Azure Certifications, Microsoft Learning Paths, Certification Pathway Information

• Someleze Diko walks through Unlocking Your Career Potential with Microsoft Fabric Career Hub
• On the Kubernetes Blog, Frederico Muñoz provides A look into the Kubernetes Book Club
• Natalie Duryea talks about Microsoft Learn for Organizations: Jump-start team technical training
• Natalie Mickey provides an The AI Study Guide: Azure Machine Learning Edition
• On episode 285 of the Azure DevOps podcast, Jeffrey Palermo (@jeffreypalermo) is joined by Kent Beck (@KentBeck) to discuss his book - Tidy First
• Steve Thomas provides a Skilling snack: Data security basics for IT pros

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

• The Azure Updates Team announces Execute Azure Monitor Logs connector on exact time range provided dynamically preview
• Bhalchandra Atre covers Retirement of RBAC Application Impersonation in Exchange Online

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

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

• Andrea Michael covers Securing your Azure Networks with AVNM Security Admin Rules and VNet Flow Logs

Security

Covering: Azure DDoS Protection, Azure Information Protection, Azure Sentinel, Key Vault, Security Center

• Olivia Daniels describes Microsoft Secure 2024: Showcasing new generative AI cybersecurity features to help you defend
• Inbal Silis discusses Defender for Cloud deployment in AWS/GCP - Agents, Resources, IAM and Cleanup options
• Umesh Nagdev blogs about Monitoring Kubernetes Clusters, Image Build Environment and Container Registries with Sentinel
• On the Microsoft Mechanics show, Daniel Lynch talks about Identity Threat Detection & Response-on-prem to cloud ITDR from Microsoft
• Dagmar Heidecker discusses Protecting Tier 0 the Modern Way

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

• On the Azure blog, Brianna McGovern blogs about Introducing Azure Storage Actions: Serverless storage data management
• The Azure Updates Team announces the General Availability: Azure NetApp Files Standard Network Features - Edit Volumes, and Generally available: Support for Azure VMs using Ultra disks in Azure Backup and Generally available: Support for Azure VMs using Premium SSD v2 in Azure Backup
• The Azure Updates Team describes Public Preview: Azure Storage Actions — Serverless storage data management

Web

Covering: API apps, API Management, App Service (Web), Azure Cognitive Search, Azure SignalR Service, Azure Spring Cloud, Web apps

• Justin Yoo (@justinchronicle) blogs about Azure API Center: The First Look

Azure Virtual Desktop

Covering: Azure Virtual Desktop

• Travis Roberts (@Ciraltos) covers Advanced Conditional Access Policies for AVD