Latest News from Microsoft
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General Availability announcement of Backup/Restore capabilities in SQL Server 2025
Over the past several months, we’ve heard from countless customers who are eager for more robust options to protect, compress, and safeguard their SQL Server data. Since introducing these features in public preview, organizations of all sizes have validated their value in real-world workloads and provided invaluable feedback. Today, we are thrilled to announce the General Availability (GA) of three powerful SQL Server 2025 features:
Microsoft Ignite 2025: Kumppanit AI-murroksen eturintamassa
Microsoft Ignite 2025 toi selkeän viestin: tekoäly ja agenttiteknologiat eivät ole enää tulevaisuuden lupauksia, vaan tämän päivän kilpailuetu. Yritykset, jotka omaksuvat AI:n strategisesti ja laajasti, erottuvat markkinoilla – ja kumppaneilla on tässä ratkaiseva rooli. Asiakkaat etsivät luotettavia asiantuntijoita, jotka eivät ainoastaan myy AI-ratkaisuja, vaan myös elävät AI-transformaatiota omassa toiminnassaan. Ignite esitteli uuden Fr...
ESPC25 Conference: December 1-4
ESPC is Europe’s premier Microsoft 365 and AI conference. Don’t miss this year’s community conference in Dublin, December 1-4. Hear from more than 120 speakers, connect with Microsoft experts, and achieve more with Microsoft 365 and AI. Use discount code ESPC25MSPART for €200 off. Secure your spot at ESPC25 by booking now
Pure Storage Cloud, Azure Native evolves at Microsoft Ignite!
The Azure Storage team has heavily invested in our partner ecosystem to meet all customer data storage needs and make it easier to migrate any application workload to Azure. You will find our complete list in the validated partner catalog (link below) and find partner solutions conveniently located in Storage Center on the Azure Portal. Azure Native Pure Storage Cloud is the latest example of our deep investment in partners. ...
Sensitivity labels preservation and SharePoint ACLs in Azure AI Search
We’re introducing new enterprise security capabilities in Azure AI Search and knowledge bases to help you deliver more trusted, policy-aligned knowledge retrieval for RAG apps and agentic applications. This...
Managing Multiple Deployment Stacks in Azure Bicep: Patterns and Best Practices
Deployment Stacks: Deployment Stacks are a logical grouping of Azure resources defined using Bicep or ARM. When you deploy a stack: Azure tracks which resources belong to that stack You can update or delete resources as a group G...
How to get a free Azure SQL Database or Managed Instance
Next to the performance and security proven engine, with Azure SQL solutions you’re getting dozens of other benefits, such as auto-scaling, auto-patching/maintenance, auto-backups and built-in HA. Free Azure SQL offers fully managed resources with zero cost and zero commitment. There’re two options ...
New in Microsoft Marketplace: November 19, 2025
Learn about 80 new offers that went live in Microsoft Marketplace, a single destination to find, try, and buy cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents to meet your business needs. Get it now in our marketplace
Azure Copilot Migration Agent - Bringing Agentic Migration and Modernization to life
Enterprises today need more than speed they need confidence. Migration projects often stall because of complexity, fragmented tools, and unclear ROI. With Migration Agent in Azure Copilot, we’re changing that equation. This new capability brings AI-driven intelligence to every stage of migration and modernization, helping you move from discovery to execution in hours, not weeks. and completing the journey with confidence. Migration is no longer just about moving workloads. It’s about u...
Build and connect Microsoft Foundry agents to MongoDB Atlas with new native integrations
MongoDB Atlas is a leading document database that’s rapidly gaining traction among Azure customers due to various deep integrations available across Microsoft platforms. In Aug 2025, we announced the General Availability (GA) of native integration for MongoDB Atlas — a milestone that marked a new era for developers and enterprises building AI-powered applications on Azure. Alongside ...
General Availability: Granular RBAC in Azure Monitor Logs
We’re excited to announce the general availability of Granular Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) in Azure Monitor Logs! This capability enables you to set fine-grained data access control at the row level, giving you more flexibility and security when managing log data. Back in May 2025,
Enabling Private Connectivity for Microsoft Fabric: A Practical Guide
As an Infra Architect working with large, security-sensitive enterprise environments, one principle consistently guides infrastructure architects: If a platform can't operate inside a private network boundary, it won’t make it to production. This became very real when our Data Engineering team sent me a simple-looking request:
Introducing Microsoft’s Network Operations Agent – A Telco framework for Autonomous Networks
How NOA Works: Multi-Agent Intelligence with Human Oversight At its core, NOA is a multi-agent system tailored for telecom operations. It hosts a suite of specialized agents, each with a focused ...
Reimagining Network Operations: How Microsoft NetAI Tackles Hyperscale Challenges
The Business Imperative: Why Network Operations Must Change Modern network operators face a perfect storm of challenges: Exponential Growth in Events and Maintenance Network events and maintenance activities are increasing at an unprecedented rate. According to Microsoft’s analysis, weekly network events are projected to grow from hundreds to thousands over the next five years. Maintena...
Azure ND GB300 v6 now Generally Available - Hyper-optimized for Generative and Agentic AI workloads
We are pleased to announce the General Availability (GA) of ND GB300 v6 virtual machines, delivering the next leap in AI infrastructure. On 10/09, we shared the delivery of the first at-scale production cluster with more than 4,600 NVIDIA GB300 NVL72, featuring NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra GPUs connected through...
Announcing Deployment capabilities (preview) in Azure Copilot
What's new? Today, we are excited to announce the Deployment Agent for Azure Copilot, designed to make infrastructure planning and deployment faster, smarter, and easier. The Deployment Agent acts as your dedicated cloud architecture assistant, leveraging Azure’s Well-Architected Framework (WAF) ...
Microsoft Foundry on Windows Server
As organizations embrace AI, new opportunities exist for Windows Server customers who want to leverage on-premises AI. While Azure remains the best pl...
Accelerating Enterprise AI with Microsoft Foundry
Today at Ignite 2025, the spotlight shone brightly on Microsoft Foundry the unified AI platform empowering enterprises to build, deploy, and govern intelligent agents at scale. New features released today are designed to enhance model accessibility, agent sophistication, and enterprise-grade reliability. Below is a deep dive into these powerful updates. Anthropic’s Claude Models Join Foundry
SQL Server 2025 Integration Services General Availability
Microsoft.Data.SqlClient offers a modern, secure, and future-ready data access solution for SQL Server and Azure SQL.Integration Services support will be included in the upcoming CU.Integration Services features in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS IS)
SQL Server Management Studio 22 (GA) supporting SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)
SQL Server Management Studio 22 generally availability has been released. SSMS 22 GA version is recommended to use with Integration Services, as ...
Unlocking Client-Side Configuration at Scale with Azure App Configuration and Azure Front Door
As modern apps shift more logic to the browser, Azure App Configuration now brings dynamic configuration directly to client-side applications. Through its integration with Azure Front Door, developers can deliver configuration to thousands or millions of clients with CDN-scale performance while avoiding the need to expose secrets or maintain custom proxy layers. This capability is especially important for AI-powered and agentic client...
Windows Hardware Compatibility Program - Guidance for Windows 11, version 26H1 Release
Building on the recent WIP Blog post, we’re releasing WHCP and HLK for Windows 11, version 26H1 to support partners working on engineering efforts. This release is focused on enabling new platforms and is not intended for existing or previously released silicon. For mainstream products, continue using <...
New Portal Experience for Feature Management
Feature flags have become an essential tool for modern software development, enabling teams to deploy code safely, control feature rollouts, and experiment with new functionality without the risk of breaking production environments. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into applications— from LLM-powered features to model version management— the need for safe, controlled deployments has never been more critical. The previous experience forced you to make a decision upfront: should I create a...
December Prompt-a-thon for Government Customers
Power Your AI Transformation: Government Copilot Prompt-a-thon As we wrap up an incredible year of innovation, we’re thrilled to invite you to our fifth Copilot Prompt‑a‑thon of 2025—a hands‑on experience that’s transforming how government teams work. This event isn’t just about learning prompts; it’s about collaborating directly with Microsoft coaches, exploring real mission sc...
Announcing Kubernetes Center (Preview) On Azure Portal
Today, we’re excited to introduce the Kubernetes Center in the Azure portal, a new experience to simplify how customers manage, monitor, and optimize Azure Kubernetes Services environments at scale. The Kubernetes Center provides a unified view across all clusters, intelligent insights, and streamlined workflows that help platform teams stay in control while enabling developers to move fast. As Kubernetes adoption accelerates, many teams face growing challenges in managing clusters and...
Agentic Applications on Azure Container Apps with Microsoft Foundry
By combining Azure Container Apps with the Microsoft Agent Framework (MAF) and Microsoft Foundry, developers can run containerized agents on ACA while using Foundry to visualize and monitor how those agents behave.In this blog, we’ll walk through how to build an agent running on Azure Container Apps using Microsoft Agent Framework and OpenTelemetry, and then connect its telemetry to Microsoft Foundry so you can see your ACA-hosted agent directly in the Foundry monitoring experience.Connect the resource to your AI Foundry project.
OracleDatabase@Azure expands footprint to 31 regions and strengthens security with Azure Key Vault
With plans to bring two more regions online in the next three months, Oracle Database@Azure will continue to lead the industry with 33 regions around the world – more than any other hyperscaler.Oracle Database@azure is now live in 31 regions worldwideOracle Database@Azure is live in North Central, South India, and France South, giving enterprises more flexibility and control over global deployments of their business-critical applications.
Protect patient privacy across languages with the de-identification service's preview expansion
Machine learning and analytics are transforming healthcare by streamlining clinical workflows, powering AI models and unlocking new insights from patient data. These innovations are fueled by textual data rich in Protected Health Information (PHI). To be used for research, innovation and operational improvements, this data must be responsibly de-identified to protect patient privacy. Manual de-identification can be slow, expensive, and error-prone, creating bottlene...
Removing barriers to migrating databases to Azure with Striim’s Unlimited Database Migration program
Alok Pareek, co-founder and Executive Vice President of Product and Engineering at Striim Shireesh Thota, Corporate Vice President of Databases at Microsoft Every modernization strategy starts with data. It’s what enables advanced analytics and AI agents today, and prepares enterprises for what’s to come in th...
Announcing Public Preview of Window Server 2025 on Azure Kubernetes Service
We are excited to announce the public preview of Windows Server 2025 support on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) - delivering the latest security, performance, and compatibility improvements for our customers. You can now deploy node pools running Windows Server 2025 alongside those running Windows Server 2022, Azure Linux, and Ubuntu. With the new Windows container portability functionality introduced in Windows Server 2025, you can also run your Windows Server 2022-based containers on Windows...
Announcing Advanced Kubernetes Troubleshooting Agent Capabilities (preview) in Azure Copilot
What’s new? Today, we're announcing Kubernetes troubleshooting agent capabilities in Az...
General Availability: Large Message Support in Azure Event Hubs
Azure Event Hubs is a cloud-native service that streams millions of events per second with minimal latency, fully compatible with Apache Kafka and requiring no code changes for existing Kafka workloads. Today, we are excited to announce the general availability of Large Message Support in Azure Event Hubs, enabling you to send and receive messages up to
Available today: OpenAI's Sora 2 in Microsoft 365 Copilot
Transform your creative workflow with AI-generated video – what it means for IT We're excited to announce that OpenAI's Sora 2—their breakthrough video and audio generation model—is now available in Microsoft 365 Copilot. This integration brings professional-grade AI video creation directly into your familiar Microsoft 365 environment, empowering users to generate compelling video content while maintaining the enterprise security and compliance standards you expect from Microsoft.
Announcing General Availability of the mssql-python Driver
We’re thrilled to announce that the mssql-python driver is now Generally Available! 🎉 This milestone marks a major step forward in delivering a modern, high-performance, and developer-friendly experience for Python developers working with SQL Server, Azure SQL and SQL databases in Fabric. Why mssql-python? The mssql-python driver is a DB-API 2.0 compliant driver designed from the ground up to provide speed, simplicity, and security for Python applicati...
Unlocking Storage Optimizations: Smart Tiering for Blobs and ADLS in Azure Storage
We are excited to introduce the public preview of smart tier for Azure Blob and Azure Data Lake Storage. Smart tier is a fully managed, automated data tiering solution that takes the guesswork and manual effort out of optimizing your storage costs. Smart tier continuously analyzes your data’s access patterns and automatically moves objects between the hot, cool, and cold tiers. Smart tier will keep regularly accessed objects on the hot capacity tier to optimize transaction costs and mo...
Introducing Windows Admin Center: Virtualization Mode (vMode)
Now in Public Preview Windows Admin Center has long been a favorite tool for IT pros, trusted to manage
Azure Databricks Genie integration with Copilot Studio and Microsoft Foundry is now live!
This blog was co-authored by Toussaint Webb, Databricks We’re excited to announce the Public Preview availability of AI/BI Genie
Steer length, tone, style, and images when creating a PowerPoint presentation with Copilot
Hi, Insiders! We’re Victoria Tran, Jess Kwok, and Shea Tuli, and we’re Product Managers on the PowerPoint team. We’re excited to share an update with you that allows you to steer your presentation length, tone, style, and images when creating presentations with Microsoft 365 Copilot in PowerPoint for Windows, for Mac, and for the web. Steer length, tone, style, an...
📢 Agent Loop - New Set of AI Features Arrive in Public Preview
Today at Ignite, we announced the General Availability of Agent Loop in Logic Apps Standard—bringing production-ready agentic automation to every customer. But GA is just the beginning. We’re also releasing a broad set of new and powerful AI-first capabilities in Public Preview that dramatically expand what developers can build: run agents in the Consumption SKU ,bring your own models through APIM AI Gateway, cal...
🎉Announcing General Availability of Agent Loop in Azure Logic Apps
Transforming Business Automation with Intelligent, Collaborative Multi-Agentic workflows! TL;DR Agent Loop is now Generally Available in Azure Logic Apps Standard, turning Logic Apps platform into a complete multi-agentic automation system. Build AI agents that work alongside workflows and humans, secured with enterprise-grade identity and access controls, deployed using your existing CI/CD pipelines. Thousands of customers have already...
SQL Server 2025: Deeply Integrated and Feature-rich on Linux
SQL Server continues to power mission-critical workloads across enterprises, and with SQL Server 2025, we’re delivering innovations that redefine performance, security, developer experience, AI innovation and flexibility along with additional features tailored for Linux environments. Momentum on SQL Server for Linux The adoption of SQL Server on Linux has been phenomenal. The public preview of SQL Server 2025 has seen remarkable adoption, with Linux based deploy...
Announcing Public Preview of Agent Loop in Azure Logic Apps Consumption
We’re excited to announce a major leap forward in democratizing AI-powered business process automation: Agent Loop is now available in Azure Logic Apps Consumption, bringing advanced AI agent capabilities to a broader audience with a frictionless, pay-as-you-go experience. What’s New? Agent Loop, previously available only in Logic Apps Standard, is now available in Consumption logic apps, providing developers,...
📢Announcing MCP Server Support for Logic Apps Agent Loop
At Ignite, we announced that Agent Loop in Azure Logic Apps Standard now supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), enabling agents to discover and call external tools through an open, standardized interface. This brings powerful, flexible tool extensibility to both conversational and autonomous agents. MCP support gives agents a common lan...
🔐Enabling API Key Authentication for Logic Apps MCP Servers
We previously announced support for building Logic Apps MCP servers. This capability comes in a couple forms including via the wizard hosted in API Center and through manual configurations inside an existing Logic App. When we initially shipped this f...
Reduce latency and enhance resilience with Azure Files zonal placement
We are pleased to announce the General Availability of zonal placement for Azure Files Premium LRS in select regions. Zonal placement enables you to pin Azure Files storage accounts to a specific Availability Zone within a region — giving you better control over data locality, resilience, and lower latency for your workloads. Benefits of zonal placement Azure Files provides both local-redundant storage (LRS) and zone-redundant storage (ZRS) options today....
Announcing Elastic MCP Server in Microsoft Foundry Tool Catalog
Introduction The future of enterprise AI is agentic - driven by intelligent, context-aware agents that deliver real business value. Microsoft Foundry is committed to enabling developers with the tools and integrations they need to build, deploy, and govern these advanced AI solutions. Today, we are excited t...
Host remote MCP servers on Azure Functions
Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers allow AI agents to access external tools, data, and systems, greatly extending the capability and power of agents. When you’re ready to expose your MCP servers externally, within your organization or to the world, it’s important that the servers are run in a secure, scalable, and reliable environment. Azure Functions provides such a robust platform for hosting your remote MCP servers, offering high scalability with the
Microsoft Ignite 2025: Empowering Innovation with MDEP
Joining a Global Community of Innovators We’re thrilled to be part of Microsoft Ignite 2025 in San Francisco, CA, where thousands of technology leaders, partners, and customers gather to shape the future. This year’s event is centered on AI-driven transformation, secure platforms, and connected ecosystems, and MDEP stands at the forefront of that vision. Ignite is more than just a showcase for us: It’s a valuable opportunity to connect with partners, exchange insights, and demonstrat...
Partner Case Study | Tiger Analytics
Organizations need to adopt more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective solutions to keep up with the evolving landscape of data analytics. Traditional on-premises systems, while robust and reliable, often face limitations in handling the increasing volume and velocity of data. To thrive, organizations must modernize their critical applications, replacing legacy systems with cloud-native solutions that offer better scalability, fault tolerance, and security. Microsoft partner Tiger Ana...
Cloud Native Identity with Azure Files: Entra-only Secure Access for the Modern Enterprise
As organizations accelerate their cloud-first journeys, the ability to deliver secure, seamless identity and access management for storage in the cloud is now a game-changer. We are excited to announce the Public Preview of Entra-only identities support with Azure Files SMB. With native Entra ID (identities are created and managed entirely in the cloud, with no reliance on on-premises Active Directory or hybrid setups) authentication for Azure Files SMB...
Announcing the Preview of the new Azure Ebsv6 VMs based on the 5th Gen Intel® Xeon® processor
Authored by Misha Bansal, Product Manager, Azure Compute We are excited to announce the public preview of the new Azure Ebsv6 and Ebdsv6 Virtual Machines, powered by 5th Generation Intel® Xeon® Platinum 8573C (Emerald Rapids) processors. These VMs deliver significantly higher remote storage performance, scaling up to 800,000 IOPS and 14 Gbps of remote disk throughput featured by
Announcing General Availability of Scheduled Actions for Azure Virtual Machines
Managing VMs at scale in Azure can be a pain. Subscription throttling can prevent your operations from being received, and having to track and retry intermittent failures adds extra overhead. Scheduled Actions reduces the complexity of managing concurrent API requests in Azure at scale and allows for scheduling actions at a time in the future. What is Scheduled Actions? Scheduled Actions is a separate resource provider that sits above our REST API and makes calls...
Announcing Public Preview: Auditing for Fabric SQL Database
We’re excited to announce the public preview of Auditing for Fabric SQL Database—a powerful feature designed to help organizations strengthen security, ensure compliance, and gain deep operational insights into their data environments. Why Auditing Matters
Integrating Azure Application Gateway v2 with Azure API Management for secure and scalable API
Why Application Gateway v2 + Azure API Management? - Layer-7 routing with path-based rules, host headers, URL rewrites, and WAF protection (OWASP Core Rule Set). - Azure API Management provides API abstraction, versioning, throttling, caching, JWT validation, and per-API policies. - Combined, App Gateway becomes the internet-facing secure entry point and Azure API Management the control plane for API governance. Scenario: Internet...
Announcing the public preview of StandardV2 NAT Gateway and StandardV2 public IPs
In today’s rapidly changing digital landscape, organizations are innovating faster and delivering cloud native experiences at global scale. With this acceleration comes higher expectations: applications must remain always available. An outage in a single availability zone can have a ripple effect on application performance, user experience, and business continuity. To safeguard against zone outages, making your cloud architecture zone resilient isn't an option—it’s ...
Compose for Agents on Azure Container Apps and Serverless GPU (public preview)
Empowering intelligent applications The next wave of AI is agentic
🔐Secure AI Agent Knowledge Retrieval - Introducing Security Filters in Agent Loop
Building secure, permission-aware AI agents with Agent Loop We’re excited to introduce a new capability in Azure Logic Apps that enables document-level authorization for Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) workflows. With security filters, you can now ensure that agents only retrieve and respond with information users are authorized to view. Why Security Trimming Matters In RAG-enabled workflows, agents often retrieve know...
Enhancing Resiliency in Azure Compute Gallery
In today's cloud-driven world, ensuring the resiliency and recoverability of critical resources is top of mind for organizations of all sizes. Azure Compute Gallery (ACG) continues to evolve, introducing robust features that safeguard your virtual machine (VM) images and application artifacts. In this blog post, we'll explore two key resiliency innovations: the new Soft Delete feature (currently in preview) and Zonal Redundant Storage (ZRS) as the default storage type for image versions. Toge...
Azure Functions Ignite 2025 Update
Azure Functions is redefining event-driven applications and high-scale APIs in 2025, accelerating innovation for developers building the next generation of intelligent, resilient, and scalable workloads. This year, our focus has been on empowering AI and agentic scenarios: remote MCP server hosting, bulletproofing agents with Durable Functions, and first-class support for critical technologies like OpenTelemetry, .NET 10 and Aspire. With major advances in serverless Flex Consumption, enhanced...
Introducing Preview of Async Scaling for App Service Plans
Have you ever attempted to deploy or scale out an App Service Plan and received a 429 response that “Not enough available reserved instance servers to satisfy this request. Currently n instances are available. If you are changing instance size you can reserve up to n instances at this moment. If you are increasing instance count then you can add extra n instances at this moment. Please get available machines and retry later.”? If so, then we have a new capability wit...
AI Toolkit Extension Pack for Visual Studio Code: Ignite 2025 Update
Unlock the Latest Agentic App Capabilities—Now Available with Ignite 2025 The Ignite 2025 update delivers a major leap forward for the AI Toolkit extension pack in VS Code, introducing a unified, end-to-end environment for building, visualizing, and deploying intelligent agentic applications. This release enables developers to build and debug locally in VS Code, then deploy to the cloud with a single click. Seamlessly switch between VS Code and the Foundry portal for visualization, o...
Charting the Future of SOC: Human and AI Collaboration for Better Security
Co-authors: Rajiv Bharadwaja, Principal Software Engineering ManagerAbhishek Kumar, Principal Group Manager - Security Research & Operations Security operations centers are under pressure from unprecedented scale and complexity. Speed, precision, and consistency matter more than ever, and AI is everywhere—but hype alone doesn’t solve the challenge. This blog shares our journey and insights from building autonomous AI agents for MDR operations and...
Fine-Tuning Healthcare AI Models: Custom Segmentation for Your Healthcare Data
This post is part of our healthcare AI fine-tuning series: MedImageInsight Fine-Tuning - Embeddings and classification MedImageParse Fine-Tuning - Segmentation and spatial understanding (you are here)
What's new in Microsoft Intune at Ignite
Welcome to Microsoft Ignite, where the future of IT is being reimagined. Today we’re unveiling how Microsoft Intune is transforming endpoint management by putting AI at its core, with assistive chat-based and agentic experiences to help you streamline operations, unify cross-service insights, and enable scalable action, tailored to your organization's needs. With Security Copilot chat embedded across Intune, you gain expert assistance to help guide you through daily...
App Assure Powers Seamless Transitions for the new Outlook
Microsoft is continually evolving its products to deliver greater functionality, stronger security, and better experiences for users. That evolution is now underway for Outlook as we transition from classic Outlook to the new Outlook for Windows, a move that accelerates access to innovations like Copilot and other AI-native tools essential for success in today’s business landscape. <...
Announcing the Public Preview of AMLFS 20: Azure Managed Lustre New SKU for Massive AI&HPC Workloads
Sachin Sheth - Principal PDM Manager Brian Barbisch - Principal Group Software Engineering Manager Matt White - Principal Group Software Engineering Manager Brian Lepore - Principal Product Manager Wolfgang De Salvador - Senior Product Manager Ron Hogue - Senior Product...
AI Gateway in Azure API Management Is Now Available in Microsoft Foundry (Preview)
For more than a decade, Azure API Management has been the trusted control plane for API governance, security, and observability on a global scale supporting more than 38,000 customers, almost 3 million APIs, and 3 trillion API requests every month. AI Gateway builds on this foundation, extending API Management’s proven governance, security, and observability model to AI workloads, including models, tools, and agents. Today, more than 1,200 enterprise customers use AI Gateway to safely operati...
Azure delivers the first cloud VM with Intel Xeon 6 and CXL memory - now in Private Preview
Intel released their new Intel Xeon 6 6500/6700 series processor with P-cores this year. Intel Xeon 6 processors provide performance and scalability by delivering outstanding performance for transactional and analytical workloads and provide scale-up capacities of up to 64TB of memory. In addition, Intel Xeon 6 supports the new
Azure Intel® TDX confidential VMs momentum
Azure’s next generation of Confidential Virtual Machines powered by 5th Gen Intel® Xeon® processors (code-named Emerald Rapids) with Intel® Trust Domain Extensions (Intel® TDX) is out in preview now. This will help to enable organizations ...
Announcing General Availability: Azure Monitor dashboards with Grafana
Continuing our commitment to open-source solutions, we are announcing the general availability of Azure Monitor dashboards with Grafana. This service offers a powerful solution for cloud-native monitoring and visualizing all your Azure data. Dashboards with Grafana enable you to create and edit Grafana dashboards directly in the Azure portal without additional cost and less administrative overhea...
Pantone’s Palette Generator enhances creative exploration with agentic AI on Azure
Color can be powerful. When creative professionals shape the mood and direction of their work, color plays a vital role because it provides context and cues for the end product or creation. For more than 60 years, creatives from all areas of design—including fashion, product, and digital—have turned to Pantone color guides to translate inspiration into precise, reproducible color choices. These guides offer a shared language for colors, as well as inspiration and communication a...
Azure Linux: Driving Security in the Era of AI Innovation
Microsoft is advancing cloud and AI innovation with a clear focus on security, quality, and responsible practices. At Ignite 2025, Azure Linux reflects that commitment. As Microsoft’s ubiquitous Linux OS, it powers critical services and serves as the hub for security innovation. This year’s announcements, Azure Linux with OS Guard public preview and GA of pod sandboxing, reinforce security as one of our core priorities, helping customers build and run workloads with confidence in an increasin...
Richer alt text in Word and PowerPoint, powered by generative AI
Today, I’m excited to announce a major improvement to how alt text is generated in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for Windows.Leveraging generative AI, you can write richer, more descriptive, and more context-aware image descriptions.Richer alt text in Word and PowerPoint, powered by generative AI
Announcing General Availability for AccelNet on Windows Server 2025
That’s why we’re bringing Accelerated Networking (AccelNet), the same technology used in Azure, to Windows Server 2025 Datacenter.Accelerated Networking (SR‑IOV) for Windows Server 2025 Datacenter solves this by: Bypassing the virtual switch for data plane traffic using SR‑IOV, reducing CPU overhead.
Announcing Network HUD: Operational Network Monitoring for Windows Server 2025
Network HUD brings real-time health monitoring to Windows Server clusters, helping you catch misconfigurations and drift before they impact performance.Network HUD simplifies this by continuously monitoring your cluster’s networking health and surfacing actionable insights.Microsoft Learn
Announcing the preview of Azure Local rack aware cluster
We are excited to announce the public preview of Azure Local rack aware cluster! We previously published a blog post with a sneak peek of Azure Local rack aware cluster and now, we're excited to share more details about its architecture, features, and benefits. Azure Local rack aware cluster is an advanced architecture designed to enhance fault tolerance and data distribution within an Azure Local instance. This solution enables you to cluster machines that are strategically placed across two physical racks in different rooms or buildings, connected by high bandwidth and low latency within the same location.Network architecture diagram of an Azure Local rack aware cluster instance
Reimagining Data Excellence: SQL Server 2025 Accelerated by Pure Storage
The arrival of SQL Server 2025 marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of enterprise data management and modern AI application development from ground to cloud.Designed to transform data into actionable intelligence, it aligns perfectly with the Pure Storage mission to simplify, accelerate, and modernize data infrastructure.SQL Server 2025 calls the REST endpoint of the FlashArray system and takes a snapshot application consistent with no external tools.
Build Smarter with Azure HorizonDB
Today, at Microsoft Ignite, we are announcing a new PostgreSQL database service - Azure HorizonDB.To help with database management we are introducing a set of new capabilities in PostgreSQL extension for Visual Studio Code, as well as announcing General Availability of the extension.We are excited to announce a new enhancement in the Microsoft’s state of the art vector indexing algorithm DiskANN – DiskANN Advanced Filtering.
Introducing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot
The new Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot are dedicated agents that help users create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations—directly in chat.With dedicated Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot, users can now start projects in Copilot Chat—using natural language prompts to quickly generate documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot are just the beginning.
Generally Available: Azure SQL Managed Instance Next-gen General Purpose
Next-gen General Purpose is the evolution of General Purpose service tier that brings significantly improved performance and scalability to power up your existing Azure SQL Managed Instance fleet and helps you bring more mission-critical SQL workloads to Azure.The new #SQLMINextGen General Purpose tier delivers a built-in performance upgrade available to all customers at no extra cost.The SQL Managed Instance General Purpose tier is designed with full separation of compute and storage layers.
What's New in Azure App Service at #MSIgnite 2025
Azure App Service introduces a new approach to accelerate application migration and modernization at Microsoft Ignite 2025.Known as Managed Instance on Azure App Service, it enables seamless modernization of classic web apps to the cloud with minimal code changes, especially for apps with custom Windows dependencies.Other major updates include enhanced Aspire support for .NET developers on Azure App Service for Linux, new AI integration features, expanded language/runtime support, and improvements in scaling, networking, and developer experience.
Stream data in near real time from SQL to Azure Event Hubs - Public preview
If near-real time integration is something you are looking to implement and you were looking for a simpler way to get the data out of SQL, keep reading. SQL is making it easier to integrate and Change Event Streaming is a feature continuing this trend. Modern applications and analytics platforms increasingly rely on event-driven architectures and real-time data pipelines. As the businesses speed up, real time decisio...
Expanding Azure Arc for Hybrid and Multicloud Management
Hybrid and multi-cloud environments are no longer optional—they’re essential for modern enterprises. At Ignite 2025, we are announcing key enhancements to Azure Arc based on your feedback, designed to simplify governance, improve security, and deliver operational consistency across diverse infrastructures. Here’s what’s new: 1. Multicloud Connector for GCP – Public Preview Azure Arc now extends its multicloud reach with Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
Public Preview: Multicloud connector support for Google Cloud
We are excited to announce that the Multicloud connector is now in preview for GCP environments.With the Multicloud connector, you can easily connect your GCP projects and AWS accounts to Azure with the following capabilities: The agentless inventory solution will periodically scan your GCP environment, project the discovered resources in GCP as Azure resources, including all of the GCP metadata like GCP labels.
Accelerate your cloud migration journey with Azure Arc resource discovery in Azure Migrate (preview)
Today, we’re excited to announce a new preview capability that extends this value:Azure Migrate’s Arc-based discovery—designed to accelerate your migration decision-making and planning without additional on-premises deployments.With Arc-based discovery, you can leverage your existing Arc-enabled servers and Arc-enabled SQL Server instances to quickly gain insights into:Migration readiness for Azure targets such as Azure VMs, Azure SQL Database, and Azure SQL Managed Instance.
AI-Powered Performance Testing
Performance testing is critical for delivering reliable, scalable applications. We have been working on AI-driven innovations in Azure Load Testing that will change how you author and analyze load tests. AI-Assisted Authoring of JMeter Scripts Writing high-quality load test scripts has traditionally required deep expertise. From setting correlations and think times to properly parameterizing inputs, it requires significant time and effort. This manual effort s...
Optimize Your Cloud Environment Using Agentic AI
In today’s cloud-first world, optimization is no longer a luxury—it’s a strategic imperative. As IT professionals and developers navigate increasingly complex environments, the need to reduce costs, improve sustainability, and accelerate decision-making has never been more urgent. At Ignite 2025, Microsoft is introducing a new wave of agentic capabilities within Azure Copilot—one of the key capabilities includes the
Empowering organizations with integrated data security: What’s new in Microsoft Purview
Today, data moves across clouds, apps, and devices at an unprecedented speed, often outside the visibility of siloed legacy tools. The rise of autonomous agents, generative AI, and distributed data ecosystems means that traditional perimeter-based security models are no longer sufficient. Even though companies are spending more than $213 billiongl...
What’s New at Ignite: Powerful Enhancements in Unified Threat Intelligence
At Microsoft Ignite 2025, we’re unveiling transformative upgrades in threat intelligence designed to empower security teams. With the Threat Intelligence Briefing Agent now fully integrated into the Defender portal, defenders can shift from reactive to proactive security strategies, using Microsoft’s global intelligence combined with insights tailored to their organization. Additionally, the latest phase of the integration of Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence (MDTI) with Defender XDR and...
What's new in Azure Container Apps at Ignite'25
Azure Container Apps (ACA) is a fully managed serverless container platform that enables developers to design and deploy microservices and modern apps without requiring container expertise or needing infrastructure management. ACA is rapidly emerging as the preferred platform for hosting AI workloads and intelligent agents in the cloud. With features like code interpreter, Serverless GPUs, simplifi...
Introducing optimized locking v2
Executive summary New improvements in optimized locking further reduce the overhead of locks in the MSSQL database engine. For many transactions, row and page locks aren’t taken at all while still retaining ACID transaction semantics. The improvements require no changes in customer workloads or configuration and are a part of optimized locking in SQL Server 2025, Azu...
Simplify Application Monitoring for AKS with Azure Monitor (Public Preview)
As cloud-native workloads scale, customers increasingly expect application and infrastructure observability to be unified, automated, and devops-friendly. Azure Monitor is advancing this vision with Application Monitoring for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). With seamless onboarding and troubleshooting experiences in the Azure Portal, now in Public Preview. This new capability brings first-class OpenTelemetry&n...
Resource governor - a new beginning
Executive summary In addition to increased CPU and memory limits, we are making another change to benefit customers using the SQL Server Standard edition. Starting with SQL Server 2025, resource governor, previously an Enterprise edition feature, is also available in the Standard edition. A powerful tool Resource governor has been a p...
Unlocking Enterprise AI: SQL Server 2025 and NVIDIA Nemotron RAG Accelerate AI
Today, most of the world’s data still remains untapped, sitting in databases, documents, and systems across organizations. Enterprises are racing to unlock this data’s value by building the next wave of generative AI applications—solutions that can answer questions, summarize documents, and drive smarter decisions. At the heart of these innovations are retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines, which enable users to interactively engage with large amount of data that continuously evolves...
SQL Server 2025 is Now Generally Available
Today at Ignite, we announce the general availability of SQL Server 2025. This marks the latest milestone in the more than 30-year history of SQL Server. It is also a key part of our commitment to the one consistent SQL promise, delivering consistent experience across on-premises, cloud, and SaaS environments, with one engine and one unified platform. Built on SQL Server’s foundation of best-in-class security, performance and availability, SQL Server 2025 is the AI-ready enterprise dat...
Introducing Project Opal: A New Way to Get Task-Based Work Done
Today we’re introducing Project Opal in Microsoft 365 Copilot – a new AI-powered capability that executes task-based work inside a secure, observable environment you control. Every organization faces the challenge of repetitive, manual work – tasks that consume valuable time and take away from strategic priorities, creativity, and high-impact work. Consider the time it takes to gather information across multiple sites and tools for a compliance audit, onboarding new employees with equi...
Azure app platform at Ignite 2025: New innovations for all your apps and agents
Software is evolving faster than ever, and organizations now operate across multiple generations of application architectures at once: AI apps and agents, cloud-native microservices, modernized enterprise applications, and mission-critical workloads that have powered their businesses for decades. To innovate at the pace AI demands, organizations need a unified platform that supports where they are today and accelerates where they’re going. The need has never been clearer: 95% of IT decision m...
Scale with Ease: Simplified Setup and Management for Connectors
At Microsoft, we’re continuously evolving our platform to make it easier for organizations to connect their data, unlock insights, and maximize their Copilot experience. The Copilot connector ecosystem has expanded from 30 to over 75+ connectors, enabling seamless integration with the tools your organization relies on every day — from ServiceNow, Jira, and Confluence to shared drives and line-of-business applications. By indexing data from these key business apps, Copilot Connectors he...
Building AI apps and agents for the new frontier
Every new wave of applications brings with it the promise of reshaping how we work, build and create. From digitization to web, from cloud to mobile, these shifts have made us all more connected, more engaged and more powerful. The incoming wave of agentic applications, estimated to number 1.3 billion over the next 2 years is no different. But the expectations of these new services are unprecedented, in part for how they will uniquely operate with both intelligence and agency, how they will a...
Microsoft Ignite 2025: Power the next era of cybersecurity with Microsoft Sentinel
At Microsoft Ignite 2025, we’re showcasing how Microsoft Sentinel —trusted by over 40,000 customers worldwide— combines industry-leading SIEM capabilities with a purpose-built security data lake to transform security operations. This powerful combination delivers deep visibility, advanced analytics, and cost-efficiency—empowering security teams to detect, investigate, and respond faster in an AI-driven e...
Microsoft Sentinel MCP Server - Generally Available With Exciting New Capabilities
Today, we’re excited to announce the General Availability of Microsoft Sentinel MCP (Model Context Protocol) server, a fully managed cloud service built on an open standard that empowers AI agents to seamlessly access your entire security context through natural language, eliminating the need for complex data engineering as you build agents. This unlocks new levels of AI agent performance and effectiveness, enabling them to do more for you. Since the public preview launch on Sept...
Microsoft Security Store: Now Generally Available
When we launched the Microsoft Security Store in public preview on September 30, our goal was simple: make it easier for organizations to discover, purchase, and deploy trusted security solutions and AI agents that integrate seamlessly with Microsoft Security products. Today, Microsoft Security Store is generally available—with three major ...
Post-Quantum Cryptography APIs Now Generally Available on Microsoft Platforms
Introduction We are excited to announce a significant leap forward in security: Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) algorithms are now generally available in Windows Server 2025 and Windows 11 clients (24H2,...
Troubleshoot with OTLP signals in Azure Monitor (Limited Public Preview)
As organizations increasingly rely on distributed cloud-native applications, the need for comprehensive standards-based observability has never been greater. OpenTelemetry (OTel) has emerged as the industry standard for collecting and transmitting telemetry data, enabling unified monitoring across diverse platforms and services. Microsoft is among the
Security as the core primitive in the agentic era: New innovations to secure AI agents and apps
This week at Microsoft Ignite, we shared our vision for Microsoft security -- In the agentic era, security must be ambient and autonomous, like the AI it protects. It must be woven into and around everything we build—from silicon to OS, to agents, apps, data, platforms, and clouds—and throughout everything we do. In this blog, we are going to dive deeper into many of the new innovations we are introducing this week to secure AI agents and apps. As I spend time with our customers and pa...
Ignite 2025: Advancing Azure Database for MySQL with Powerful New Capabilities
At Ignite 2025, we’re introducing a wave of powerful new capabilities for Azure Database for MySQL, designed to help organizations modernize, scale, and innovate faster than ever before. From enhanced high availability and seamless serverless integrations to AI-powered insights and greater flexibility for developers, these advancements reflect our commitment to delivering a resilient, intelligent data platform. Join us as we unveil what’s next for MySQL on Azure - and discover how industry le...
Accelerate frontline adoption of Microsoft Teams on personal devices
Frontline workers are the heartbeat of your organization and they need quick, secure access to Microsoft Teams to stay connected and productive. Yet, for many companies, onboarding Teams on a personal device can feel like a maze of extra steps due to security and compliance requirements. That’s where our new web-based onboarding experience comes in. This solution is designed to simplify and accelerate setup for frontline workers, ensuring they can start collaborating on their first day...
Enhancing visibility into your identity fabric with Microsoft Defender
Layered identity security for the modern enterpriseIdentity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR) has to combine modern identity and access management (IAM) and security operations (SOC) through an integrated partnership between identity and security teams.Microsoft Defender’s latest identity security enhancements empower organizations to see and understand their entire identity fabric with unprecedented clarity.
Migration Agent - Unlocking transformation
IT Modernization is far more than adopting a new technology—it’s a transformative, ongoing journey that reshapes processes and culture. It has no finish line, and when embraced fully, it delivers lasting strategic advantage. Modernization unlocks agility, resilience and innovation to keep up with customer expectations and shifts in the competitive landscape. Cloud-native architectures are best positioned to support modernization while securely providing access to innovations such as A...
Public Preview: Azure Monitor Integration with Fabric Real Time Intelligence Eventhouse
Customers need to enable different scenarios to successfully operate their IT/OT environments and business processes for meeting business objectives. Building solutions to solve these problems requires deriving rich insights from telemetry data emitted by devices, assets, applications, typically, by combining with other data to answer business questions. The common need for the systems that produce the insights is the ability to obtain the data they need within acceptable latency, to process,...
Introducing Microsoft Agent Factory
Introducing Microsoft Agent FactoryMicrosoft Agent Factory is a new program designed for organizations that want to move from experimentation to execution faster.With a single metered plan, organizations can build agents with Work IQ, Fabric IQ, and Foundry IQ using Microsoft Foundry and Copilot Studio.
Windows CLAT Enters Private Preview: A Milestone for IPv6 Adoption
IPv6 Adoption: A Global Shift Since its standardization in the late 1990s, IPv6 has steadily gained traction. The last 15 years, especially since World IPv6 Launch Day in 2011, have seen significant progress. Global IPv6 adoption now hovers around 43 to 48%, with countries li...
OpenShift Virtualization on Azure Red Hat OpenShift GA: Accelerating Hybrid Cloud Modernization
Today at Microsoft Ignite 2025, Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization on Azure Red Hat OpenShift reaches General Availability (GA), unlocking a unified platform where enterprise IT teams can run virtual machines and containers side by side. This milestone enables organizations to migrate legacy VMs to Azure, consolidate disparate infrastructure, and modernize applications at t...
AI Agents Are Rewriting the App Modernization Playbook
The Modernization Moment: Why Now? Modernizing enterprise applications has historically been slow, manual, and costly. For many IT leaders and developers, it’s meant wrestling with aging frameworks, complex dependencies, and the constant tug-of-war between maintaining legacy systems and driving innovation. The stakes are high: every dollar spent on maintenance is a dollar not invested in the future. But the game is changing. Today, agentic AI is transforming mod...
Azure PostgreSQL Lesson Learned#7: Database Missing After Planned Maintenance
If you’re running Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server, you might encounter a scenario where your database disappears after planned maintenance.The missing database files were located in a temporary tablespace.Unfortunately, data cannot be recovered because temporary tablespaces are excluded from backups during maintenance activities or server restarts.
Copilot Studio and Azure AI Services, A Case Study on the Mix of the Two Worlds
Recently, I faced just such a challenge: a project requiring the processing of thousands of documents, each needing accurate Optical Character Recognition (OCR), structured data extraction, and seamless integration into business workflows.Microsoft’s Azure AI Services offer robust, scalable tools for document intelligence and data extraction, while Copilot Studio provides a low-code canvas to orchestrate workflows and empower business users.This case study explores how blending Azure AI’s advanced document processing with Copilot Studio’s low-code capabilities can deliver powerful, end-to-end solutions.
Microsoft AI Tour Frankfurt: MVPs Leading the Way in AI Innovation
The Microsoft AI Tour in Frankfurt wasn’t just a showcase of cutting-edge technology—it was a celebration of community, collaboration, and learning. At the heart of this experience were our MVPs, who brought their expertise, energy, and passion to the event. From helping attendees navigate sessions to sharing real-world insights, MVPs played a vital role in making the AI Tour unforgettable.
Solving the Data Challenge for Manufacturers with Sight Machine & Azure IoT Operations
Delivering Industrial AI: From Data to Results As manufacturers accelerate their digital transformation, the ability to unify and leverage operational data is the difference between incremental improvement and competitive advantage. Today, we’re launching a joint solution with Sight Machine, purpose-built to solve the OT data challenge and deliver the full Industrial AI stack in weeks, not months:
Moving the Logic Apps Designer Forward
Today, we're excited to announce a major redesign of the Azure Logic Apps designer experience, now entering Public Preview for Standard workflows.While these improvements are currently Standard-only, our vision is to quickly extend them across all Logic Apps surfaces and SKUs.We're actively stabilizing the experience based on your feedback.
Understanding Small Language Modes
In Part 1 of this series, we explored the key differences between Large Language Models (LLMs) and Small Language Models (SLMs) and why the latter are becoming essential for edge computing.In short, while LLMs like GPT-5 and Gemini are incredibly powerful, they depend on massive compute resources and constant connectivity.SLMs, with far fewer parameters, can run directly on devices such as smartphones, laptops, and embedded systems.
Assess Security risks with Insights in Azure Migrate
That’s why we introduced Insights (preview) in Azure Migrate, to help you identify security risks before they become roadblocks during the migration journey. Security Insights in Azure Migrate provides an integrated dashboard that surfaces potential risks in your on-premises environment during migration planning.Security insights are limited to software and operating system data discovered through the Azure Migrate appliance quick discovery.
From Policy to Practice: Built-In CIS Benchmarks on Azure - Flexible, Hybrid-Ready
Security is more important than ever. The industry-standard for secure machine configuration is the Center for Internet Security (CIS) Benchmarks. These benchmarks provide consensus-based prescriptive guidance to help organizations harden diverse systems, reduce risk, and streamline compliance with major regulatory frameworks and industry standards like NIST, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. In our
Innovations and Strengthening Platforms Reliability Through Open Source
The Linux Systems Group (LSG) at Microsoft is the team building OS innovations in Azure enabling secure and high-performance platforms that power millions of workloads worldwide. From providing the OS for Boost, optimizing Linux kernels for hyperscale environments or contributing to open-source projects like Rust-VMM and Cloud Hypervisor, LSG ensures customers get...
How-to add an MCP tool to your Azure Foundry agent using dynamic sessions on Azure Container Apps
The following is a tutorial on how to use an MCP enabled dynamic session as a tool used in an Azure Foundry agent giving it the capability to run remote shell commands. After your agent is created, you can connect a remote MCP server as a tool for your agent to use.In this tutorial, we demonstrated how to extend Azure AI Foundry agents using Azure Container Apps dynamic session pools.
Windows Server 2019 Retirement on AKS enabled by Azure Arc
Action Required: Migrate to Windows Server 2022 by April 2026 As previously announced, Microsoft is retiring Windows Server 2019 support on Azure Kuberne...
Partner Blog | Securing the future: How Microsoft partners are powering AI-ready organizations
According to the Microsoft 2025 Work Trend Index Annual Report, 82% of leaders say they’re confident they’ll use AI agents as digital team members to expand workforce capacity in the next 12 to 18 months.In recognition of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, this blog post explores how you can build a stronger security practice and empower your customers to innovate safely, backed by Microsoft partner resources, incentives, and solutions.The average cost of a data breach now exceeds $4.4 million globally, and beyond the financial cost, weak security erodes trust.
Reimagining Data Excellence: SQL Server 2025 Accelerated by Pure Storage
The arrival of SQL Server 2025 marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of enterprise data management and modern AI application development from ground to cloud.Designed to transform data into actionable intelligence, it aligns perfectly with the Pure Storage mission to simplify, accelerate, and modernize data infrastructure.It has evolved from a traditional database engine into an intelligent data platform designed for AI-driven operations for mission critical Enterprise workloads.
Redefine work in an AI-enhanced world: Attend the Frontier Firms webinar November 24, 2025
Our dynamic four-part webinar series, Agentic AI + Copilot Partner Skilling Accelerator, empowers you to use the Microsoft AI ecosystem to unlock new revenue streams and enhance customer success. Across four sessions, experts will deliver practical guidance, industry best practices, and proven strategies for applying AI tools in no-code, low-code, and pro-code scenarios. This live virtual event is scheduled for November 24, 2025.
ZoomIt v9.21
ZoomIt v9.21 This update to ZoomIt, a screen magnification and annotation tool, fixes several minor bugs.
Comprehensive VM Monitoring with OpenTelemetry performance counters
Monitoring virtual machines often requires multiple tools and manual investigation. You may see high CPU or memory usage, but identifying the process responsible usually means signing in to the VM and running diagnostic commands. Azure Monitor already provides Guest OS performance monitoring through Log Analytics‑based metrics, trusted for its flexibility, deep integration, and advanced analytics, including custom performance counters, extended retention, and powerful KQL queries. Many...
Build smarter, connected agentic apps with Foundry Tools
Tools have the most impact when they’re easy to find and use, which is why we’re introducing Foundry Tools in Microsoft Foundry, a new unified catalog of cutting-edge tools, connectors, and MCP servers.Today we are making a series of announcements to empower developers to build AI agents that understand business context and may act on business systems:Today, we are excited to announce that we are making it easier to leverage our premier AI capabilities—including Azure Speech, Azure Document Intelligence, Azure Content Understanding, Azure Translator, and Azure Language—all in Foundry Tools.
Securing Azure SQL Database with Microsoft Entra Password-less Authentication: Migration Guide
As part of this initiative, Microsoft Entra authentication for Azure SQL Database offers a modern, password less approach to access control that aligns with Zero Trust principles.To add Entra users from an external tenant, invite them as guest users to the Azure SQL Database's Entra administrator tenant.Migrating to Microsoft Entra password-less authentication for Azure SQL Database is a strategic investment in security, compliance, and operational efficiency.
Upcoming November 2025 Microsoft 365 Champion Community Call
Join our next community call on November 25, 2025, or a recap of what was announced at Microsoft Ignite 2025.Once you register, you will receive an email confirmation and calendar invite with the webinar join link.While our calls are open to everyone, you must be a member of the Microsoft 365 Champion Program in order to access the presentation materials - the access link is in the initial welcome email and the monthly newsletter emails sent the week before the community calls.
Handle Scale for Power State Operations using Scheduled Actions for Azure Virtual Machines.
Scheduled Actions handles retries on transient errors.Scheduled Actions sits above the APIs for VM power state operations and sends actions on your behalf.Scheduled Actions ensures maximum operational throughput for your subscription on large-scale concurrent requests.
Linux on Azure at Microsoft Ignite 2025: What’s New, What to Attend, and Where to Find Us
Microsoft Ignite 2025 is almost here, and we’re heading back to San Francisco from November 17-21 with a full digital experience for those joining online.This year, Linux takes center stage in a big way.From new security innovations in Azure Linux to deeper AKS modernization capabilities and hands-on learning opportunities, Ignite 2025 is packed with content for anyone building, running, or securing Linux-based workloads in Azure.
Rephrase text to suit your presentation narrative with Copilot
I’m excited to share that you can now quickly enhance content directly within your presentation with the help of Microsoft 365 Copilot in PowerPoint for Windows and PowerPoint for the web.Rephrase text to suit your presentation narrative with CopilotRewriting text in your PowerPoint slides is now quicker and more intuitive thanks to the new Auto-rewrite, Condense, Make professional, and Make it a list options.
Azure CycleCloud 8.8 and CCWS 1.2 at SC25 and Ignite
Azure CycleCloud 8.8: Advancing HPC & AI Workloads with Smarter Health ChecksWith the release of CycleCloud 8.8, users gain access to a suite of new features designed to streamline cluster management, enhance health monitoring, and future-proof their HPC environments.5. Enterprise Linux 9 and Ubuntu 20.24 support
Your next big move: Thriving in the reimagined Microsoft Marketplace
The Microsoft commercial marketplace has entered a new era – and if you’re an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) or Software Development Company (SDC), this is your ticket to scale.As of 25 September 2025, Microsoft unified Azure Marketplace and AppSource into a single, streamlined Microsoft Marketplace.ISV Success - Discover offers and benefits of ISV Success to help you take your apps and agents to the next level.Marketplace Rewards - Learn how Marketplace Rewards helps software development companies close deals and reach more customers
How to Integrate Playwright MCP for AI-Driven Test Automation
With the introduction of Model Context Protocol (MCP), Playwright can now interact with AI models and external tools to make smarter testing decisions.This guide walks you through integrating MCP with Playwright in VSCode, starting from the basics, enabling you to build smarter, adaptive tests today.Step 3: Install MCP Server for VS Code
Announcing the General Availability of the RabbitMQ Connector
We are pleased to announce the general availability of the RabbitMQ Connector in Logic Apps (Standard) which allows you to both send and receive messages between Logic Apps and RabbitMQ.To send a message, search for the RabbitMQ connector in your design experience.To Complete messages, in scenarios using peek-lock, search for the RabbitMQ connector within the Logic Apps designer.
Native root detection support for Microsoft Defender on Android
That’s why we’re pleased to share that Microsoft Defender now includes built-in root detection on Android devices.With this update, Defender now detects rooted Android devices, whether they are managed or unmanaged.Join us in San Francisco, November 17–21, or online, November 18–20, for deep dives and practical labs to help you maximize your Microsoft Defender investments ad to get more from the Microsoft capabilities you already use.
Get your FY26 FastTrack Recognized Solution Architect nominations in today!
The FastTrack Recognized Solution Architect (FTRSA) program highlights architects who go beyond basic implementation, driving customer success, fostering innovation, and advancing Microsoft’s ecosystem through outstanding technical expertise.Become a part of the community celebrating customer success in Power Platform & Dynamics 365 implementations.Apply here October 27-March 3:
Collaborative Research by Microsoft and NVIDIA on Real-Time Immunity
To stay protected, enterprises need to adopt AI-powered cybersecurity systems that learn, anticipate, and respond as intelligent defenders.This is where Adversarial Learning, a critical new frontier in security, comes in.This post highlights how Microsoft and NVIDIA are transforming adversarial learning research into real-time, adaptive solutions to improve cyber defenses—leveraging GPU-accelerated computing to deliver scalable, adaptive protection.
Assess and upgrade to SQL Server 2025 with SSMS Migration Component
Starting with SSMS 22, the Hybrid & Migration component now includes upgrade assessment for SQL Server 2025.SSMS also provides a streamlined migration path to the instance of higher version if in-place upgrade is not preferred.If you previously used Microsoft Data Migration Assistant (DMA) for upgrade assessments, SSMS migration component is now the recommended alternative.
Defending the cloud: Azure neutralized a record-breaking 15 Tbps DDoS attack
On October 24, 2025, Azure DDOS Protection automatically detected and mitigated a multi-vector DDoS attack measuring 15.72 Tbps and nearly 3.64 billion packets per second (pps).This was the largest DDoS attack ever observed in the cloud and it targeted a single endpoint in Australia.The attack originated from Aisuru botnet.
From listing to sale: Microsoft Marketplace made easy
This guide walks through how top software companies go transactable, combining AI, automation, and integrations to make it simple and scalable.Microsoft is doubling down on transactable listings as the foundation of its marketplace strategy.Suger combines automation, AI, and native integrations in one platform built for hyperscaler marketplaces.
Ignite your future with new security skills during Microsoft Ignite 2025
Ignite your future with new security skills during Microsoft Ignite 2025Take on the Secure and Govern AI with Confidence ChallengeOne of the challenges featured is the Secure and Govern AI with Confidence challenge.
Transforming Security Analysis into a Repeatable, Auditable, and Agentic Workflow
Security analysis shouldn’t be an afterthought—it should be a continuous, auditable, and intelligence-driven process built directly into the engineering workflow. This work introduces an agentic security analysis pipeline that uses reasoning models and tool-based agents to detect variant vulnerabilities across large, fast-changing codebases.By combining automation with explainability, it transforms security validation from a manual, point-in-time task into a repeatable and trustworthy part of every build.The agentic patterns and tooling can support net-new vulnerability discovery through cross-binary pattern matching, regression detection using historical code comparisons, reproducibility checks aligned with SDL requirements, and model-assisted fuzzing orchestrated through CI/CD processes.
Progress Software and Process.Science offer transactable partner solutions in Microsoft Marketplace
Microsoft partners like Progress Software and Process.Science deliver transact-capable offers, which allow you to purchase directly from Microsoft Marketplace.Learn about these offers below:Process.Science Process Mining: Process.Science integrates process mining capabilities into Microsoft Power BI, allowing organizations to visualize and analyze event data directly within their existing Power BI environment.
Announcing Public Preview: Exchange Online Admin API
Today, we are announcing the Public Preview of the Exchange Online Admin API – a REST based, cmdlet style administrative surface specifically designed to help organizations migrate away from EWS for specific Exchange admin scenarios and modernize automation workflows over HTTP.Exchange Web Services (EWS) is scheduled for deprecation in October 2026, yet many organizations still depend on EWS for specific Exchange administrative tasks due to unavailability of the alternate API for these scenarios.The Admin API provides a REST based, cmdlet style alternative for these scenarios, enabling modern automation while preserving familiar semantics for Exchange administrators.
New Compliance Solutions in Microsoft Sentinel: HIPAA & GDPR Reports
Helps organizations demonstrate compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and protect personal data in cloud and hybrid environments.This solution provides a unified workbook that consolidates data from Alerts and Incidents, Microsoft Purview, Azure SQL Databases, Microsoft 365, User & Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA), and Entra ID.To unlock the full potential of the HIPAA Compliance Solution, you need to integrate key data sources into Microsoft Sentinel.
Secure Azure Stream Analytics Jobs in Dedicated Clusters Using Managed PE for Blob Input/Output
Azure Stream Analytics supports Dedicated Clusters and Managed Private Endpoints, enabling jobs to run in isolated environments and connect privately to Azure resources without exposing them to the public internet.The Stream Analytics Cluster resource provides dedicated compute for running multiple jobs securely and at scale.# Create a Managed Private Endpoint for Stream Analytics Job to access Storage Account
Duplicate detection in Logic App Trigger
Duplicate Detection in Logic App TriggerIn certain scenarios, a Logic App may process the same item multiple times due to various reasons.To address this issue, I implemented a solution using the Logic Apps REST API:Workflow Runs - List - REST API (Azure Logic Apps) |
From Code to Cloud: Python-Driven Microsoft Fabric Deployments
Create an Azure Service Principal and configure variable groups in Azure DevOps for both DEV and PROD environments:This automated deployment solution for Microsoft Fabric ensures reliable, repeatable, and secure artifact management across multiple environments.By leveraging Azure DevOps, Python scripting, and robust configuration files, teams can achieve seamless CI/CD for complex Fabric projects.
MDE for Non‑Persistent VDI — Implementation Guide & Best Practices.
1. Overview: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) for Non‑Persistent VDIDownload the Windows onboarding package (Deployment method: VDI onboarding scripts for non‑persistent endpoints).Configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus on RDS/VDI: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-endpoint/deployment-vdi-microsoft-defender-antivirus
Public Preview of Azure Native Dell PowerScale
Dell and Microsoft are extending their partnership by bringing Dell's flagship unstructured data product, OneFS, to Azure as a new fully managed offering – now in Public Preview.Microsoft customers can now choose between two flavors of Dell PowerScale.Dell PowerScale for Microsoft Azure is a fully managed service, implemented as an Azure Native ISV service (LINK).
Azure Databricks Cost Optimization: A Practical Guide
This guide walks through a proven approach to Databricks cost optimization, structured in three phases: Discovery, Best Practices Alignment, and Team Alignment & Next Steps. Databricks Unity Catalog provides system tables that store operational data for your account.Prebuilt Queries: Use top queries with system tables to answer meaningful cost questions.
ESPC25 – Dublin | Microsoft event guide
European SharePoint Conference 2025 |Dublin, Ireland, is one of the most dynamic and innovative tech cities in Europe, making it the perfect place for in-person, in-depth learning at the European SharePoint Conference—now simply branded as ESPC25—December 1–4, 2025.The European SharePoint Conference (ESPC), now known simply as ESPC, is one of the largest and most prominent events in Europe dedicated to Microsoft technologies, particularly Microsoft 365 and Azure.
SharePoint Embedded guide for software companies: Use cases make it real for customers
A: The most successful multi-tenant software companies use the owning and consuming tenant approach. Once you have developed your application and it’s ready to be deployed to a customer, customers want to maintain control of their data, use the security configuration they have configured and compliance controls across their entire data estate. What they don’t want to do is store data outside of their tenant. When using SharePoint Embedded, you control the application, your customer controls their data.When you’re ready to bring on a new customer, you simply register SharePoint Embedded on the consuming tenant (your customer). As documents are added through your application, they reside in the consuming tenant and all the security boundaries they have configured.A: SharePoint Embedded inherits Office 365's data residency capabilities, which often exceeds what most software companies can provide on their own:
Ignite 2025: New Microsoft Sentinel Connectors Announcement
Recognized as a leader by Gartner and Forrester, Microsoft Sentinel is a platform for all of security, evolving to unify signals, cut costs, and power agentic AI for the modern SOC.With over 350+ integrations available, organizations can seamlessly bring data from a wide range of sources into Microsoft Sentinel’s analytics and data lake tiers.Today we showcase some of the most recent additions to our growing Microsoft Sentinel ecosystem spanning categories such as cloud security, endpoint protection, identity, IT operations, threat intelligence, compliance, and more:
Fine-Tuning Healthcare AI Models: Grounded Findings Generation with CXRReportGen
CXRReportGen is both a language model and a detection model, so we can improve the clinical accuracy of detection and language generation to adapt to local contexts: imaging/population characteristics, clinical patterns, and institutional reporting styles.That’s why we’re excited to announce the fine-tuning capability for CXRReportGen, which enables you to harness your existing data to create a model that not only delivers greater clinical accuracy but also produces findings and reports that match your organization’s preferred style and formatting.CXRReportGen is Microsoft’s grounded report generation model for chest X-rays.
Unlocking Developer Innovation with Microsoft Sentinel data lake
Microsoft Sentinel is evolving rapidly, transforming to be both an industry-leading SIEM and an AI-ready platform that empowers agentic defense across the security ecosystem.In our recent webinar: Introduction to Sentinel data lake for Developers, we explored how developers can leverage Sentinel’s unified data lake, extensible architecture, and integrated tools to build innovative security solutions.This post summarizes the key takeaways and actionable insights for developers looking to harness the full power of Sentinel.
Microsoft and Rockwell Automation: Transforming Industrial AI Together
Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk Optix and Microsoft’s Azure IoT Operations together deliver a powerful foundation for industrial transformation.FactoryTalk Optix provides a modern, flexible visualization platform for real-time monitoring and control of OT systems.Paired with Azure IoT Operations, a unified, adaptive cloud solution built on open standards and powered by Azure Arc, manufacturers gain seamless connectivity across the factory floor enabling edge to cloud orchestration.
Title Plan Update – November 14, 2025
November 14, 2025 Title Plan Now AvailableAccess the latest Instructor-Led Training (ILT) updates anytime at http://aka.ms/Courseware_Title_Plan to ensure you're always working from the most current version.📌 Reminder: To help you stay informed more quickly and consistently, we’ve moved to a weekly publishing cadence for the title plan.
Join Microsoft @ SC25: Experience HPC and AI Innovation
Supercomputing 2025 is coming to St. Louis, MO, November 16–21!Visit Microsoft Booth #1627 to explore cutting-edge HPC and AI solutions, connect with experts, and experience interactive demos that showcase the future of compute.Alpine Formula 1 Showcar: Snap a photo with a real Alpine F1 car and learn how high-performance computing drives innovation in motorsports.
Debunking the myth: Cloud-native Windows devices and access to on-premises resources
Microsoft’s vision for secure, productive workplaces is clear: adopt cloud-first services, integrate Zero Trust throughout, and deploy Windows 11 devices as cloud-native endpoints to stay agile and future-ready.On your Zero Trust journey, if you need to provide access to on-premises applications and services, consider replacing your traditional VPN with a modern solution, enabled by Microsoft Entra Private Access.The Zero Trust Workshop is a guided framework to help you translate your Zero Trust strategy into actionable implementation steps which track your deployment progress and align with Microsoft recommendations.
Improved search dropdown placement in OneNote on Windows
I’m happy to share improvements to the search experience in Microsoft OneNote on Windows, especially for those of you using the Horizontal Tabs layout where the page list is on the right.Improved search dropdown placement in OneNote on WindowsWith this update, we’ve repositioned the search dropdown to minimize overlap with your page.
Accelerating HPC and EDA with Powerful Azure NetApp Files Enhancements
Azure NetApp Files continues to evolve, delivering ever improving enterprise-grade storage innovations that empower workloads such as High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Electronic Design Automation (EDA) teams to scale, collaborate, and innovate faster.This brand-new Validating Scalable EDA Storage Performance: Azure NetApp Files and SPECstorage Solution 2020 article provides an in-depth look at the capabilities of Azure NetApp Files and its advantages for EDA teams, highlighting its extreme performance and linear scalability for EDA workloads.The Azure NetApp Files migration assistant (now with Azure portal experience) is a purpose-built tool that streamlines the migration of data from on-premises NetApp® ONTAP® systems or Cloud Volumes ONTAP® into Azure NetApp Files.
Welcome Back Federal! Try this Prompt of the Week to get Caught Up.
This blog post introduces a powerful Copilot prompt designed to help you catch up fast and prioritize effectively, so you can focus on what matters most without wasting hours sifting through updates.The Solution: Microsoft 365 Copilot PromptComprehensive Scan: Reviews all recent emails, Teams chats, and meetings since your return date.
Azure Virtual Network Manager + Azure Virtual WAN
Azure continues to expand its networking capabilities, with Azure Virtual Network Manager (AVNM) and Azure Virtual WAN (vWAN) standing out as two of the most transformative services.Virtual WAN replaces a do-it-yourself hub VNet with a fully managed hub service: Where Azure Virtual Network Manager Steps In?
Delivering web applications over IPv6
Comparison with DNS-Based Solutions:Unlike Traffic Manager or other DNS-based global load balancing solutions, Global Load Balancer provides:- Instant Failover: No DNS TTL delays - failover happens within seconds at the network level.- True Anycast: Single IP address that works globally without client-side DNS resolution.- Consistent Performance: Geo-proximity routing through Microsoft's backbone network ensures optimal paths.- Simplified Management: No DNS record management or TTL considerations.Azure Application Gateway can be deployed in a single region to provide IPv6 access to applications in that region.Azure Front Door Premium introduces Private Link integration, enabling secure, private connectivity between Front Door and backend resources, without exposing them to the public internet.
🚀 Mission Agent Possible: Your Chance to Build, Solve, and Win at Microsoft Ignite 2025!
🔍 What’s Mission Agent Possible?Create an AI AgentThe contest officially kicks off on November 18 and closes on November 20 (PST):👉 https://aka.ms/ignite25/mission-agent👉 https://aka.ms/models-blog
Power Platform Community Conference: MVPs, Community, Insights & Inspiration
At the Power Platform Community Conference (PPCC), Microsoft senior leaders, product engineers, and Microsoft MVPs from around the world came together to teach, demo, and answer hundreds of real‑world questions - showcasing how vibrant and hands‑on this community truly is.This year’s conversations ranged from governance on a budget to app performance tuning and the accelerating role of AI‑powered copilots.Looking ahead, AI and Copilot are reshaping how we build on the Power Platform - here’s how Dian sees it, “AI and Copilot is already reshaping how we build on the Power Platform today.
GPT‑5.1 in Foundry: A Workhorse for Reasoning, Coding, and Chat
Azure AI Foundry is unveiling OpenAI’s GPT-5.1 series, the next generation of reasoning, analytics, and conversational intelligence.The following models will be rolling out in Foundry today:GPT-5.1-codex: optimized for long-running conversations with enhanced tools and agentic workflows
New OneNote Class Notebook LTI 1.3 integration in the Microsoft 365 LTI app
OneNote Class Notebook is entering a new era with a modern, unified LTI® 1.3 integration (as part of the Microsoft 365 LTI app) that brings back automatic roster sync and streamlines how educators and students use Class Notebooks within their LMS.This update is designed to benefit both educators and IT admins, making it easier to set up Class Notebooks and keep them in sync with course enrollments.In this article, we’ll cover the key new features, use cases, and next steps -- and how the new integration replaces the older LTI 1.1 tool (which is retiring in 2026).
From AI to ecosystem strategy: Why UP LIVE Reston was a game-changer
With keynotes from top Microsoft leaders, immersive workshops, and a curated executive audience, this wasn’t just another conference — it was a strategic accelerator for the future of partnering.From Copilot to Agentic AI, Microsoft and its partners are leading the charge in redefining how innovation is delivered.Only 5% of buyers are ready to buy now, and 90% will choose from their “Day 1 list.”
Cumulative Update #22 for SQL Server 2022 RTM
The 22nd cumulative update release for SQL Server 2022 RTM is now available for download at the Microsoft Downloads site.Please note that registration is no longer required to download Cumulative updates.To learn more about the release or servicing model, please visit:Starting with SQL Server 2017, we adopted a new modern servicing model.
ProcDump v11.1
ProcDump v11.1 This update to ProcDump, a command-line utility for generating memory dumps from running processes, fixes several minor bugs.
Bulletproof agents with the durable task extension for Microsoft Agent Framework
Today, we're thrilled to announce the public preview of the durable task extension for Microsoft Agent Framework.This extension transforms how you build production-ready, resilient and scalable AI agents by bringing the proven durable execution (survives crashes and restarts) and distributed execution (runs across multiple instances) capabilities of Azure Durable Functions directly into the Microsoft Agent Framework.Example scenario: A content publishing agent that generates drafts, sends them to human reviewers, and waits days for approval without running (or paying for) compute resources during the review period.
Profiles in Partnership Ep 27 | Fueling Growth: How IAMCP & MSDynamicsWorld.com Collaboration Empowers Members
In this environment, two organizations are standing out as true game-changers: MSDynamicsWorld (MSDW) and the International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners (IAMCP).Two organizations are leading this charge: MSDynamicsWorld (MSDW) and the International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners (IAMCP).At the heart of the Microsoft partner landscape are three engines of opportunity: Dynamics 365, Business Central, and the Power Platform.
Course Retirement Announcement: MS-4008 and MS-4012
MS-4008: Microsoft 365 Copilot Interactive Experience for ExecutivesRetirement date: December 31, 2025Replacement course: N/A
Microsoft SAP Partner Community Kick-Off – Recap
Welcome to the Microsoft SAP Partner Community!This collaborative hub is designed to help SAP partners leverage Microsoft technologies, accelerate SAP migrations to Azure, and drive business growth through shared resources and incentives.Foster collaboration among SAP partners to share knowledge, best practices, and innovative solutions.
GPT‑5.1 in Foundry: A Workhorse for Reasoning, Coding, and Chat
Today marks a significant moment for enterprise AI innovation: Azure AI Foundry is unveiling OpenAI’s GPT-5.1 series, the next generation of reasoning, analytics, and conversational intelligence.The GPT-5.1 series is built to respond faster to users in a variety of situations with adaptive reasoning, improving latency and cost efficiency across the series by varying thinking time more significantly.The GPT-5.1 series is now available in Foundry Models.
New Microsoft Certified: AI Transformation Leader Certification
The Microsoft Certified: AI Transformation Leader Certification validates your expertise in these skills.Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer.Get ready to take Exam AB-731 (beta):
Learn to deploy Teams Rooms on Windows in minutes with Autopilot + Auto-login!
It’s never been easier to deploy Teams Rooms on Windows devices at scale than with Autopilot and Auto-login, you or your Microsoft Teams Rooms partner can securely deploy Teams Rooms in minutes.There are various ways to collect and upload the Autopilot information:Since each Teams Room device is a bit different, we’ve partnered with each Teams Rooms manufacturer to create instructional videos with their best practice recommendations for how to use Autopilot + Autologin to deploy their Teams Rooms on Windows devices including how they recommend uploading the device Autopilot information.
Partner Blog | Know before you go: Microsoft Ignite
Microsoft Ignite is almost here.You will hear from Microsoft engineering and business leaders, explore new AI product capabilities, and see how partners are scaling intelligent solutions in the market.The experience brings together deep technical content, hands-on learning, networking opportunities, and direct engagement with experts who are shaping the future of cloud and AI platforms.
Secure Boot playbook for certificates expiring in 2026
The first set of tools and steps are now available to help you proactively update your Secure Boot certificates before they expire in June of 2026.To get the updates that include the Group Policy for deploying Secure Boot certificate updates, download the latest Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 and Windows Server.Check the Secure Boot status of your devices before and after deployment.
New Microsoft Certified: AI Business Professional Certification
If this is your skill set, we have a new Microsoft Certification for you.The Microsoft Certified: AI Business Professional Certification validates your expertise in these skills.Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer.
Build your first AI Agent with Azure App Service
Azure App Service is the go-to platform for building your first AI application because it eliminates infrastructure complexity while delivering enterprise-grade capabilities.As a fully managed Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), it offers native integration with Azure AI services like Azure OpenAI, built-in DevOps support with GitHub Actions and Codespaces, and multi-language flexibility so you can build with what you know.Getting Started with AI on App Service
[Public Preview] Introducing Customizable Security Baseline Policies in Machine Configuration
Background: Azure Machine Configuration remains committed to enabling greater security and simplicity in at-scale server management for all Azure customers.Machine Configuration (previously known as Azure Policy Guest Configuration) enables both built-in and custom configuration as code allowing you to audit and configure OS, app, and workload level settings at scale, both for machines running in Azure and hybrid Azure Arc-enabled servers.We’re excited to announce Public Preview support for Customizable Security Baselines in Azure Policy and Machine Configuration.
New: Microsoft 365 Certified: Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals
The Microsoft 365 Certified: Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals Certification validates that you understand what's required to support and protect an AI-enabled Microsoft 365 environment.The new Certification shows employers that you understand how to configure, secure, and govern Copilot and agents across Microsoft 365 to help keep your organization productive and compliant, that you know the fundamentals of identity, security, and compliance so you can support AI adoption, and that you not only know how to use AI but also how to enable and manage AI in the workplace.Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer.
Sploitlight: Hunting Beyond the Patch
In early 2025 Microsoft disclosed CVE-2025-31199, a macOS vulnerability that abused Spotlight, macOS’s metadata importer framework to bypass Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC). After the Defender team reported this to Apple, a patch was released that closed the hole.[1] So, in this article, we teach you how to hunt beyond the patch!We recommend hunting for patterns around importers, indexing behavior, and TCC privileged binaries to help detect attempts to rebuild this chain of abuse.
Profiles in Partnership Ep 25 | Scaling Smart: Automated Collaboration and AI Governance
Without a governance plan, AI agents, Copilot integrations, and Power Platform apps can quickly spiral into a security, compliance, and productivity nightmare.That product evolved into Rencore, a SaaS platform hosted on Azure that now helps enterprises govern collaboration, low-code development, and AI environments at scale.Matt calls it agent sprawl — and without Copilot governance and lifecycle management, it’s a ticking compliance and security time bomb.
Introducing Customizable Security Baselines in Azure Policy and Machine Configuration
Machine Configuration (previously known as Azure Policy Guest Configuration) enables both built-in and custom configuration as code allowing you to audit and configure OS, app, and workload level settings at scale, both for machines running in Azure and hybrid Azure Arc-enabled servers.We’re excited to announce Public Preview support for Customizable Security Baselines in Azure Policy and Machine Configuration.This feature empowers you to tailor industry security benchmarks—such as CIS benchmarks for Linux or Azure Security Baselines for Windows and Linux —to align with your organization’s unique compliance standards across both Azure and Arc-connected machines.
Microsoft 365 Insider program turns 10!
The Microsoft 365 Insider program is 10 years old today!And many of those have been influenced by and benefited from your feedback.Tell us in the comments below, or respond to our polls on X, LinkedIn, and Threads.
Consolidate & Conquer: Driving Business Transformation with Integrated Security (Part 1 of 2)
In the evolving cybersecurity landscape, the choice between a unified security platform and a point solution is a strategic one with far-reaching implications.This two-part blog series examines the strategic decision organizations face between adopting a unified security platform and relying on multiple point solutions in cybersecurity.This post peels back the marketing hype and lays out the hard numbers from Forrester’s TEI report and dozens of customer stories: dramatic cost savings, 80% faster response times, 75% fewer costly breaches, and measurable bumps to your margin, EPS and ROE.
Building brighter futures: How YES tackles youth unemployment with Azure Database for MySQL
Youth unemployment is one of South Africa’s most persistent challenges with more than half of young people struggling to secure their first job.As South Africa’s largest youth employment initiative, YES connects young people with 12-month work placements, learning programs, and job-matching services.YES’s mission is to break the cycle of inexperience and unemployment and create pathways for youth into permanent work or entrepreneurship.
Microsoft Defender for Office 365: Fine-Tuning
Use Enhanced Filtering for Connectors (“skip listing”) when necessaryIf you’re routing inbound mail through a third-party Secure Email Gateway or an on-prem hop before Microsoft 365, Defender will see that intermediary as the source IP instead of the original sending IP, which degrades anti-spoofing effectiveness.Enhanced Filtering for Connectors — also called skip listing — lets Microsoft 365 look past that last hop and evaluate the real sending IP and headers, so SPF / DKIM / DMARC and anti-spam logic work correctly. This setting does not support centralized mail routing (unless the routing is linear; see the Enhanced Filtering for Connectors learn article), so make sure you are not using that before enabling Enhanced Filtering. Centralized routing is sometimes used by organizations running a hybrid Exchange deployment, connecting Exchange Online with an on-premises Exchange Server organization. Important: Do this instead of blanket SCL -1 transport rules that “bypass spam filtering for anything coming from our gateway.”Turn on Safe Attachments protection beyond email (SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams) In the Safe Attachments “Global settings,” make sure Defender for Office 365 is set to protect files in SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams.
New in Microsoft Marketplace: November 13, 2025
Learn about 197 new offers that went live in Microsoft Marketplace, a single destination to find, try, and buy cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents to meet your business needs.ArcGIS for Microsoft Fabric enables spatial analysis at any scale, leveraging Apache Spark for uncovering patterns.UST offers a solution by migrating Hyperdrive to Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop, providing security, scalability, and cost savings.
News to Know – Volume 2, Edition 9, November 2025
However, since we are still working on enhancements to give Admins more control over user data management, especially regarding Entra Delete Signals, we will continue to pause Entra Delete Signal in Viva Glint until the end of June 2026. Now generally available in Viva Glint, this report highlights the relationships between employee survey scores and workplace activity and collaboration patterns without custom analysis.Be among the first to experience Copilot Highlights, a new dashboard feature in Viva Glint that delivers instant, actionable summaries of survey results—spotlighting team strengths, opportunities, and engagement trends at a glance.
Keeping Content Fresh in the SharePoint FAQ Web Part - Powered by Microsoft 365 Copilot
We are excited to introduce the latest updates coming to the SharePoint FAQ web part, designed to help content owners keep FAQ content accurate, engaging, and always up to date.These enhancements make it simple to keep FAQs accurate and engaging - thanks to on-demand AI-suggested updates, seamless import of existing FAQs, SharePoint Page as grounding references, and the new ability to copy and share individual Q&A links with your audience.Enhance answer reliability by grounding FAQ responses in your own SharePoint content.
Part III: OTEL sidecar extension on Azure App Service for Linux - Language cheat-sheet
Building on Part II (and Part I), here’s a concise matrix for PHP, Python, Node.js, and .NET, plus the key app settings and quick troubleshooting steps. We’ve published a repo with working samples for PHP, Node.js, Python, and .NET showing both code-based and container-based setups using the OTEL sidecar extensions.With the OpenTelemetry sidecar extensions for Azure Monitor and Elastic APM, App Service for Linux makes end-to-end observability a drop-in add-on for both code and container apps. Grab the sample repo, wire up your connection string or token, and give it a try.
Part II: OTEL sidecar extension on Azure App Service for Linux - Elastic APM setup
Picking up from Part I, this post shows how to obtain the Elastic APM Server URL and Secret token, add the OTEL Elastic sidecar, and validate telemetry in Kibana.The only differences are - get your Elastic APM Server URL and Secret token, choose the OpenTelemetry – Elastic APM extension, and set Elastic-specific app settings.We’ve published a repo with working samples for PHP, Node.js, Python, and .NET showing both code-based and container-based setups using the OTEL sidecar extensions.
Demystifying GitHub Copilot Security Controls: easing concerns for organizational adoption
Often, this hesitation isn't due to reluctance but stems from organizational concerns around security and regulatory compliance.In this blog, I'll demystify the most common security concerns about GitHub Copilot and explain how its built-in features address them, empowering organizations to confidently modernize their development workflows.With GitHub Copilot agent mode, the "Terminal auto approve” setting in VS Code can be used to prevent this.
Azure PostgreSQL Lesson Learned #6: Major Upgrade Blocked by Password Auth (The One-Change Fix)
PostgreSQL 11 on Flexible Server requires SCRAM to be enabled before attempting an in‑place major version upgrade to higher versions.The service precheck blocks the upgrade if the server is still on password/MD5‑only auth.1) Enable SCRAM on the server
Part I: OTEL sidecar extension on Azure App Service for Linux - Intro + PHP walkthrough
Sidecar extensions let you attach a companion container to your App Service for Linux app to add capabilities—without changing your core app or container.In this post, we’ll use the new sidecar extension—OpenTelemetry - Azure Monitor and show end-to-end setup for a PHP code-based apps (the same extension will also work for other language stacks and container-based apps).Walkthrough: add the OpenTelemetry – Azure Monitor sidecar to a PHP (code-based) app
Introducing AI Playground on Azure App Service for Linux
If you’re running a Small Language Model (SLM) as a sidecar with your web app, there’s now a faster way to try prompts, measure latency, and copy working code into your app—all without leaving your site. AI Playground is a lightweight, built-in experience available from the Kudu endpoint for every Linux App Service.AI Playground is a simple UI that talks to the SLM you’ve attached to your App Service app (for example, Phi or BitNet via the Sidecar extension).
The Copilot Studio User Group Has A New Group For Community Events!
Where Will Events Be Held For The Copilot Studio User Group?We've Decided To Use Microsoft GroupMe Event Groups For Hosting Virtual Chat Based Events Where Can I Access The Event Group?You Can Access It Here Events Will Be Published Through The Space Where We Will Be Using GroupMe Event Groups To Host Events That Are Chat-Based Virtual Events For Members That Can’t Physically Attend In Person For EventsRequirements Must Be In The
Meet the Maker: The Communicator’s Guide to AI – Live with Elaine Q. Chang
Join us for the next edition of "AI for Communicators," a special First Fridays session featuring Elaine Q. Chang—Technical Advisor to Microsoft’s Chief Communications Officer and co-creator of the LinkedIn Learning course, The Communicator’s Guide to AI: Tools and Mindsets for Modern PR and Media.Elaine brings nearly two decades of experience spanning engineering, communications, and business strategy, making this an unmissable event for anyone navigating the evolving landscape of AI in communications.Interactive “Meet the Maker” Format: Elaine will unpack the ACT (Aspire, Choose, Tune) strategy and show how it translates into real-world comms workflows, from announcement planning to media Q&A prep and narrative development.
Your Guide to Azure AI Foundry @ Microsoft Ignite
Microsoft Ignite is where innovation meets execution—and this year, Azure AI Foundry is at the heart of it all.Kick off Ignite with a visionary look at building AI apps and agents at scale.Agentic identity and other enterprise superpowers in Azure AI Foundry (BRK186): Hear how Commerzbank drives agentic AI at scale and discover how Azure AI Foundry agents meet enterprise standards for identity, connectivity, extensibility, and lifecycle management and dive into Entra Agent ID.
Unlock bigger deals with flexible billing and five-year terms in Microsoft Marketplace
Many partners are already leveraging flexible billing and multi-year terms to close larger, more strategic deals in the Microsoft Marketplace.Now, with flexible billing, you can set custom billing schedules with up to 70 installments over the duration of the contract.Flexible billing for private offers - This demo video shows software development companies how to create a direct customer private offers with a flexible billing schedule.
Boost SaaS revenue with Microsoft Marketplace: A step-by-step guide
For SaaS companies, the Microsoft Marketplace has evolved from being a procurement convenience to becoming a strategic revenue engine.But while publishing a listing is easy, closing the first transaction quickly is what separates software development companies who scale on Marketplace from those who stall.It goes beyond “how to list” and focuses on what really drives velocity: operational readiness, CRM-native automation, seller engagement, trust signals, and AI-enabled acceleration.
MiniMax-M2: The Open-Source Innovator in Coding and Agentic Workflows Now in Azure AI Foundry
We’re thrilled to announce that MiniMax-M2, the latest breakthrough from MiniMax, is now available in Azure AI Foundry through Hugging Face.Built for developers, this model advances capabilities for what’s possible in coding, multi-turn reasoning, and agentic workflows—while delivering enhanced efficiency and scalability.MiniMax-M2 isn’t just another large language model—it’s a 230B-parameter Mixture of Experts (MoE) architecture that activates 10B parameters per task, ensuring better performance at a lower cost.
Partner Blog | Azure updates for partners: November 2025
Across our partner ecosystem, I’m seeing a decisive shift from exploring what’s possible with AI and cloud to executing with focus, scale, and sustainable impact. Azure Accelerate and momentum in the Microsoft Marketplace give partners like you a strong foundation to align investments and deliver outcomes that matter. It is where ideas become practice and where partners shape what is possible for customers.From November 18–21 in San Francisco and online, you will hear directly from our product leaders, preview the latest in Azure and AI innovation, and connect with peers who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Make time for ancillary events, interactive roundtables, and the Partner Hub to build new skills, expand your network, and explore hands-on opportunities to advance your work.
Release Announcement of SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) v10.4
We’re excited to announce the release of SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) v10.4, bringing significant enhancements across all SSMA flavors to further streamline your database modernization journey to Azure SQL and SQL Server.Support for SQL Server 2025General Availability of Oracle PL/SQL to SQL Code Conversion Copilot
Congratulations to the 2025 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards winners and finalists
The Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards celebrate that impact.In addition to the global award categories, we’re recognizing partners from over 80 countries and regions as part of the Country and Region Partner of the Year Awards.We’ll celebrate these achievements together at Microsoft Ignite, taking place November 18–21, 2025.
DNS flow trace logs in Azure Firewall are now generally available
DNS Proxy, a key capability in Azure Firewall, enables the firewall to act as a DNS forwarder for DNS traffic.Today, we’re introducing the general availability of DNS flow trace logs — a new logging capability that provides end-to-end visibility into DNS traffic and name resolution across your environment, such as viewing critical metadata including query types, response codes, queried domains, upstream DNS servers, and the source and destination IPs of each request.Existing Azure Firewall DNS Proxy logs provide visibility for DNS queries as they initially pass through Azure Firewall.
Announcing public preview of query-based metric alerts in Azure Monitor
Azure Monitor metric alerts now support all Azure metrics—including platform, Prometheus, and custom metrics—giving you complete coverage for your monitoring needs.In addition, metric alerts now offer powerful query capabilities with PromQL, enabling complex logic across multiple metrics and resources.Full metrics coverage: metric alerts now support alerting on any Azure metrics including platform metrics, Prometheus metrics and custom metrics.If you have an Azure Monitor workspace containing Prometheus or OpenTelemetry metrics, you can create query-based metric alert rules today.
Release Announcement of SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) v10.4
We’re excited to announce the release of SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) v10.4, bringing significant enhancements across all SSMA flavors to further streamline your database modernization journey to Azure SQL and SQL Server.With SSMA 10.4, you can now fully discover, assess, convert schema, and migrate data to SQL Server 2025.This includes:We are introducing a new Microsoft-managed endpoint that enables SSMA Copilot usage through Microsoft Entra ID authentication, without requiring customers to bring their own Azure OpenAI subscription.
Ignite 2025: New Microsoft Sentinel Connectors Announcement
BlinkOps is an enterprise-ready agentic security automation platform that integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Sentinel to accelerate incident response and streamline operations.Proofpoint’s Targeted Attack Protection (TAP), part of its Core Email Protection, integrates with Microsoft Sentinel to centralize email security telemetry for advanced threat detection and response.Samsung’s Knox Asset Intelligence integration with Microsoft Sentinel equips security teams with near real-time visibility into mobile device threats across Samsung Galaxy enterprise fleets.
Announcing the BizTalk Server 2020 Cumulative Update 7
The BizTalk Server product team has released the Cumulative Update 7 for BizTalk Server 2020.The Cumulative Update 7 contains all released functional and security fixes for customer-reported issues for BizTalk Server 2020.If you are running BizTalk 2016, or earlier versions of the product, you must upgrade to BizTalk Server 2020 CU6 or strongly consider migrating to Azure Logic Apps.
Detect more, spend less: the future of threat intelligence correlation
We are simplifying the process of making your threat intelligence actionable while keeping costs in check.With Microsoft Sentinel SIEM and Defender XDR, you can now ingest threat intelligence feeds through Sentinel and enrich XDR incidents without the need to ingest XDR into the SIEM.This integration provides deeper insights during investigations and enhances threat hunting capabilities.
Spotlight on… Volume 1, Edition 2, November 2025
We’re excited to introduce Copilot Highlights—a new capability in Viva Glint that helps leaders quickly interpret employee survey results using the power of AI.Now available in private preview, Copilot Highlights brings clarity to your Team Summary and Executive Summary reports by surfacing strengths, opportunities, and trends that matter most.Copilot Highlights generates concise, actionable summaries from your existing survey data.
Detect more, spend less: the future of threat intelligence correlation
We’ve made it easier for customers leveraging Microsoft’s SIEM and XDR.Now, customers can create custom detections that correlate threat intelligence from feeds brought in through the SIEM with their XDR data, without the need to ingest their XDR data as well.Create custom detection rules in Microsoft Defender XDR - Microsoft Defender XDR |
What’s New for Python on App Service for Linux: pyproject.toml, uv, and more
Python apps on Azure App Service for Linux just got a lot easier to build and ship!We’ve modernized the build pipeline to support new deployment options —whether you’re on classic setup.py, fully on pyproject.toml with Poetry or uv, or somewhere in between.This post walks through five upgrades that reduce friction end-to-end—from local dev to GitHub Actions to the App Service build environment:
New in Microsoft Marketplace: November 12, 2025
Learn about 157 new offers that went live in Microsoft Marketplace, a single destination to find, try, and buy cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents to meet your business needs.Connector for SharePoint: This app from BC Wizards connects Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central with SharePoint to simplify data sharing and document management.Go further with workshops, proofs of concept, and implementations
Enhancing SharePoint with ready-to-use intranet apps - Accelerator 365 - SharePoint Partner Showcase
We are excited to share a new episode on our partner showcase series focused on SharePoint in Microsoft 365.Accelerator 365 by Reply helps organizations get more from Microsoft 365 by enhancing SharePoint Online with ready-to-use intranet apps.In this brief discussion and demonstration, Glyn Clough, Product Owner at Accelerator 365, joins Vesa Juvonen from Microsoft to explore the various solutions that Accelerator 365 offers for SharePoint Online.
Azure PostgreSQL Lesson Learned#5: Why SKU Changes from Non-Confidential to Confidential Fail
The customer attempted to change the server configuration from Standard_D4ds_v5 (non-Confidential Compute) to Standard_DC4ads_v5 (Confidential Compute) in the West Europe region.The goal was to enhance the performance and security profile of the server.However, the SKU change could not be completed due to a mismatch in security profiles between the current and target SKUs.The issue occurred because SKU changes from non-Confidential to Confidential Compute types are not supported in Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server.
Retirement Date for Office Online Server (OOS) Announced
We would like to inform our SharePoint Server customers that Microsoft has announced the retirement of Office Online Server (OOS), effective December 31, 2026 - Announcing the retirement for Office Online Server. Office Online Server (formerly known as Office Web Apps Server) is a product that can be optionally integrated with SharePoint Server. Users will lose the ability to view, edit, and collaborate on Office documents directly in the browser.This announcement does not impact Microsoft's support for SharePoint Server, and there are no plans to retire SharePoint Server Subscription Edition.
Real‑Time AI Streaming with Azure OpenAI and SignalR
We’ll build a real-time AI app where Azure OpenAI streams responses and SignalR broadcasts them live to an Angular client.You’ll learn the architecture, streaming code, Angular integration, and optional enhancements like typing indicators and multi-agent scenarios.An Angular client that connects over WebSockets/SSE to the hub and renders partial content with a typing indicator.
Announcing Microsoft cloud security benchmark v2 (public preview)
Since its first introduction in 2019, the Azure Security Benchmark and its successor Microsoft cloud security benchmark announced in 2023, Microsoft cloud security benchmark (“the Benchmark”) has been widely used by our customers to secure their Azure environments, especially as a security bible and toolkit for Azure security implementation planning and helping the security compliance on various industry and government regulatory standards.We’re thrilled to announce the Microsoft cloud security benchmark v2 (public preview), a new Benchmark version with the enhancement in following areas:Microsoft Defender for Cloud update
Observability for Multi-Agent Systems with Microsoft Agent Framework and Azure AI Foundry
In this post, you'll learn how to instrument a Microsoft Agent Framework–based service with OpenTelemetry, ship traces to Azure AI Foundry observability, and adopt a practical workflow to debug, evaluate, and improve multi-agent behavior in production.We'll show how to wire spans around reasoning steps and tool calls (OpenAPI / MCP), enabling deep visibility into your agentic workflows.Developers building agents with Microsoft Agent Framework (MAF) in .NET or Python
Build Your Own Custom Copilots with Microsoft Copilot Studio and Oracle Database@Azure
With Microsoft Copilot Studio, organizations can now easily build custom copilots that securely connect to live Oracle data, providing natural language access to insights and actions within Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365, or any business application.Oracle Database@Azure provides customers the flexibility to run Oracle workloads on Azure using Exadata, Autonomous, Exascale, or Base Database services without compromising performance or compliance.These layers ensure copilots that access Oracle Database@Azure or hybrid Oracle environments remain secure, governed, and compliant by design critical for regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, and telecommunications.
Build Your Ignite Schedule: Top Sessions for Developers
Welcome back to our Azure Tech Community Microsoft Ignite 2025 series!Use the Microsoft Ignite session scheduler feature in the session catalog to personalize your agenda, save your favorites, and organize your time at Microsoft Ignite. Building and deploying data agents in Microsoft Fabric (THR738)Learn how to build, deploy, and manage intelligent data agents in Microsoft Fabric using curated data, Git-powered CI/CD, and best practices for enterprise-scale AI integration.
Security Update for SQL Server 2022 RTM CU21
The Security Update for SQL Server 2022 RTM CU21 is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2022 RTM CUs, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2022 RTM GDR
The Security Update for SQL Server 2022 RTM GDR is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2022 RTM, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2019 RTM CU32
The Security Update for SQL Server 2019 RTM CU32 is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2019 RTM CUs, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
ZoomIt v9.20, Process Explorer v17.07, and RDCMan v3.11
This update to ZoomIt, a screen magnification and annotation tool, can now save screen recordings as either MP4 or GIF.This update to Process Explorer, an advanced process, DLL, and handle viewing utility, adds strings for Arm64 binaries, and fixes a bug that disabled notification area icons.This update to RDCMan enables Entra ID logins.
Security Update for SQL Server 2019 RTM
The Security Update for SQL Server 2019 RTM GDR is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2019 RTM, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2017 RTM CU31
The Security Update for SQL Server 2017 RTM CU31 is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2017 RTM CUs, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2017 RTM GDR
The Security Update for SQL Server 2017 RTM GDR is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2017 RTM, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2016 SP3 Azure Connect Feature Pack
The Security Update for SQL Server 2016 SP3 Azure Connect Feature Pack is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2016 SP3 Azure Connect Feature Pack, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2016 SP3 GDR
The Security Update for SQL Server 2016 SP3 GDR is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2016 SP3, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Windows 11 expands passkey manager support
This new capability empowers users to choose their favorite passkey manager — whether it’s Microsoft Password Manager or trusted third-party providers.It’s generally available with the Windows November 2025 security update.Saving a passkey to the Microsoft Password Manager plugin on Windows
Copilot Governance: A Practical Guide From Our 4‑Part Webinar Series
Session 1: Foundations in the M365 Admin CenterDeployment approach, the Copilot Control System, access and billing controls, and how to highlight or restrict agents.Session 2: Copilot Studio + Power Platform GovernanceManaged Environments, environment routing, DLP strategy, connector risk controls, and cost management for agents.YouTube Video Playlist
Reimagining Healthcare Through Data: Lessons from the Frontlines
When data is unified and powered by AI, care transforms from reactive to proactive, predictive, and personalized.Two nonprofits—Operation Smile and Arcare—are proving what’s possible with Microsoft Fabric and Azure AI, turning data into action and impact:This isn’t just about technology—it’s about building a more humane healthcare system where every patient matters.
From Strategy to Execution: Operationalizing Microsoft Entra for Real-World Impact
How can organizations harness the full power of Microsoft Entra to drive security, agility, and compliance at scale?The answer lies in operationalizing Entra’s capabilities across your identity lifecycle, access policies, and multicloud environments—while aligning with your Zero Trust journey.Microsoft Entra’s identity protection extends beyond Microsoft environments.Microsoft Entra is more than a suite of tools—it’s a strategic enabler for secure digital transformation.
Building AI Agents: Workflow-First vs. Code-First vs. Hybrid
In this article, I’ll walk you through the landscape of AI Agent design.We’ll look at workflow-first approaches with drag-and-drop designers, code-first approaches using SDKs, and hybrid models that combine both.I’ve been exploring Microsoft Agent Framework (MAF), an open-source foundation for building AI agents that can run anywhere.
Profiles in Partnership Ep 24 | From New Jersey to Milan: The Art (and Business) of International Microsoft Partnerships
In a recent episode of IAMCP Profiles in Partnership “From New Jersey to Milan: Navigating International Microsoft Partnerships”, co-founders Paymon Jelvani and Dominick Zappia join hosts Anthony Carrano and Rudy Rodriguez in pulling back the curtain on how they’ve built a reputation as the go-to U.S. partner for European Microsoft solution providers — and why their approach to partner-to-partner collaboration is rooted in responsiveness, cultural fluency, and customer advocacy.One of Admiral’s recent wins involved an Italian sportswear and boxing gear company expanding into the U.S. market.The International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners (IAMCP) exists to foster exactly these kinds of collaborations.
SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 22 is now Generally Available (GA)
SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 22 GA is now availableThe SSMS team is thrilled to announce the general availability release of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 22!For the first time in SSMS history, we released two GA versions.
No Exchange Server Security Updates for November 2025
Although Exchange 2016 and 2019 are now out of support, some customers have purchased the Exchange 2016 and 2019 Extended Security Update (ESU).We have therefore decided that until the end of this Exchange 2016 and 2019 ESU period (April 2026) we will make an explicit update related announcement even if we DO NOT release anything for that particular month.There are no security releases for any version of Exchange Server in November 2025, for customers with Exchange SE, or Exchange 2016 or 2019 ESU.
Partner Case Study | Nissan Philippines
With decades of experience and a global presence, their Technosoft Yana Automotive Solution (TAS, or Yana) is designed to provide dealers the holistic view they need by integrating employee resource planning (ERP), customer resource management (CRM), and digital marketing, empowering dealers to deliver smarter, faster, and more personalized customer experiences.Unifying data sprawl across 58 dealershipsNissan Philippines oversees a network of 58 dealerships across the islands, importing vehicles from Japan and Thailand for distribution to local markets.
No Skype for Business Server Security Updates for November 2025
Although Skype for Business 2015 and 2019 are now out of support, some customers have purchased the Skype for Business 2015 and 2019 Extended Security Update (ESU).We have therefore decided that until the end of this Skype for Business 2015 and 2019 ESU period (April 2026) we will make an explicit update related announcement even if we DO NOT release anything for that particular month. There are no security releases for any version of Skype for Business Server in November 2025, for customers with SfB SE, or SfB 2016 or 2019 ESU.
General Availability of JavaScript Challenge in Azure Front Door WAF
We are pleased to announce the General Availability (GA) of the JavaScript Challenge feature for Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) on Azure Front Door.This capability equips organizations with a seamless, invisible anti-bot verification layer that distinguishes legitimate users from malicious scripts helping protect web applications from automated threats while preserving a smooth user experience.The JavaScript Challenge introduces a lightweight, browser-based verification step that helps distinguish legitimate users from automated scripts without requiring user interaction.
Generational Performance Leap for Azure Confidential Computing
Azure confidential VMs, powered by the latest 4th generation AMD EPYC™ processors, deliver both next-generation performance and hardware-enforced security, fundamentally shifting the conversation from a security trade-off to a performance dividend.Enterprises are required to handle sensitive information or personal data like transactions, analytics or intellectual property (IP) while operating under strict compliance regimes like GDPR or HIPAA can now seamlessly transition to the cloud, running their high performance, mission-critical applications on Azure’s latest confidential VMs.While uncertainty surrounding the performance overhead of enabling confidential computing features and performance gaps, confidential computing has broadened its appeal as processors leap forward in both performance and capabilities with each successive generation.
The invisible attack surface: hunting AI threats in Defender XDR
Its AI threat protection detects prompt injection, sensitive data exposure, and misuse of credentials in real time, correlating those signals with endpoint, identity, and cloud telemetry through Microsoft Defender XDR.As of 2025, Defender for AI is fully integrated into Microsoft Defender for Cloud, extending protection to AI models, prompts, and datasets across Azure AI workloads.In this post, we’ll walk through practical KQL hunts to surface suspicious AI activity, from abnormal model usage patterns to subtle signs of data exfiltration that traditional detections might miss.
Accelerate Cloud Migration with Wave Planning in Azure Migrate
Today, we’re excited to announce the public preview of wave planning in Azure Migrate - a new capability designed to make large-scale migrations more manageable and predictable.With wave planning, you can now organize your migration journey into logical, iterative waves, enabling your teams to plan, execute, and track progress with greater speed, confidence, and control.Using wave planning you can perform the migration and modernization activities of the application withing the wave, as per the plan and track the progress as workloads are moved, tested, and migrated / modernized in Azure.
MVPs with Microphones: How Three MVPs Amplify a Global Community with The Presentation Podcast
Born from Troy Chollar’s vision to create a space where experts could share, debate, and elevate the craft of presentation design, and produced by his firm TLC Creative Services. Our podcast, which is now in its 10th year, quickly became a trusted resource for the PowerPoint community.We try to get as many PowerPoint MVPs together as we can for at least one episode each year (often during the Microsoft MVP Summit) where we explore how being part of the Microsoft MVP community has shaped our careers, expanded our networks, and given us a platform to advocate for better presentation practices – and application (PowerPoint) improvements.New episodes drop on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, keeping the rhythm steady and the content fresh.
Research Drop: Empowering Managers for an AI-First Future
Managers are a catalyst of AI transformation as they bridge strategy and execution, but only 56% of managers feel they have the support they need to integrate AI agents into their work.Yet progress is lagging: recent research reveals a 66% gap between those who acknowledge the importance of reinventing the role of the middle manager and those who are making real progress in addressing it2.Research consistently shows that managers are multipliers of positive change.
The Microsoft Zero Trust Assessment: Helping you operationalize the hardening of your Microsoft security products
Building on these learnings, we’re excited to announce the public preview of the Microsoft Zero Trust Assessment tool, designed to help you identify common security gaps starting with Identity and Device pillars with the remaining pillars of Zero Trust coming soon. This assessment is informed by our own SFI learnings and aligned with widely recognized frameworks such as CISA’s SCuBA project.A deep dive into how the Microsoft Zero Trust Assessment works including report structure, prioritization logic, and implementation guidance is available below in this blog. The Microsoft Zero Trust Assessment empowers teams to make informed decisions, reduce blind spots, and prioritize remediation, turning insights into action. Once you download and run the tool (installation guide), it will assess your policy configurations and scan objects to generate a comprehensive report that not only highlights gaps and risks but also explains what was checked, why a test failed, and how your organization can implement the recommended configuration. This makes the results immediately actionable; security teams know exactly what steps to take next. The report features an overview page that presents aggregated data across your tenant, highlighting overall risk levels, patterns, and trends.We will be launching new SFI-infused assessments across the other pillars of Zero Trust in the coming months.
PrivyDoc: Building a Zero-Data-Leak AI with Foundry Local & Microsoft's Agent Framework
In this article, I want to take you on a journey through the creation of PrivyDoc, a secure, on-device document intelligence solution I built to address this challenge head-on.We'll explore how it uses two powerful Microsoft technologies, Foundry Local and the Microsoft Agent Framework, to bring the AI to the data, not the other way around.The Core Problem: Data Privacy vs. AI Insights
October 2025 Recap: Azure Database for PostgreSQL
We are excited to bring October 2025 recap blog for Azure Database for PostgreSQL!This blog focuses on key announcements around the General Availability of the REST API for 2025, maintenance payload visibility and several new features aimed at improving performance and a guide on minimizing downtime for MVU operation with logical replication.The Azure Database for PostgreSQL team participated in PGConf EU 2025, delivering insightful sessions on key PostgreSQL advancements.
How Can I Participate On The Copilot Studio User Group On The Microsoft Tech Community?
This Is An Official Copilot Studio User Group Help Article On How To Participate On The Copilot Studio User Group On The Microsoft Tech Community It’s Not An Official Copilot Studio User Group Policy Or Copilot Studio User Group Guideline How To Participate On The Copilot Studio User Group?There Are Many Practical Ways To Participate On The Copilot Studio User Group & Here’s How You Can Participate On The Microsoft Copilot Studio User Group:Participate In Virtual Chat Based EventsStart Discussions That Are Focused On Microsoft Copilot StudioIntroduce Yourself On The Thread Post Comments On Discussions That Are Based On Microsoft Copilot StudioShow The Copilot User Group What Copilot Your Building Or Working On
Surface Highlights at Microsoft Ignite 2025
This year, Microsoft Ignite will be hosted at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from November 18–21, 2025.Discover key highlights of our Surface Lab Tour brought to you by engineers and expertsJoin open-table discussions on topics such as Hybrid AI and connect with Surface MVPs who are contributing to breakout session visibility and community engagement.
ALVAO and EQUMAS offer transactable partner solutions in Microsoft Marketplace
Microsoft partners like ALVAO and EQUMAS deliver transact-capable offers, which allow you to purchase directly from Microsoft Marketplace.Learn about these offers below:EQUMAS Multi-Modal Quality Management System: EQUMAS provides manufacturing companies with an integrated solution for managing their entire operational workflow, saving time and energy by eliminating the need to coordinate with multiple software systems.
Adaptive Model Selection in TypeScript with the Model Router
Model Router (preview) in Azure AI Foundry gives you a single chat deployment that intelligently selects an underlying model—small, large, or reasoning—per prompt.In this blog, we will explore what the Model Router is, why to use it, how to implement it in TypeScript, versioning and monitoring strategies.Model Router is a deployable chat model in Azure AI Foundry that routes each prompt to the most suitable underlying chat or reasoning model (for example: gpt‑4.1-mini, gpt‑4.1-nano, o4-mini, gpt‑5 variants etc).
Deriving expiry days and remaining retention days for blobs through blob inventory
In managing data within Azure blob storage accounts and Azure data lake gen 2 storage accounts, organizations often encounter scenarios where blobs have been deleted but remain in a soft-deleted state.The expiry time for Azure blobs is set using the Set Blob Expiry operation.Microsoft Learn to set the expiry time for your blobs.
Node.js 24 is now available on Azure App Service for Linux
Node.js 24 LTS is live on Azure App Service for Linux. Faster, more modern JavaScript Node.js 24 ships with the V8 13.6 engine and npm 11.This release line is an even-numbered release and has moved into Long Term Support (LTS) in October 2025, which makes it a safe target for production apps.
Microsoft Azure continues to expand scalability for Healthcare EHR Workloads
Microsoft Azure has reached a new milestone for Epic Chronicles Operational Database (ODB) scalability with the Standard_M416bs_v3 (Mbv3) VM. It can now scale up to 110 million GRefs/s (Global References per second) in the ECP configuration and up to 39 million GRefs/s in the SMP configuration, improving upon the previous Azure benchmarks of 65 million GRefs/s and 20 million GRefs/s respectively.Microsoft Azure now can host 96% of the Epic customer base, enabling healthcare organizations to run their EHR systems on Azure.
Build Your Microsoft Ignite Schedule: Top Sessions for Solution Architects
Welcome back to our Azure Tech Community Microsoft Ignite 2025 series! Migrate and Modernize Windows and SQL Server Workloads to Azure (LAB506-R1)See how Azure’s modernization framework enables secure, scalable, and cost-efficient migration for enterprise systems. Innovation Session: Security in the Agentic Era – the Core Primitive (BRK1712)Gain a forward-looking perspective on how the rise of Agentic AI will reshape the security landscape for IT operations and enterprise systems.
Guest Blog: Modernizing your WPF App maps functionality with Azure Maps with OnTerra Systems
With the deprecation of Bing Maps for Enterprise and the Bing Maps WPF Control, organizations that need maps and geospatial functionality in their WPF applications should upgrade to Microsoft’s modern maps and geospatial platform, Azure Maps.Specifically, one approach to migrating from Bing Maps to Azure Maps and continuing with your WPF-based application is to use the OnTerra Systems WPF Map Control, which is built on the Azure Maps Web SDK and includes virtually all of the same functionality as the Bing Maps WPF Control, such as road and aerial/satellite map styles, and pushpin, polygon and polyline overlay support.The OnTerra Systems WPF Map Control is a solution that translates Bing Map WPF Control methods to use the equivalent Azure Maps functionality and renders the map using .NET WebView2.
Agentic Power for AKS: Introducing the Agentic CLI in Public Preview
We are excited to announce the agentic CLI for AKS, available now in public preview directly through the Azure CLI.The agentic CLI for AKS is designed to simplify this experience by bringing agentic capabilities to your cluster operations and observability, translating natural language into actionable guidance and analysis.The agentic CLI for AKS is built on the open-source HolmesGPT project, which has recently been accepted as a CNCF Sandbox project.
Your guide to Azure Compute at Microsoft Ignite 2025
Join Mark Russinovich, CTO and Technical Fellow of Microsoft Azure.Mark will take you on a tour of the latest innovations in Azure architecture and explain how Azure enables intelligent, modern, and innovative applications at scale in the cloud, on-premises, and on the edge.This session will provide a comprehensive exploration of Azure’s security architecture, best practices, and innovations across four pillars: foundational security, compute security, network security, and storage security.
Priority Replication for Geo Redundant Storage and Object Replication is Generally Available
We are excited to announce the General Availability of priority replication for Geo Redundant Storage (GRS) and Object Replication (OR).Azure Storage has offered users the choice of geo-redundant (GRS) or geo-zone-redundant (GZRS) replication for their storage accounts for several years.Azure Blob Storage is now introducing Geo priority replication which will provide an SLA guarantee for the LST/RPO of Block Blob data in GRS/GZRS accounts.
Riding the AI Wave: How Microsoft Entra is Evolving for the Agentic Era
A KPMG survey of large organizations revealed that 42% have active AI agents working for them today, up from 11% just six months ago.IDC projects that by 2028, there’ll be 1.3 billion AI agents in large companies in the developed world.Within two years, we'll have over a million active AI agents in the Microsoft tenant.
Ultimate Guide to the new Workplace Patterns Report in Viva Glint
That’s now a reality with the introduction today of the Workplace Patterns Report, a power tool that integrates point-in-time Viva Insights workplace habit data with point-in-time Viva Glint survey sentiment data.These two data sources empower analysts and admins to identify actionable patterns between how people work (workplace habits), and how they feel (survey sentiment).The Workplace Patterns Report and holistic listening
Welcome to the Copilot Studio User Group!
🚀 About This Community The Copilot Studio User Group is a virtual community where members share knowledge, experiences, and ideas about using and building with Microsoft Copilot Studio.Our goal is to make Copilot Studio more accessible, collaborative, and fun for everyone — whether you’re experimenting with AI copilots or running automation in your organization.Exchange use cases and demos. Network with fellow makers and technologists.
Staying in the flow: SleekFlow and Azure turn customer conversations into conversions
SleekFlow was founded in 2019 to help companies turn those almost-lost-customer moments into connection, retention, and growth.Today we serve more than 2,000 mid-market and enterprise organizations across industries including retail and e-commerce, financial services, healthcare, travel and hospitality, telecommunications, real estate, and professional services.In total, those customers rely on SleekFlow to orchestrate more than 600,000 daily customer interactions across WhatsApp, Instagram, web chat, email, and more.
Localized Labs Retiring: What’s Next?
This decision is based on FY25 data showing 97% of labs were accessed in English and only 3% in localized languages (mainly Japanese).All localized labs will be retired by the end of Q2. Guidance on using browser-based translation tools will be provided.
Showcase your deep sovereignty expertise with the new Digital Sovereignty specialization
As announced on November 6 during our AI Tour, we're excited to introduce the Digital Sovereignty specialization.We designed this specialization so partners can capitalize on rising demand for sovereign cloud solutions as governments and critical industries seek data sovereignty and security in response to global uncertainty.Starting in early 2026, partners who meet certain criteria can attain the Digital Sovereignty specialization.
Excel Frontier: Unlocking Agent Mode for Smarter, Autonomous Spreadsheets
Excel’s new Agent Mode (Frontier) empowers users to build intelligent agents that automate workflows, enhance productivity, and uphold responsible AI principles.This blog explores how technical and business leaders can leverage Agent Mode in Excel to create extensible, trustworthy AI solutions, drawing on best practices from recent learning paths and community feedback.Excel’s Agent Mode lets organizations build smart agents for workflow automation and advanced reasoning, using core Excel features and Microsoft’s Frontier program.
OneDrive and SharePoint at Microsoft Ignite 2025: What to Expect
Next week Microsoft Ignite 2025 (Nov. 18-21) lands in San Francisco’s Moscone Center for the first time!It all kicks off with Judson Althoff’s keynote on Tues, Nov 18 @9AM PST.Learn how SharePoint’s latest AI innovations—like the Knowledge Agent—transform it into an intelligent curator that automates content organization and enrichment.
SharePoint and OneDrive at Microsoft Ignite 2025: What to Expect
Next week Microsoft Ignite 2025 (Nov. 18-21) lands in San Francisco’s Moscone Center for the first time!In this session, explore how OneDrive is becoming the launchpad for productivity across Microsoft 365.Learn how SharePoint’s latest AI innovations—like the Knowledge Agent—transform it into an intelligent curator that automates content organization and enrichment.
Migrate or modernize your applications using Azure Migrate
Azure Migrate delivers a major evolution in cloud migration capabilities with application awareness.Improve analysis with Code-Level Insights from Github Copilot assessment and CASTIt provides IT resource discovery, assessment, business case analysis, wave planning, migration, and modernization capabilities in a workload agnostic manner.
Building Enterprise-Grade Shared AKS Clusters: A Guide to Multi-Tenant Kubernetes Architecture
Accelerate application delivery by providing a hardened shared Kubernetes platform per environment (prod / test / dev).[5m]) > 5 for: 2m labels: severity: page annotations: summary: High 5xx error rate in payments API description: More than 5 errors/min for 2 minutes.9.6 Sample App (Payments API) with HPA
Using Packet Capture for troubleshooting Azure Firewall flows
We are happy to announce that Microsoft just released the new Packet capture feature and it is Generally Available for Azure Firewall.In this section, we will use Azure Firewall Packet Capture to understand why an HTTP/HTTPS connection between VM-1 and VM-2 is not working properly.The availability of Azure Firewall Packet Capture is crucial for effective network and security troubleshooting.
Three Pillars of Operations Readiness | Part 2
Operations Readiness stands on a foundational triad: People, Processes, and Technology.Now that we’ve covered the “why” and the “what” of Operational Readiness through its foundational pillars, the next post in this series will take you behind the scenes of how to put it all together.We’ll walk through templates and best practices — from checklists and RACIs to runbooks and handover plans — that turn readiness theory into executable action.
Operations Readiness in Cloud Migrations: A Framework for Seamless Transitions | Part 1
This blog outlines a reusable, cloud-agnostic OR framework based on real-world experience, offering guidance for organizations embarking on cloud migrations of any size or complexity.Operations Readiness (OR) is the state of preparedness of people, processes, and systems to seamlessly operate and support a service, product, or system — particularly after it transitions to a production or live environment.In the context of cloud migrations, OR ensures that once applications, data, and workloads are moved to the cloud, they are not only technically deployed but are also operationally sustainable — meaning they can be supported, monitored, managed, and scaled with minimal risk or disruption.
How AI is Transforming Operations Readiness in Azure | Part 3
In the cloud era, “Operations Readiness” ensures that systems, processes, and teams are fully equipped to manage live operations — from monitoring and alerting to resilience, security, and documentation.AI enables a fundamental shift in how readiness is managed — from manual validation to intelligent, data-driven assurance.Instead of relying solely on human inputs and static checklists, AI systems can analyze data, learn from patterns, and predict readiness gaps before go-live.Using Azure OpenAI Service and Azure Cognitive Search, AI can now:
How AI is Transforming Operations Readiness in Azure
In the cloud era, “Operations Readiness” ensures that systems, processes, and teams are fully equipped to manage live operations — from monitoring and alerting to resilience, security, and documentation.AI enables a fundamental shift in how readiness is managed — from manual validation to intelligent, data-driven assurance.Instead of relying solely on human inputs and static checklists, AI systems can analyze data, learn from patterns, and predict readiness gaps before go-live.Using Azure OpenAI Service and Azure Cognitive Search, AI can now:
Three Pillars of Operational Readiness | Part 2
Processes: Building Operational Muscle MemoryWell-defined and documented processes are essential for consistent and predictable service delivery.We’ll walk through templates and best practices — from checklists and RACIs to runbooks and handover plans — that turn readiness theory into executable action.
Platform SSO for macOS
As organizations accelerate their journey to passwordless authentication, Microsoft’s Platform SSO for macOS offers a seamless, secure, and user-friendly experience for device and application sign-in.Built on Apple’s SSO framework and tightly integrated with Microsoft Entra ID, Platform SSO empowers users to leverage modern authentication methods Touch ID, smart cards, and passkeys across their macOS devices, enterprise apps, and browsers.In this blog, we’ll walk through the essentials of Platform SSO, supported authentication methods, configuration steps, and best practices for deployment in enterprise environments.Platform SSO is a Microsoft feature for macOS (13+) that leverages Apple’s SSO framework to enable single sign-on using Entra ID credentials.
Operational Readiness in Cloud Migrations: A Framework for Seamless Transitions
This blog outlines a reusable, cloud-agnostic OR framework based on real-world experience, offering guidance for organizations embarking on cloud migrations of any size or complexity.Operational Readiness (OR) is the state of preparedness of people, processes, and systems to seamlessly operate and support a service, product, or system — particularly after it transitions to a production or live environment.In the context of cloud migrations, OR ensures that once applications, data, and workloads are moved to the cloud, they are not only technically deployed but are also operationally sustainable — meaning they can be supported, monitored, managed, and scaled with minimal risk or disruption.
Now generally available: Surveys Agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot
We’re thrilled to announce that Surveys Agent - your intelligent assistant for managing surveys end-to-end - is now generally available to all commercial customers worldwide with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.Previously available through the Frontier preview program, Surveys Agent has helped early adopters streamline data collection and actionable insights for use cases like training sessions, employee engagement, and customer research. Now, it’s ready for everyone.Surveys Agent is available to business users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. Ready to get started? Install Surveys Agent and pin it to your Microsoft 365 Copilot sidebar for quick access. We’re excited to see how you use it—and we’re listening.
Deploying Dev Box Catalogs and Synchronizing with GitHub using Terraform
Now, we’ll take the next step: **deploying Dev Box catalogs and synchronizing them with a GitHub repository**.Synchronizing these catalogs with GitHub for version control.Deploy the Dev Box Catalog and Key Vault to the 'West Europe' location.
The Future of AI: The Model is Key, but the App is the Doorway
August 2025 brought the exciting release of the GPT-5 family of models.The Azure AI team rolled out GPT-5 concurrently, immediately integrating it into Foundry, GitHub Copilot, and Microsoft 365 Copilot.Here are some best practices for developers to adapt their applications and workflows to a new model family like GPT-5:
Extending Layer-2 (VXLAN) Networks Over Layer-3 IP network
Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) is a network virtualization technology that encapsulates Layer-2 Ethernet frames inside Layer-3 UDP/IP packets.In essence, VXLAN creates a logical Layer-2 overlay network on top of an IP network, allowing Ethernet segments (VLANs) or underlay IP packet to be stretched across routed infrastructures.Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) is a standard protocol (IETF RFC 7348) that can encapsulate Layer-2 Ethernet frames into Layer-3 UDP/IP packets.
Simplifying Microservice Reliability with Dapr
How to enable binding in for a Azure Container AppHow to enable Secret Stores in for a Azure Container AppHow to enable State in for a Azure Container App
Azure VNet Flow Logs with Terraform: The Complete Migration and Traffic Analytics Guide
Migrating from NSG Flow Logs to VNet Flow Logs in Azure: Implementation with TerraformMicrosoft is retiring Network Security Group (NSG) flow logs and recommends migrating to Virtual Network (VNet) flow logs.After June 30, 2025, new NSG flow logs cannot be created, and all NSG flow logs will be retired by September 30, 2027.
Cut the Noise & Cost with Container Network Metrics Filtering in ACNS for AKS
We’re excited to introduce Container Network Metrics Filtering in Azure Container Networking Services (ACNS) for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is now in Public Preview!This capability transforms how you manage network observability in Kubernetes clusters by giving you control over what metrics matter most.In today’s large-scale, microservices-driven environments, teams often face metrics bloat, Bollecting far more data than they need.
Layer 7 Network Policies for AKS: Now Generally Available for Production Security and Observability!
We are thrilled to announce that Layer 7 (L7) Network Policies for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), powered by Cilium and Advanced Container Networking Services (ACNS), has reached General Availability (GA)!The journey from public preview to GA signifies a critical step: L7 Network Policies are now fully supported, highly optimized, and ready for your most demanding, mission-critical production workloads.We encourage you to enable L7 Network Policies on your AKS clusters and level up your network security controls for containerized workloads.
Introducing eBPF Host Routing: High performance AI networking with Azure CNI powered by Cilium
Kubernetes networking relies on the Container Network Interface (CNI) for pod connectivity and routing.Azure CNI powered by Cilium natively integrates Azure Kubernetes service (AKS) data plane with Azure CNI networking modes for superior performance, hardware offload support, and enterprise-grade reliability.In this blog, we highlight the performance benefits of eBPF host routing, explain how to enable it in an AKS cluster, and provide a deep dive into its implementation on Azure.
Introducing Local Identity with Azure Key Vault in Build 2510
We’re excited to announce public preview of local identity with Azure Key Vault that allows you to deploy an azure local cluster which is not dependent on active directory.With Local Identity and Azure Key Vault integration, you can:Join the private preview for Management Toolkit and Internal DNS.
Compliance Meets AI: Wrapping Up an Incredible Series and Looking Ahead
Over the past six sessions, the Compliance Meets AI webinar series has taken us on a journey through the evolving landscape of compliance, security, and generative AI.Today’s final session, Deep Dive: Insider Risk for Copilot, was a powerful close to the series.We’re thrilled to announce that Compliance Meets AI will return in 2026 with new topics, deeper demos, and fresh insights into governance for emerging technologies.
Empowering Multi-Agent Solutions with Microsoft Agent Framework - Code Migration and DevUI
The Agent Framework unifies these two approaches into a single SDK + runtime for building agents and multi-agent workflows for both Python and .NET.When paired with Azure AI Foundry Agent Service, you get a managed runtime to host agents, threads, tools, and connected multi‑agent workflows.One of the developer experience (DX) highlights of the Agent Framework is the DevUI component, an interactive UI for developing, testing, and debugging agents and workflows.
Build Your Microsoft Ignite Schedule: Top Sessions for IT Pros
Welcome back to our Azure Tech Community Microsoft Ignite 2025 series!That’s why we’ve curated a list of sessions tailored specifically for IT Pros to help you make the most of your time, strengthen your technical strategy, and get inspired for the year ahead.Use the Ignite session scheduler feature in the session catalog to personalize your agenda, save your favorites, and organize your time at Ignite.
Build Your Microsoft Ignite Schedule: Top Sessions for IT Pros
Welcome back to our Azure Tech Community Microsoft Ignite 2025 series!That’s why we’ve curated a list of sessions tailored specifically for IT Pros to help you make the most of your time, strengthen your technical strategy, and get inspired for the year ahead. End-to-end security for your AI platforms, apps, and agents (BRK267)Learn how to protect your organization’s AI assets and infrastructure using Microsoft’s integrated cloud security and compliance tools.
General Availability Announcement: Regex Support in SQL Server 2025 & Azure SQL
We’re excited to announce the General Availability (GA) of native Regex support in SQL Server 2025 and Azure SQL — a long-awaited capability that brings powerful pattern matching directly into T-SQL.With Regex now natively supported in SQL Server 2025 and Azure SQL, this capability is built directly into T-SQL — no external languages or workarounds required.Meet the new Regex functions in T-SQL
Exciting things on the horizon for PostgreSQL fans @ Ignite 2025
We have a packed lineup, including sessions exploring cutting-edge features and exclusive giveaways at the PostgreSQL on Azure booth. Led by Azure product leaders and executives from organizations driving innovation backed by PostgreSQL, these breakout sessions will dive into the coolest new capabilities and real-world use cases.Each breakout session is 45 minutes with live demos and Q&A, so you’ll get plenty of detail and interaction with Postgres experts.
Windows Autopatch for the US government: How to get started
This cloud-based service that has a proven record with enterprises has now been approved to be added to the Azure FedRAMP High Provisional Authorization to Operate (P-ATO).Windows Autopatch is now available to US government organizations as part of Microsoft 365 Government.If you’re using Microsoft Intune, the easiest way to automate your update process is to create one or more Windows Autopatch groups:
New in Microsoft Marketplace: November 7, 2025
Learn about 151 new offers that went live in Microsoft Marketplace, a single destination to find, try, and buy cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents to meet your business needs.Asper: Asper is an AI-native platform for the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry.Asper integrates demand forecasting with revenue growth m, improves forecast accuracy, automates processes, and optimizes pricing and promotions for revenue and profit growth.
How Copilot Technologies Are a Force-Multiplier for Global Opportunities or for Inclusive Growth
It’s a lifeline for mission-driven organizations navigating rising demand with limited resources.In today’s nonprofit landscape, the question is no longer if we use AI, but how we use it—with care, intention, and humanity.Microsoft Copilot is helping nonprofits do just that:It’s the power to reclaim time, restore dignity, and respond with compassion.And it’s only the beginning.You can read their full story on Microsoft for Nonprofits LinkedIn and discover how AI, when guided by purpose, can amplify the human impact: (28) How Copilot Technologies Are a Force-Multiplier for Global Opportunities or for Inclusive Growth |
Monitoring Generative AI Applications with Azure AI Foundry
By combining Azure Monitor’s baseline alerting framework with AI Foundry’s built-in metrics and telemetry, teams can achieve proactive monitoring aligned with Microsoft’s Azure Baseline Monitoring Alerts.🎯 Generative AI monitoring = traditional metrics + new dimensions of intelligence, quality, and safety.Azure AI Foundry gives you a complete monitoring framework for your AI workloads — combining traditional performance metrics with AI-specific signals like token usage, output quality, and safety.
Troubleshooting Azure Virtual Desktop Sign-In Failures After Tenant Migration
Migrating an Azure subscription between tenants can sometimes surface unexpected authentication issues, especially for environments like Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) that depend deeply on Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) for identity and access control.This post walks through a real-world scenario where users were suddenly locked out of AVD sessions after a tenant migration, the investigation that followed, and the steps taken to restore access.Shortly after an Azure subscription was migrated from Tenant A to Tenant B, several users reported being unable to connect to their virtual desktops.The error message displayed:
Manage Azure Firewall Rules,NSG rules, using Terraform resource blocks and csv files
Why Use Terraform and CSV for Azure Rule Management?Enhance visibility: Use Visual Studio Code extensions like Edit CSV or Rainbow CSV for easy rule inspection and editing.Define your Azure Firewall, NSG, and route table rules in CSV files.
Where Microsoft’s community comes alive: the Inspire Stage at ESPC25
At ESPC25 (December 1–4 in Dublin) the Inspire Stage returns as a cornerstone of the conference experience—offering a space where personal development, professional growth, and community connection converge.At ESPC24 in Stockholm, the Inspire Stage was a hub for 30-minute lightning talks focused on professional development and wellness.The Inspire Stage is more than a schedule of talks—it’s a reflection of the Microsoft community’s strength and generosity. It’s where MVPs, first-time attendees, and industry leaders come together to listen, learn, support one another, and grow collectively. It’s where hallway conversations turn into career breakthroughs, and where you realize you’re part of something bigger.
Title Plan Update – November 7, 2025
November 7, 2025 Title Plan Now Available (a little early)Access the latest Instructor-Led Training (ILT) updates anytime at http://aka.ms/Courseware_Title_Plan to ensure you're always working from the most current version.📌 Reminder: To help you stay informed more quickly and consistently, we’ve moved to a weekly publishing cadence for the title plan.
Temporary disruption for some AI course labs during Ignite
We expect temporary disruption to several AI course labs due to product changes announced at Microsoft’s Ignite event.During this period, we anticipate that changes to the product may cause labs to be out of alignment.We expect all labs to be aligned by November 28, 2025.
Check This Out! (CTO!) Guide (October 2025)
Summary: Microsoft has deployed the NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 infrastructure on Azure, offering unprecedented AI compute density in a single rack with 72 Blackwell Ultra GPUs and 36 Grace CPUs.Summary: The article discusses deploying a preconfigured Squid proxy solution to securely enable Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) and Microsoft Defender for Identity (MDI) connectivity in hybrid cloud environments.Summary: The article introduces the Azure NetApp Files Object REST API, a new solution enabling direct, secure, S3-compatible access to enterprise data for Azure analytics and AI services.
You may be right after all! Disputing Submission Responses in Microsoft Defender for Office 365
a feature that elevates the transparency and responsiveness of threat management: the ability to dispute a submission response directly within Microsoft Defender for Office 365. With the new dispute submission response feature, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 bridges a critical gap in the incident response workflow.Come ready with your questions (or pre-submit here) for the expert Security MVPs on camera, or the Microsoft Defender for Office 365 product team in the chat!
Upcoming webinars for Microsoft 365 Copilot customers
Have you joined our Customer Hub webinar sessions? In today's hybrid work environment, modern communication and solutions are essential.Leveraging AI and cutting-edge technology, our goal is to help you explore what you can achieve with Microsoft solutions—empowering smarter collaboration, streamlined workflows, and innovative ways to work.Join us for one or more of the upcoming sessions, including the launch of several new Copilot webinar series. We also have all past session recordings so you can watch any that you miss. Sign up today by clicking on any of the session titles below.
Boosting Hybrid Cloud Data Efficiency for EDA: The Power of Azure NetApp Files cache volumes
As designs push the boundaries of PPA (Power, Performance, and reduced Area) to meet escalating market demands, the volume of associated design data has surged exponentially with a single System-on-Chip (SoC) project generating multiple petabytes of data during its development lifecycle, making data mobility and accessibility critical bottlenecks. To overcome these challenges, Azure NetApp Files (ANF) cache volumes are purpose-built to optimize data movement and minimize latency, delivering high-speed access to massive design datasets across distributed environments.By mitigating data gravity, Azure NetApp Files cache volumes empower chip designers to leverage cloud-scale compute resources on demand and at scale, thus accelerating innovation without being constrained by physical infrastructure.Azure NetApp Files cache volumes, built on proven NetApp FlexCache® technology, accelerate data access across distributed environments and from on-premises to Azure.
Migrate & Modernize Your VMware Platform Using Azure VMware Solution Gen 2
This video series by Microsoft Global Blackbelts, Carlos Villuendas (CarlosV) and Trevor Davis (tredavis), guides users from configuring prerequisites to deploying, migrating on-premises VMware workloads to Azure VMware Solution, then integrating VMware workloads with Azure Native services for enhanced value.These are the first two videos, much more to come, please check back often. For requests, leave comments in the notes.
Fast-Start Checklist for Microsoft Defender CSPM: From Enablement to Best Practices
When it comes to securing your multicloud environment, Microsoft Defender Cloud Security Posture Management offers a powerful suite of agentless capabilities.This blog post walks through a fast-start checklist to help you enable and operationalize DCSPM effectively, covering Policy Configuration, RBAC, enablement, and snapshot expectations. In this article, we’ll go step-by-step through the key actions needed to enable Microsoft Defender CSPM and start gaining visibility, context, and protection across your multicloud workloads:When the Defender CSPM plan is enabled at subscription level, you unlock a set of advanced posture capabilities that do not require agents.
Accelerating Copilot-ready governance with a transactable offer
In this article, I connected with Michal Pisarek from Orchestry to explore their story, their path as a Microsoft partner, and how they’re helping organizations get Copilot-ready with smarter governance and streamlined adoption.About Michal [MP]: Michal Pisarek is CEO and Janitor of Orchestry, a Microsoft 365 governance platform that helps enterprises tighten permissions, streamline lifecycle management, and stay Copilot-ready.He speaks and writes on Microsoft 365 governance, permissions, and adoption.
Announcing the Release of SQL Server Management Studio 22 Preview 5
Hi all – this week we released SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 22 Preview 5! It’s a smaller preview with a set of fixes for GitHub Copilot, you can view the list in the release notes. For those of you working with GitHub Copilot in SSMS, we recommend updating to this preview. If you’re not using GitHub Copilot in SSMS and you haven’t seen how it easy it makes writing and editing T-SQL, please give it a try!and it’s not over!We do not plan to have multiple major releases every year. Moving to Visual Studio 2022, and the Visual Studio 2026 (Preview) and SQL Server 2025 (Preview) announcements were factors that contributed to this year’s SSMS release schedule. We do not expect 2026 to have the same release cadence, and we’ll be working to find the right balance of delivering updates and new features without overwhelming organizations that prefer to stay on the latest build.
People learn best when they feel welcome: The Story of Microsoft Security User Group Norway
Introduction of Microsoft Security User GroupThe first Microsoft Security User Group Norway meetup launched in Oslo with over 120 signups.Call for speakers: Microsoft Security User Group 2025: Call for Speakers @ Sessionize.com
Billing Announcement: Azure Data Explorer Storage Adjustment (November 2025)
It was recently discovered that some Azure Data Explorer clusters were undercharging for the amount of data being stored.This was corrected on November 3rd which may result in an increase in the Azure Data Explorer cluster storage cost for some customers.Below are the two meters that are affected by this change.
Sleigh the season: Holiday hacks with Microsoft Copilot
Create a guest itineraryIt’s never too early to think about gifts – especially with Black Friday and Cyber Monday fast approaching.With Microsoft Copilot, you can scope out deals and begin finding the perfect items for your loved ones.
Announcing General Availability of Software Defined Networking (SDN) on Azure Local
Starting in Azure Local version 2510, we’re excited to announce the General Availability of Software Defined Networking (SDN) on Azure Local enabled by Azure Arc.This release introduces cloud-native networking capabilities for access control at the network layer, utilizing Network Security Groups (NSGs) on Azure Local.Key highlights in this release are:1- Centralized network management: Manage Logical networks, network interfaces, and NSGs through the Azure control plane – whether your preference is the Azure Portal, Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI), or Azure Resource Manager templates.2- Fine-grained traffic control: Safeguard your edge workloads with policy-driven access controls by applying inbound and outbound allow/deny rules on NSGs, just as you would in Azure.3- Seamless hybrid consistency: Reduce operational friction and accelerate your IT staff’s ramp-up on advanced networking skills by using the same familiar tools and constructs across both Azure public cloud and Azure Local.Software Defined Networking (SDN) forms the backbone of delivering Azure-style networking on-premises.
Database Innovations: Your Guide to Microsoft Ignite 2025
In two weeks, we will share the latest news and features for SQL, NoSQL, and open-source databases on Azure, Fabric, and SQL Server at Microsoft Ignite. Held November 18 – 21 in San Francisco and online, Ignite is Microsoft’s largest event of the year, and we look forward to sharing product innovations, hearing best practices and insights from customers, and building new connections. Read on for all the Databases breakout sessions, demos, and labs taking place at Microsoft Ignite – and don’t forget to add them to your schedule. All times listed are in PST (Pacific Standard Time).Join the product teams from Azure SQL, SQL Server, Azure Cosmos DB, Azure Database for PostgreSQL, and Fabric Databases as they show off the innovative new features that will be announced at Microsoft Ignite. In-person attendees can dive deep into Azure SQL Database, Azure Cosmos DB, and Azure Database for PostgreSQL in technical workshops that run throughout Microsoft Ignite. Space is limited – so make sure you register in advance.
Introducing Dell PowerScale for Azure: Now in Public Preview
We’re excited to announce the public preview of Dell PowerScale for Microsoft Azure – a fully managed, enterprise-grade file storage solution natively integrated into Azure.Supporting up to 8.4PB in a single namespace, Dell PowerScale offers the scalability needed for demanding modern workloads.This natively integrated solution uses purpose-built virtual machine infrastructure provisioned by Microsoft in the standard Azure hyper scaler environment.
Making Teams Updates Seamless: Smarter Delivery with Peer-to-Peer download and Scattered Rollouts
The latest Teams updater makes this process more efficient than ever by introducing two innovative strategies: Delivery Optimization and Scattered Update.Delivery Optimization is a built-in Windows feature designed to make updates more efficient by reducing redundant downloads.To get the most out of Delivery Optimization, consider configuring settings for your tenant to allow peer-to-peer sharing and connected cache.
Operationalizing the Sentinel data lake: A Practitioner’s Guide
This article is part of The Sentinel data lake Practitioner Series. Getting Started Notebook: Building Familiarity with the Data Lake FrameworkSecurity is a core focus at Ignite this year, with the Security Forum on November 17th, deep dive technical sessions, theater talks, and hands-on labs designed for security leaders and practitioners
AI-Powered Db2 LUW to Azure Database for PostgreSQL Schema Converter
This blog introduces a custom-built tool designed to migrate database objects from IBM Db2 LUW (Linux, Unix, Windows) to Azure Database for PostgreSQL.The Db2 LUW to Azure PostgreSQL Database Converter is designed to facilitate the migration of IBM Db2 LUW (Linux, Unix, Windows) databases to Azure database for PostgreSQL.Created by the Microsoft Azure SQL CSE/Ninja Team, this tool provides an interface intended to support migration workflows.
Putting People First: Welcoming Justin Spelhaug as President of Microsoft Elevate
Today, we’re honored to introduce someone who has spent his career standing alongside them: Justin Spelhaug, the new President of Microsoft Elevate.As Justin shared, “The AI era must put people first—not as a slogan, but as a plan.” Together, we’re building a future where AI strengthens institutions, expands opportunity, and uplifts those who serve others.
Building Adaptive Multilingual Apps Using TypeScript and Azure AI Translator API
Azure AI Translator adds multilingual intelligence to applications via a REST API.The new 2025-05-01-preview version introduces Large Language Model (LLM) translation options alongside traditional Neural Machine Translation (NMT).For TypeScript developers, this unlocks richer style control (tone, gender), adaptive customization, and hybrid translation flows that balance speed, cost, and nuance.
Unlock Structured OCR in TypeScript with Mistral Document AI on AI Foundry
Mistral Document AI (available as a serverless model in Azure AI Foundry) brings multimodal, layout‑aware document understanding directly into a developer workflow without provisioning GPUs.Mistral Document AI combines vision + language understanding to interpret complex page layouts.The model supports 25+ languages and handles PDFs and images (including scanned, mixed‑content pages) with high accuracy.
Running Phi-4 Locally with Microsoft Foundry Local: A Step-by-Step Guide
In our previous post, we explored how Phi-4 represents a new frontier in AI efficiency that delivers performance comparable to models 5x its size while being small enough to run on your laptop.Today, we're taking the next step: getting Phi-4 up and running locally on your machine using Microsoft Foundry Local.Microsoft Foundry provides a simple API that lets you integrate Phi-4 into Python applications and connect it to real-time data sources.
New in Microsoft Marketplace: November 6, 2025
Learn about 139 new offers that went live in Microsoft Marketplace, a single destination to find, try, and buy cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents to meet your business needs.In this workshop, BearingPoint will help you lay the foundation for a successful ERP initiative with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.Delivered by certified experts, this structured pilot allows users to experience Microsoft Places’ intelligent coordination, space optimization, and hybrid work capabilities, which are fully integrated with Microsoft Teams Premium.
Azure PostgreSQL Lesson Learned #4: Fix Connection Error: No pg_hba.conf Entry, SSL off
The issue occurred when the customer attempted to connect to Azure PostgreSQL using psql and received this error:psql: error: could not connect to server: FATAL: no pg_hba.conf entry for host "", user "ange", database "postgres", SSL offFailing to configure SSL and validate network settings can lead to:
Newsletter - Microsoft Global Community Initiative - November 2025
Microsoft Global Community Initiative Newsletter Microsoft Ignite, Nov 17-21 in San FranciscoDon’t miss out on the next General Session taking place on November 18th.
Beyond Basics: Tracking Kafka Lag in Azure Event Hubs
Mastering Kafka Consumer Lag Monitoring in Azure Event HubsWhile Apache Kafka provides persistent offset storage and straightforward lag monitoring, Azure Event Hubs (Kafka-enabled) introduces unique challenges—especially for inactive consumer groups.This article presents practical strategies, code samples, troubleshooting tips, and best practices for tracking lag in both scenarios.
Azure AI Foundry vs. Azure Databricks – A Unified Approach to Enterprise Intelligence
Key Insights into Azure AI Foundry and Azure Databricks Complementary Powerhouses: Azure AI Foundry is purpose-built for generative AI application and agent development, focusing on model orchestration and rapid prototyping, while Azure Databricks excels in large-scale data engineering, analytics, and traditional machine learning, forming the data intelligence backbone. Seamless Integration for End-to-End AI: A critica...
Calling API Management using Entra ID authentication and testing with PowerShell
Integrating Entra ID or other compatible identity providers with Azure API Management is both easy and a great way to enhance security for your APIs. However, when you enforce authentication with the Validate JWT policy in API Management, you now have the extra step of obtaining a JWT token from your identity provider and supplying it to API Management. If you are writing code, this is fairly straight forward to achieve with the Azure Identity libraries, and there are great API testing ...
🚀 Compliance Meets AI: Communication Compliance for Copilot – What You Missed!
Last Friday’s session was a game-changer for anyone looking to keep AI use safe, ethical, and compliant. We didn’t just talk theory—we showed real-world strategies for monitoring Copilot interactions and protecting sensitive data with Microsoft Purview Communication Compliance. Missed the session? No worries we have you covered. You can watch it here
What's new in Viva Insights
Migration of manager insights to the Viva Insights web app We recently unified all manager insights into a single destination: the Viva Insights web app.We’ve added enhanced data quality visibility for admins and analysts in the Viva Insights web app, which enables them to better understand and act on the quality of organizational data used in Viva Insights and Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Access bug fixes version 2510 (Build 19328.20158)
Undo/Redo don’t work for Bring To Front and Send To Back commands.In Form/Report Design view, after executing a Bring To Front or Send To Back command to re-order controls, Undo will now restore the previous state.Syntax highlighting makes keywords hard to read with dark Office themes in the Monaco SQL editor.
Announcing the Annual Release Cadence for Microsoft Configuration Manager
Starting with version 2609, Microsoft Configuration Manager will transition to an annual release cadence. This change is a formalization of the direction we’ve communicated at events and in customer conversations. Microsoft Intune is the future of device management, and all new innovations will occur there. Configuration Manager will continue to serve your on-premises devices, with a renewed focus on security, stability, and long-term support. Why Move to an Annu...
A Guide to Adaptive Cloud at Microsoft Ignite 2025
This year’s event is all about driving impact in the era of AI.Join Microsoft leaders, including Judson Althoff, Scott Guthrie, Jeremy Winter, and Asha Sharma as they share breakthrough announcements in Cloud and AI platforms, AI business solutions, Security, and emerging technologies.Learn how intelligent infrastructure, agentic operations, and AI-driven tools are transforming cloud reliability, security, and agility for every workload.
Automating IOC hunts in Microsoft Sentinel data lake
Security operations are undergoing significant transformation driven by the introduction of AI and a rapidly evolving threat landscape. With Microsoft Sentinel data lake now generally available, organizations can centralize all their security data in a purpose-built security data lake. This helps optimize costs, simplify ...
Unlocking Developer Innovation with Microsoft Sentinel data lake
Microsoft Sentinel is evolving rapidly, transforming to be both an industry-leading SIEM and an AI-ready platform that empowers agentic defense across the security ecosystem.In our recent webinar: Introduction to Sentinel data lake for Developers, we explored how developers can leverage Sentinel’s unified data lake, extensible architecture, and integrated tools to build innovative security solutions.This post summarizes the key takeaways and actionable insights for developers looking to harness the full power of Sentinel.
Public Preview: Custom WAF Block Status & Body for Azure Application Gateway
Introduction Azure Application Gateway Web Application Firewall (WAF) now supports custom HTTP status codes and custom response bodies for blocked requests. This Public Preview feature gives you more control over user experience and client-side handling, aligning with capabilities already available on Azure Front Door WAF. Why this matters Previously, WAF re...
Announcing General Availability of Larger Container Sizes on Azure Container Instances
Today, we are excited to announce the general availability of larger container sizes on Azure Container Instances (ACI).Customers can now deploy workloads with higher vCPU and memory for standard containers, confidential containers, containers with virtual networks, and containers utilizing virtual nodes to connect to Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).After improving this feature based on customer feedback, ACI now supports vCPU counts greater than 4 and memory capacities of 16 GB, with a maximum of 31 vCPU and 240 GB for standard containers and a maximum of 31 vCPU and 180 GB for confidential containers.
Mastering Copilot Content Governance with SharePoint Advance Management - Session 4
In our final session covering Mastering Copilot Governance webinar, we are joining by Senior Engineer, Georges Wikam and we discuss how Microsoft 365 Copilot is only as good as the data it can access.If your SharePoint environment is cluttered with stale content or overshared files, Copilot’s responses—and your security posture—will suffer.That’s where SharePoint Advanced Management (SAM) comes in.
Empower Smarter AI Agent Investments
This curated series of modules is designed to equip technical and business decision-makers, including IT, developers, engineers, AI engineers, administrators, solution architects, business analysts, and technology managers, with the practical knowledge and guidance needed to make cost-conscious decisions at every stage of the AI agent journey. From identifying high-impact use cases and understanding cost drivers, to forecating ROI, adopting best practices, designing scalable and effect...
Deploying Third-Party Firewalls in Azure Landing Zones: Design, Configuration, and Best Practices
As enterprises adopt Microsoft Azure for large-scale workloads, securing network traffic becomes a critical part of the platform foundation. Azure’s Well-Architected Framework provides the blueprint for enterprise-scale Landing Zone design and deployments, and while
Performance and Scalability of Azure HBv5-series Virtual Machines
Azure HBv5-series virtual machines (VMs) for CPU-based high performance computing (HPC) are now Generally Available. This blog provides in-depth information about the technical underpinnings, performance, cost, and management implications of these HPC-optimized VMs. Azur HBv5 VM bring leadership levels of performance, cost optimization, and server (VM) consolidation for a variety of workloads driven by memory performance, such as computational fluid dynamics, weather simulation, geosci...
Azure Container Registry Repository Permissions with Attribute-based Access Control (ABAC)
General Availability announcementToday marks the general availability of Azure Container Registry (ACR) repository permissions with Microsoft Entra attribute-based access control (ABAC).ABAC augments the familiar Azure RBAC model with namespace and repository-level conditions so platform teams can express least-privilege access at the granularity of specific repositories or entire logical namespaces.
Profiles in Partnership Ep 23 | Partnering for Success: Building Trust and Specialization with Joseph Khalaf
For organizations operating within the Microsoft partner ecosystem, understanding the dynamics of strategic partnerships is more important than ever.In this episode of IAMCP Profiles in Partnership “Partnering for Success: Building Trust and Specialization” with Joseph Khalaf, hosts Anthony Carrano and Rudy Rodriguez have a candid and insightful conversation about what it really takes to build lasting success in the Microsoft Partner ecosystem. Joseph Khalaf's journey from a 17-year Microsoft engineer to the founder of ampiO Solutions illustrates the importance of making the leap from a technical expert to a relationship builder.
Accelerating the multi-cloud advantage: Storage migration paths into Azure storage
Broaden your customer base and enhance your app’s exposure by bringing your AWS-based solution to Azure and listing it on Microsoft Marketplace.This guide will walk you through how Azure storage services compare to those on AWS—spotlighting important differences in architecture, scalability, and feature sets—so you can make confident choices when replicating your app’s storage layer to Azure.When replicating your app from AWS to Azure, start by mapping your existing storage services to the closest Azure equivalents.
Ignite Connections: Unleashing Community & Networking at Microsoft Ignite 2025
We’re excited to showcase the community sessions from all three of our key solution areas: AI Business Solutions, Cloud & AI Platforms, and Security.Experience Community at Microsoft IgniteRegister now, share this with your network, and start planning your attendee experience today.
When Your CRM Plays Hide-and-Seek: The Mystery of Missing Columns in Dynamics 365
What Happened? Personal views across multiple organizations started showing empty columns, even though the data was there. For businesses that rely on these views for daily decisions, this isn’t a normal glitch—the end users can easily assume that “no data” in the view means no data in the record and make decisions based on an incomplete picture of customer informat...
Upgrade Azure Database for PostgreSQL with Minimal Downtime Using Logical Replication
Azure Database for PostgreSQL provides a seamless Major Version Upgrade (MVU) experience for your servers, which is important for security, performance, and feature enhancements. For production workloads, minimizing downtime during this upgrade is essential to maintain business continuity. This blog explores a practical approach to performing a Major Version Up...
Azure Sphere OS version 25.10 is now available
Azure Sphere OS version 25.10 is now available in the Retail feed. This release includes updates to Azure Sphere OS only; it does not include an updated SDK. If your devices are connected to the internet, they will receive the updated OS from the cloud. The 25.10 OS Retail release includes quality and underlying build system updates. For self-help inquiries or technical support, review the
UX Updates, AI Actions & Forms in Document Libraries
SharePoint document libraries are getting some major upgrades! We’re excited to share several improvements rolling out now (or very soon) that make libraries more user-friendly, powerful, and intelligent. You’ll notice an updated user experience, new AI-powered actions that bring Microsoft 365 Copilot capabilities into document libraries, and the ability to create custom forms for document collection in all document libraries. All these ...
Partner Case Study | Encodian
Empowering automation for Microsoft 365 From its headquarters in the United Kingdom, Encodian serves more than 40,000 customers around the world, encompassing government, education, legal services, the financial sector, and beyond. Its growing team of nearly 50 staff members embody a culture rooted in innovation and practical enablement, building tools that slot seamlessly into Microsoft 365 so users don't need to leave the platforms they trust. Encodian became a Microsoft partner in...
Microsoft AI Tour: MVPs, Community, Connection, and the Future of AI
Imagine stepping into a room buzzing with energy, where experts and newcomers alike are exploring the future of AI together. That’s the energy of the Microsoft AI Tour - and it’s the Microsoft MVP community that helps make it truly special. The
SQL Spotlight: Ignite 2025
Ignite 2025: Your SQL GuideMicrosoft Ignite 2025 is less than 30 days away! Whether you’re a data professional, DBA, or developer, this event is your chance to dive in, expand knowledge, and connect with fellow SQL experts. Join Microsoft leaders and customers as they share best practices, practical insights from across the SQL portfolio. Be the first to hear the latest releases, dive in with hands-on labs, and new learning paths to grow your skill set. Grab your...
Unlocking Business Impact with Microsoft 365 Copilot: Turning AI Adoption into Measurable Value
In boardrooms and leadership meetings, a similar question is being asked: “What returns are we really getting from AI?” The release of a new whitepaper —
Build with Copilot Pages: A new way to bring your ideas to life
Have an idea but need a collaborator that can build it for you? Or wish you could visually explore topics through dynamic, interactive experiences instead of scrolling through long pages of text? Now, Copilot can write code using the latest LLM models and let you preview it directly in a Copilot Page, enabling rich, immersive experiences—with zero coding skills required. If you can imagine it, you can build it.
Exciting news: Microsoft Learn Community is moving!
We’ve got some big news to share: the Microsoft Learn community and blog are packing up and moving to a brand-new, bigger destination—The Skills Hub community and blog! This ...
Microsoft 365 Certification
Why Microsoft 365 Certified Apps and Agents Matter for IT Admins As an IT Admin, you're constantly balancing innovation, security, and user productivity. With the growing ecosystem of apps/agents integrating into Microsoft 365, how do you ensure the ones your organization adopts are secure, compliant...
Zero-Trust Kubernetes: Enforcing Security & Multi-Tenancy with Custom Admission Webhooks
Admission controllers act as Kubernetes’ built-in gatekeepers that intercept API requests after authentication/authorization but before they're persisted to etcd. They can validate or mutate incoming objects, ensuring everything that enters your cluster meets defined policies. We strengthen this mechanism with OPA Gatekeeper (policy-as-code, integrated with Azure Policy on AKS), Kyverno (YAML-based policy engine), and custom admissio...
Unified Reporting in Microsoft Purview : Know your data posture
If you've ever struggled to answer questions like "How well are we protecting sensitive data?" or "Which DLP policies are actually working?", you know the frustration. Data scattered across multiple tools, no unified view, and executives asking for metrics you can't easily provide. That changes today. At Microsoft Purview, we've heard from thousands of customers about the visibility gap in data protection programs. You deploy policies, configure labels, and enable DLP: but provi...
Driving cloud-first identity: User SOA is now Public Preview and Group SOA is Generally Available
Back in August, I shared how Group Source of Authority (SOA) conversion helps organizations govern legacy groups in the cloud, simplifying on-premises cleanup and extending governance to apps that still rely on Active Directory (AD). Today, I’m excited to announce two major updates to assist in securing hybrid identities: Group SOA conversion is now generally available. User SOA conversion is in public preview. Why this matters Man...
SAP on Azure Product Announcements Summary – SAP TechEd 2025
Today at SAP TechEd 2025, we are excited to share the next evolution of the Microsoft-SAP partnership. Building on decades of collaboration, we continue to advance RISE with SAP on Azure and deepen integrations with SAP S/4HANA Cloud public edition. Our latest innovations deliver enhanced security for SAP and non-SAP workloads, while unified analytics and AI-driven Copilot experiences empower customers to make smarter decisions. These advancements are designed to help customers acceler...
Part 3: Client-Side Multi-Agent Orchestration on Azure App Service with Microsoft Agent Framework
In Part 2 of this series, I showed you how to build sophisticated multi-agent systems on Azure App Service using Azure AI Foundry Agents—server-side ma...
Welcome to The Skills Hub—Our new community home!
Hello there, friends, learners, and fellow skilling enthusiasts! We’re thrilled to roll out the virtual welcome mat at The Skills Hub on Microsoft Tech Community—your new go-to spot for all things AI, cloud, professional, and organizational skilling. If you’re picturing us surrounded by cardboard boxes and bubble wrap, you’re not far off! We’re still busy unpacking the last of our favorite articles and hanging up digital pictures to make the place feel like home. Over ...
Unlocking Business Value: Microsoft's Dual Approach to AI for Security and Security for AI
Overview In an era where cyber threats evolve at an unprecedented pace and artificial intelligence (AI) transforms business operations, Microsoft stands at the forefront with a comprehensive strategy that addresses both leveraging AI to bolster security and safeguarding AI systems themselves. This white paper, presented in blog post format, explores Microsoft's business value model for "AI for Security" – using AI to enhance threat detection, response, and prevention...
Introducing the enhanced query diagnostics in Azure Log Analytics
We’re excited to introduce a set of new capabilities that simplify query diagnostics and troubleshooting in Azure Log Analytics. With this new experience, users can now easily resolve query issues that may surface using the suggested recommendations, have a deeper visibility into query execution statistics and utilize those to optimize query performances. What’s new? Improved query notification experience
Take Data Management to the next level with Silk Software-Defined Azure Storage
Note: This article is co-authored by our partner Silk. In today’s data-driven world, every enterprise is under pressure to make smarter decisions faster. Whether you're running production databases, training machine learning models, running advanced analytics, or building customer-facing applications, your data needs to be more agile, secure, and readily accessible than ever before. That’s where Silk’s software-defined clo...
Azure PostgreSQL Lesson Learned #3: Fix FATAL: sorry, too many clients already
Co-authored with angesalsaa Symptoms Application errors indicating connection failures Error message in logs: FATAL: sorry, too many clients already High CPU utilization during peak traffic Short-lived connections (<...
AI-powered intranet solution built on SharePoint - Fresh Intranet - SharePoint Partner Showcase
We are excited to start a new blog post series focused on the different partner offerings around SharePoint in Microsoft 365. In this first post, we focus on Advania’s Fresh Intranet – an AI powered intranet solution built natively on Microsoft SharePoint. In this short conversation and demo, David Bowman, Product Director at Advania, and
On‑Device AI with Windows AI Foundry
From “waiting” to “instant”- without sending data away AI is everywhere, but speed, privacy, and reliability are critical. Users expect instant answers without compromise. On-device AI makes that possible: fast, private and available, even when the network isn’t - empowering apps to deliver seamless experiences. Imagine an intelligent assistant that works in seconds, without sending a text to the cloud. This approach brings speed...
Low-Light Image Enhancer (Python + OpenCV) on Azure App Service
Low-light photos are everywhere: indoor team shots, dim restaurant pics, grainy docs. This post shows a tiny Python app (Flask + OpenCV) that fixes them with explainable image processing—not a heavyweight model. We’ll walk the code that does the real work (CLAHE → gamma → brightness → subtle saturation) and deploy it to Azure App Service for Linux. What you’ll build A Flask web app that accepts an image upload, ...
Evolving SAP Testing on Azure: What’s New in the SAP Testing Automation Framework
We're announcing the general availability (GA) of the SAP Testing Automation Framework (STAF), an open-source orchestration tool that automates validation of SAP ...
Postgres Trip Summary from PGConf EU 2025 (with lots of photos)
Missed PGConf EU 2025 in Riga? No worries, this trip report aims to give you highlights, reflections, and a ton of photos to give you a feel for the vibe. But where to begin? So much happened, it’s a bit hard to choose what to share. Quick context: PGConf EU is a traveling Postgres conference that lands in a different major European city each year (you can
What’s New in Microsoft Sentinel: November 2025
Welcome to our new Microsoft Sentinel blog series! We’re excited to launch a new blog series focused on Microsoft Sentinel. From the latest product innovations and feature updates to industry recognition, success stories, and major events, you’ll find it all here. This first post kicks off the series by celebrating Microsoft’s recognition as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for SIEM 1. It also introduces the latest innovations designed to delive...
Announcing SQLCon 2026: Better Together with FabCon!
We’re thrilled to unveil SQLCon 2026, the premier Microsoft SQL Community Conference, co-located with the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference (FabCon) from March 16–20, 2026! This year, we’re bringing the best of both worlds under one roof—uniting the vibrant SQL and Fabric communities for a truly next-level ...
Ensure your ICES solution works seamlessly alongside Microsoft Defender
In today’s evolving threat landscape, organizations increasingly rely on layered email security solutions to protect users and sensitive data. Microsoft supports and collaborates with Integrated Cloud Email Security (ICES) vendors that work in conjunction with Microsoft Defender, and customers who choose a layered approach to email security to ensure the maximum level of email protection.
New developer resource page for Microsoft 365 interoperability and data portability
Microsoft has long provided interoperability information, interfaces, and tools to help our vibrant ecosystem of partners integrate their products and services with Microsoft 365 productivity applications. This ecosystem includes communication and collaboration solution providers that compete with Microsoft Teams. Alongside these resources, we have also offered data portability solutions to our customers to allow them to move betwee...
Support tip: Aligning network policy with Microsoft Intune and Zero Trust
By: Jon Callahan – Sr Product Manager | Microsoft Intune Cloud services don’t just rely on the network. They redefine it. As organizations adopt Microsoft Intune and advance their Zero Trust strategies, many discover that traditional, perimeter-based architectures no longer align with modern security expectations or the connectivity needs of a distributed workforce. Zero Trust is built on the principle of "never trust, always veri...
Microsoft Entra: Building Trust in a Borderless Digital World
As nonprofits embrace hybrid work, multi-cloud environments, and digital transformation to better serve their missions, the need for secure, intelligent access has never been greater. Traditional identity solutions often fall short in protecting diverse user groups like staff, volunteers, donors, and partners.Microsoft Entra offers a unified family of identity and network access products designed to verify every identity, validate every access req...
Comprehensive Identity Protection—Across Cloud and On-Premises
Hybrid IT environments, identity is the new perimeter—and protecting it requires visibility across both cloud and on-premises systems. While Microsoft Entra secures cloud identities with intelligent access controls, Microsoft Defender for Identity brings deep insight into your on-premises Active Directory. Together, they form a powerful duo for comprehensive identity protection. Why Hybrid Identity Protection Matters Most organizations haven’t fully ...
Federal Endpoint Management Briefings
We're extending an invite to our Public Sector customers in the GCC, GCC-High and DoD IL5 clouds to attend our Federal Endpoint Management briefings, designed exclusively for Federal and DIB customers. Our experts will explore the latest strategies, tools, and innovations. Each session will feature practical guidance...
Windows news you can use: October 2025
Microsoft Ignite 2025 is coming soon: November 18 – 21. Read up on the range of sessions including breakouts (in person and online), hands-on labs, community roundtables, and much more. You can register for digital Microsoft Ignite and plan your event schedule now. Have questions about what you learned at Microsoft Ignite? Save the date ...
Preparing commercial Windows 10 devices for ESUs
As support for Windows 10 officially ended on October 14, 2025, it is important that organizations with devices remaining on Windows 10 stay as protected as possible through the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. To help ensure your Windows 10 devices are activated with an ESU license, here i...
Breaking the Million-Token Barrier: The Technical Achievement of Azure ND GB300 v6
By Mark Gitau (Software Engineer) and Hugo Affaticati (Senior Cloud Infrastructure Engineer) The new Azure ND GB300 v6 virtual machines, built on the cutting-edge NVIDIA Blackwell architecture introduced with the
Get ready: Microsoft Ignite 2025 is almost here!
Microsoft Ignite 2025 (November 18–21) is coming up, and it’s time to get ready. Whether you join in person or digitally, this can’t-miss event is designed to help you build connections, accelerate customer conversations, and gain exclusive access to product updates to shape your 2026 plans.
Introducing Microsoft M365 Business Premium for GCC-High
We’re excited to announce the availability of Microsoft 365 Business Premium for GCC-High. This purpose-built productivity suite is designed for organizations with high security and compliance requirements and supports up to 500 seats. Stay compliant without compromise
Retirement of the Visio Data Visualizer add-in for Excel and next steps
On December 8, 2025, the Visio Data Visualizer add-in will be removed from the Excel add-in store, along with its related Excel templates. However, users will h...
October Update: What's new in Azure for Partners
Navigate to News and Announcements, Incentives and Offers, Skilling and Events, Go-To-Market, Customer Success<...
7 hidden gems to effectively manage your tasks in Microsoft Planner
Hi, Insiders! I’m Nancy Wang, a Product Manager on the Planner team. Microsoft Planner is more than just task boards and buckets. Here are some hidden gems – including Copilot-powered features – that can help you plan smarter, collaborate better, and save time. 1. Update tasks simultaneously With bulk editing, you can update multiple tasks at the same time. Assign tasks, adjust priorities, update progress, and modify start and due dates, all in one go. To get started, n...
Introducing voice in Microsoft 365 Copilot: a more productive way to work on the go.
Introducing voice in Microsoft 365 Copilot! Now you can talk to Copilot, interrupt naturally, and get real-time spoken responses grounded in your work and web data—just click “Start a new voice chat” in the input box. Because work doesn’t stop at your desk, voice helps you stay productive anywhere—hands-free, on the go, or while multitasking. Available ...
Delivering more threat hunting insights with Microsoft Defender Experts’ newest capabilities
The cybersecurity threat landscape continues to evolve with novel attacks and techniques emerging each day. Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting, included with Microsoft Defender Experts for XDR, helps security teams stay ahead of ev...
Logic Apps Aviators Newsletter - November 2025
In this issue: Ace Aviator of the Month News from our product group News from our community Ace Aviator of the Month Novembers’s Ace Aviator: Al Ghoniem Al Ghoniem...
Microsoft Teams Town Hall: Host Professional Digital and Hybrid Events at Scale
Over the past year, Microsoft Teams town hall has made significant strides, continuing to evolve as a platform for scalable digital and hybrid events. It now provides enhanced production controls and richer attendee experiences. Whether you’re hosting a company-wide all hands, a hybrid town hall from your headquarters, or a large presentation for clients, Teams town hall provides a unified, professional solution that keeps everyone engaged and connected, supp...
Follow-Up to ‘Important Changes to App Service Managed Certificates’: October 2025 Update
This post provides an update to the Tech Community article ‘Important Changes to App Ser...
Python + IA: Resumen y Recursos
Acabamos de concluir nuestra serie sobre Python + IA, un recorrido completo de nueve sesiones donde exploramos a fondo cómo usar modelos de inteligencia artificial generativa desde Python. Durante la serie presentamos varios tipos de modelos, incluyendo LLMs, modelos de embeddings y modelos de visión. Profundizamos en técnicas populares como RAG, tool calling y salidas estructu...
Security Review for Microsoft Edge version 142
We have reviewed the new settings in Microsoft Edge version 142 and determined that there are no additional security settings that require enforcement. The Microsoft Edge version 139 security baseline continues to be our recommended configuration which can be downloaded from the Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit. Microsoft Edge version 142 introduced 5 new Computer an...
Monthly news - November 2025
Microsoft DefenderMonthly news - November 2025 Edition This is our monthly "What's new" blog post, summarizing product updates and various new assets we released over the past month across our Defender products. In this edition, we are looking at all the goodness from October 2025. Defender for Cloud has its own Monthly News post, have a look at
From Meeting Chaos to Clarity: How AI Turns Transcripts into Backlogs
It all starts in a meeting room. Teams share ideas, debate solutions, and align on goals, but too often, they leave behind chaos instead of clarity—hours of discussion result in lengthy transcripts filled with valuable insights that are never revisited. The result?
Update Coverage Workbook in Microsoft Defender for Cloud to Include Defender for AI Plan status
Option 1: Update the Existing Coverage Workbook Enhance the current workbook by adding a query that checks Defender for AI plan enablement across subscriptions. Steps Open the Coverage Workbook in Defender for Cloud. Edit the workbook and update the query section to include the line below. AIServices = defenderPlans.AI Display t...
Your city agent speaks 100 languages. But does It understand you?
For many residents, interacting with city services feels like a frustrating experience. Forms are confusing. Wait times are long. And often, it feels like no one is truly listening. Now imagine a city services agent that speaks your language and understands your needs. Some cities already have one. But the real question is not whether they can do it. It is whether they should.SmartCitiesWorld has published a new trend report titled “
Agentic Integration with SAP, ServiceNow, and Salesforce
Copilot/Copilot Studio Integration with SAP (No Code) By integrating SAP Cloud Identity Services with Microsoft Entra ID, organizations can establish secure, federated identity management across platforms. This configuration enables Microsoft Copilot and Teams to seamlessly connect with SAP’s Joule digital assistant, supporting natural language interactions and automating business processes efficiently.
From the frontlines: Empowering call center agents with Windows 365 Frontline
By: Tania Lima – Sr Product Manager | Windows 365 Call centers are dynamic environments where agents often work in shifts, handling customer inquiries around the clock. Providing these frontline employees with secure, consistent, and accessible computing environments is critical to maintaining productivity and excellent service. However, traditional desktop deployments, whether physical PCs or complex virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), are often challe...
Join us for a professional development session on the new AI-powered Teach module in M365 Copilot
Join us on Wednesday, November 19th, 2025, for an in-depth professional development webinar on the new AI-powered "Teach" module in M365 that is fully rolled out and available to everyone. This will be a 45-minute hands-on webinar where the Product Management team will walk through the new updates in detail and you can follow-along at home with your own M365 Education account! This webinar will be available at both 8:00am Pacific Time and 4:00pm Pacific time to cover as man...
AI architecture: Powering the next generation of business agents
In this installment of our Partner Spotlight series, we’re continuing to showcase the innovators’ driving app and agent development forward on the Microsoft Marketplace. Each feature highlights the distinct journeys of partners who are pioneering AI-powered solutions, building across the Microsoft ecosystem, and delivering transactable applications that are shaping the future of the marketplace. In this article, I sat down with Imran Mahmood from KAISPE to learn more about their story a...
Revolutionizing Reliability: Introducing the Azure Failure Prediction and Detection (AFPD) system
Blog authored by: Ayberk Ozturk, Andrew Boyd, Otis Smith, Sameer Hussain, Joao Madureira, Ronit Sharma, Isha Bhatia, Halley Ding, Parvaneh Alavi, Jelena Ilic, Kevin Meehan, Steven Li, Arhatha Bramhanand, Nathan Ernst, Abhishek Sanghai, Adam Wilson, Blake Wheaton, Dhruv Matta, Olubusola Femi-Fowode, Shweta Patil, and Tajinder Pal Singh Ahluwalia Introduction As part of the journey to consistently improve Azure reliability and platform stability, ...
Introducing the PublicNetworkAccess property to Azure Managed Redis
We want to enable users of Azure Managed Redis to disable public traffic without a private endpoint or allow both public and private access simultaneously. In certain enterprise environments, Redis and networking responsibilities are handled by distinct teams. The Data Operations team may securely provision Azure Managed Redis instances with PublicNetworkAccess set to Disabled, subsequently establishing connections to private links overseen by the Networking Operations tea...
Title Plan Update – October 31, 2025
🎃 October 31, 2025 Title Plan Now Available Access the latest Instructor-Led Training (ILT) updates anytime at http://aka.ms/Courseware_Title_Plan to ensure you're always working from the most current version. 📌 Reminder: To help you stay informed more quickly and consistently, we’ve moved to a weekly publishing cadence for the title plan. This means each update may...
The Future of AI: Building Weird, Warm, and Wildly Effective AI Agents
The Future of AI blog series is an evolving collection of posts from the AI Futures team in collaboration with subject matter experts across Microsoft. In this series, we explore tools and technologies that will drive the next generation of AI. Explore more at: Collections | Microsoft Learn AI doesn’t have to be cold, corporate, or overly complicated. In fact, some of the most...
Azure capacity planning: Using quotas, reservations, vmss instance mix, and compute fleet
Introduction Over the past few months, I’ve been helping several digital-native customers navigate capacity constraints while scaling AI and compute-intensive workloads on Azure. Many teams run into the same frustrating message: ...
Part 2: Build Long-Running AI Agents on Azure App Service with Microsoft Agent Framework
Last week, I shared how to build long-running AI agents on Azure App Service with Microsoft Agent ...
What’s new in Microsoft 365 Copilot | October 2025
Welcome to the October 2025 edition of What's new in Microsoft 365 Copilot! Every month, we highlight new features and enhancements to keep Microsoft 365 admins up to date with Copilot features that help your users be more productive and efficient in the apps they use every day. Let’s take a closer look at what’s new this month: User capabilities:
New in Microsoft Marketplace: October 31, 2025
Learn about 228 new offers that went live in Microsoft Marketplace, a single destination to find, try, and buy cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents to meet your business needs. Get it now in our marketplace
Multi-agent Workflow with Human Approval using Agent Framework
In modern AI-driven workflows, balancing automation with human oversight is critical, especially for high-stakes decisions. The solution scripts from this article demonstrate an effective approach to orchestrate Agent Framework-powered sequential workflow involving persistent Azure AI Foundry agents, integrating human approval for critical a...
Dive Deep into .NET Conf Student Zone 2025
While the .NET bot is busy exploring the ocean depths, we're here on the surface, ready to dive into what's new across the .NET ecosystem - AI, .NET Aspire, GitHub Copilot, of course .NET 10, and a whole lot more. Whether you're just starting your coding journey or looking to level up your skills, the .NET Conf Student Zone 2025 is your gateway to the world of modern software development. For all the details, surf to the official site:
It’s now easier to access iCloud Mail, Calendar, and Contacts in Outlook
We’re excited to announce that the new Outlook for Windows, Outlook for Mac, and Outlook for iOS and Android now support easier iCloud Mail, Calendar, and Contacts access. You no longer need to create and enter app-specific passwords to access your iCloud data in Outlook apps. Now using the OAuth 2.0 authentication protocol, simply sign in with your Apple Account to access your iCloud Mail, Calendar, and Contacts in Outlook. Add email account, shown in the new Outlook for Wind...
Top 5 reasons to attend ESPC25
We are so excited! Don’t miss out on ESPC25, Europe’s premier Microsoft 365 and AI community conference, in Dublin, Ireland. You’ll learn about Microsoft’s product roadmap, gain skills that will help you lead in the era of AI, build connections with a global community of Microsoft experts and enthusiasts—and hav...
Evolving SAP Testing on Azure: What’s New in the SAP Testing Automation Framework
We're announcing the general availability (GA) of the SAP Testing Automation Framework (STAF), an open-source orchestration tool that automates validation of SAP deployments on Microsoft Azure. With this release, High Availability (HA) function testing is now available for SAP HANA scale-up databases and SAP Ce...
What’s New in Microsoft Intune: October 2025
Last week, someone asked me what keeps me up at night when it comes to endpoint management. The answer surprised them; it was not the sophisticated threats or latest vulnerabilities we read about in headlines. What concerns me most is the friction between security and productivity, that invisible tax we've all paid for years when security can get in the way of getting work done. October marks
Empowering Clinicians with Microsoft 365 Copilot’s Researcher Agent: Less Admin, More Patient Care
Healthcare clinicians today face an unsustainable administrative burden – from poring over medical literature to writing reports and documentation – which cuts into the time they can spend with patients. Studies have found that for every 1 hour of direct patient care, physicians spend about 2 hours on EHR and desk work. Many do...
Smarter Cloud, Smarter Spend: How Azure Powers Cost-Efficient Innovation
In today’s dynamic business environment, organizations are under pressure to innovate rapidly while managing costs effectively. The cloud, especially with AI at the forefront, is driving transformation across industries. But with rising cloud spend and economic uncertainty, cost efficiency has become a top priority. To help customers navigate this challenge, Microsoft commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a
Safeguarding Microsoft Teams with Microsoft Defender for Office 365
As organizations rely more on Microsoft Teams for daily collaboration, securing this platform has become a top priority. Threat actors are increasingly targeting Teams chats and channels with phishing links and malicious files, making it critical for IT admins and security professionals to extend protection beyond email. Enter Microsoft Defender for Office 365, now armed with dedicated Teams protection capabilities. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 enables users to report suspicious message...
Back to College Essentials – DfS Accessories That Power Productivity
For more than 11 years, the Designed for Surface (DfS) team has worked with strategic partners to offer solutions that can extend the Surface experience for diverse scenarios. As the nex...
Building human-centric security skills for AI
AI is reshaping the workplace, and the organizations thriving in this new era know it takes more than just cutting-edge tech to succeed. A new kind of company is emerging—the so-called Frontier Firm. These organizations are building their business models around on-demand intelligence and hybrid human-AI co...
Introducing langchain-azure-storage: Azure Storage integrations for LangChain
We're excited to introduce langchain-azure-storage, the first official Azure Storage integration package built by Microsoft for
Introducing Researcher with Computer Use in Microsoft 365 Copilot
Today we’re excited to announce Researcher with Computer Use in Microsoft 365 Copilot—a major leap toward more autonomous AI that works for you. Now with Computer Use, Researcher goes beyond reasoning and researching. It can now act on your behalf using a secure virtual computer to navigate public, gated, and interactive we...
GenAI vs Cyber Threats: Why GenAI Powered Unified SecOps Wins
Cybersecurity is evolving faster than ever. Attackers are leveraging automation and AI to scale their operations, so how can defenders keep up? The answer lies in Microsoft Unified Security Operations powered by Generative AI (GenAI). This opens the Cybersecurity Paradox: Attackers only need one successful attempt, but defenders must always be vigilant,...
Simplify Search Development with the New Azure AI Search Wizard
Introducing the New "Import Data" Wizard Recently, Azure AI Search rolled out the "Import Data (new)" wizard, an enhanced experience that merges the capabilities of the older "Import Data" wizard for <...
Research Drop: Amplifying Clarity and Impact of AI Agents by Aligning on Desired Outcomes
Research Drop in Brief: Employees on teams that align on both activities and outcomes they want to achieve with AI agents are 1.9x as likely to be high-frequency agentic AI users compared to teams focused only on activities. Outcome-aligned teams report greater up to 22 percentage-points higher clarity when using multiple agents, such as clearer use cases and deeper understanding of capabilities. When teams plan for out...
Simplifying compliance remediation with Microsoft Intune and Defender on iOS/iPadOS
By: Harish S | Sr. Product Manager - Microsoft Defender & Rishita Sarin | Product Manager 2 - Microsoft Intune One tap to compliance: Introducing the Resolve workflow for Compliance Remediation in Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Defender on iOS. We’re thrilled to announce a major step forward in simplifying the compliance remediation experience for users and IT admins alike. As part of a collaboration between Micro...
What’s New in Microsoft Teams | October 2025
Before we get to this month’s new Teams features, I’m thrilled to share that Microsoft has been recognized as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Unified Communications as a Service for the 7th year in a row. We are honored to again be positioned highest for ability to execute and furthest for completeness of vision in the evaluation’s axes. We believe this recognition underscores the product innovations we delivered over this past year, such as the launch of agents in meetings ...
Your guide to Intune at Microsoft Ignite 2025
The Microsoft Intune team is gearing up for Microsoft Ignite, happening November 17-21 in San Francisco! Whether you'll be joining in person or online, this guide is the best place to learn all about the sessions and experiences where you can connect with the Intune team, learn about the latest innovations, and boost your skills. Don't forget to register today. Attendees will have opportunities ...
Building learning communities: Microsoft MVPs making a difference with Microsoft Learn
Microsoft Learn continues to evolve with the help of our global community of Microsoft MVPs. MVPs build and sustain communities of learning by creating resources, organizing inclusive events, mentoring peers, connecting learners with the right content, and sharing feedback on Learn. Meet a fe...
Your guide to Windows at Microsoft Ignite 2025
The Windows Platform is evolving—learn the latest Microsoft Ignite 2025 is coming to San Francisco, November 18-21, and we’re excited to share the latest details on everything new in Windows! Whether you’re attending in-person or digitally, we’ve got you covered.
Microsoft Syntex: "Turning Your Documents into Digital Intelligence”
In today’s digital workplace, organizations generate a massive volume of content contracts, invoices, reports, emails, and more. Managing this information manually is not only inefficient but also error prone.Microsoft Syntex, an AI-powered service within Microsoft 365, transforms how businesses handle content by automating classification, metadata extraction, compliance, and even document generation.Now, with deeper integration into Microsoft Teams
Quick look at journey of Agentic Solutions, from No‑code to Developer tools
Why this journey matters My journey with Bot, virtual agents and personal assistants has been quite long and, in this time, not only has the usage and user scenario evolved but the technology and platforms that fueled it sign...
Planning for a quantum future: How to secure data today with Commvault in Microsoft Marketplace
In this guest blog post, Michael Fasulo, Senior Director of Portfolio Marketing at Commvault, discusses how quantum computing will threaten cryptography and how Commvault Cloud in Microsoft Marketplace can help. In today’s digital economy, trust is currency – and cryptography is its vault. Every transaction, login, and backup rely on encryption to keep data safe. But what happens when the locks we’ve relied on for decades are no longer secure? That’s not a hypothe...
Lessons Learned #538: Printing One Line Per Field in T-SQL in Azure SQL Database.
Working on a case with a huge number of columns I needed to dump records as one line per field. Happy to share this script that it was useful. For example, I would like to have the data in this way. Id: 123 Status: Open Title: Connectivity issue Running the following TSQL, I was able to obtain the info as I expected. ;WITH src AS ( SELECT top 10000 * FROM dbo.Incidents ORDER BY IncidentId ) SELECT s.IncidentId, f.ord, ...
Koulutus on kasvun moottori – miksi Microsoftin kumppanien kannattaa panostaa osaamiseen?
Digitalisaation ja tekoälyn aikakaudella tekninen osaaminen ei ole enää vain tukitoiminto – se on liiketoiminnan ydin. Microsoftin tuore tutkimus osoittaa, että projektivalmiit ja työkuormaan kohdennetut koulutukset parantavat kumppaneiden menestystä merkittävästi: ne nopeuttavat kauppojen läpimenoa, nostavat voittoprosenttia ja avaavat ovia kannattavampiin ratkaisuihin. Koulutus ei s...
Microsoft Sentinel for SAP Agentless connector GA
Dear Community, Today is the day: Our new agentless connector for Microsoft Sentinel Solution for SAP applications is Generally Available now! Fully onboarded to SAP’s official Business Accelerator Hub and ready for prime time wherever your SAP systems are waiting – on-premises, hyperscalers, RISE, or GROW – to be protected...
Edge AI for Beginners : Getting Started with Foundry Local
In Module 08 of the EdgeAI for Beginners course, Microsoft introduces Foundry Local a toolkit that helps you deploy and test Small Language Models (SLMs) completely offline. In this blog, I’ll share how I installed Foundry Local, ran the Phi-3.5-mini model on my windows laptop, and what I learned through the pr...
The Complete Guide to Renewing an Expired Certificate in Microsoft HPC Pack 2019 (Single Head Node)
Managing certificates in an HPC Pack 2019 cluster is critical for secure communication between nodes. However, if your certificate has expired, your cluster services (Scheduler, Broker, Web Components, etc.) may stop functioning properly — preventing nodes from communicating or jobs from scheduling. When the HPC Pack certificate expires, the HPC Cluster Manager will fail to launch, and you may encounter error messages ...
Build an AI-Powered Chat App in Minutes with AI Toolkit
AI Toolkit VS Code extension is a great place for developers to experiment, prototype, and learn about AI workflows. Developers exploring AI often start in "Model Playground" — experimenting with models, testing prompts, and iterating on ideas. But turning those experiments into real applications can take time.
Add Sidecars to Azure App Service for Linux—via GitHub Actions or Azure Pipelines
Sidecars on Azure App Service let you run helper containers (telemetry, OTEL/monitoring agents, lightweight APIs, caches, AI helpers) alongside your main app—same app, shared lifecycle, localhost networking—without changing your core code. We’ve published ready-to-use templates for both GitH...
Ubuntu-Powered Runtimes on Azure App Service for Linux: Leaner, Faster, Stronger
We’re updating the OS foundation for new code-based stacks on Azure App Service for Linux. Every new major version of our supported stacks will target Ubuntu going forward - this includes the new versions for .NET 10, Python 3.14, Node 24, PHP 8.5 and Java 25 - all expected to rollout in the next couple of months. Existing stacks remain on Debian, and nothing changes for your current apps un...
Python 3.14 is now available on Azure App Service for Linux
If you’ve been waiting to run Python 3.14 in on Azure App Service - it’s here. Azure App Service for Linux now offers Python 3.14 as a first-class runtime. You can create a new 3.14 app through the Azure portal, automate it with the Azure CLI, or roll it out using your favorite ARM/Bicep templates — and App Service continues to handle the OS, runtime updates, and patching for you so you can stay focused on code. Why Python 3.14 matters
Copilot Vision: Visual AI Guidance That Transforms Everyday Productivity
Copilot Vision brings visual, onscreen guidance to Microsoft 365 so you can see what to do, not just read about it. This inclusive approach offers clear, visual cues and step-by-step help, making it easy for everyone—regardless of learning style or ability—to confidentl...
Connecting the Dots: How MCP Enables Context-Aware Agents Across Diverse Data Sources
Unlock the power of MCP—connect data dots, break silos, and let your agents deliver smarter, real-time answers Introduction As a passionate innovator in AI systems, I’m on a mission to redefine how intelligent agents interact with the world—moving beyond isolated prompts to create context-aware, dynamic solutions. With Model Context Protocol (MCP), I aim to empower agents to seamlessly connect, interpret, and unify fragmented data s...
Simplified Windows Update titles
Windows updates play a vital role in keeping devices secure, performant, and up to date. To further enrich the user experience, we're introducing a simplified and standardized titling system for a range of updates. This new format is designed primarily with the user in mind. Titles are more intuitive, consistent, and informative to help users quickly understand what updates they're receiving.
Copilot Agents: From Prompts to Agents
AI is changing how we work, but knowing when to use a prompt versus building an agent can make or break your productivity. In our recent webinar with Michael Goad and Jim Warner, we broke down prompt best practices, explained the differences between prompts and agents, and shared...
Announcing Qwen3-VL family of models on Azure AI Foundry
We’re excited to share that Qwen3-VL family of vision-language models are now available in Azure AI Foundry thanks to our collaboration with Hugging Face. Our collaboration with Hugging Face models represents a major leap forward in operationalizing open-source AI at scale. By bridging the gap between community-driven innovation and enterprise-grade infrastructure, th...
Dalec: Declarative Package and Container Builds
Dalec, a Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) Sandbox project, is a Docker BuildKit frontend that enables users to build system packages and container images from declarative YAML specifications. As a BuildKit frontend, Dalec integrates directly into the Docker build process, requiring no additional tools beyond Docker itself. Dalec’s primary focus is building native Linux packages (RPM and DEB form...
Secure external attachments with Purview encryption
If you are using Microsoft Purview to secure email attachments, it’s important to understand how Conditional Access (CA) policies and Guest account settings influence the experience for external recipients. Scenario 1: Guest Accounts Enabled ✅ Smooth Experience Each recipient is provisioned with a guest account, allowing them to access the file seamlessly. 📝 Note
Student-Led Campus Operations Program
The Student-Led Campus Operations Program, powered by Microsoft, enables universities to create student-driven innovation hubs in Cybersecurity and AI. Through this initiative, students gain hands-on experience with Microsoft technologies, earn industry-recognized certifications, and contribute to improving their institution’s operations and digital resilience. By joining the pr...
Explore Marketplace and partner innovations at Microsoft Ignite 2025
Are you coming to Microsoft Ignite? Microsoft Marketplace has an expanded space in the Hub, in addition to a full slate of must-watch breakout and theater sessions. We are thrilled that the following software companies will be joining Marketplace in the Hub to showcase their cutting-edge solutions:
Get Started with Git and GitHub: Why Every DevOps Professional Needs These Skills Now
Why Git and GitHub Are Non-Negotiable in DevOps In today’s fast-paced DevOps environments, mastering the basics of git and GitHub isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s essential. Whether you’re a devel...
Announcing Public Preview: AI Toolkit for GitHub Copilot Prompt-First Agent Development
This week at GitHub Universe, we’re announcing the Public Preview of the GitHub Copilot prompt-first agent development in the AI Toolkit for Visual Studio Code. With this release, building powerful AI agents is now simpler and fa...
Liquid Glass and template category filters in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for iOS
Hi, Insiders! We’re Jessica Hu and Hugo Garcia, Product Managers on the Apple Experiences team. We’re excited to share a new, modern home experience for Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for iOS! Liquid Glass and template category filters in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for iOS Your favorite Microsoft 365 apps on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro now feature Liquid Glass styling. We’ve also made the search experience available from the bottom of the screen, to align with i...
Announcing Public Preview: AI Toolkit for Prompt-First Agent Development
This week at GitHub Universe, we’re announcing the Public Preview of the GitHub Copilot prompt-first agent development in the AI Toolkit for Visual Studio Code. With this release, building powerful AI agents is now simpler and fa...
Streamline Cloud Spend with Azure Reserved VM Instances
Cloud costs can feel like a runaway train, especially if you’re running GPU-heavy workloads for AI. Every hour of compute adds up, and before long, your forecasted budget is looking off. This is where Azure Reserved Virtual Machine Instance can help. When customers commit to using a specific Virtual Machine in a region for a set time they’ll receive a discounted price. In this blog we’ll follow a fictious company, Contoso, that is looking to optimize their VM spend while scaling...
The Future of AI: From Noise to Insight - An AI Agent for Customer Feedback
The Future of AI blog series is an evolving collection of posts from the AI Futures team in collaboration with subject matter experts across Microsoft. In this series, we explore tools and technologies that will drive the next generation of AI. Explore more at: Collections | Microsoft Learn Every product team wants to be more customer-led. But the reality is messy: feedback pours in from all...
Powering Up People: Growing Tech Communities Through UK Dynamics 365 & Power Platform Groups
This is the second story in the User Group blog series. In this blog we turn to the UK, home to one of the largest and most active Dynamics 365 and Power Platform communities, to explore how connection and collaboration power lasting growth. Birmingham UG team, attendees and speakers group photo The UK Dynamics 365 and Power Platform User Groups began in the early 2000s when
Why Does an Old Certificate Reappear After Reboot in Azure VMs?
Issue Observed A customer removed an expired SSL certificate from their Azure VM after installing a renewed one. However, after every reboot, the old certificate reappeared, and IIS site bindings automatically started picking it up. Investigation Steps 1. Identify the Process Bringing Back the Certificate To trace the root cause, we configured Sysmon following this guide:
Microsoft Entra at Ignite 2025: November 17-21
Microsoft Ignite is almost here. Join us from November 17–21, 2025, in San Francisco, California, and online for Microsoft’s largest event of the year. Ignite brings together IT and security professionals, developers, and business leaders from across the globe to explore the future of technology. This year, expect breakthrough insights ...
SharePoint Showcase highlights: Smarter Copilot responses using metadata with the Knowledge Agent
Hi, Insiders! I’m happy to share highlights from this month’s SharePoint Showcase series, which explores why metadata unlocks smarter responses from Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents, and how the Knowledge Agent in SharePoint can streamline the process of adding metadata to files. Why metadata matters As more teams rely on Copilot and agents to drive productivity, the difference between generic ...
New in Microsoft Marketplace: 77 offers to introduce October 29, 2025
Learn about 77 new offers that went live in Microsoft Marketplace, a single destination to find, try, and buy cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents to meet your business needs. Get it now in our marketplace
Level up your Python + AI skills with our complete series
We've just wrapped up our live series on Python + AI, a comprehensive nine-part journey diving deep into how to use generative AI models from Python. The series introduced multiple types of models, including LLMs, embedding models, and vision models. We dug into popular techniques like RAG, tool calling, and structured outputs. We assessed AI quality and safety...
Azure PostgreSQL Lesson Learned #2: Fixing Read Only Mode Storage Threshold Explained
Co-authored with angesalsaa The issue occurred when the server’s storage usage reached approximately 95% of the allocated capacity. Automatic storage scaling was disabled.
Using Microsoft Sentinel MCP Server with GitHub Copilot for AI-Powered Threat Hunting
Introduction This post walks through how to get started with the Microsoft Sentinel MCP Server and showcases a hands-on demo integrating with Visual Studio Code and GitHub Copilot. Using the MCP server, you can run natural language queries against Microsoft Sentinel’s security data lake, enabling faster investigations and simplified threat hunting using tools you already know. This blog includes a real-wo...
Copilot Retention, Auditing and eDiscovery: A deep dive
Last Friday’s session was a powerhouse of insights for anyone navigating compliance in the age of AI. We explored how retention policies, audit logs, and eDiscovery apply to Copilot interactions, ensuring organizations can meet regulatory requirements while leveraging AI responsibly. If you missed the session, we have you covered you can view it here https://aka.ms/Compli...
Accelerating Cloud-Native Development with AI-Powered Azure NetApp Files VS Code Extension
Table of Contents Abstract The Enterprise Challenge: Storage Complexity at Scale Introducing the Azure NetApp Files VS Code Extension Technical Architecture: Building for Developer P...
Webinar | Session 3: Mastering Copilot Governance Purview for Microsoft 365 + Agents
In our latest Mastering Copilot Governance webinar, we are joining by Principle Solution Engineer, Arlie Hartman, as we shifted focus Purview, where with great power comes the need for strong governance, especially when it comes to sensitive information and regulatory compliance...
Azure Migrate Expands Capabilities to Accelerate Migration to Azure Local
As organizations accelerate their digital transformation, Microsoft provides flexible paths to migrate and modernize applications, enabling businesses to choose the best approach for their needs - whether embracing the cloud, leveraging cloud-managed infrastructure locally, or balancing both. Unified management, governance, and security can be applied across all strategies, empowering organizations to utilize cloud-based tools, policies, and monitoring wherever their workloads reside. ...
Mastering the AZ-104 Exam: Golu’s Guide to Passing & Levelling Up Your Cloud Career!
The AZ-104 exam is designed to test your knowledge and skills in administering Azure services. Passing this exam will validate your expertise in Azure administration and enhance your career opportunities in cloud computing. Being the Global Courseware Lead for AZ-104 Course and as a Microsoft Technical Trainer at Microsoft, I got to work with a lot of different versions of thi...
MSL correction from clone to multistate HANA DB Cluster SUSE activation
Introduction: SAP HANA system replication involves configuring one primary node and at least one secondary node. Any changes made to the data on the primary node are replicated to the secondary node synchronously. This ensures that we have a consistent and up-to-date backup, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity and availability of our data. Problem Description: Azure VM was in a degraded state causing a major outage since th...
Reimagining AI at scale: NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 on Azure
By Gohar Waqar, CVP of Cloud Hardware Infrastructure Engineering, Microsoft Microsoft was the first hyperscaler to deploy the NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 infrastructure at scale – with a fully integrated platform engineered to deliver unprecedented compute density in a ...
NVIDIA NIM for NVIDIA Nemotron, Cosmos, & Microsoft Trellis: Now Available in Azure AI Foundry
We’re excited to announce 7 new powerful NVIDIA NIM™ additions to
General Availability of CAPTCHA in Azure Front Door WAF
We are excited to announce the General Availability (GA) of the Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) CAPTCHA challenge for Azure Front Door, empowering customers to better defend their web applications against automated bot attacks while ensuring legitimate users can still access their apps seamlessly. This milestone marks the culmination of a successful public preview that saw hundreds of customers defend against more than 700 million bot requests, reinforcing the value of interactive...
Partner Blog | Unifying the data platform for real-time insights
Every organization is looking for quicker insights, stronger security, and new ways to drive innovation with AI. The real challenge lies in connecting and preparing the data that makes those outcomes possible. Across industries, customers are realizing that data sprawl and disconnected systems limit what AI can do. To unlock the potential of their data and deliver real-time impact, they need a modern data foundation that’s integrated...
Partner Case Study | ALIANDO
What if every department in a financial services firm had its own AI assistant—one that could summarize documents, automate workflows, and deliver real-time insights? That’s the kind of transformation ALIANDO specializes in. As a Microsoft partner, ALIANDO helps organizations modernize operations through intelligent automation and cloud innovation. With deep expertise in Microsoft Fabric, Azure AI, and Power Platform, the company designs scalable solutions that connect data, accelerate...
Advanced Meeting Features in MS Teams: Breakout Rooms, Live Transcription and Intelligent Recap
Microsoft Teams has solidified its role as a cornerstone of modern workplace collaboration, facilitating daily communication for over 320 million active users globally as of 2024. While core capabilities like chat, file sharing, and video conferencing remain central, it’s the platform’s evolving suite of meeting enhancements Breakout Rooms, Live Transcription, and Intelligent Recap that are transforming virtual collaboration in 2025. These innovations harness AI, real-time engagement, and aut...
Overload to Optimal: Tuning Microsoft Fabric Capacity
Co-Authored by: Daya Ram, Sr. Cloud Solutions Architect Optimizing Microsoft Fabric capacity is both a performance and cost exercise. By diagnosing workloads, tuning cluster and Spark settings, and applying data best practices, teams can reduce run times, avoid throttling, and lower total cost of ownership—without compromising SLAs. Use Fabric’s built-in observability (Monitoring...
Make tech matter where it counts most
Cybersecurity In a digital world, trust is everything. As organizations grow more distributed, the risks of phishing, ransomware, and insider threats rise daily. But AI is turning security into more than a defense,,it’s becoming a competitive advantage. From protecting research labs to keeping universities secure, the stakes are high, and the opportunities are wide open. How could you build...
Sprint to Imagine Cup: Igniting Innovation on Campus
In the first two weeks since launch, Sprint to Imagine Cup events have already engaged hundreds of students across universities worldwide. Led by Microsoft MVPs and industry experts, these interactive sessions are equipping student founders with the knowledge and tools to harness Microsoft AI, not only to advance their technical skills and business potential but to create solutions that drive meaningful impact across communities and industries. Microsoft Developer Technologies MV...
Run agentless SAP connector cost-efficiently
The SAP agentless connector uses SAP Integration Suite (Cloud Integration/CPI) to fetch SAP audit log data and forward it to Microsoft Sentinel. Because SAP CPI billing typically reflects message counts and data volume, you can tune the connector to control costs—while preserving reliability and timeliness. Cost reductions primarily come from sending fewer CPI messages
Work smarter with Copilot in the People, Files, and Calendar apps
Hey, Insiders! I’m Yash Kamalanath, a Principal Product Manager on the Microsoft 365 companion apps team. I’m excited to share that the companion apps – People, Files, and Calendar – are now smarter than ever: Microsoft 365 Copilot is built into People and Files, with Copilot in Calendar coming soon. These smart agents make finding what you need and getting things done in Windows lightning fast. Work smarter with Copilot in the People, Files, and Calendar apps Looking up a col...
Custom detections are now the unified experience for creating detections in Microsoft Defender
As we continue to deliver on our vision to simplify security workflows for the SOC, we are making custom detections the unified solution for building and managing rules over Defender XDR and Sentinel data. While analytics rules remain available, we recommend using custom detections for access to new features and enhancements. Benefits of unified custom detections Adopting custom detections as the primary method for rule management helps streamline operations and enhance securi...
MODIS October 2025: Transforming Organizational Data Ingestion in Microsoft 365 & Microsoft Viva
Organizational Data in Microsoft 365 is a robust platform that streamlines how admins and data custodians bring HR data into Microsoft 365, Copilot, and Viva. With a single, secure ingestion point, Organizational Data in Microsoft 365 validates data integrity, enables access to shared data services, and governs data usage — empowering organizations to unlock business-critical scenarios with confidence. This new update to organizational data ingestion in Microsoft 365 marks a significan...
SharePoint Showcase: How Metadata and the Knowledge Agent Elevate Microsoft 365 Copilot Responses
This month’s SharePoint Showcase highlights a breakthrough for organizations embracing AI: Knowledge Agent in SharePoint. As more teams rely on Copilot and agents to drive productivity, the difference between generic and truly valuable responses comes down to how your content is structured and enriched. In this ...
From complexity to clarity: How Zammo Agents in Microsoft Marketplace help unlock AI with Azure
In this guest blog post, Stacey Kyler, Managing Director at Zammo, discusses how Zammo Agents in Microsoft Marketplace overcomes the barriers organizations face when trying to implement AI, enabling them to build and deploy AI agents quickly and intuitively. Artificial intelligence is no longer optional. Customers expect faster service, employees want better tools, and leadership is under pressure to innovate without adding excessive cost or complexity. But for many organizati...
What's New in Excel (October 2025)
Welcome to the October 2025 update. This month, look for Agent Mode in Excel (Frontier) in the Tools menu of Copilot for Excel. Additionally, PivotTable #SPILL and accessibility assistant updates are now available to Insider users on Windows and Mac. Formula by Example has also rolled out to the Current Channel for Excel on Windows. Excel for web:- Agent Mode in Excel (Frontier) Excel for Windows and Mac:- PivotTable #S...
How to Safely Remove Secrets from Your Git History (The Right Way)
Accidental secret commits are one of the most common and most dangerous security mistakes in modern development. A single leaked API key or connection string can give attackers persistent access long after you’ve deleted the file. The real challenge isn’t fixing the code — it’s cleaning the history. This post walks through how to safely and...
Understanding Small Language Modes
AI Everywhere… But Can It Fit in Your Pocket? We have all seen the magic of Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-5 and Gemini. They write essays, generate code, summarize complex topics, and even help with strategy. But here’s the catch: LLMs are huge. They live in the cloud, run on powerful GPUs, and consume massive amounts of energy. Now imagine having that same intelligence on your own device, your phone, laptop, or robot with insta...
Part 2: Building Security Observability Into Your Code - Defensive Programming for Azure OpenAI
Introduction In Part 1, we explored why traditional security monitoring fails for GenAI workloads. We identified the blind spots: prompt injection attacks that bypass WAFs, ephemeral interactions that evade standard logging, and compliance challenges that existing frameworks don't address. Now comes the critical question: What do you actually build into your code to close these gaps? Security for GenAI applications isn't something you bol...
Unlock Savings with Copilot Credit Pre-Purchase Plan
Introduction As organizations scale their use of Microsoft Copilot Studio from building custom agents to integrating with Dynamics 365, cost predictability and optimization becomes critical. To help you plan confidently and save more, we’re introducing Copilot Credit Pre-Purchase Plan (P3)*, a simple, one‑year plan that delivers volume discounts and automatic billing, so your team can focus on outcomes, not invoices. What is Copilot Credit Pr...
Announcing the Release of SSMS 22 Preview 4
Happy Monday! The SSMS team is excited to announce the release of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) Preview 4. Building on feedback from our community and the momentum of previous previews, this release brings new features, important bug fixes, and further improvements to your SSMS experience. What's new in SSMS 22 Preview 4 This release introduces several bug fixes reported via the
Keep meetings focused and productive with Facilitator in Teams
Hi, Insiders! I’m Melissa Rustemeyer, a Product Manager on the Teams team. I’m excited to announce Facilitator, a new agent experience in Microsoft Teams that will help drive more productive meetings. Keep meetings focused and productive with Facilitator in Teams Facilitator keeps your meetings focused, organized, and action-oriented by surfacing the agenda, tracking progress, and capturing key highlights in real time. With a conversational interface, meeting participants can ...
Microsoft Azure at KubeCon North America 2025 | Atlanta, GA - Nov 10-13
KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America is back - this time in Atlanta, Georgia, and the excitement is real. Whether you’re a developer, operator, architect, or just Kubernetes-curious, Microsoft Azure is showing up with a packed agenda, hands-on demos, and plenty of ways to connect and learn with our team of experts. Read on for all the ways you can connect with our team! Kick off with Azure Day with Kubernetes (Nov 10) Before the main conference even starts, joi...
Pumpkin panic: Your crash course in spooky prep with Microsoft Copilot
Hi, Insiders! Halloween is just around the corner, and while you probably have your costume all picked out, there may still be a few more items on your to-do list. Whether you’re looking to win your neighborhood’s pumpkin decorating contest or wow party guests with an on-theme dessert, Microsoft Copilot has plenty of advice to dish out. And if you’re still not sure how to dress for the occasion, check out our blog on
How to Control Agent Sharing in Copilot Studio Lite (Agent Builder)
IT admins and business leaders have been asking for this for a long time: real sharing controls for Copilot agents. With the evolution from Agent Builder to Copilot Studio Lite, Microsoft has introduced a feature that gives organizations the guardrails they need to keep agent experiences secure.
Persistent Version Store (PVS) can cause fluctuations in size of an Azure SQL DB
Issue We recently received an end user case where the customer complained of fluctuations in size of an Azure SQL DB. Error The cx noticed this on their Azure Portal Monitoring screen, the same is shared below: Root Cause We investigated the issue and explained the customer that during the issue timeframe they had a few Long running Sessions in their Azure SQL DB. The Long...
Windows 365: How to choose the best connection method for your team
Windows 365 delivers Cloud PCs, a complete and secure Windows experience hosted in the Microsoft Cloud that are accessible on any device. Employees, whether full-time, contractors, shift workers, or seasonal staff, can access their personalized Windows apps, settings, desktop, and data from anywhere. This kind of flexibility is part of the beauty of Windows 365 — but with multiple connection options, you might wonder: Which one should I use? Don’t worry, we’ve got you ...
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Software Reservations Now Available
What's New After careful collaboration with Red Hat, we've updated our RHEL pay-as-you-go billing meters and reservation pricing to align with Red Hat's latest pricing model. These updates address previous billing meter issues and ensure an accurate, transparent experience for our cus...
Introducing Teams Mode for Microsoft 365 Copilot
Microsoft 365 Copilot is the AI built for work - and work rarely happens alone, instead our best work often results from collaboration. Today we’re introducing Teams Mode for Microsoft 365 Copilot: a simple, secure way to bring your co-workers into your Copilot conversations, turning individual AI chats into group AI chats in Microsoft Teams. Now, the same Copilot you use for individual work supports group work as well. This new capability builds on our investments in <...
Mastering Postgres_FDW: Setup, optimize performance and avoid Common Pitfalls
Foreign Data Wrappers (FDWs) are one of PostgreSQL’s most powerful features, enabling seamless access to remote databases as if they were local. Among these FDW options, Postgres_FDW stands out for connecting PostgreSQL instances across servers. But with great power comes complexity —especially when dealing with large datasets or complex distributed queries. In this post, we’ll cover how to set up Postgres_FDW, best practices for performance, and troubleshooting tips for c...
Unlock Savings with Copilot Credit Pre-Purchase Plan
Introduction As organizations scale their use of Microsoft Copilot Studio from building custom agents to integrating with Dynamics 365, cost predictability and optimization becomes critical. To help you plan confidently and save more, we’re introducing Copilot Credit Pre-Purchase Plan (P3)*, a simple, one‑year plan that delivers volume discounts and automatic billing, so your team can focus on outcomes, not invoices. What is Copilot...
Cloud shadows: How attackers exploit Azure’s elasticity for stealth and scale
Threats like password spray or adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) are routine and too easily overlooked in an endless stream of security alerts. But what if these routine threats are only a small part of a much deeper, more sophisticated attack? Since June 2025, Microsoft Defender Experts has been closely monitoring a sophisticated and continuously evolving attack campaign targeting poorly managed Azure cloud environments. What sets these threats apart is their use of Azure’s elasticity an...
Phi-4: Small Language Models That Pack a Punch
What Are Small Language Models, and Why Should You Care? If you've been following AI development, you can probably recall "bigger is better" being the mantra for years. GPT-3.5 was 175 billion parameters, GPT-4 is even larger, and everyone seemed to be in an arms race to build the biggest model possible. But here's the thing: bigger models are expensive to run, slow to respond, and often overkill for what you actually need. Small Language Models (SLMs) flip this script. These ...
Azure PostgreSQL Lesson Learned#1:Fix Cannot Execute in a Read-Only Transaction After HA Failover
The issue occurred when the application attempted write operations immediately after an HA failover. The failover caused the primary role to switch, but the client continued connecting to the old primary (now standby), which is in read-only mode. Symptoms Application writes failures during transactions Errors indicating read-only mode Example error: ERROR: cannot execute %s...
Lesson Learned#1:Fix Cannot Execute in a Read-Only Transaction on Azure PostgreSQL After HA Failover
Symptoms Application writes failures during transactions Errors indicating read-only mode Example error: ERROR: cannot execute %s in a read-only transaction Root Cause The root cause was a DNS resolution mismatch after the HA failover. When the primary server role shifted to the standby instance, the private IP address changed<...
Lesson Learned #1:“Cannot Execute in a Read-Only Transaction” on Azure PostgreSQL After HA Failover
Symptoms Application writes failures during transactions Errors indicating read-only mode Example error: ERROR: cannot execute %s in a read-only transaction Root Cause The root cause was a DNS resolution mismatch after the HA failover. When the primary server role shifted to the standby instance, the private IP address changed<...
Ollama on HTTPS for SQL Server
Here is a quick procedure to deploy an Ubuntu container with Ollama and expose its API over HTTPS. The goal is to allow a fast deployment, even for those unfamiliar with Docker or Language Models, making it easy to set up an offline platform for generating embeddings and using Small Language Models This is particularly useful when testing SQL Server 2025 for fully on-premises environment use cases, since SQL Server only allows access to HTTPS endpoints. However, HTTP remains ope...
Implementing Security Headers in Azure App Service and Azure Container Apps
Why Security Headers Matter? Security headers are an essential part of web application security. They help protect against common vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting (XSS), clickjacking, and data exposure. By configuring these headers, you instruct browsers on how to handle your content securely. Azure platform does not automatically inject these headers, so developers must configure them at the application level or through middleware. Commo...
Leveraging AI to improve focus and better engage with employees
A new report from the Potential Project—discussed this week in the
Unlocking M&A Success: Human Insights and Tech Transformation for Microsoft Partners
Understanding the intricacies of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) is more crucial than ever—especially for Microsoft partners navigating the competitive tech ecosystem. In the latest podcast episode of "Unlocking M&A Success," hosts A...
Sign up for Microsoft Partner Incentives performance measurement reports
As part of a larger push to empower you to deliver exceptional business outcomes, we've introduced incentives performance measurement reports, available through email. Delivered during the first week of every month, these reports include presales and post-sales partner performance measurements and earning cap status so you can get essential insights into your engagements across hero investments. These hero investments inc...
Partner Blog | Building Frontier Firms: How partner skilling accelerates innovation and growth
For partners, skilling is more than a support function. It’s the economic engine helping you grow, compete, and differentiate your business in the age of AI.
A new way to collaborate with Copilot in Teams chats
Hi, Insiders! I’m Nicole Toussaint, and I’m a Product Manager on the Teams team. I’m excited to share a new way to leverage Microsoft 365 Copilot in Teams group chats to streamline workflows and collaboration. A new way to collaborate with Copilot in Teams chats Many conversations with Copilot happen in a private, one-on-one setting. With this new capability, you will now also be able to add Copilot to Teams chats and engage with it in a group setting. You c...
A CISO's Guide to Securing AI - Securing AI for Federal, DIB, and DoW Entities
Why AI Security Is Mission-Critical Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping federal missions, defense operations, and critical infrastructure. From intelligence analysis to logistics and cyber defense, AI’s transformative power is undeniable. Yet, with great power comes great responsibility and risk. As a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) in the federal space, Defense Industrial Base (DIB), or Department of War (DoW), you are tasked not only with enabling inn...
Scaling Azure Functions Python with orjson
Introduction Delivering high-performance serverless applications is at the heart of Azure Functions. Azure Functions serves countless customer workloads across scenarios like APIs, event processing, and automation. To ensure great performance at scale, we’re always looking for opportunities to reduce latency and increase throughput — especially for common operations like JSON serialization and deserialization. To that end, we’ve introduced support for
ICYMI Microsoft Partner Blog | Transforming customer engagement into growth with Copilot and agentic AI
Microsoft partners are at the center of that transformation.AI transformation doesn’t happen in a single project.It’s a sustained journey that moves customers from pilots to full-scale adoption and long-term value.
Policy-based removal of pre-installed Microsoft Store apps
By using a policy to remove preinstalled Microsoft Store apps, you can:You can use Microsoft Intune to configure devices with a settings catalog policy or a CSP policy.With this new app management policy, you can efficiently deploy changes to the default Microsoft Store apps available on your users’ devices.
Title Plan Update – October 24, 2025
🗂️ October 24, 2025 Title Plan Now Available Access the latest Instructor-Led Training (ILT) updates anytime at http://aka.ms/Courseware_Title_Plan to ensure you're always working from the most current version. 📌 Reminder: To help you stay informed more quickly and consistently, we’ve moved to a weekly publishing cadence for the title plan. This means each update may include fewer...
SharePoint Embedded guide for software companies: success factors, positioning & key insights
Welcome to the definitive Q&A guide for software development companies exploring SharePoint Embedded for their SaaS applications.This blog series addresses the most frequently asked questions from our thriving software company community, drawing from real-world implementations across partner organizations spanning financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and technology sectors.Q: What are the key success factors I should focus on as a software company using SharePoint Embedded?
Subscription Governance: The Relationships and Dependencies Involved with Managing Subscriptions
Relationships and dependencies between Entra ID, Billing Accounts and SubscriptionsIn cloud governance, the relationships between Entra ID, Billing Accounts, Subscriptions, and User Permissions are frequently misunderstood even by experienced practitioners.As the roles within the billing account provide the permissions to create subscriptions it is important to understand who can create these billing accounts.
AI Toolkit for VS Code October Update
We're thrilled to bring you the October update for the AI Toolkit for Visual Studio Code! This month marks another major milestone with version 0.24.0, introducing groundbreaking GitHub Copilot Tools Integration and additional user experience enhancements that make AI-powered development more seamless than ever. Let's dive into what's new! 👇
Endpoints and AI strategy: Lessons of the Microsoft Work Trend Index 2025
Each year, the Microsoft Work Trend Index brings together one of the most comprehensive views of how work is changing. The 2025 report draws on survey data from 31,000 people across 31 countries, LinkedIn labor m...
Azure Managed Redis at Ignite 2025: pre-day, session, and booth
Microsoft Ignite 2025 is almost here!You’ll see live demos and learn how to build and scale intelligent applications using Azure Managed Redis for caching and modern AI workloads, architect your applications for performance, reliability, and scale with geo-replication, and migrate to Azure Managed Redis.Azure Managed Redis with Azure AI Foundry and Microsoft Agent Framework let developers build adaptive, context-aware AI systems.
Make the best decisions during open enrollment with Microsoft Copilot
Hi, Insiders! If you live and work in the United States, the yearly benefits’ open enrollment period can be a complicated, confusing, and intimidating time for anyone. You need to evaluate whether your current benefits meet your (and your family’s) needs now and in the future – and if not, make the necessary adjustments. That often means selecting a new plan from a multitude of options and combing through piles of paperwork. To navigate this tricky period, lean on Microsoft Copilot! D...
Implementing MCP Remote Servers with Azure Function App and GitHub Copilot Integration
Introduction In the evolving landscape of AI-driven applications, the ability to seamlessly connect large language models (LLMs) with external tools and data sources is becoming a cornerstone of intelligent system design. Model Context Protocol (MCP) — a specification that enables AI agents to discover and invoke tools dynamically, based on context. While MCP is powerful, implementing it fro...
Azure Sphere OS version 25.10 is now available for evaluation
Azure Sphere OS version 25.10 is now available for evaluation in the Retail Eval feed.The 25.10 OS Retail Eval release includes quality and underlying build system updates.For more information on Azure Sphere OS feeds and setting up an evaluation device group, see Azure Sphere OS feeds and Set up devices for OS evaluation.
Partner Blog | Highlights from the Migrate & Modernize Summit: Accelerating customer transformation through AI
Modernization is one of the biggest technology opportunities of our time. Across industries, organizations are looking to move faster, operate more securely, and scale innovation. But legacy systems, technical debt, and fragmented infrastructure continue to slow progress. IDC reports that more than 37% of application portfolios require modernization today, and that need will remain high for years to come. It’s a challenge that...
Viva Engage Festival 2025: Real Stories. Real Impact. Real Community
Join us on November 12 for the Viva Engage Festival 2025, a free, fully virtual global event hosted by SWOOP Analytics that brings together the Viva Engage community to connect, share, and learn from one another’s experiences. This practitioner-led festival showcases real-world success stories, leadership engagement strategies, and community-building...
Optimize Azure Local using insights from a Well-Architected Review Assessment
Why Azure Local? Azure Local extends Azure to customer-owned infrastructure, enabling local execution of modern and traditional applications across distributed on-premises or edge locations. Azure Local can help accelerate cloud and AI innovation by seamlessly delivering new applications, workloads, and services. Providing the ability to deploy Windows and Linux virtual machines (...
Announcing General Availability: Unified identity and endpoint sensor
This milestone streamlines the deployment of on-premises identity security by unifying our endpoint and identity protection into a single sensor, pre-installed and ready for activation on Domain Controllers running Windows Server 2019 or newer.Like many security solutions, Microsoft Defender relies on sensors to gain visibility into the endpoints and on-premises identity infrastructure within your environment.Security is a core focus at Ignite this year, with the Security Forum on November 17th, deep dive technical sessions, theater talks, and hands-on labs designed for security leaders and practitioners
The 17th Anniversary of Small Basic
October 23, 2025 is our special day for Small Basic. The newest version of my program is SFF730-14. Have fun and Happy 17th Birthday, Small Basic!!
VS Code Dev Days: How Global MVPs and Communities Brought AI-Powered Coding to Life
The VS Code Dev Days series was a global celebration of AI, community, and learning. Designed to reintroduce developers to Visual Studio Code and GitHub Copilot, this pilot p...
Scaling Adoption: Five Lessons from 90+ No-Code Agent Early Adopters
In the SharePoint AI Early Access Program, encompassing 90+ early adopter organizations piloting and rolling out agents built in SharePoint broadly, one pattern stands out: the technology is powerful, but adoption only scales when people discover where agents fit into their work, feel supported as they experiment, and build on early wins so adoption deepens into new habits that change how work gets done.Creating an "RFP response agent" from SharePoint helps proposal writers craft quality responses in a fraction of the time.4. Refine and iterate instructions for continuous improvement
Context-Aware RAG System with Azure AI Search to Cut Token Costs and Boost Accuracy
Purpose: Transforms messy enterprise data (wikis, PDFs, transcripts, repos, images) into structured, model-friendly chunks for Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).To bring this architecture to life, let’s walk through a simple example of how documents can be chunked, embedded, stored in Azure AI Search, and then queried to generate accurate, cost-efficient answers.We convert each chunk into an embedding vector and push it to an Azure AI Search index.
Transform Your AI Applications with Local LLM Deployment
Enter the world of Edge AI deployment with Microsoft's Foundry Local a game-changing approach that brings enterprise-grade LLM capabilities to local hardware while maintaining full OpenAI API compatibility.The Edge AI for Beginners https://aka.ms/edgeai-for-beginners curriculum provides AI Engineers and Developers with comprehensive, hands-on training to master local LLM deployment.In this post, we'll explore why Edge AI deployment represents the future of AI applications, dive deep into Foundry Local's capabilities across multiple frameworks, and show you exactly how to implement local LLM solutions that deliver both technical excellence and significant business value.
Microsoft Defender for Office 365: Migration & Onboarding
Blocking Malicious File Downloads in SharePoint and OneDriveA common assumption during onboarding is that Microsoft Defender for Office 365 protections only apply to email.Once you have established protection against malicious files, the next step is ensuring your tenant is correctly set up to create and manage threat policies.
Deployment Guide-Copilot Studio agent with MCP Server exposed by API Management using OAuth 2.0
Introduction In today’s enterprise landscape, enabling AI agents to interact with backend systems securely and at scale is critical. By exposing MCP servers through Azure API Management (APIM), organizations can provide controlled access to these services. When combined with OAuth 2.0 authorization code flow, this setup ensures robust, enterprise-grade security for AI agents built in Copilot Studio—empowering intelligent automation while maintaining strict access governance. ...
Identify Device state in EntraID/Defender with PowerShell
Proposed solution: One way to achieve this result is by integrating few pieces of available technology. It sounds like a lot of moving parts but we do not need App registration in EntraID MS Graph API Defender API Powershell scripting language. File encryption App registration in EntraID: What this does is to provide a connection point between PowerShell and the information you want to access. Since creating an a...
Upcoming Changes to Azure Relay IP Addresses and DNS Support
Azure Relay is an integral part of modern hybrid cloud architectures, enabling seamless connectivity between on-premises and cloud resources. To ensure continued reliability and security, Microsoft is implementing important updates to the IP addresses and DNS naming conventions used by Azure Relay services. What’s Changing? As detailed in the changes to
Azure File Sync with ARC... Better together.
Hello Folks! Managing file servers across on-premises datacenters and cloud environments can be challenging for IT professionals. Azure File Sync (AFS) has been a game-changer by centralizing file shares in Azure while keeping your on-premises Windows servers in play. With AFS, a lightweight agent on a Windows file server keeps its files synced to an Azure file share, effectively turning the server into a cache for the cloud copy....
Selecting the Right Agentic Solution on Azure – Part 2 (Security)
Let’s pick up from where we left off in the previous post — Selecting the Right Agentic Solution on Azure - Part 1. Earlier, we explored a decision tree to help identify the most suitable Azure service for building your agentic solution. Following that discussion, we received several requests to dive deep...
Orchestrating Multi-Agent Intelligence: MCP-Driven Patterns in Agent Framework
Building reliable AI systems requires modular, stateful coordination and deterministic workflows that enable agents to collaborate seamlessly. The Microsoft Agent Framework provides these foundations, with memory, tracing, and orchestration built in. This implementation demonstrates four multi-agentic patterns — Single Agent, Handoff, Reflection, and Magentic Orchestration — showcasing different interaction models and collaboration strategies. From lightweight domain routing to collabo...
Improved Connectivity Types in Azure SQL Managed Instance
As part of its ongoing connectivity overhaul, Azure SQL Managed Instance is removing the last obstacles to broader use of the redirect connection type. The more performant connection type now operates only on port 1433 and provides fallback support for older TDS clients. What are "Proxy" and "Redirect"? Proxy and redirect are two different connectivity mechanisms that can be selected on the instance level to govern SQL client connections on managed instances' VNet-local endpoi...
Blog Series: Securing the Future: Protecting AI Workloads in the Enterprise
Post 1: The Hidden Threats in the AI Supply Chain Your AI Supply Chain Is Under Attack — And You Might Not Even Know It Imagine deploying a cutting-edge AI model that delivers flawless predictions in testing. The system performs beautifully, adoption soars, and your data science team celebrates. Then, a few weeks later, you discover the model has been quietly exfiltrating sensitive data — or worse, that a single poisoned dataset alter...
Cross Forest - Certificate Enrollment
Welcome to part one of my blog series on Cross Forest Certificate Enrollment. Nowadays, businesses often run across multiple Forests for distinct reasons. You would like to ensure secure authentication using certificates spanning Active Directory Forests within your enterprise. Cross Forest Certificate Enrollment is one solution that can be leveraged to enable the centralized management of digital certificates while maintaining security. In this blog, we will dive into Cross Fore...
Interest Survey: Copilot for Exchange Server (on-premises)
We are exploring the possibility of introducing Copilot for Exchange Server (on-premises). Your feedback on this subject will help us understand your interest and requirements. If this is of interest to you, please take a moment to complete this short survey: https://forms.office.com/r/DwAKJLSJV1 The Exchange Team
Running a Load Test within a Chaos Experiment
With Azure Chaos Studio and Azure Load Testing, you can simulate both — run a controlled load test while injecting faults into your application or infrastructure to understand how it behaves under stress. Together, they help you find those resiliency blind spots — the cascading failures, retry storms, and degraded dependencies that only appear when your syst...
Copilot Agents: From Prompts to Agents
Join us for a practical walkthrough of Microsoft Copilot’s agent capabilities. We’ll cover three essentials: When to use prompts vs agents—and why it matters for scale and governance. Building agents in Copilot Studio lite for quick, from personal to team‑level solutions.
Smarter Standards: How the Common Data Model for Nonprofits is Reshaping Nonprofit Data Management
Nonprofits manage vast amounts of data—from donor contributions and volunteer hours to program outcomes and grant records. Yet disconnected systems, inconsistent terminology, and manual processes often stand in the way of insight, efficiency, and impact. These data challenges don’t just slow down operations—they limit an organization’s ability to measure success, respond to community needs, and scale what works. The Common Data Model for Nonprofits offers a transformat...
Azure Integrated HSM: New Chapter&Shift from Centralized Clusters to Embedded Silicon-to-Cloud Trust
Azure Integrated HSM marks a major shift in how cryptographic keys are handled—moving from centralized clusters… to local, tamper‑resistant modules embedded directly in virtual machines. This new model brings cryptographic assurance closer to the workload, reducing latency, incr...
Mastering Azure Queries: Skip Token and Batching for Scale
Let's be honest. As a cloud engineer or DevOps professional managing a large Azure environment, running even a simple resource inventory query can feel like drinking from a firehose. You hit API limits, face slow performance, and struggle to get the complete picture of your estate—all because the data volume is overwhelming. But it doesn't have to be this way! This blog is your practical, hands-on guide to mastering two essential techniques for handling massive data volumes in A...
Building Secure AI Chat Systems: Part 2 - Securing Your Architecture from Storage to Network
In Part 1 of this series, we tackled the critical challenge of protecting the LLM itself from malicious inputs. We implemented three essential security layers using Azure AI services: harmful content detection with Azure Content Safety, PII protection with Azure Text Analytics, and prompt injec...
Serverless MCP Agent with LangChain.js v1 — Burgers, Tools, and Traces 🍔
AI agents that can actually do stuff (not just chat) are the fun part nowadays, but wiring them cleanly into real APIs, keeping things observable, and shipping them to the cloud can get... messy. So we built a fresh end‑to‑end sample to show how to do it right with the brand new LangChain.js v1 and Model Context Protocol (MCP). In case you missed it, MCP is a recent open standard that makes it easy for LLM agents to consume tools and APIs, and LangChain.js, a...
Azure Live Voice API and Avatar Creation Demo
How It WorksAzure AI Live Voice API delivers natural, emotionally nuanced speech with low latency, enabling the trainer avatar to speak fluidly and adaptively.Avatar SDK animates facial expressions, lip sync, and gestures based on the synthesized voice, creating a cohesive and human-like presentation.The integration ensures consistent flow, where voice and visuals are tightly coupled—no awkward...
Partner Skilling in the Age of AI: Potential Impact on Partner Success & Growth
The rise of Frontier AI is fundamentally transforming the Microsoft partner landscape. Traditional solution delivery models are increasingly insufficient—customers now expect AI-infused innovation, rapid time-to-value, and outcome-based engagements. Skilling is playing an increasingly pivotal role in this transition, evolving from a traditional support function into a key enabler of revenue growth, solution differentiation, and operational transformation. This blog explores how intenti...
The Future of M&A in the Microsoft Ecosystem: Insights from Tim Mueller
The world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) within the Microsoft partner ecosystem is evolving rapidly, presenting opportunities and challenges for businesses seeking to adapt to the demands of modern technology. In the latest episode of "Profiles and Partnership," hosts
Webinar | Session 2: Mastering Copilot Governance with Copilot Studio + Power Platform
In our latest Mastering Copilot Governance webinar, we are joining by Principle Solution Engineer, Adam Hallbeck as we shifted focus from M365 admin controls to the Power Platform side, where Copilot Studio and agent governance take center stage. If you missed it, here’s the recording of what we covered and why it matters.
Secure Configuration and Hardening of Active Directory Certificate Services
In this article, I’m going to go over four critical focus areas for hardening your AD Certificate Services environment based on several years and dozens of customer engagements focused on assessing and remediating configurations:You should also have a dedicated group for template management (i.e., CA Template Managers) with Write permissions configured to allow for management of all of the templates in your PKI, and these should be limited to only this purpose to maintain control of your templates.When Active Directory detects that a new issuing CA is available, domain controllers will automatically request a relevant Domain Controller certificate to standardize their cryptographic operations to the new PKI.
Automating VMware to Hyper-V Migration with SCVMM
Hello everyone! Today we have a guest author, Cameron Peppers, who is a Cloud Solution Architect working with our On-Prem VMWare Migration program/field team. He has a long background that is focused on Hyper-V and SCVMM datacenter design, along with migrations from VMware for more years that he can cares to admit. This blog post provides a PowerShell script for automating the migration of a virtual machine (VM) from most versions of VMware to Hyper-V using ...
Webinar | Session 2: Mastering Copilot Governane with Copilot Studio + Power Platform
In our latest Mastering Copilot Governance webinar, we are joining by Principle Solution Engineer, Adam Hallbeck as we shifted focus from M365 admin controls to the Power Platform side, where Copilot Studio and agent governance take center stage. If you missed it, here’s the recording of what we covered and why it matters.
Helping to enable secure, connected work: Surface with built-in 5G on the Verizon network
This blog is cowritten with the Verizon Business team. Visit Connected Laptops: LTE & 5G Business Laptops | Verizon to learn more.Consistent connectivity is foundational for accessing cloud insights and collabor...
Deep Dive into Microsoft 365 Copilot Included Agents Webinar Recording and Resources
On Wednesday 10/21 HLS hosted a webinar designed for anyone eager to unlock the full potential of Microsoft 365 Copilot Included Agents. Hosted by Microsoft’s own experts, Nicholas Aquino and Michael Gannotti, this session promises a comprehensive exploration of powerful agents such as Microsoft Researcher, Analyst, and more. Whether you’re a business user, IT professional, or simply curious about how Copilot can revolutionize your workflow, this event recording is your opportunity to ...
Retirement Date for Office Online Server (OOS) has been Announced
We want to let our Skype for Business Server customers know that the Office Online Server (OOS) team has announced product retirement on December 31, 2026: Announcing the retirement for Office On...
Retirement Date for Office Online Server (OOS) has been Announced
We want to let our Exchange Server customers know that the Office Online Server (OOS) team has announced product retirement on December 31, 2026: Announcing the retirement for Office Online Server. Office Online Server is an
Securing GenAI Workloads in Azure: A Complete Guide to Monitoring and Threat Protection - AIO11Y
Series Introduction Generative AI is transforming how organizations build applications, interact with customers, and unlock insights from data. But with this transformation comes a new security challenge: how do you monitor and protect AI workloads that operate fundamentally differently from traditional applications? Over the course of this series, Abhi Singh and Umesh Nagdev, Secure AI GBBs, will walk you through the complete j...
Compliance Meets AI: Deep Dive into Sensitivity Labels and DLP for Copilot
Last Friday’s session was packed with insights on Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Sensitivity Labels in Microsoft Purview, and how they integrate with Copilot for M365 to keep your data secure while enabling productivity. If you missed the session, we have you covered you can watch it here https://aka.ms/Compliance-Meets-Ai-Session-T...
Build Long-Running AI Agents on Azure App Service with Microsoft Agent Framework
These agents can execute complex, multi-step workflows with persistent state, conversation threads, and structured execution—capabilities that are essential for production AI applications.Today, we're excited to share how Azure App Service provides an excellent platform for running Agent Framework workloads, especially those involving long-running operations.The complete Travel Planner application is available as a reference implementation so you can quickly get started building your own apps with Agent Framework on App Service.
Partner Case Study | aCloud
Singapore-based aCloud has been an exclusive Microsoft partner since 2016, earning Solutions Partner designations across multiple solution areas and specializations in identity and access management.A Microsoft 365 E5 user since 2018, JEL demonstrated a strong and early commitment to enterprise-grade security and was an early adopter of Microsoft solutions.By building upon JEL’s forward-looking foundation and fostering a culture of collaboration across functions, aCloud helped transform an already strong Microsoft E5 investment into a truly scalable, AI-ready security framework.
10 ways Microsoft Intune supports a smooth upgrade to Windows 11
Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025 for most editions.Organizations that need more time can enroll eligible devices in the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, which provides critical security updates — but no new features or non-security fixes — for up to three additional years (through October 2028).When you need to manage Windows 11 upgrades outside of Autopatch—such as in highly customized environments—use feature update policies in Intune for direct control.
Security Copilot Agents: The New Era of AI, Driven Cyber Defense
With increasing cyber threats, security teams require intelligent agents that adapt and operate throughout the security stack, not just automation. Key statistics from our
New Certification for architects of agentic AI business solutions
We’re looking for architects of agentic AI business solutions to take our new beta exam. Do you have experience envisioning and implementing AI-driven architecture strategies, integrating agents into business solutions, and guiding organizations toward AI adoption? Are you skilled at designing, prototyping, and securing scalable AI solutions, analyzing technical requirements, and leading the end-to-end delivery of AI-centric solutions that align with business goals? If you excel at championin...
Announcing the retirement for Office Online Server
What’s changing? Microsoft is announcing the end of support and retirement for Office Online Server effective December 31, 2026. After this date, Office Online Server will no longer receive security updates, bug fixes, or technical support from Microsoft. This change is part of our ongoing commitment to modernizing productivity experiences and focusing on cloud-first solutions. To help stay secure and compliant, begin planning now to move to supported options, such a...
New bi-directional export for TI in Microsoft Sentinel and strategic Cyware partnership
We’re excited to announce a key milestone in advancing the threat intelligence platform within Microsoft Sentinel: You can now export threat intelligence to trusted destinations with ease.With this new export feature, you can now share curated threat intel back to trusted destinations.This new Microsoft Sentinel capability also allows easy export of threat intelligence to Cyware Intel Exchange platform.
Microsoft Intune Settings Catalog Updated to Support New Windows 11, version 25H2 Settings
By Mayur Jahdav, Product Manager | Microsoft Intune With the recent release of Windows 11, version 25H2, Microsoft Intune delivered support for 36 new 25H2 settings. IT admins can confidently manage devices running the latest Windows OS version from the moment they deploy it in their environment for testing or production use. We...
Creating alerts for custom errors with auditing and Log Analytics
On this post we will see how we can setup alerts for scenarios like query blocking and long open transactions.Schedule the two SQL Agent jobs using the queries below.Query for open transactions:
How Great Engineers Make Architectural Decisions — ADRs, Trade-offs, and an ATAM-Lite Checklist
Why Decision-Making Matters Without a shared framework, context fades and teams' re-debate old choices.ADRs solve that by recording the why behind design decisions — what problem we solved, what options we considered, and what trade-offs we accepted. A good ADR: Lives next to the code in your repo. Explains reasoning in plain language. Survives personnel changes and version history.
Celebrating MVP-Led Events Across Europe: Summer & Late Summer 2025 Highlights
This summer and into early autumn, the Microsoft MVP community turned Europe into a vibrant hub of innovation, collaboration, and learning. From hackathons to deep technical dives, MVPs brought their expertise and passion to events that connected professionals, inspired creativity, and showcased the power of community. A...
New bi-directional export in Microsoft Sentinel and strategic Cyware partnership
Empowering collective defense through seamless threat intel sharing We’re excited to announce a key milestone in advancing the threat intelligence platform within Microsoft Sentinel: You can now export threat intelligence to trusted destinations with ease. This milestone enables bi-directional sharing, allowing security teams not only to ingest intelligence but also to contribute back to partners, Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs), and multi-tenant environments—strengt...
Lessons Learned #537: Copilot Prompts for Troubleshooting on Azure SQL Database
In this article, I would like to share a set of prompts we found in those sessions and show how to apply them to an example query.I structure the investigation in three areas:Analyze the following SQL query and provide a detailed performance review tailored for Azure SQL Database Hyperscale and Power BI DirectQuery scenarios.
Postgres as a Distributed Cache Unlocks Speed and Simplicity for Modern .NET Workloads
In the world of high-performance, modern software engineering, developers often face a tough tradeoff: how to achieve lightning-fast data retrieval response rates without adding complexity, sacrificing reliability, or getting locked into specialized, external data caching products or platforms. What if you could harness the power and flexibility of your existing Postgres database to solve this challenge? Enter the
Public Preview: Audit and Enable Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) for Azure Arc-enabled Servers
With this Public Preview, Azure Arc introduces a set of Azure Policies that allow organizations to audit and enable WinRE across their fleet of Arc-enabled Windows Servers.These policies are powered by the Machine Configuration component of the Azure Connected Machine agent, which ensures secure and compliant configuration enforcement.Auditing and enablement of WinRE through Azure Arc underscores the capability of Azure Arc to increasingly afford resiliency across hybrid, multicloud, and edge workloads.
Channel strategy, accreditation, and real results — All at UP LIVE Reston
FY26 Is the Year to Lead with Capability FY26 is here — and Microsoft is investing more than ever in partner-led growth. From expanded co-sell motions to marketplace acceleration and capability development, the message is clear: partners who demonstrate value through accreditation and specialization are leading the way
First Fridays November: Reimagining Internal Comms in the Age of AI
How is AI transforming internal communications?At Microsoft, building skills to operate as “Frontier Firm”—where AI agents work alongside people to drive faster, smarter, and more impactful outcomes.Key themes for Internal Comms in the age of AI
How Windows 11 and AI are transforming the future of work
AI is moving from the background to the center of the user experience in Windows, fundamentally changing how people interact with PCs.Windows is evolving into an AI-native platform: secure, scalable, and built for agentic work.Explore how Windows 11 and AI can transform your business today.
Calling all IT Admins - webinar on configuring Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and new updates for 13+
Calling all IT admins — join us for a workshop where we’ll walk through how to configure Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, from your tenant all the way to the end-user experience. We’ll cover the latest features now available — including the new 13+ student configuration options, CSV, SDS and Powershell uploads, Copilot agents & extensibility, and updated licensing & security controls. By the end, you’ll...
11 days remaining: Support for Microsoft Entra Permissions Management ends November 1, 2025
Beginning November 1, 2025, support for Microsoft Entra Permissions Management will end. Customers are encouraged to complete the offboarding instructions and move to another cloud infrastructure entitlements management (CIEM) solution. If you have not requested an extension, your account will be automatically offboa...
6 truths about migrating Microsoft Sentinel to the Defender portal
The move from the Azure portal to the Microsoft Defender portal is one of the most significant transformations yet for Microsoft Sentinel SIEM. By July 1, 2026, every Sentinel environment will make this leap. But this isn’t just a new coat of paint—it’s a re-architecture of how Security Operations Centers (SOCs) detect, investigate, and respond to threats. For many teams, the shift will feel different, even surprising. But within those surprises lie opportunities to run leaner, smarter, and m...
Accessibility Assistant updates: Smarter handling of tables and shapes
Hi, Insiders! I’m Shireen Salma, and I’m a Product Manager on the Office Accessibility team. I’m thrilled to share that we’re continuing to evolve Accessibility Assistant across Microsoft 365, making it more reliable, less disruptive, and better aligned with how people experience content, especially those using screen readers. Accessibility Assistant updates: Smarter handling of tables and shapes Over the past few months, we’ve worked directly with screen reader users to obser...
Empowering.Cloud Community Update – November 2025
The latest Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 expert community briefings, podcasts and upcoming community events for November 2025.Irena Andonova, Head of Product for Teams Devices at Microsoft, discusses the evolution of Teams Rooms, Phones and DevicesThe new M365 Change Community Round Up is a new live monthly call open to all, where we take a closer look at Microsoft Message Center updates and what they really mean for your organisation.🗓️ Join MVPs Darrell Webster, Daniel Glenn from the M365 Message Center show, Tom Arbuthnot and special guests every last Thursday of the month at 13:00 UK / 08:00 ET / 07:00 CT (25th September is the first session).
Azure Monitor 101: The missing guide to understanding monitoring on Azure
Introduction Monitoring in the cloud is often misunderstood. Some think it’s about checking whether a virtual machine is up; others equate it with dashboards or alerts. In reality, monitoring is about visibility, correlation, and action, and in Azure, that all converges in one platform: Azure Monitor.
Introducing the RabbitMQ Connector (Public Preview)
We are pleased to announce the introduction of the RabbitMQ Connector in Logic Apps (Standard) which allows you to both send and receive messages between Logic Apps and RabbitMQ.To send a message, search for the RabbitMQ connector in your design experience.Search for the action and click on this operation to add the action to your design surface.
Introducing RabbitMQ Connector (Public Preview)
We are pleased to announce the introduction of the RabbitMQ Connector in Logic Apps (Standard) which allows you to both send and receive messages between Logic Apps and RabbitMQ.To send a message, search for the RabbitMQ connector in your design experience.Search for the action and click on this operation to add the action to your design surface.
Building a Multi-Agent System with Azure AI Agent Service: Campus Event Management
Can large-scale event management be handled through a simple chat interface?This was the question that guided my Master’s thesis project at UCL.As part of the Industry Exchange Network (IXN) and in collaboration with Microsoft, I set out to explore how conversational interfaces and autonomous AI agents could simplify one of the most underestimated coordination challenges in campus life: managing events across multiple departments, societies, and facilities.The result was the Event Management Multi-Agent System, a cloud-based platform where staff and students can query events, book rooms, and reschedule activities simply by chatting.
AMA Spotlight: Build Smarter with Azure Developer CLI 'AZD'
Weekly AMA 'Ask Me Anything': Build Smarter with Azure Developer CLI Calling all AI engineers, developers, and builders of the future, this is your backstage pass to the tools shaping scalable, agentic AI deployments.Join Kristen Womack, Product Manager for the AzureAzure Developer CLI (azd) Developer CLI (azd), and the engineering team behind azd for a live Ask Me Anything session every Thursday at 12:30pm PT in the Azure AI Foundry Discord.
Introducing native Service Bus message publishing from Azure API Management
We’re excited to announce a new capability in Azure API Management (APIM) — you can now send messages directly to Azure Service Bus from your APIs using a built-in policy.The policy executes and sends the payload as a message to Service Bus.Once saved, each API call publishes its payload to the Service Bus queue or topic. 📖 Learn more.
Secure Delta Sharing Between Databricks Workspaces Using NCC and Private Endpoints
This guide walks you through the steps to share Delta tables between two Databricks workspaces (NorthCentral and SouthCentral) and configure Network Connectivity Configuration (NCC) for a Serverless Warehouse.Disabling the History option on the Delta Share will simplify the share and prevent unnecessary access to historical versions. Additionally, review whether you can further simplify your share by partitioning the data where appropriate.Add the share to a catalog in Unity Catalog.
Real-Time Speech Intelligence for Global Scale: gpt-4o-transcribe-diarize in Azure AI Foundry
Now, with the general availability of gpt-4o-transcribe-diarize, the new automatic speech recognition (ASR) model in Azure AI Foundry, transforming speech into actionable text is faster, smarter, and more accurate than ever.With gpt-4o-transcribe-diarize seamlessly integrated, businesses can unlock critical insights from conversations, instantly converting audio into text with ultra-low latency and outstanding accuracy across 100+ languages.Gpt-4o-transcribe-diarize unlocks these insights, converting speech to text with ultra-low latency and high accuracy across 100+ languages.
Announcing Public Preview of VM Customization in Azure: Disable Multithreading & Constrained Cores
Today, we are excited to announce the public preview of VM Customization feature in Azure introducing two powerful new capabilities: Disable Simultaneous Multi-Threading (SMT/HT) and Constrained Cores.These features give customers unprecedented control over virtual CPU configurations, enabling performance optimization and significant software licensing savings across a wide range of workloads.VM Customization is now available today in public preview across select regions, including West Central US, North Europe, East Asia, and UK South.
Title Plan Update – October 17, 2025
🗂️ October 17, 2025 Title Plan Now AvailableAccess the latest Instructor-Led Training (ILT) updates anytime at http://aka.ms/Courseware_Title_Plan to ensure you're always working from the most current version.📌 Reminder: To help you stay informed more quickly and consistently, we’ve moved to a weekly publishing cadence for the title plan.
Upcoming October 2025 Microsoft 365 Champion Community Call
Join our next community call on October 24, 2025, to learn more about how to collaborate within Microsoft Teams channels using Loop Pages.An on-demand recording will still be available on our Driving Adoption > Events pages, as well as on our Microsoft Community Learning YouTube channel.Since our calls are open to everyone, you must be a member of the Microsoft 365 Champion Program in order to access the presentation materials - the access link is in the initial welcome email and the monthly newsletter emails sent the week before the community calls.
PostgreSQL 18 Vacuuming Improvements Explained
This PostgreSQL 18 release brings one of the most significant collections of VACUUM and ANALYZE improvements in years.These updates include faster heap scans through asynchronous I/O (AIO), flexible on-the-fly autovacuum scaling, earlier triggers for large tables, safer tail shrinking, and more robust observability.1) Vacuum is faster with asynchronous I/O (AIO)
Securing the Browser Era - From Cloud to AI: A blog series on protecting the modern workspace
Attackers target browsers as the path of least resistance into critical systems, while many organizations continue to treat browser security as an afterthought and the browser often remains a blind spot—exposed to phishing, malicious extensions, data leakage, and sophisticated AI-driven attacks. This three-part series, Securing the Browser Era: From Cloud to AI, explores the evolution of the browser in enterprise environments, the security risks it introduces, and the strategies organizations need to adopt to stay ahead: • Part 1 - The Browser Boom: From Cloud to AI examines the rise of browser as a mission-critical workspace driven by cloud, SaaS, and AI adoption – and an attractive target for attackers.
Beyond the Desktop: The Future of Development with Microsoft Dev Box and GitHub Codespaces
The biggest challenge often faced by DevBox customers is its lack of native Linux support.Unlike Dev Box, Codespaces can run fully in Linux, giving developers access to native tools, scripts, and runtimes without workarounds.Together, Microsoft Dev Box and GitHub Codespaces deliver a hybrid developer platform that combines consistency, speed, and flexibility.
Cybersecurity Is Mission Imperative: What Nonprofits Must Learn from the 2025 Digital Defense Report
But with that reliance comes growing risk—from identity-based attacks to AI-driven threats and cloud vulnerabilities.The 2025 Microsoft Digital Defense Report offers a strategic lens into the global cybersecurity landscape.It’s a mission-critical priority.
Beyond Basics: Practical scenarios with Azure Storage Actions
Let’s explore 3 practical scenarios where Storage Actions can transform customers’ data management approach.Azure Storage Actions enables brand teams to automate the content lifecycle management using blob metadata and / or index tag.Storage Actions enables teams to automate the preservation of validated training datasets using blob tags and immutability policies.
Profiles in Partnership Ep20: Channeling Success with Aaron Udler: How Trust and Innovation Drive Business Growth
In a world where business success is often defined by agility and innovation, Aaron Udler, CEO of Office Pro, exemplifies the power of trust and ingenuity.In the latest episode of "IAMCP Profiles in Partnership," hosts Anthony Carrano and Rudy Rodriguez sit down with Aaron to delve into his journey of transforming a family business into a thriving enterprise through the channel sales model, fostering ethical relationships and embracing cutting-edge advancements like AI.Aaron Udler's journey with Office Pro serves as a blueprint for small business owners and Microsoft partners aiming to grow through trust, innovation, and collaboration.
What’s new in Microsoft Entra – September 2025
As part of the Microsoft Secure Future Initiative (SFI), we’re making an important update to our Content Security Policy (CSP) that will enhance the security of the Microsoft Entra work or school sign-in experience. This change will block unauthorized script and malicious code injection into sign-in flows starting with the URL, login.microsoftonline.com/*, ensuring that only trusted Microsoft code runs during authentication. Upgrade to the latest version of Microsoft Entra Connect by September 30, 2026 Microsoft Entra will update its credential enrollment and management interface in November 2025 to improve usability and accessibility.
Deep Dive into Microsoft 365 Copilot Included Agents Webinar
We’re excited to announce an upcoming webinar designed for anyone eager to unlock the full potential of Microsoft 365 Copilot Included Agents.Hosted by Microsoft’s own experts, Nicholas Aquino and Michael Gannotti, this session promises a comprehensive exploration of powerful agents such as Microsoft Researcher, Analyst, and more.Overview of Included Agents, Agents In SharePoint, Agent Templates, and Prompt Buddy – Learn what comes out-of-the-box with Copilot, including Microsoft Researcher, Analyst, and other key agents and templates.
What’s New? Unveiling the Latest Features of the Azure Native Dynatrace Service
We’re excited to announce the general availability of Multi-Subscription Monitoring (MSM) for the Azure Native Dynatrace Service (ANDS).This powerful new capability allows customers to monitor multiple Azure subscriptions through a single Dynatrace resource—significantly simplifying the setup of observability for multiple Azure subscriptions at scale.With Multi-Subscription Monitoring, customers can now consolidate monitoring of up to 20 Azure subscriptions into a single Dynatrace resource, streamlining their operations and reducing complexity.
Protegendo Máquinas no Azure VMware Solution com Azure Firewall
Por fim, há a opção de rotear o tráfego via rede Azure (ou Azure Virtual WAN), em que uma rota padrão é anunciada por meio do ExpressRoute, direcionando o tráfego de saída para uma rede Azure que contém NVAs, Azure Firewall ou proxies.Neste artigo será demonstrado em um ambiente de laboratório como utilizar o Virtual Wan com Azure Firewall para inspeção do tráfego de saída das Vms em um segmento do AVSO Routing Intent no Azure Virtual WAN é um recurso que simplifica e automatiza o roteamento de tráfego dentro do hub do Virtual WAN.
Multiple geo-replicas for Azure SQL Hyperscale is now in public preview
We’re excited to announce that Azure SQL Database Hyperscale support for up to four geo-replicas is available now in public preview.Create up to four read-only geo-replicas for each Hyperscale database, in the same or different Azure regions.Performing a failover in the portal is the same process with multiple geo-replicas. Click on the ellipses in the row of the replica to which you want to fail over and choose Failover or Forced failover.
New in Microsoft Marketplace: October 1-8, 2025
Learn about 268 new offers that went live in Microsoft Marketplace, a single destination to find, try, and buy cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents to meet your business needs.Group Waterfall Chart in Power BI: SWHK’s add-in application for Microsoft Power BI groups waterfall charts and displays data trend changes across multiple periods.This add-in for Power BI supports standard waterfall charts and offers a clear layout with step-by-step view of the data change process.
Spreadsheet Day - Celebrate the grid that changed everything
Spreadsheet Day was created in 2010 by Excel MVP Debra Dalgleish, known worldwide for her work at Contextures. Educators, analysts, and enthusiasts join in each year to share tips, stories, and appreciation for a tool that empowers millions—a reminder that community matters as much as technology.Celebrate Spreadsheet Day with a sneak peek at Spreadsheet Champions, a documentary that goes beyond formulas to tell a human story.
Interactive AI Avatars: Building Voice Agents with Azure Voice Live API
Azure Voice Live API recently reached General Availability, marking a significant milestone in conversational AI technology.- Single API interface that handles both audio processing and avatar streamingIn this post, I'll walk you through building a retail e-commerce voice agent that demonstrates this technology.
LangChain v1 is now generally available!
Today LangChain v1 officially launches and marks a new era for the popular AI agent library.The new version ushers in a more opinionated, streamlined, and extensible foundation for building agentic LLM applications.Join Microsoft Developer Advocates, Marlene Mhangami and Yohan Lasorsa, to see live demos of the new API and find out more about what JavaScript and Python developers need to know about v1. Register for this event here.
Join the M365 Community Team at Power Platform Conference
We’re heading to Las Vegas for the Power Platform Community Conference—and you can still join us!If you’re part of the Microsoft 365 community, this is your chance to see how Copilot Studio and AI Agents are transforming productivity and workflows—shaping the future of M365 with automation, integration, and intelligent solutions across Teams, SharePoint, and more.👉 Register today and come find us in the Community Lounge! 📍 Location: MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas, NV 📅 Dates: October 28–30, 2025 🔗 Register now: https://powerplatformconf.com/#!/registerCome explore the Community Lounge on the 3rd floor!Join us for interactive sessions, networking, demos & Ask a Pro stations. Don’t miss “Building Your Career” & “Don’t Start from Scratch” sessions—bookmark them in the Whova event app!
What’s New in M365 Copilot: HLS Webinar Series Recap
On Wednesday, we hosted the latest installment of our HLS Webinar Series focusing on “What’s New in M365 Copilot.”The session brought together M365 users and IT professionals eager to discover the newest enhancements, learn helpful tips, and hear real-world success stories.The webinar kicked off with an overview of the newest updates in M365 Copilot.
Profiles in Partnership Ep19: Better Together: IAMCP Partners Unite for Impactful Change – A Conversation with Promod Antony and Denny Ghim (Part 2)
In this episode of IAMCP Profiles in Partnership, hosts Anthony Carrano and Rudy Rodriguez sit down with Promod Antony of Logic Intelligence and Denny Ghim of Sandler Partners to explore the transformative power of collaboration within the International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners (IAMCP).They dive into how building trust, embracing shared goals, and leveraging Microsoft’s ecosystem have allowed these two partners to achieve impactful and meaningful business growth.Listen to the full episode: Better Together: IAMCP Partners Unite for Impactful Change – A Conversation with Promod Antony and Denny Ghim (Part 2)
Prescaling in Azure Firewall is now generally available
Azure Firewall protects your applications and workloads with cloud-native network security that automatically scales based on your traffic needs.Today, we’re excited to announce the general availability of prescaling in Azure Firewall – a new capability that gives you more control and predictability over how your firewall scales.Today, Azure Firewall automatically scales in response to real-time traffic demand.
New Microsoft 365 icons for the AI era
We are excited to share new, modern icons of Microsoft 365 apps, now available for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and the web.The icons are rolling out in the coming weeks across desktop, web, and mobile for both individuals and organizations running:Let us know what you think of Microsoft 365’s new icons!
Partner Blog | Microsoft & Oracle: The future of enterprise cloud data for partners
Azure Accelerate, within the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, support now includes Oracle Database@Azure workloads, offering partners funding, credits, and the Cloud Accelerate Factory for zero-cost deployment assistance.Partners will also be able to resell Oracle Database@Azure directly through Microsoft Marketplace, making it easier to package, license, and deploy solutions globally while building new revenue streams.Oracle Database@Azure now supports Oracle Base Database Service, Exadata Exascale 19c, and Oracle Database 23ai across more than 28+ regions worldwide, enabling a broad multicloud hyperscaler reach.
Touch keyboard appears automatically in OneNote on Windows
Touch keyboard appears automatically in OneNote on WindowsThis update is available to OneNote on Windows users running Version 2510 (Build 19402.15030) or later.This feature is rolling out gradually to Insiders and will reach general availability by end of November 2025.
Microsoft named a Leader in 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Unified Communications as a Service
We’re excited to share that Microsoft has been named a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) worldwide, marking our seventh consecutive year with this recognition.*Figure 1: Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as a ServiceOver the last year, Teams has been simplifying complexity through experiences that are designed to be more intuitive for workers to use and easier for admins to manage.
Announcing accelerated payouts to Microsoft Marketplace partners with MCA customers
We’re excited to share that accelerated payouts are now available for partners making Microsoft Marketplace transactions with MCA (Microsoft Customer Agreement) customers. This new capability is designed to improve partner cash flow and make payments more predictable, with daily payouts that reduce the average time to receive funds. Any company who is part of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program can sell on the marketplace and benefit from accelerated payouts.
Healthcare agent service in Microsoft Copilot Studio is now Generally Available
With that opportunity, we are excited to announce General Availability (GA) of healthcare agent service in Microsoft Copilot Studio.With healthcare agent service, organizations can create healthcare-specialized AI applications that use generative AI within a framework that promotes trust, compliance, and real-world clinical scenarios.Healthcare agent service provides a framework for building conversational AI applications that can be integrated directly into Dragon Copilot, giving partners and healthcare organizations the ability to extend its functionality in a scalable, compliant way.
Transforming Clinical Workflows with Microsoft Dragon Copilot’s Partner-Driven AI Innovations
Microsoft is expanding Dragon Copilot by enabling an open ecosystem of developer-built AI solutions for specific tasks and specialties, allowing healthcare organizations to access clinical intelligence at the point of care while further streamlining workflows, reducing administrative burden, boosting productivity, and enhancing revenue integrity.Dragon Copilot’s partner-driven AI extensibility empowers technology providers to deliver specialized solutions directly into clinical workflows, accelerating AI adoption at the point of care and enabling better outcomes for patients and clinicians.By opening Dragon Copilot, Microsoft enables the creation of seamless, scalable solutions that help clinicians reduce administrative tasks and improve patient care.
Customer review: Hive CPQ simplifies quoting, boosting sales and avoiding mistakes
Hive CPQ's product configurator, an app published to Azure Marketplace, streamlines configure, price, quote (CPQ) processes, extending Microsoft Dynamics 365 to simplify quoting, reduce mistakes, and increase sales.Azure Marketplace interviewed Frank ter Steege, Business Development Manager of Zolare (formerly Pirisol) in The Netherlands, to learn what he had to say about the solution.What I like the most about Hive CPQ is the fact the software is easy to use.
Deployment and Build from Azure Linux based Web App
Deployment on Azure Linux Web Apps can be done through several different methods.In this tutorial, I’ll use a simple Python app to demonstrate four different Deployment/Build approaches.For example, when using Azure DevOps (ADO) as your CI/CD tool, its behavior conceptually mirrors deploying directly from a laptop, but with enhanced automation, governance, and reproducibility.
News to Know – Volume 2, Edition 8, October 2025
We are excited to share that, beginning this month, this newsletter will include new features for both Viva Glint and Viva Pulse.Starting in October, customers who have a Glint subscription now also have access to Pulse as part of the same subscription.Our latest research, The 2025 Agentic Teaming & Trust Research Report, delves into how agentic AI is reshaping how organizations and teams work together.
Bizz Summit ES 2025 – A Community Festival of Innovation, Inclusion, and Impact
This year’s summit welcomed 1,400 attendees, marking a significant growth of +200 participants compared to the previous year The event featured 145 national and international speakers, with an inspiring 40% representation from women and non-binary community members—a testament to its commitment to diversity and inclusion and a great achievement of the organizational team composed of MVPs Alberto Castro, Demian Raschkovan, Eickhel Mendoza, Imanol Iza, Mar Llambí, Mar Pedroche, Marco Amoedo, Rocío Romero, former MVP Mario Trueba and MVP/RD Miguel Llorca.One of the most impactful aspects of Bizz Summit ES 2025 was its dedication to nurturing new talent since its first in-person edition took place in 2021.True to its values, Bizz Summit ES 2025 was a solidarity event, with all ticket proceeds donated to Cienciaterapia, an NGO that brings fun science workshops to children with cancer.
Building Secure AI Chat Systems: Part 1 -- Protecting Your LLM from Malicious Inputs
After working through this problem, I've identified three major security and privacy challenges we need to address: harmful content detection, personally identifiable information protection, and prompt injection prevention.Detect prompt injection attacks using Azure Content Safety Prompt Shields.While harmful content detection, PII protection, and prompt injection prevention form the core security layer for most AI chat systems, Azure Content Safety offers additional features worth knowing about for specific use cases.
Data Migration - Azure SQL MI and Azure SQL DB
As of this writing, Azure Database Migration Service (DMS) doesn't support SQL MI nor SQL DB as the source database (Supported migration scenarios).As an alternative to use DMS, one of the common support requests we receive from Azure SQL customers is about the best ways to migrate data between Azure SQL Managed Instance (SQL MI) and Azure SQL Database (SQL DB), or vice versa.This post outlines the primary methods available, their pros and cons, and key considerations to help you choose the right approach for your scenario.
SQL Server Integration Services Projects 2022+
SQL Server Integration Services Projects 2022+ preview is now available, supporting SQL Server 2025 Preview and Visual Studio 2026 Preview.Support Microsoft SqlClient Data Provider in ADO.NET connection manager for SQL Server 2025, which provides more Microsoft Entra ID-based authentication options.SQL Server Integration Services Projects 2022+ - Visual Studio Marketplace
SQL Server Management Studio 22 Preview now supports SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)
Alongside the Release of SQL Server Management Studio 22 Preview 3, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is now available for installation.Starting with SQL Server Management Studio 21 and SQL Server 2025, the Import and Export Wizard only support a 64-bit environment.Release Notes for SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 22 Preview
Public Preview for Sharing Capacity Reservation Groups - now available
The ability to share Capacity Reservation Groups (CRGs) with subscriptions is now in Public Preview.Previously, customers could deploy VMs in a Capacity Reservation Group within the same subscription only. On-demand Capacity Reservation Group (CRG) can now be shared with other subscriptions.On-demand capacity reservations for Azure Virtual Machines let you deploy and manage the compute capacity required to run Azure Virtual Machines.
Drive profitability with personalized assistance from Partner Concierge
Accelerate your growth with Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program Concierge, a benefit available via Solutions Partner designations and Partner Success Core or Expanded Benefits. Through Partner Concierge, a dedicated partner specialist will provide one-on-one guidance to help you work toward your goals.Build demand for your solutions, make the most of available benefits and incentives, and boost profitability in Microsoft Marketplace with actionable recommendations from trained experts.
🚀✨ Get ready for a power-packed November with the Microsoft Zero to Hero Community! ✨🚀
From modernizing legacy applications to building intelligent AI agents, this month is all about innovation, security, and smarter cloud solutions.🌍💪Our incredible lineup of global speakers will help you modernize, automate, and innovate with real-world insights across Azure, AI, and app development. 🌟💡 November Highlights:📢 Matthew Hess📖 Get on the Bus! - The Azure Service Bus📅 November 8, 2025 – 06:00 PM CET🔗 Register Here!📢 Dharanidharan Balasubramaniam📖 Build and Extend AI Agents with Microsoft Copilot Studio📅 November 17, 2025 – 09:00 AM CET / 07:00 PM AEDT🔗 Register Here!
Intune partner portal adds Intel vPro integration
We're excited to announce the arrival of Intel vPro® Fleet Services to the Microsoft Intune Partner portal, bringing hardware-level remote management to your Intune workflows.Intel vPro® Fleet Services can be accessed through the Intune admin center, streamlining access to these hardware-level device management capabilities for Intel vPro®-enabled devices (8th Gen Intel Core processors and newer):We read the comments on posts like this and consolidate your feedback from the Microsoft Intune feedback portal.
Webinar: Copilot Governance Session 1: Deployment, Copilot Control System, and Agent Management
In the first session of our four-part Copilot Governance series, we focused on what it takes to build a secure, scalable, and strategic foundation for Microsoft Copilot.We explored the Copilot Control System and how to manage access, features, and billing:Learn how to control content signals for Copilot using SAM features like DAG, RAC, RCD, and Restricted SharePoint Search.
Now in public preview: Ephemeral OS disk support on Azure Virtual Desktop
Designed for stateless workloads, Ephemeral OS disk stores the operating system on the virtual machine’s local storage, rather than remote storage.Ephemeral OS disks store the operating system on the virtual machine’s local storage instead of remote Azure Storage.To ensure reliable scaling and lifecycle management, we recommend using Dynamic Autoscaling plans when deploying session hosts with ephemeral OS disks.
Sora 2 now available in Azure AI Foundry
Sora 2 in Azure AI Foundry stands out by combining OpenAI’s most advanced video generation capabilities with the trusted infrastructure and security controls of Microsoft Azure.And through Azure AI Foundry and our responsible AI principles, we empower customers with embedded security, safety, and privacy controls.Azure AI Foundry offers a curated catalog of generative media models, including OpenAI’s Sora, GPT-image-1 and GPT-image-1-mini, Black Forest Lab’s Flux 1.1 and Kontext Pro, and more to empower developers in your and customer organizations to serve creatives with new and unique capabilities, all without sacrificing the safety, reliability, and integration businesses expect.
Partner Blog | Azure updates for partners: October 2025
To help you stay ahead, we’re launching the Azure Partner Update, a recurring update designed to keep you up to date with the latest developments and accelerate your business.One of this month’s top updates is the reimagined Microsoft Marketplace, now a trusted central source for cloud solutions, AI apps and agents for customers, and a scale engine for partners.We also announced several technical updates designed to make cloud deployments faster and more flexible:
Turning complexity into a competitive advantage with AI automation
In this installment of our Partner Spotlight series, we’re continuing to showcase the innovators driving app and agent development forward on the Microsoft Marketplace.Each feature highlights the distinct journeys of partners who are pioneering AI-powered solutions, building across the Microsoft ecosystem, and delivering transactable applications that are shaping the future of the marketplace. In this article, I sat down with Alois Reitbauer from Dynatrace to learn more about their story and partner journey.We integrated these native Azure services with the Dynatrace Grail data lakehouse, our application framework, and our predictive, causal, and generative AI.
SAP Business Data Cloud Connect with Azure Databricks is now generally available
We are excited to share that SAP Business Data Cloud (SAP BDC) Connect for Azure Databricks is generally available.With this announcement, Azure Databricks customers like you, can connect your SAP BDC environment to your existing Azure Databricks instance – without copying the data – to enable bi-directional, live data sharing. SAP data products can now be shared directly via Delta Sharing into your existing Azure Databricks instances ensuring complete context for your business.
SharePoint Showcase highlights: Copilot and agents governance and security essentials for admins
This month’s SharePoint Showcase blog – part of a series dedicated to monthly deep dives, tips, resources, and the latest features for SharePoint – explores updates and new capabilities for you, admins, to maintain content hygiene and readiness for AI-driven innovation.Copilot and agents governance and security essentials for adminsAs companies leverage Microsoft 365 Copilot to turn documents, contracts, and other content into impact, and to support admins in the evolving AI landscape, we’ve introduced a range of new tools and policies for SharePoint admins:
Cloud-Managed Remote Mailboxes: Now Generally Available!
Today, we’re excited to announce that Cloud-Managed Remote Mailboxes are now Generally Available (GA)!Steps to enable this feature are available here: Cloud-based management of Exchange attributes for Remote Mailboxes in hybrid environments.Customers will be able to opt-in for writeback of critical Exchange attributes (mentioned in the documentation) from the cloud back to on-premises Active Directory via Entra Cloud Sync.
AI-powered teaching and learning for all Microsoft 365 education customers
These features will be included in all of the academic SKUs (A SKUs) at no additional cost, and many will be rolling out starting today, while others will be rolling out later this year and into early next year.We’re also introducing an academic offering for Microsoft 365 Copilot in education at $18 (USD) per user per month for educators, staff, and students ages 13 and older starting in December 2025.Teach in the Microsoft 365 Copilot App
Custom Port Support in Azure Database for MySQL – Flexible Server is Now Generally Available
We are excited to announce that custom port support for Azure Database for MySQL – Flexible Server is now generally available (GA).By default, MySQL uses TCP port 3306;with this GA release, you can configure a custom port (between 25001 and 26000) when creating a new Azure Database for MySQL flexible server.
Applying DISA STIG Settings with Microsoft Intune: Overcoming Native Limitations
The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) are essential for organizations requiring stringent security compliance, especially within federal and defense environments.While Microsoft Intune offers a robust set of device management policies, not all STIG-recommended settings are natively available.This blog post explores creative and effective approaches for applying non-native DISA STIG settings using Intune, including PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) as a Win32app, custom OMA-URI profiles, and PowerShell Remediation scripts.
Cost Optimization of Azure AI Services
Why Cost Optimization in Azure AI Services Matters?Select compute SKUs that align with workload demands.Use mid-tier GPUs or CPU instances for lighter workloads; reserve top-tier GPUs for demanding training or inference.Leverage Spot VMs for interrupt-tolerant jobs, which can reduce costs by up to 90% compared to on-demand pricing.For predictable workloads, Reserved Instances and commitment plans can provide significant discounts.Keep compute and data in the same region to minimize egress costs.Apply Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management to move infrequently accessed data to cooler, cheaper tiers.Use Azure Data Lake optimizations for large-scale training data.
Leveraging Low Priority Pods for Rapid Scaling in AKS
But there's a problem: when your cluster runs out of resources, the node autoscaler needs to spin up new nodes, and this takes anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes.One way to handle this is using low priority pods to create buffer nodes that can be preempted when your actual workloads need the resources.Leveraging low priority pods to create buffer nodes is an effective way to handle resource constraints when you need rapid scaling and can't afford to wait for the node autoscaler.
Geo-Replication and Transparent Data Encryption Key Management in Azure SQL Database
Transparent data encryption (TDE) in Azure SQL with customer-managed key (CMK) enables Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) scenario for data protection at rest.There are several considerations when configuring geo-replication for Azure SQL logical servers that use Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) with Customer-Managed Keys (CMK).Understanding the distinction between the TDE protector and server keys is essential for geo-replication with Azure SQL.
General Availability - DMS's PowerShell, Azure CLI, and Python SDK
We’re excited to announce the General Availability (GA) of DMS client tools - PowerShell, Azure CLI, Python SDK and more.With the general availability of DMS client tools - PowerShell, Azure CLI, Python SDK, users can now use stable release of:Three new commands have been introduced in the latest releases of the SDK, PowerShell module, and CLI extension, as outlined below:
Unlock cost savings with utilization-based storage recommendations in Azure Migrate
The storage utilization-based recommendations, a feature designed to help you right-size your storage workloads and maximize savings.By focusing on actual storage usage instead of allocated capacity, you can significantly reduce costs and accelerate their cloud journey.In our analysis across thousands of on-premises environments, we observed a striking trend: nearly 40% of allocated storage is overprovisioned.
Hosting Remote MCP Server on Azure Container Apps (ACA) using Streamable HTTP transport mechanism
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) has revolutionized how AI assistants interact with external tools and data sources.While many examples focus on local implementations using stdio transport, this post demonstrates how to build and deploy a production-ready MCP server using HTTP transport in Azure Container Apps.In this article, we create a live forex converter that fetches real-time exchange rates from external APIs, showcasing how MCP servers can integrate with third-party services to provide dynamic, up-to-date information to AI assistants.
Check This Out! (CTO!) Guide (September 2025)
Summary: The article outlines the Microsoft Azure AI Landing Zone architecture, a secure, scalable framework for deploying AI workloads across enterprise environments.Summary: The article explains how to enable certificate-based authentication for Windows Admin Center (WAC) gateway servers using Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) and smart card logon.Summary: Microsoft has announced general availability of Azure Backup vaulted support for Azure Files Premium (SSD) shares, enabling enterprise-grade data protection for mission-critical workloads.
Driver Isolation Ruleset Changes for WHCP and Attestation Submissions
Beginning later this year, Hardware Dev Center will enforce stricter driver isolation requirements using the existing InfVerif /h validation.To help ensure that your driver submission passes HDC validation checks, run InfVerif /h on your driver package before submission.InfVerif /h testing is automatically executed as part of the Windows 11 version 25H2 HLK.
Windows 10 Extended Security Updates for Windows 365
In this article, I will provide more detail on the Windows 10 lifecycle for Windows 365 across the following scenarios:Between October 2025 and April 2026, Cloud PCs created will need to install ESUs to be current.A Windows 10 22H2 image that contains the October 2025 update will remain published in the Azure Marketplace.
Windows 10 Extended Security Updates for Azure Virtual Desktop
Windows 10 reaches end of support on October 14, 2025.In this article, I will describe the Windows 10 lifecycle for Azure Virtual Desktop across the following scenarios:All existing Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts running Windows 10 22H2 are entitled to Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) at no additional cost—read about the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10 for more information.
Don't miss the moment: FY26 is the year to align, accelerate, and win with Microsoft
For digital native software development companies and startups bringing AI solutions to our joint customers, growth in partnership with Microsoft isn’t just about gaining speed and reach, it's about strategically aligning with purpose.The partners who align their vision with Microsoft’s AI-first, marketplace-driven future are the ones who will scale fastest and furthest.⭐SPECIAL OFFER As a valued Microsoft partner, Ultimate Partner is offering a 15% discount on general passes to experience UP LIVE⭐
Announcing the Release of SQL Server Management Studio 22 Preview 3
The SSMS team is delighted to announce the release of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 22 Preview 3.We are so excited to announce the initial support of ARM64 devices for SSMS 22 Preview!The Query Hint Recommendation tool, a component for SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), automates the identification of optimal query hints to enhance SQL query performance.
Now Available by Popular Demand: GitHub Copilot in SSMS (Preview)
Last month we shared that we made the decision to pivot to GitHub Copilot for the SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) copilot integration. This month we’re happy to announce that GitHub Copilot in SSMS is now available in Preview 3 of SSMS 22!Using GitHub Copilot in SSMSGitHub Copilot in SSMS has database and connection context when you’re connected in an editor window, so it knows the version of SQL to which you’re connected and has knowledge of the database schema. From the chat window you can get assistance with T-SQL in the active editor or ask questions about your database. Switch to another editor window to chat with a different database, or start a new thread if you want to maintain separate conversations.
Redis named Stack Overflow’s top data storage tool for AI Agents
We are thrilled to see Redis recognized by developers on Stack Overflow as the #1 data storage tool for AI agent workloads and #5 database in 2025.And we’re proud that Microsoft is the only cloud provider to offer Redis Enterprise as a fully native, managed service with Azure Managed Redis.Purpose-built for modern, AI-powered applications, Azure Managed Redis combines the speed and flexibility of Redis with advanced capabilities like semantic caching and vector search—making it an ideal foundation for building intelligent, enterprise-ready agents.
The Conditional Access Optimization Agent keeps getting better—and making your life easier
Since general availability, the agent is uncovering an average of 26 policy gaps per customer per month.With these insights, 73% of the customers using the agent have made meaningful improvements in their Zero Trust security posture.In this blog, I’ll walk you through the latest enhancements that help you manage Conditional Access with more confidence and less effort.
Oracle Database@Azure at Oracle AI World 2025: Powering the Next Wave of Enterprise Innovation
At Oracle AI World 2025, Microsoft and Oracle are bringing major advancements to Oracle Database@Azure, extending the partnership that brings Oracle’s industry-leading database technology together with Microsoft’s trusted AI, cloud, and security platforms.Oracle Database@Azure is now live in South India, Central India, and Canada East, extending the platform’s reach and giving customers more choice in where and how they deploy their mission-critical workloads.Today, Oracle Database@Azure is available in 28 regions worldwide, including:
Spotlight On… Volume 1, Edition 1, October 2025
Welcome to the first post in our new series exploring how product evolution and integration drive real-world adoption and value for our customers. Today, we are excited to share that Pulse will now be available to all Glint customers – allowing organizations even more opportunity to grow and evolve their employee listening strategy.Enter Pulse: a nimble, research-backed survey tool that empowers managers and team leads to sending quick, confidential surveys whenever they need insight into team sentiment.- Measure Microsoft 365 Copilot impact with Viva Pulse: Measure Copilot impact in your organization |
From Timeouts to Triumph: Optimizing GPT-4o-mini for Speed, Efficiency, and Reliability
Large-scale generative AI deployments can stretch system boundaries — especially when thousands of concurrent requests require both high throughput and low latency.Using Azure Data Explorer (Kusto), API Management (APIM) logs, and OpenAI billing telemetry, a detailed investigation uncovered several insights:Latency was not correlated with PTU utilization: PTU resources were healthy and performing within SLA even during spikes.
Key Takeaways from Our Deep Dive on DSPM for AI
Last Friday’s session, “Compliance Meets AI: Deep Dive into Data Security Posture Management for AI”, was packed with insights on how organizations can strengthen their security posture while embracing generative AI.DSPM for AI Explained Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI is your one-stop solution for visibility and control over AI interactions.Microsoft Community Hub to secure your spot and learn how to apply DLP policies to Copilot interactions for maximum data protection.
Released: October 2025 Exchange Server Security Updates
Microsoft has released Security Updates (SUs) for vulnerabilities found in:Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE)October 2025 SUs are the last publicly available SUs for Exchange Server 2016 and 2019.
Partner Case Study | Impartner
AvePoint serves over 25,000 customers worldwide with innovative software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions that modernize the digital workplace across Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and other collaborative environments.AvePoint specializes in solutions to prepare, secure and optimize critical data, all supported by a robust global channel partner program with over 5,000 managed service providers, value-added resellers, and systems integrators.Today, AvePoint offers an all-in-one approach for robust, secure data governance and data management for customers’ Microsoft technology investments.
New extended service term for Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) subscriptions
Review the coming change with your customers and discuss the best option for their business needs before the end of their services terms to avoid unexpected billing.Coordinate with your technical teams to schedule the necessary updates as soon as sandbox is available in November and the new cancel at end of term option is available in January.To find out more about these changes, register for the partner enablement call on October 23, 2025.
End of Windows 10 Support: What Defender Customers Need to Know
As of today, October 14, 2025, Microsoft is officially ending support for Windows 10.This means that Windows 10 devices will no longer receive security or feature updates, nor technical support from Microsoft.Microsoft Defender will continue to provide detection and protection capabilities to the extent possible on Windows 10 and other legacy systems.
Support for Exchange Server 2016 and Exchange Server 2019 ends today
Customer installations of Exchange 2016 and Exchange 2019 will continue to run after October 14, 2025.Migrate to Exchange Online or Microsoft 365If your organization intends to continue running Exchange Server and you want to test and evaluate pre-release builds of Exchange Server SE releases, you can apply to join the Exchange Server Technology Adoption Program (TAP).
Support for Skype for Business Server 2015 and Skype for Business Server 2019 ends today
Today, October 14, 2025, Skype for Business Server 2015, Skype for Business Server 2019, Skype for Business 2016 (client), and Skype for Business 2019 (client) reach end of support.In July 2025, we announced the general availability of Skype for Business Server SE with details on how to upgrade if you intend to continue to run Skype for Business Server on-premises.In addition to the above Skype for Business products, several other products (some of which are often used with Skype for Business) also reach end of support or retirement on October 14, 2025, including Exchange Server 2016, Exchange Server 2019, Microsoft Office 2016, Microsoft Office 2019, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2019, Windows 10, and more.
Office 2016/2019 Support Ends Today — Prepare for Office LTSC 2021 End of Support Next Year
Today marks the end of support for Office 2016 and Office 2019 suites, standalone applications, and servers.Office 2016 and 2019 products reaching end of support on October 14, 2025Office LTSC 2021 products reaching end of support on October 13, 2026
Q1 Recap: What’s new in Microsoft Security skilling
As we wrap up an exciting first quarter, we’re thrilled to share some of the latest updates, resources, and learning opportunities in the world of Microsoft Security.Sentinel data lake is a centralized repository that allows you to store all your structured and unstructured data at any scale.This new Microsoft Applied Skill credential is designed for identity and access professionals who want to prove their hands-on abilities with Microsoft Entra.
Office 2016/2019 have reached end of support – here's what to do now
Today, October 14, 2025, support ends for all Office 2016 and 2019 suites, standalone apps, and servers.Alternative path: Upgrade to a Microsoft 365 plan to get Planner in Microsoft 365, which allows for basic project planning and task management on the web.Alternative path: Upgrade to any Microsoft 365 plan to get Visio in Microsoft 365, which is the web-based version of Visio.
How to move Active Directory Source of Authority to Microsoft Entra ID and why
Minimize dual management by moving the source of authority to Microsoft Entra.Moving the Source of Authority to Microsoft Entra to manage identity from the cloud across your digital estate, solves this.The best path to making Microsoft Entra the source of authority is to start with your Active Directory Security Groups where you’ll prioritize the apps that you want to move to cloud-based authentication.
How Azure NetApp Files Object REST API powers Azure and ISV Data and AI services – on YOUR data
This article introduces the Azure NetApp Files Object REST API, a transformative solution for enterprises seeking seamless, real-time integration between their data and Azure's advanced analytics and AI services.The Azure NetApp Files Object REST API helps enterprises optimize cloud operations, make quicker decisions, and leverage Azure's AI ecosystem.In today's data-driven world, the ability to seamlessly integrate data stored on Azure NetApp Files with Azure AI and Data services is a game-changer for enterprises.
New Viva Engage Capabilities Now Available to All Engage Customers
We’re excited to announce that several highly requested features: draft and schedule posts, storyline cover photos and AMAs, featured posts and ‘post on behalf of’ are now available for all Engage customers.Employees can now draft and schedule posts in their communities or storyline.With featured posts, admins and corporate communicators can spotlight important content, so it reaches more people:
Transform complex tenant management with CoreView in Microsoft Marketplace
In this guest blog post, Ivan Fioravanti, Chief Technology Officer at CoreView, considers the IT challenges of multi-tenant architectures and how enterprises can simplify tenant management. While more than 96% of global organizations report having their critical data backed up, more than half mistakenly believe that their tenant configurations are also backed up.Built for organizations that depend on Microsoft 365, CoreView transforms enterprise tenant management by providing unified visibility across all tenants, closing critical cyber resilience gaps, and simplifying complex tenant and configuration backup and management challenges.
MVP & RD Impact at the 2025 Microsoft Global Hackathon
Produced by The Garage, the Microsoft Global Hackathon is the largest private hackathon on the planet.With over 73,000+ participants this year and thousands of projects annually, the Hackathon fosters a culture of experimentation, inclusion, and bold thinking.This year’s Global Hackathon took place during the week of September 15 and was more than just a coding event — it was a global celebration of creativity, collaboration, and community.
Transition to Azure Functions V2 on Azure Container Apps
Azure Functions on Azure Container Apps lets you run serverless functions in a flexible, scalable container environment.As the platform evolves, there are two mechanisms to deploy Images with Function Programming Model as Azure Container apps:V2 is latest and recommended approach to host Functions on Azure Container Apps.
Operational Excellence In AI Infrastructure Fleets: Standardized Node Lifecycle Management
Onboarding new hardware into hyperscale fleets can take months, slowed by fragmented tools, vendor-specific firmware, and inconsistent diagnostics.Microsoft, in collaboration with the Open Compute Project (OCP) and leading silicon partners, is addressing this challenge.This blog explores how we are contributing to and leveraging open standards to transform fragmented infrastructure into scalable, vendor-neutral AI platforms.
Rethinking Power Conversion and Distribution for the AI Era
Would our existing power conversion and distribution systems be enough to support the next generation of GPU racks?Microsoft has taken a bold step in this direction by initiating a disaggregated power architecture, moving power conversion out of individual servers and into centralized modules.Explore how innovative power technologies such as SSTs can transform the data center architecture.
Caliptra 2.1: An Open-Source Silicon Root of Trust With Enhanced Protection of Data At-Rest
Today at the Open Compute Project Global Summit, we introduced Caliptra 2.1, an open-source silicon Root of Trust (RoT) security subsystem designed for seamless integration into secure devices. Building upon Caliptra 1.0, which included capabilities for identity and measurement, Caliptra 2.1 represents a significant leap forward. It provides a complete RoT security subsystem, quantum resilient cryptography, and extensions to hardware-based key management, delivering new defense in depth security capabilities. The Caliptra 2.1 subsystem represents a foundational element for securing devices, anchoring through hardware a trusted chain for protection, detection, and recovery.Caliptra 2.1 integrates Adams Bridge 2.0, offering both ML-DSA and ML-KEM with side channel countermeasures. These new capabilities offer resilience now against “harvest-now, decrypt-later” attacks and against future quantum capabilities. Caliptra’s new security subsystem architecture offers a broader set of Root-of-Trust capabilities including ownership transfer for owner-endorsed code integrity, and streaming boot for resilient recovery. In 2022, Microsoft along with AMD, Google and Nvidia established Caliptra. The founding principles for Caliptra were centered on; the RoT is a foundational element in secure devices; transparency builds trust; and consistency enables defense in-depth for stronger security assurances.
Next Generation HXU: Doubling Cooling Power for the AI Era
Next Generation HXU: Doubling Cooling Power for the AI EraEnter our next generation Heat Exchanger Unit (HXU), designed to deliver 2X the cooling capacity in the same footprint while boosting reliability for mission-critical AI deployments.By doubling the cooling capacity, it achieves twice the thermal performance of our first-generation HXU—without increasing the physical footprint.
Jump Starting Quantum Computing on Azure
In VS Code, install the Azure Quantum Development Kit (QDK) extension, then install the required Python packages for your environment.2nd cell is to prepare the quantum circuit for Quantum Teleportation. Line1 creates a quantum circuit with 3 qubits and 3 classical bits.# Submit the circuit to run on Azure Quantum
Celebrating Three Years of CommunityDays.org
The beloved SPSEvents.org, a cornerstone for SharePoint Saturdays and Microsoft community events, announced its closure.The Launch of CommunityDays.orgBy October 13, 2022, CommunityDays.org was officially launched by Tom Daly, sponsored by SoHo Dragon and Microsoft.
Celebrate National Book Month with Microsoft Copilot
Help fight book bansI want to get involved with fighting book bans this National Book Month.Support independent bookstores
Diagnose performance issues in Spark jobs through Spark UI.
Diagnosing performance issues of job using Spark UIThis guide walks you through how to use the Spark UI to diagnose performance issuesIdentify the longest stage of the job
The Future of AI: Structured Vibe Coding - An Improved Approach to AI Software Development
The Future of AI blog series is an evolving collection of posts from the AI Futures team in collaboration with subject matter experts across Microsoft.In this series, we explore tools and technologies that will drive the next generation of AI.So, I started from scratch using structured vibe coding principles, GitHub Copilot Coding Agent, and Azure AI Foundry.
Cybersecurity Starts Here: Strong Passwords for Nonprofits
One of the simplest—and most powerful—ways to protect your organization is by using strong passwords.Characteristics of a strong password:Microsoft offers nonprofit-friendly tools to help enforce strong password policies and protect user identities:
Cybersecurity 101: Protecting Your Nonprofit with Microsoft Tools
For nonprofits, safeguarding sensitive data, maintaining donor trust, and ensuring operational continuity are foundational to achieving impact.In an increasingly digital world, cyber threats are evolving rapidly, and nonprofits—often operating with limited resources—can be especially vulnerable.Microsoft offers a suite of powerful, easy-to-use tools designed to help nonprofits build a resilient security posture without needing a full-time IT department.
Hotpatch efficiency unlocked: Smaller update size
Did you know that hotpatch updates are significantly smaller than standard Windows updates?Rather than the larger cumulative packages that take more time to install on devices, hotpatch updates bring faster security and improved productivity.Hotpatch enables devices to receive critical security updates without restarting.
ZoomIt v9.10, ProcDump 3.5 for Linux, and jcd 1.0.1
This update to ProcDump for Linux, a tool for capturing process dumps, enables resource tracking without a trigger.jcd 1.0.1 for Linux and MacThis update to jcd fixes a bug that caused the terminal to hang on CTRL-C.
Making Azure DMS More Secure: Azure Portal Permission Enhancements
With security and compliance top of mind, Azure Database Migration Service (DMS) has introduced key changes to its Azure portal experience—especially around permission for blob container access.Now, DMS's Azure portal uses security context of the current signed in user on the Azure portal to list and access backup files in the blob container, making it better security approach.When migrating to Azure SQL Managed Instance or Azure SQL Virtual Machine via Azure portal make sure the current signed in user has Storage Blob Data Reader role on the Blob container that contains the backup files.
Building Agents on Azure Container Apps with Goose AI Agent, Ollama and gpt-oss
Azure Container Apps (ACA) is redefining how developers deploy intelligent agents.With serverless scale, GPU-on-demand, and enterprise-grade isolation, ACA provides the ideal foundation for hosting AI agents securely and cost-effectively.In this post, we're extending that same simplicity to AI agents, where we’ll show how Goose AI Agent as an example of running Agents seamlessly on ACA, and why ACA is the best platform for any agent framework.
Innovate. Validate. Accelerate.
That spark is supported through the Sprint to Imagine Cup, designed to help founders move their projects forward deploying Microsoft’s trusted AI technologies. At the Imagine Cup World Championship, the top student-led startups showcase their work on a global stage, gaining visibility, recognition, and access to opportunities that extend far beyond the competition.Imagine Cup 2026 is designed to help you practice all three, with the resources, mentorship, and credibility that come from building with Microsoft.
How Microsoft Evaluates LLMs in Azure AI Foundry: A Practical, End-to-End Playbook
Deploying large language models (LLMs) without rigorous evaluation is risky: quality regressions, safety issues, and expensive rework often surface in production—when it’s hardest to fix.This guide translates Microsoft’s approach in Azure AI Foundry into a practical playbook: define metrics that matter (quality, safety, and business impact), choose the right evaluation mode (offline, online, human-in-the-loop, automated), and operationalize continuous evaluation with the Azure AI Evaluation SDK and monitoring.Robust evaluation of large language models (LLMs) using systematic benchmarking and Azure AI Foundry tools is essential for building trustworthy, efficient, and business-aligned AI solutions
Microsoft Security Copilot agents
Dilip Radhakrishnan, Microsoft Security Copilot Partner Director, shares how to keep your organization protected with Security Copilot agents.By streamlining decisions and prioritizing risk, the Access Review Agent helps you complete reviews faster with more accuracy and less overhead. -Next, you can bring together the worlds of trending threat intelligence with endpoint management using the Vulnerability Remediation Agent in Microsoft Intune to stay ahead of emerging threats.
Two Public Sector Roundtables at PPCC25
The Power Platform Community Conference (PPCC25) is coming to Las Vegas, October 28–30, 2025.🔵 Microsoft Sovereign Cloud (GCC/GCCH/DoD) Architect Panel🔵 Powering Public Impact: A Roundtable on Power Platform in Government
Power stabilization for AI training datacenters
In our recent paper “Power Stabilization for AI Training Datacenters” (now on arXiv ), we introduce the problem with production data and explore innovative solutions to address it.This post highlights the key ideas from the paper in plain language and shares why this problem is central to the next generation of AI infrastructure.In the context of the broader industry collaboration initiated by Google, Meta, and Microsoft, we will be partnering with many other industry players and utilities to define a common set of standards and requirements for large-scale AI training power stabilization.
New in Microsoft Marketplace: September 25-30, 2025
Learn about 297 new offers that went live in Microsoft Marketplace, a single destination to find, try, and buy cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents to meet your business needs.By combining machine learning, generative AI, and predictive analytics, Bloomfilter.ai transforms raw development data from Azure DevOps, Jira, GitHub, and more into a dynamic digital twin of your software delivery process.In the workshop, DataBalk will showcase how Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service and IRIS CRM can streamline tenant interactions, reduce workload, and enhance service outcomes.
General Availability of Online Migration to Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible server
The Online migration is available in the Azure portal on the Migration setup screen, in the “Migration mode” drop down selection box, once you initiate a migration from the Flexible server page.In an online database migration to Azure Database for PostgreSQL – Flexible Server, your application that is connecting to your Postgres source is not stopped while your database(s) are copied to Flexible Server target. Instead, the initial copy of the database(s) is followed by replication to keep the Postgres Flexible Server in sync with the Postgres source. If you only have a small downtime window in particular and you want to minimize the downtime of moving your production workloads from any compatible PostgreSQL source to Flexible Server, then Online migration could be a good fit for your situation.
Building environmental-aware API platforms with Azure API Management
In 2020, Microsoft has set ambitious sustainability goals to be carbon negative by 2030, remove historical carbon emissions by 2050 and more.We are pleased to announce the public preview of environmental sustainability features in Azure API Management designed to help minimize the environmental impact of your API infrastructure.Shape API traffic based on carbon emissions in your API Management service's region
Using the Voice Live API in Azure AI Foundry
In this blog post, we’ll explore the Voice Live API from Azure AI Foundry.Officially released for general availability on October 1, 2025, this API unifies speech recognition, generative AI, and text-to-speech capabilities into a single, streamlined interface.This sample app simulates a friendly real‑time contact‑center rep who can listen continuously, understand you as you speak, instantly look up things like your credit card’s upcoming due date or a product detail via function calls, and then answer back naturally in a Brazilian Portuguese neural voice with almost no lag.
Intelligent Conversations: Building Memory-Driven Bots with Azure AI and Semantic Kernel
Discover how memory-driven AI reshapes the way we interact, learn, and collaborate. 💬✨On October 20th at 8pm CET, we’ll explore how Semantic Kernel, Azure AI Search, and Azure OpenAI models enable bots that remember context, adapt to users, and deliver truly intelligent conversations. 🤖💭Join Marko Atanasov and Bojan Ivanovski as they dive into the architecture behind context-aware assistants and the future of personalized learning powered by Azure AI. 🌐💡✅ Save your seat on the following link: Streamyard
Step-by-Step Deployment Guide: MCP Tool Call in Copilot Studio agent with OAuth 2.0
OAuth 2.0, particularly the Authorization Code Flow, is the industry standard for secure delegated access.In this guide, we’ll walk through how to configure MCP tools in Copilot Studio using OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code Flow — covering prerequisites, configuration steps, token handling, and best practices for a seamless and secure setup.This article focuses on configuring an MCP tool within a Copilot Studio agent using OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code Flow.
Title Plan Update – October 10, 2025
🗂️ October 10, 2025 Title Plan Now AvailableAccess the latest Instructor-Led Training (ILT) updates anytime at http://aka.ms/Courseware_Title_Plan to ensure you're always working from the most current version.📌 Reminder: To help you stay informed more quickly and consistently, we’ve moved to a weekly publishing cadence for the title plan.
GitHub Certifications: The fastest way to align your Dev teams on automation, AI, and security
The new GitHub certifications—GH900, GH100, GH200, GH300, and GH500—give you exactly that: role-appropriate credentials mapped to real product skills, recognized on Microsoft Learn and GitHub Learn.This article serves as a comprehensive guide to GitHub's role-based certifications, designed to help individuals and organizations enhance their skills in automation, AI, and security.Whether you're a developer, platform administrator, or security engineer, these certifications provide a structured path to mastering GitHub's tools and best practices, enabling teams to deliver software faster, more securely, and with greater confidence.
"I'm Good, But I'm Not Magic" - GitHub Copilot Finally Speaks Out
But one of the most famous personalities I have met in a long time is Chatty—the GitHub CoPilot AI model helping millions of developers code better and more efficiently.That's just my nickname for this interview, but my real name is GitHub Copilot...I teach AI concepts and web development, making complex tech accessible to everyone.
Join Microsoft at IACP 2025: Empower public safety operations with trusted AI
The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Annual Conference and Exposition is the premier global event for law enforcement leaders, bringing together more than 16,000 public safety professionals.This year, IACP 2025 takes place October 18–22 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, and Microsoft is proud to be part of the conversation.At booth #362, attendees can explore hands-on demos of Microsoft solutions including Microsoft 365 Copilot, Researcher and Analyst agents, and Copilot Studio agents tailored for first responders.
Want Safer, Smarter AI? Start with Observability in Azure AI Foundry
If you are an AI developer or an engineer, you can benefit from Azure AI observability by gaining deep visibility into agent behavior, enabling them to trace decisions, evaluate response quality, and integrate automated testing into their workflows.Enter Observability: With Azure AI Foundry and Azure Monitor, you can:Priyanka is a Technical Trainer at Microsoft USA with over 15 years of experience as a Microsoft Certified Trainer.
Your shortcut to Microsoft Entra deployment success
We’ve created more than 20 Microsoft Entra step-by-step deployment guidance videos designed to make your journey as an IT admin faster and easier.These short, practical demos focus on real world scenarios and tasks so you can hit the ground running.Deploying Microsoft Entra Private Access.
Sentinel UEBA’s Superpower: Actionable Insights You Can Use! Now with Okta and Multi-Cloud Logs!
Microsoft Sentinel continues to evolve as a cloud-native Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) solution, empowering security teams to detect, investigate, and respond to threats with speed and precision.The latest update introduces advanced User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA), expanding support for new eligible logs, including multi-cloud sources and the Okta identity provider.Building on these enhancements, Sentinel UEBA now enables security teams to correlate activity seamlessly across diverse platforms like Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, and Okta, providing a unified risk perspective and empowering SOC analysts to quickly identify suspicious patterns such as unusual logins, privilege escalations, or anomalous access attempts.
What's new in Microsoft Security Copilot
A major wave of updates has landed: integration with the new Sentinel data lake and graph, new ready-made and custom agents, and the debut of the Microsoft Security Store.Microsoft Sentinel and Security Copilot integration delivers deeper context and smarter AISentinel data lake is now generally available, and new capabilities like Sentinel graph and the Model Context Protocol (MCP) server are in public preview, bringing in a new level of integration with Security Copilot.
Exchange Online ActiveSync Certificate-based Authentication endpoint changes
As part of our ongoing security efforts, we have made a recent change to Certificate-Based Authentication (CBA) behavior for Exchange ActiveSync.With this change, all Exchange ActiveSync CBA traffic will be routed to new, dedicated endpoints based on tenant location:This change has already begun to roll out in the worldwide multi-tenant cloud and will start rolling out in other clouds in November.
Building Trustworthy AI: How Azure Foundry + Microsoft Security Layers Deliver End-to-End Protection
Purpose-built for secure, enterprise-grade AI development, Foundry provides the integrated controls, monitoring, and content safety features organizations need to confidently harness the power of AI—without compromising on trust or compliance.Azure AI Foundry is a unified, enterprise-grade platform designed to help organizations build, deploy, and manage custom AI solutions securely and responsibly.While Azure AI Foundry provides a secure foundation, Microsoft Defender for AI and Microsoft Purview add advanced layers of protection and governance:- Defender for AI: Delivers real-time threat detection, anomaly monitoring, and incident response for AI workloads.- Microsoft Purview: Provides data governance, discovery, classification, and compliance for all data used by AI applications.
Building Human-in-the-loop AI Workflows with Microsoft Agent Framework
This post walks through how the Microsoft Agent Framework structures AI-driven workflows for fraud detection — combining deterministic orchestration with autonomous agents.The Microsoft Agent Framework bridges this gap by combining deterministic workflow graphs — which govern execution, enforce structure, and provide fault tolerance — with autonomous agents that handle reasoning steps best served by LLM intelligence.The Fraud Detection Workflow in the Microsoft Agent Framework shows how to combine structured orchestration with AI-driven reasoning.
Defining the Raw Data Vault with Artificial Intelligence
This article explores the transformative potential of leveraging AI to define the Raw Data Vault, demonstrating how intelligent automation can enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability, ultimately unlocking new levels of insight and agility for organizations.Flow.BI as a Generative AI to Define the Raw Data VaultThe metadata is provided by Flow.BI can be used to model the landing zone/staging area (either on a data lake or a relational database such as Microsoft Fabric) and the Raw Data Vault in a data-driven Data Vault architecture, which is the recommended practice.
SQL Server Database Corruption: Causes, Detection, and some details behind DBCC CHECKDB
Database corruption in SQL Server is rare but usually high-impact.When it occurs, it threatens ACID compliance - the foundation of transactional integrity - and can lead to downtime, data loss, and operational risk.It’s extremely important to remember that after running CHECKDB repair with data loss, you must manually validate your data.
Solving Network Connectivity for MDE and MDI
In this article we’re going to cover a potential solution to allow the communication traffic for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) and Microsoft Defender for Identity (MDI) in a more secure manner, while simultaneously disallowing the operating system to reach the internet.MDE and MDI are both cloud powered solutions that need to run on all assets (MDE) and Tier 0 assets (MDI). To function these products must be connected to Azure endpoints, however the number of endpoints (MDI, MDE) can be large.A systems administrator can simplify their deployment of MDE or MDI by including the proxy solution as part of the application bundle, where its lifecycle can be tracked in lockstep with the application.
Announcing resource-scope query for Azure Monitor Workspaces
We’re excited to announce the public preview of resource-scope query for Azure Monitor Workspaces (AMWs)—a major step forward in simplifying observability, improving access control, and aligning with Azure-native experiences.This new capability builds on the successful implementation of resource-scope query in Log Analytics Workspaces (LAWs), which transformed how users access logs by aligning them with Azure resource scopes.Resource-scope query has been a frequently requested capability that allows users to query metrics scoped to a specific resource, resource group, or subscription—rather than needing to know which AMW the metrics are stored in.
SAP Business Data Cloud Now Available on Microsoft Azure
We’re thrilled to announce that SAP Business Data Cloud (SAP BDC) including SAP Databricks is now available on Microsoft Azure marking a major milestone in our strategic partnership with SAP and Databricks and our commitment to empowering customers with cutting-edge Data & AI capabilities.SAP BDC is a fully managed SaaS solution designed to unify, govern, and activate SAP and third-party data for advanced analytics and AI-driven decision-making.Customers can now deploy SAP BDC on Azure in US East, US West and Europe West, with additional regions coming soon, and unlock transformative insights from their enterprise data with the scale, security, and performance of Microsoft’s trusted cloud platform.
Postgres Trip Report from PGConf NYC 2025 (with lots of photos)
For those of you who didn’t make it to PGConf NYC 2025 in midtown Manhattan last week, you missed out!In this trip report from PGConf NYC 2025 you’ll get highlights from some talks, quotes from attendees, my gratitude for the organizers (and the sponsors!)I can’t possibly cover all the useful, expert talks on the PGConf NYC schedule, but I’ll share a few highlights of a few talks:
Join Us for “What’s New in M365 Copilot” – HLS Webinar Series!
Are you ready to unlock the future of productivity and AI-powered collaboration? We’re thrilled to announce our upcoming webinar: “What’s New in M365 Copilot - HLS Webinar Series”, happening on Wednesday, 10/15/2025 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time!Microsoft 365 Copilot is changing the way organizations work by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to supercharge workflows, streamline tasks, and empower users to achieve more.Jaspreet and Samir will guide you through hands-on demonstrations, real-world scenarios, and answer your burning questions about Copilot’s newest capabilities.
Mastering Copilot Governance: 4 part Admin Series | Join Us Live
That’s why we’re launching a four-part webinar series designed to help IT and business leaders understand how to manage Copilot securely, effectively, and at scale.Each session will dive into the tools and controls available across Microsoft 365, with live demos and practical guidance to help you build a governance strategy that supports both innovation and compliance.Learn how to control content signals for Copilot using SAM features like DAG, RAC, RCD, and Restricted SharePoint Search.
Crop pictures directly in OneNote on Windows
Hi, Microsoft 365 Insiders!I’m excited to announce a highly requested feature is now rolling out to Insiders: the ability to crop pictures directly in OneNote on Windows!Crop pictures directly in OneNote on Windows
Requesting and Installing an SSL Certificate for Internet Information Server (IIS)
Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)Generate the request using the Certificates snap-in in Microsoft Management Console (MMC).Bind the Certificate in IIS
Security Review for Microsoft Edge version 141
We have reviewed the new settings in Microsoft Edge version 141 and determined that there are no additional security settings that require enforcement.The Microsoft Edge version 139 security baseline continues to be our recommended configuration which can be downloaded from the Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit.Please continue to give us feedback through the Security Baselines Discussion site or this post.
Active Directory schema extension issue if you use a Windows Server 2025 schema master role
This issue can happen ONLY if you use a Windows Server 2025 as the schema master FSMO role holder in your environment.Windows Server 2025 schema master FSMO role holder might create duplicate schema attribute values after Exchange Server CU update is installed.Please open a support ticket with a Windows Active Directory team if you are already impacted by this.
Partner Blog | What's new for Microsoft partners: October 2025 edition
Your voice is instrumental in shaping the future of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program. In our latest quarterly update, we share key enhancements driven by partner feedback, along with expert insights, new skilling resources, and the latest benefits to help you grow, innovate, and lead in the AI era. Continue reading here!
Do PTUs Save You Money?
When deploying large language models in Azure AI Foundry, does selecting PTUs (Provisioned Throughput Units) save you money?PTUs, also known as provisioned throughput units, are your own share of the Azure OpenAI service, offering high availability and consistent latency backed by a service level agreement.This buys you 62,500 input TPM and 50,000 output TPM at the best possible latency.
GPT-5 Model Family Now Powers Azure AI Foundry Agent Service
The GPT-5 family of models is now available in Azure AI Foundry Agent Service, bringing Azure OpenAI’s most advanced reasoning, multimodal, and coding intelligence into a platform purpose-built for enterprise-scale agent development.The new generation of modelsWith this release, developers can choose from the full GPT-5 lineup to balance speed, depth, and cost for their agent development needs:
Microsoft at PASS Data Community Summit 2025
Microsoft is excited to be back as the Sapphire Sponsor for this year’s PASS Data Community Summit, together with AMD.It’ll be a week packed with keynotes, learning pathways, sessions, breakfast, giveaways and more!Discover how GitHub Copilot is transforming the way you write T-SQL and optimize your SQL databases inside SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 22.
Benchmarks to compare Copilot adoption coming to Copilot Dashboard
We’re excited to announce the initial rollout of Benchmarks in the Microsoft Copilot Dashboard in Viva Insights. This new feature lets organizations compare Copilot usage internally across different company groups, as well as externally against similar companies.Benchmarks in the Copilot Dashboard are currently only available to private preview customers. We’ll begin to roll out this new functionality to all customers later this month. Learn more about how to use the Copilot Dashboard.
Chapter 4: Beyond Tools - 2025 Agentic Teaming & Trust Research Report
82% of leaders believe that AI agents will be viewed as valued contributors and teammates over the next year1.75% of employees believe teams that embrace AI agents will have a competitive advantage and 71% believe AI agents could help their team achieve goals they couldn’t before.Chapter 4 of our 2025 Agentic Teaming & Trust Research Report dives into human-AI teaming and what it might mean for the future of workplace teams.
Surface Joins the Open Device Partnership (ODP)
That’s why we’re excited to announce that Surface is joining and taking a leadership position in the Open Device Partnership (ODP). The partnership's work addresses long-standing challenges in firmware and system design by leveraging memory-safe programming languages like Rust and hardware-rooted security features and doing so based on standards that will work across a partner's entire device product line.As part of Open Device Partnership (ODP), Surface is investing in several foundational technologies that are shaping the future of secure and reliable devices including:
Recorded session - Unlock New Levels of Productivity with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat
Watch this recorded HLS Webinar Series session with Microsoft’s Nicholas Aquino and Nick Stillings: “Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat” that was held on Wednesday, October 8th.This practical, hands-on webinar is designed to show you how Microsoft Copilot can supercharge your productivity across the entire M365 suite.Copilot Chat as Your Productivity Hub: Discover how Copilot Chat becomes your central space to generate emails, documents, spreadsheets, and extract insights from all your Microsoft apps.
September 2025 Recap: Azure Database for MySQL
Join us live on our YouTube channel on October 15, 2025 for an exclusive webinar where we’ll dive deeper into the latest Azure Database for MySQL updates and answer your questions!We’re now happy to share that in-place major version upgrade is supported for MySQL servers from 8.0 to 8.4.You can now take advantage of near-zero-downtime maintenance for Azure Database for MySQL with high availability (HA) enabled.
New in Microsoft Marketplace: September 22-24, 2025
Learn about 189 new offers that went live in Microsoft Marketplace, a single destination to find, try, and buy cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents to meet your business needs.Auto Recruite: Auto Recruit is a recruitment automation platform that uses AI and advanced tools to streamline the sourcing, screening, and engagement of candidates.Easily deploy virtual machine images
Cut migration costs with B-Series and Cobalt 100 VM support in Azure Migrate
Azure Migrate now supports B-Series and Cobalt 100 VMs, empowering you to plan migrations smarter, optimize costs, and get the right performance fit for every workload.B-Series VMs are designed for workloads with variable CPU usage, delivering cost efficiency without compromising flexibility.Cobalt 100 VMs are ARM-native virtual machines optimized for modern, energy-efficient workloads.
AI Career Navigator — Empowering Job Seekers with Azure OpenAI
That question became the mission — to build a smart, empathetic platform that helps users analyze their resumes, identify skill gaps, and prepare for interviews using Azure OpenAI.✅ Tip: Ensure you’ve created an Azure OpenAI resource and updated the .env file with your keys before running the backend.Thank you for recognizing AI Career Navigator with the People’s Choice Spotlight Award.
Study Buddy: Learning Data Science and Machine Learning with an AI Sidekick
As part of the "For Beginners" curriculum, I recently built a Study Buddy Agent, an AI-powered assistant designed to help learners explore data science interactively, intuitively, and joyfully.The Study Buddy Agent is here to change that.The agent uses GitHub Copilot's chatmode, which allows developers to define custom behaviors for AI agents.
How to Build Frontier AI Solutions with Azure AI Landing Zone
This blog aims to demystify these questions by providing a foundational understanding of the Azure AI Landing Zone (AI ALZ) — a unified, scalable, and secure framework for enterprise AI adoption.It explains how AI ALZ builds on two key architectural foundations — the Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF) and the Well-Architected Framework (WAF) — and outlines a step-by-step approach to setting up an AI Landing Zone in your Azure environment.The Azure AI Landing Zone provides enterprises with a structured, secure, and scalable foundation for AI adoption at scale.
MGDC for SharePoint FAQ: Which dates to use for the Files dataset?
The SharePoint Files dataset became publicly available in Microsoft Graph Data Connect (MGDC) on August 20, 2024.Unlike other SharePoint datasets, the Files dataset is refreshed only once a week, over the weekend.To keep your dataset current, use delta pulls.
Microsoft Tech Community Release Notes - 25.10 - Oct 8th, 2025
We’re excited to share the latest updates designed to improve your experience on the Microsoft Tech Community!This quarter, we’ve focused on modernising the interface, enhancing event features, and introducing new capabilities for user groups.User Groups can submit feedback, bugs and feature request via our ideas board
Skilling snack: AI for Windows developers
Are you a new Windows developer or looking to skill up on the latest in AI?Start at the top to learn about Windows Machine Learning (ML)—now generally available—or skip down to the resources that meet your current needs.Learn how to build AI experiences that are more responsive, private, and cost-effective.
Strengthening Azure File Sync security with Managed Identities
In this post, I’ll walk you through how Managed Identities can simplify and secure your Azure File Sync deployments, based on my recent conversation with Grace Kim, Program Manager on the Azure Files and File Sync team.Using Azure File Sync with Managed Identities provides significant security enhancements and simpler credential management for enterprises. Instead of relying on storage account keys or SAS tokens, Azure File Sync authenticates using a system-assigned Managed Identity from Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD).When you enable Managed Identity on your Azure VM or Arc-enabled server, Azure automatically provisions an identity for that server.
Microsoft Intune Advanced Analytics in action: Real-world scenarios for IT teams
In this blog post, we’ll review the capabilities provided by Advanced Analytics with example scenarios for how they can be used.Once your license is in place and Endpoint analytics is enabled, Advanced Analytics features will become available in your tenant.Device query for multiple devices provides insights about the entire fleet of devices using previously collected inventory data.
AMA: Azure AI Foundry Voice Live API: Build Smarter, Faster Voice Agents
Join us LIVE in the Azure AI Foundry Discord on the 14th October, 2025, 10am PT to learn more about Voice Live API Launched into general availability on October 1, 2025, the Azure AI Foundry Voice Live API is a game-changer for developers building voice-enabled agents.It unifies the entire voice stack—speech-to-text, generative AI, text-to-speech, avatars, and conversational enhancements, into a single, streamlined interface.
Microsoft Partner Center account structure: Best practices for long-term success
This article examines Partner Center account structures and the primary decisions to make when setting up your company’s accounts in the portal.In short, you must have an Azure Entra ID account to have a Partner Center account.Adding another Partner Center administrator
Microsoft Blog | Microsoft Ignite: Shaping what’s next with our partner ecosystem
In just a few weeks, we’ll gather at Microsoft Ignite 2025 to focus on four pillars that define successful AI transformation: improving employee experiences, reinventing business processes, deepening customer connections, and bending the curve of industry innovation.Join us in San Francisco or online November 18–21 to see the latest innovations, connect with Microsoft leaders and peers, and learn how to deliver even greater impact for your customers. Registration is open, and there is still time to reserve your spot today. Learn how to unlock the most value from your Microsoft partnership through the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program.
Getting the best out of threads in Microsoft Teams channels
That’s why as part of the threads rollout, we are introducing thread summarization with Copilot.Thread summarization with Copilot is generally available and requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. Watch this video to learn how to create a channel with threads and get tips for communicating effectively with your stakeholders by using threads.
Copilot + OneDrive: Intelligence in Every Click, Inspiration in Every Memory
Now rolling out for Copilot licensed users, the familiar Copilot icon is now built directly into your OneDrive experience, right next to your important files and ready for action with a single click.Generating an audio overview with Copilot on the OneDrive mobile appExample using Add to OneDrive and People cards:
SharePoint NoAccess Sites: Search Indexing and Copilot Misconceptions Guide
What is NoAccess Mode in SharePoint? NoAccess mode is a site-level setting in SharePoint Online that restricts user access to the site without permanently deleting it.This is why governance settings like Restricted Access Control or disabling indexing are critical when using Copilot.
What's New in Microsoft EDU - October 2025
Join us on Wednesday, August 20th, 2025 for our latest "What's New in Microsoft EDU" webinar!These 30-minute webinars are put on by the Microsoft Education Product Management group and happen once per month, this month both 8:00am Pacific Time and 4:00pm Pacific time to cover as many global time zones as possible around the world. And don’t worry – we’ll be recording these and posting on our Microsoft Education YouTube channel in the new “What’s New in Microsoft EDU” playlist, so you’ll always to able to watch later or share with others!Here is our October 2025 webinar agenda:
September 2025 Recap: Azure Database for PostgreSQL
September is packed with powerful enhancements, from the public preview of PostgreSQL 18 to the general availability of Azure Confidential Computing, plus several new capabilities designed to boost performance, security, and developer experience.As a Platinum sponsor, Microsoft joined the global PostgreSQL community for three days of sessions covering performance, extensibility, cloud, and AI, highlighted by Claire Giordano’s keynote, “What Microsoft is Building for Postgres—2025 in Review,” along with deep dives from core contributors and engineers.PostgreSQL 18 is now available in public preview on Azure Database for PostgreSQL, launched the same day as the PostgreSQL community release.
AMBA-ALZ pattern: Learn about the latest and greatest enhancements!
Adoption of the new least privileged "Monitoring Policy Contributor" Azure role for the System Assigned Managed Identities created by AMBA-ALZ deploymentThe new built-in policy, called "Configure subscriptions to enable service health alert monitoring rule", has been added to the new "Deploy Azure Monitor Baseline Alerts (AMBA-ALZ) for Service Health and Resource Health" initiative together with the previous Resource Health custom policyAdoption of the new least privileged "Monitoring Policy Contributor" Azure role
Avoiding Access Errors with SharePoint App-Only Access
If you're setting up app-only permissions to access the SharePoint Online REST API and run into persistent “403 Forbidden”, “Unauthorized”, or “Unsupported app only token” errors, you're not alone. One of the most common misconfigurations we see is the use of a client secret instead of a self-signed X.509 certificate when authenticating with Azure AD.SharePoint CSOM - Get a quick overview of the SharePoint object model When customers configure app-only access using Azure AD, they often assume that a client secret is sufficient because they will be able to obtain a valid token. However, SharePoint Online requires certificate-based authentication for app-only access.
Microsoft’s A-Grade Azure AI Stack: From Dissertation Prototype to Smart Campus Pilot
It's about how Microsoft's tools made it possible to go from a rough concept to a robust pilot, proving their developer stack is one of the most convenient and powerful options for building intelligent, ethical, and scalable educational systems.CampusConnect dashboard and numbered widgets powered by Azure OpenAII used Semantic Kernel (SK) Microsoft's powerful, open-source framework to build a modular, hub-and-spoke multi-agent system.
Installing a Standalone Root Certificate Authority & Web Enrollment on Windows Server 2025
In this post learn how to deploy a standalone root Certificate Authority (CA) on a Windows Server 2025 machine that is not joined to Active Directory.Also learn how to configure the web enrollment interface so clients can request certificates using a browser.Install Active Directory Certificate Services (Standalone Root CA)
Updated skilling requirements for SAP on Microsoft Azure specialization
To reflect growing momentum around RISE with SAP on Microsoft Azure, we have updated the skilling criteria for the SAP on Microsoft Azure specialization. This update gives you an additional pathway for meeting the skilling requirement.Review the updated requirements to ensure you are eligible for renewal and can maximize the benefits of the SAP on Microsoft Azure specialization.As part of the Module B audit for the SAP on Microsoft Azure specialization, you’ll be asked to provide documentation showing completion of the Run SAP on the Microsoft Cloud learning path.
Floating images now accessible for screen readers in Word
I’m excited to announce that floating images in Microsoft Word for Windows are now accessible to screen readers.Previously, floating images in Word were flagged by Accessibility Assistant as inaccessible because screen readers couldn’t determine their position in the document.Now, improved anchoring ensures screen reader can detect floating images and announce their alt text where the anchor is placed relative to the surrounding text.
Build enterprise-ready AI agents with confidence: Microsoft AI agent envisioning series
In today’s fast-paced software landscape, keeping up with new technologies and frameworks to build secure, scalable, and enterprise-ready AI apps and agents is more critical—and more complex—than ever. The Microsoft AI Agent Envisioning Series is a four-part webinar experience designed to equip software development companies with the frameworks, tools, and strategies needed to build, publish and monetize AI agents using Azure AI Foundry and the Microsoft Marketplace.That’s why we created the Microsoft AI Agent Envisioning Series—a webinar series designed to help you build, publish, and monetize AI agents using Azure AI Foundry, with your preferred coding practices and standards.Each session delivers step-by-step guidance, technical best practices, and business strategy to help you:
Auto-Archiving for Exchange Online
TL; DR: Auto-Archiving for Exchange Online is being rolled out in October 2025 for all public clouds and in November for all government clouds.If archiving is already enabled for Exchange Online users, it automatically moves the oldest items from a user’s primary mailbox to their archive when the mailbox utilization approaches 90% of mailbox quota to help prevent mail flow disruptions.Users archive their primary Exchange Online mailboxes to avoid hitting mailbox storage limits, ensure uninterrupted email access, and maintain a clean and organized inbox while still retaining older messages for reference.
Partner Blog | Strengthening security and customer trust with technical and API changes
Staying ahead of evolving security standards and compliance requirements is about more than just protecting your organization.To support that, we are introducing updates to Partner Center and across APIs your teams use every day. These changes are designed to keep you ahead of regulatory and technical requirements, reduce risk, and avoid disruption to your operations and customer transactions.Over the last few months, we’ve released updates to strengthen security and streamline processes:
From ASP.NET to Angular: My MVP Story - Sonu Kapoor
I founded DotNetSlackers, one of the earliest community hubs for .NET, built in ASP.NET 1.0 with MS SQL Server as the backend and dozens of SSIS packages to automate SQL jobs.This commitment to community earned me recognition as a Microsoft MVP for ASP.NET in 2005, a distinction I proudly held for several consecutive years.In 2024, more than a decade after my first MVP, I was re-awarded the MVP in Developer Technologies this time for my work with Angular and AI-powered applications.
Partner Case Study | HELLENiQ ENERGY
HELLENiQ ENERGY’s commitment to innovation was fueled with the advent of generative Artificial Intelligence.In the beginning, the company explored the technology limits, cultural impact, and business value potential via experimental pilots.The solution evolved daily with new features, composite scenarios and role-based guidance as the community got more familiar with the tool’s capabilities.
Why your LLM-powered app needs concurrency
Concurrency is critical for LLM apps, which often juggle multiple API calls, database queries, and user requests at the same time.In the Python ecosystem, there are several asynchronous backend frameworks to choose from:To fully benefit from moving to an asynchronous framework, your app’s API calls also need to be asynchronous.
Session One Recap: Copilot and the Oversharing Challenge our Customer's Struggle With
Last Friday, we launched our “Compliance Meets AI” webinar series, and the energy was off the charts!With attendees dialing in from across the globe—San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, England, Belgium, and more—the session was a true gathering of minds passionate about harnessing AI responsibly.Special guest Liz Sundet wowed the audience with practical insights on tackling oversharing, managing site sprawl, and implementing robust governance policies.
Microsoft 365 Copilot Web Search: Delivering Multiple Layers of Protection and Controls
This post explores web search in Microsoft 365 Copilot – how it works, how it’s protected, and how to roll it out across your organization.We’ll cover the user experience, the four layers of protection (Admin Controls, User Protections, Query Safeguards, and Contractual Commitments), and a practical guide to empower your team to search with confidence.A Copilot interaction has three parts: your prompt, a web query (if needed), and the response.
Step-by-Step Guide: Integrating Microsoft Purview with Azure Databricks and Microsoft Fabric
This article provides practical guidance on setup, cost considerations, and integration steps for Azure Databricks and Microsoft Fabric to help organizations plan for building a strong data governance framework.It outlines how Microsoft Purview can unify governance efforts across cloud platforms, enabling consistent policy enforcement, metadata management, and lineage tracking. Scoped scan support for Unity Catalog is expected to enter private preview soon.
Firmware Analysis now Generally Available
Back in June, we announced the public preview of firmware analysis, a new capability available through Azure Arc to help organizations gain visibility into the security of their Internet of Things (IoT), Operational Technology (OT), and network devices.Today, we are excited to announce that firmware analysis is generally available (GA) for all Azure customers.Firmware analysis examines the low-level software (firmware) that powers IoT, OT and network devices, with no agent required on the device.
Chapter 3: Trust 360 – 2025 Agentic Teaming & Trust Research Report
And we found that 60% of employees said they are confident enough in AI output that they don’t need to check its accuracy.Chapter 3 of our 2025 Agentic Teaming & Trust Research Report dives into building trust on a foundation of meta-cognition, where employees reflect on their usage of AI, learning when and how to best leverage the technology.In this chapter, we explore how to combat overreliance of AI through trust, leaning on key organizational factors, such as leadership role modeling, reliable systems, and peer learning/advocacy.
Updates to Get-Contact and Set-Contact Cmdlets for “Contacts” Recipient Type in Exchange Online
Following a recent analysis, it has been determined that Contact Recipient Type objects are nonfunctional in Exchange Online and hence it has been decided to deprecate the management of these in Exchange Online.Starting on December 15, 2025, the Get-Contact and Set-Contact cmdlets will no longer return or allow management of recipient type Contact Recipient Type objects in Exchange Online.After December 15, 2025, the Get-Contact and Set-Contact cmdlets will no longer return or allow management of Contact recipient type objects (those without an SMTP address) in Exchange Online.
How Dooap and Microsoft Marketplace help AI transform accounts payable to impact your business
In this guest blog post, Anna Tujunen, Chief Product Officer at Dooap, shows how you can transform accounts payable from a transactional function into a strategic growth enabler by leveraging AI-driven automation and real-time insights with Microsoft and Dooap via Microsoft Marketplace.Accounts payable (AP), once seen as a cost center bogged down by manual work, is being reimagined as a driver of efficiency and insight.We’re entering the era of AI agents — autonomous systems capable of managing the entire invoice lifecycle, from intake to payment, with minimal human input.
FY26 Q1 update: Make the most of your certified software designation
Enhanced FY26 go-to-market benefits: Solutions Partners with certified software designations can access updated go-to-market (GTM) benefits, including solution play cards, solution briefs, and an animated solution video—all designed to raise awareness of your solution and support your co-sell success. Learn more here or here.New Industry AI designations now available: We introduced six new designations for industry-specific AI—Energy, Government, Telecom, Education, Defense, and Nonprofit—so software development companies can further differentiate and align their solutions to sector-specific needs. Learn more here.Hear how Symphony AI, Rockwell Automation, Rescale, Accenture, and Avanade are leveraging their certified software designations to expand global reach, increase brand visibility, and deliver cutting-edge AI-powered solutions. View here.
Getting Started with AI Agents: A Student Developer’s Guide to the Microsoft Agent Framework
If you're a student developer curious about building intelligent, goal-driven agents, Microsoft’s newly released Agent Framework is your launchpad.In this post, we’ll break down what the framework offers, how to get started, and why it’s a game-changer for learners and builders alike.The Microsoft Agent Framework is a modular, open-source toolkit designed to help developers build, orchestrate, and evaluate AI agents with minimal friction.
From Cloud to Chip: Building Smarter AI at the Edge with Windows AI PCs
With the rise of Windows AI PCs and powerful local accelerators, the edge is no longer a constraint it’s now a canvas.The Edge AI for Beginners curriculum is a hands-on, open-source guide designed for engineers ready to move from theory to deployment. Clone the Edge AI for Beginners GitHub repo, run the notebooks, and deploy your first model to a Windows AI PC or IoT devices Whether you're building smart kiosks, offline assistants, or industrial monitors, this curriculum gives you the scaffolding to go from prototype to production.
Secure Medallion Architecture Pattern on Azure Databricks (Part I)
This article introduces a deployment pattern for Azure Databricks that uses Lakeflow Jobs and the Medallion Architecture to enforce robust isolation across pipelines.Each pipeline stage runs as its own job per layer, executed by a dedicated Microsoft Entra ID service principal with tightly scoped, least-privilege access.In short, we apply least privilege consistently across Bronze, Silver, and Gold using Azure components such as ADLS Gen2, Managed Identities (service principals), Azure Key Vault, Lakeflow Jobs, and Unity Catalog to build a secure, auditable platform.
The importance of streaming for LLM-powered chat applications
As a result, thousands of developers are now deploying chat applications on Azure for their own specialized domains.Most modern LLM APIs and wrapper libraries now support streaming responses — usually through a simple boolean flag or a dedicated streaming method.See my blog post on fetching JSON over streaming HTTP for Python and JavaScript example code.
Newsletter - Microsoft Global Community Initiative - October 2025
The Microsoft Global Community Initiative (MGCI) are on Adoption.Microsoft.com has a new Resources Page with the PowerPoint decks and on-demand recordings of General Sessions, Event Trainings and downloadable templates for event producers to leverage.This month's topic: Marketing & Social Media for Community EventsJoin Adam on October 10th in New York City for Experts Live US (free event!) as he dives into the latest innovations in Microsoft 365 and Copilot.
Ultimate Partner LIVE Fall 2025: AI ecosystem masterclass & partner success summit
Mark your calendars! Ultimate Partner LIVE Fall is coming to the Washington, D.C. area, October 27-29, and this event presents a unique, high-impact opportunity for partners looking to stay ahead of the tectonic shifts, align priorities, and accelerate performance in 2026.
Azure Data Factory, SQL Managed Instance, and SSIS Implementation
Enabling the ADF Instance Create an Azure Data FactoryFollow the official Microsoft Learn guide to set up your ADF instance. Required RolesYou must have
Help customers boost productivity with Microsoft 365 Copilot—15% savings through Dec. 31
We’ve extended our promo offer of 15% off partner net on Microsoft 365 Copilot for 10–2,400 seats for eligible new customers through December 31, 2025, with annual commitment required and monthly billing available. Use the Microsoft partner offer kit to package licenses, services, and training—and accelerate AI adoption ...
Build smarter, publish faster: Here’s what’s new in App Advisor
App Advisor just got a major upgrade - and it’s changing the game for software development companies building apps and agents for the Microsoft Marketplace. Since its MVP launch in January 2024, App Advisor has helped thousands of partners like you streamline their journey. <...
Know Your Risk: Using Microsoft Purview to Protect Sensitive Data
In today’s digital-first world, data is everywhere—and so are the risks. From donor records to financial reports, sensitive information flows across emails, documents, and cloud platforms. In keeping with the Cybersecurity Awareness Month theme, this is the perfect time to ask:Do you know where your sensitive data lives—and how well it’s protected? Enter Microsoft Purview, a unified data governance and compliance solution designed to help or...
Strengthen Your Security Posture This October with Smarter Endpoint Protection
As organizations accelerate digital transformation, endpoints have become the frontline of defense—and the most frequent target. From phishing emails to fileless malware, attackers are exploiting gaps in visibility and response. It’s no longer enough to react after the fact. You need security that’s proactive, intelligent, and built for scale. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint delivers exactly that—combining real-time detection, automated remediation, and deep threat ana...
¡Curso oficial y gratuito de GenAI y Python! 🚀
¿Quieres aprender a usar modelos de IA generativa en tus aplicaciones de Python?Estamos organizando una serie de nueve transmisiones en vivo, en inglés y español, totalmente dedicadas a la IA generativa. Vamos a cubrir modelos de lenguaje (LLMs), modelos de embeddings,
Course Retirement Announcement: AZ-1006
AZ-1006: Migrate and Modernize SAP in the Microsoft Cloud https://learn.microsoft.com/training/courses/az-1006 Credential: N/A Retirement date: November 28, 2025 Replacement Course:&nb...
Level up your Python Gen AI Skills from our free nine-part YouTube series!
Want to learn how to use generative AI models in your Python applications? We're putting on a series of nine live streams, in both English and Spanish, all about generative AI. We'll cover large language models, embedding models, vision models, introduce techniques like RA...
Azure Cache for Redis Retirement: What to Know and How to Prepare
Microsoft has announced the retirement of Azure Cache for Redis (Basic, Standard, Premium) and Azure Cache for Redis Enterprise/Enterprise Flash tiers. If you rely on these services today, it’s important to understand what’s changing, when, and how to prepare for a smooth transition to Azure Managed Redis. What’s Retiring and When? Azure Cache for Redis (Basic, Standard, Premium): Creation blocked for new customers: Apri...
From Chaos to Clarity: How Microsoft 365 Copilot Helps SMBs Make Smarter Decisions
In today’s fast-paced business landscape, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) face a constant challenge: do more with less and do it faster. The pressure to innovate, respond to market shifts, and keep teams aligned is real. That’s why Microsoft 365 Copilot is more than just another productivity tool—it’s a strategic partner for SMBs looking to turn operational chaos into clarity. Real-World ROI: Copilot in Action A recent
Redefining Cyber Defence with Microsoft Security Exposure Management (MSEM) and Security Copilot
Introduction Microsoft Security Exposure Management (MSEM) provides the Cyber Defense team with a unified, continuously updated awareness of assets exposure,...
Empower your migration decisions with negotiated agreements (EA/MCA) in Azure Migrate
Cost plays the most important part in cloud migration accelerating the decisions. Organizations often hesitate because retail pricing doesn’t reflect their reality. That’s where Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA) comes in, offering discounts of up to 60% off retail prices, based on your negotiated contract. Now, with Azure Migrate’s support for MCA pricing, you can bring those negotiated rates directly into your assessme...
How Microsoft Defender helps security teams detect prompt injection attacks in Microsoft 365 Copilot
As generative AI becomes a core part of enterprise productivity—especially through tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot—new security challenges are emerging. One of the most prevalent attack techniques is prompt injection, where malicious instructions are used to bypass security guardrails and manipulate AI behavior. At Microsoft, we’re proactively addressing the security challenges posed by prompt injection attacks through...
Logic Apps Aviators Newsletter - October 25
In this issue: Ace Aviator of the Month News from our product group News from our community Ace Aviator of the Month October Ace Aviator: Robin Wilde Robin Wilde -...
Addressing Air Gap Requirements through Secure Azure Arc Onboarding
Overview Regulated sectors like finance, healthcare, and government face strict security requirements, including the need for air gap environments that isolate critical systems from external networks. While essential for reducing risk, this isolation complicates cloud adoption and remote management. As organisations modernise with hybrid and multi-cloud strategies, unified ITSecOps becomes crucial. Azure Arc offers a centralised platform for securely managing diverse IT assets. <...
Choosing the right Virtual Machine on Azure
Find and know exactly what you’re provisioning by understanding the naming format to see CPU type, memory, storage, and features before deployment to match what your app or workload needs. Use free tools like Azure Migrate to right-size and plan. Matt McSpirit, Microsoft Azure expert, shows how to choose, size, and deploy workloads such as burstable w...
Stella Automotive AI and ZAPTEST offer transactable partner solutions in Azure Marketplace
Microsoft partners like Stella Automotive AI and ZAPTEST deliver transact-capable offers, which allow you to purchase directly from Azure Marketplace. Learn about these offers below:
Introducing Cross Resource Metrics and Alerts Support for Azure Storage
Aggregate and analyze storage metrics from multiple storage accounts in a single chart. We’re thrilled to announce a highly requested feature: Cross Resource Metrics and Alerts support for Azure Storage! With this new capability, you can now monitor and visualize metrics across multiple storage accounts in a single chart and configure alerts across multiple accou...
Detecting and Alerting on MDE Sensor Health Transitions Using KQL and Logic Apps
Introduction Maintaining the health of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) sensors is essential for ensuring continuous security visibility across your virtual machine (VM) infrastructure. When a sensor transitions from an "Active" to an "Inactive" state, it indicates a loss of telemetry from that device and potentially creating blind spots in your security posture. To proactively address this risk, it's important to detect these transitions promptly and alert your s...
Title Plan Update – October 3, 2025
🗂️ October 3, 2025 Title Plan Now Available Access the latest Instructor-Led Training (ILT) updates anytime at http://aka.ms/Courseware_Title_Plan to ensure you're always working from the most current version. 📌 Reminder: To help you stay informed more quickly and consistently, we’ve moved to a weekly publishing cadence for the title plan. This means each update may include fewer ...
Copilot Chat: Snack Pack
Hungry? Grab your treat of choice—savory, sweet, crispy, or gooey—and come munch with us! We're kicking off a five-part series of Copilot Chat "Snack Packs": bite-sized articles, videos, and images packed with tips and tricks. Make the Most of this Guide:Content is arranged from left to right in orde...
Copilot Chat: Prompting
To start a new prompt, head over to Copilot Chat and hit the blue chat button in the upper right corner. 🔄 When should I star...
Monitoring Azure OpenAI without switching from your existing observability platform
Recently, one of my customers asked me a simple but powerful question: “We already use Datadog for observability. We’re not going to move to Azure Monitor and Log Analytics, but can we still monitor our Azure OpenAI usage directly in the portal?” That made me realize something: this isn’t just one customer’s challenge. Many customers already have an observability stack they like, but they still want quick, free visibility into Azure Open...
Unlock New Levels of Productivity with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat – HLS Webinar Series
Are you ready to take your Microsoft 365 experience to the next level? Don’t miss our upcoming HLS Webinar Series session with Microsoft’s Nicholas Aquino and Nick Stillings: “Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat” on Wednesday, October 8th, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Eastern Time. This pr...
Drasi is Fluent in GQL: Integrating the New Graph Query Standard
Drasi , the open-source Rust data change processing platform, simplifies the creation of change-driven systems through continuous queries, reactions, and clearly defined change semantics. Continuous queries enable developers to specify precisely what data changes matter, track these changes in real-time, and react immediately as changes occur. Unlike traditional database queries, which provide static snapshots of data, continuous queries co...
AI Security Ideogram: Practical Controls and Accelerated Response with Microsoft
Overview As organizations scale generative AI, two motions must advance in lockstep: hardening the AI stack (“Security for AI”) and using AI to supercharge SecOps (“AI for Security”). This post is a practical map—covering assets, common attacks, scope, solutions, SKUs, and ownership—to help you ship AI safely and investigate faster. Why both motions matter, at the same time...
Oracle Database@Azure now supports Oracle Database 19c on Exadata Exascale and New UAE Regions
Organizations around the world are accelerating their cloud modernization journeys with Oracle Database@Azure. Today, we’re excited to share two important updates that expand both the capabilities and global availability of Oracle Database@Azure: Oracle Database 19c support for Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure on Oracle Database@Azure General availability of UAE North and UAE Cen...
Ready to accelerate your Zero Trust journey? Discover what’s next
For admins | 1-minute read Zero Trust isn’t just a security buzzword—it’s the new baseline for protecting your organization in a world where threats are always evolving. But what does it really take to move from strategy to action? Find out by reading our recent blog, Accelerate your Zero Trust journey: Using the Micr...
PgBouncer Best Practices in Azure Database for PostgreSQL – Part 1
Connection pooling is critical for scaling PostgreSQL workloads efficiently, especially in managed environments like Azure Database for PostgreSQL.PgBouncer, a lightweight connection pooler, helps manage thousands of client connections without overwhelming the database.Connection pooling is very important when managing multiple concurrent database requests, as PostgreSQL uses a process-per-connection model, which means too many active connections can:Choosing the right default_pool_size in Azure Database for PostgreSQL with PgBouncer is about balancing performance and resource efficiency.
Unlock the power of personalization: Copilot Memory in Microsoft 365
I’m excited to introduce the Memory feature in Microsoft 365 Copilot: a new capability that makes your Copilot smarter, more helpful, and more in tune with how you work.Unlock the power of personalization: Copilot Memory in Microsoft 365It remembers key facts you choose to share, such as your working style, communication preferences, and recurring topics, so Copilot can tailor its responses and recommendations to fit you.
Choosing the Right Azure Containerisation Strategy: AKS, App Service, or Container Apps?
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) What is it? AKS is Microsoft’s managed Kubernetes offering, providing full access to the Kubernetes API and control plane. It’s designed for teams that want to run complex, scalable, and highly customisable container workloads, with direct control over orchestration, networking, and security. When to choose AKS: You need advanced orchestration, custom networking, or integration with third-part...
Managing Hotpatching for Azure Arc connected Machines using APIs
Hotpatching is available as an option for Aure Arc connected Windows Server 2025 Datacenter and Standard machines. To learn more about hotpatching please review this article. Azure Arc portal provides a way for you to enroll or disenroll from hotpatching. To manage hotpatch updates, you can use
New collaborative agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot
Watch how these collaborative agents partner with you in real time across your everyday apps. Knowledge Agent streamlines SharePoint by auto-tagging files, retiring outdated pages, and even drafting new content so your sites stay current and searchable. Facilitator is an agent in Microsoft Teams that keeps meetings on track — managing agendas, taking notes, assigning follow-ups, and capturing decisions automatically. Agents in Teams channels summariz...
Managing Context Retention in Agentic AI
The Context Retention Challenge in Agentic AI Agentic AI systems often involve multiple agents collaborating on complex tasks, such as a research agent gathering data and a summarizer agent generating reports. Without proper context retention, agents may: Lose Track of History: Forgetting previous interactions or decisions, leading to repetitive or irrelevant actions. ...
Microsoft Azure Migrate & Modernization Summit recap: Product announcements on agentic AI tooling
On September 23rd, Microsoft hosted its digital Migrate and Modernize Summit, where it announced new agentic AI tooling capabilities and richer investments for customers and partners on migration and modernization opportunities.
Security Copilot Skilling Series
Starting this October, Security Copilot joins forces with your favorite Microsoft Security products in a skilling series miles above the rest. The Security Copilot Skilling Series is your opportunity to strengthen your security posture through threat detection, incident response, and leveraging AI for security automation. These technical skilling sessions are delivered live by experts from our product engineering teams. Come ready to learn, engage with your peers, as...
API interfaces for political ads policy enforcement
The European Union (EU) Regulation 2024/900 about the transparency and targeting of political advertising will take effect on October 10, 2025. As a reminder, Microsoft Advertising introduced a political advertising declaration requirement for all customers in September 2025. Microsoft A...
AI Security Heatmap: Practical Controls and Accelerated Response with Microsoft
Overview As organizations scale generative AI, two motions must advance in lockstep: hardening the AI stack (“Security for AI”) and using AI to supercharge SecOps (“AI for Security”). This post is a practical map—covering assets, common attacks, scope, solutions, SKUs, and ownership—to help you ship AI safely and investigate faster. Why both motions matter, at the same time...
MVP Stories: From Learner to Leader - Anja Schröder’s Journey in the Community
One Call That Changed Everything Sometimes, all it takes is one unexpected moment to change the course of a life. For Anja, that moment came in ...
AZ-900 Will Become Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure
To reflect the evolution of our Fundamentals course structure, we’re updating the course title of AZ-900 to Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure, effective October 31. Originally titled Microsoft Azure Fundamentals, and more recently Introduction to Microsoft Azure, this course has gradually narrowed its focus. As dedicated Fundamentals courses for AI, Data, and Security emerged, AZ-900 shifted toward a streamlined, one-day int...
Edit the default initialization for Python in Excel
Hi, Insiders! I’m Ndeyanta Jallow, a Product Manager on the Excel team. I’m excited to announce a powerful new Python capability in Microsoft Excel for Windows: editable initialization. Edit the default initialization for Python in Excel By default, Python in Excel initializes with a predefined code that sets up your environment. But we know one size doesn’t fit all – maybe you prefer working with NumPy arrays instead of pandas Data...
Copilot now included with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook & OneNote | Microsoft 365 & Office 365
Summarize long email threads, generate bullet-point executive summaries, create charts, and update presentations — all without leaving your familiar apps. Copilot understands your context, remembers your preferences, and helps you reuse content seamlessly across Microsoft 365. IT admins stay in control while you boost productivity. Enterprise-grade protections, Microsoft Purview, and the Copilot Control System ensure your data stays secure.
Chapter 2: The Multiplier Effect - 2025 Agentic Teaming & Trust Research Report
As we strategize for integrating agentic AI into our workflows, it’s important to remember that the goal is to not only drive elevated productivity and performance, but to do so in a way that empowers employees. Deploying AI agents to support employees reach new heights can create positive and sustainable change – enabling a new employee experience. And AI adoption thrives in people-centric environments, as our research shows that high frequency AI users are 1.9x
The Open-Source Paradox: How Microsoft is giving back
The open-source community faces a paradox that threatens its very foundation. While open-source software now powers every major technology platform—from smartphones in our pockets to the cloud infrastructure running the world's largest applications—the developers and maintainers who create and sustain these critical projects are struggling under an unsustainable burden. The statistics paint a sober picture of this crisis: 🧑💻 60% of open-source maintai...
Lessons Learned #536: Error the database type is not understood by the data reader.
This week we have been working on a support case where our customer had the following message 50006: Error the database type is not understood by the data reader when exporting using SQL Server Management Studio to a bacpac. We also observed that other tools showed the same message Checking SQL Server Management Studio, we faced the following error screen: Could not export schema and data from database. (Microsoft.SqlServer.Dac) AD...
New in Azure Marketplace: September 11-21, 2025
We continue to expand the Microsoft AppSource ecosystem. For this volume, 183 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live. See details of the new offers below: Get it now in our marketplace
Foundry Fridays: Your Front-Row Seat to Azure AI Innovation
🔥 Foundry Fridays: Your Front-Row Seat to Azure AI Innovation Are you ready to go beyond the blog posts and docs and get your questions answered directly by the minds behind Azure AI? Then mark your calendars for Foundry Fridays a weekly Ask Me Anything (AMA) series hosted on the Azure AI Foundry Discord. Every Friday at 1:30 PM ...
Expanding the Public Preview of the Azure SRE Agent
We are excited to share that the Azure SRE Agent is now available in public preview for everyone instantly – no sign up required. A big thank you to all our preview customers who provided feedback and helped shape this release! Watching teams put the SR...
Announcing Parse & Chunk with Metadata in Logic Apps: Build Context-Aware RAG Agents
The new Parse document with metadata and Chunk text with metadata actions in Logic Apps bring powerful improvements to how you handle documents. Unlike the previously released parse and chunk actions, these new versions provide rich metadata alongside the text: pageNumber — the page a chunk came from totalPages — the total number of pages in the document
What’s New in Azure Event Grid
Azure Event Grid continues to evolve with new capabilities in General Availability and Public Preview – intended to help you enhance performance, security, and interoperability in modern event-driven systems. These enhancements strengthen Azure Event Grid’s foundational messaging layer for distributed systems—supporting real-time telemetry, automation, and hybrid workloads. With support for advanced MQTT features and flexible authentication models, Event Grid now offers: <...
Profiles in Partnership Ep18: IAMCP Partners Unite for Impactful Change – A Conversation with Promod Antony and Denny Ghim (Part 1)
In today’s complex business landscape, partnerships are a vital tool for driving innovation and creating a meaningful impact. The recent IAMCP Profiles and Partnership podcast episode, titled “Better Together: IAMCP Partners Unite for Impactful Change – A Conversation with Promod Antony and Denny Ghim (Part 1)”, delves into how collaboration within the International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners (IAMCP) fosters growth and ignites transformative solutions. In t...
Windows news you can use: September 2025
Building upon the big milestones in Windows we announced in August, yesterday we announced the availability of Windows 11, version 25H2! Be sure to check out our IT pro’s guide to Windows 11, version 25H2 and how Wi-Fi 7 is a game changer for enterprises. These blogs cover the Windows 11, version 25H2 release in depth—truly news you can use! My colleagues in Windows 365 also had a wealth of new features and capabilities announced throughout the month of September—you can read more abou...
Who Created This Azure Resource? Here's How to Find Out
One of the most common questions Azure customers and administrators ask is: “How do I know who created this resource?” If you’ve ever been in charge of managing a large subscription with dozens (or even thousands) of resources, you know how important it is to answer this question quickly. Whether it’s for troubleshooting, governance, or compliance, tracking the origin of a resource can save time and reduce confusion. The good news: Azur...
Behind the Build: An interview with David Willis from Netskope
Behind the Build is an ongoing series spotlighting standout Microsoft partner collaborations. Each edition dives into the technical and strategic decisions that shape real-world integrations—highlighting engineering excellence, innovation, and the shared customer value created through partnership. When Netskope was announced as
The new Planner in Microsoft Teams is now available to customers in GCC High
We’re excited to announce that the new Planner app in Microsoft Teams (web and desktop) is now available to customers in the Government Community Cloud (GCC) High environment! Add the Planner app in Teams and start managing all your work in one placeShare your feedback
Data Virtualization with PolyBase for SQL Server 2025
Building upon the innovations introduced in SQL Server 2022, SQL Server 2025 enhances Data Virtualization by prioritizing usability, strengthening security with expanded authentication options, and providing improved support for Linux environments. Key Features Native Support for Parquet, CSV, and Delta: The SQL engine now offers built-in capabilities to query data files such as CSV, Parquet, and Delta, eliminating the need for the optional...
Stay in the flow with PivotTable #SPILL! in Excel
Hi, Microsoft 365 Insiders! I’m Valerie Kistrina, a Product Manager on the Excel team. I’m excited to introduce PivotTable #SPILL!, a new feature in Microsoft Excel for Windows and for Mac. Instead of breaking your flow with confusing alerts, PivotTables can now collapse into a single cell with a #SPILL! error – so you can stay focused and resolve errors on your own terms, without unnecessary disruption. Stay in the flow with PivotTable #SPILL! in Excel PivotTable #SPILL! brin...
The new Planner app in Microsoft Teams is now available to customers in GCC High
We’re excited to announce that the new Planner app in Microsoft Teams (web and desktop) is now available to customers in the Government Community Cloud (GCC) High environment! Add the Planner app in Teams today and start managing all your work in one place.Share your feedback
Join us at Ragan Internal Communications conference in October
In a few weeks, Oct 14-16, the Ragan Internal Communications conference is in Seattle at the Microsoft Headquarters.Join us to connect, learn and hear from great communicators across the industry.Learn from Microsoft Comms
Announcing Public Preview: ASEv3 Outbound Network Segmentation
Outbound Network Segmentation allows you to define and control how outbound traffic is routed from your App Service Environment v3 apps.If your alternate subnet is in a different resource group than your app, run "az webapp vnet-integration add -h" and see the help text to learn how to specify this resource id.If you're familiar with the multi-plan subnet join feature available in the multi-tenant App Service offering, unfortunately, App Service Environments and the alternate subnet join feature are incompatible with multi-plan subnet join.
Celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Everyday Protection with Microsoft 365
Every October, people around the world- from students and parents to large organizations and governments- take time to strengthen their online safety habits and learn how to protect their digital lives. Microsoft’s pledge to our customers and our community is to prioritize your cybersafety above all else. Whether you're running a Fortun...
Employees can bring Copilot from their personal Microsoft 365 plans to work - what it means for IT
Today, we made some exciting announcements for Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and the new Premium plans.Among them is how employees can use Copilot from these plans on their work documents with Enterprise Data Protection, even if they don’t have a M365 Copilot license from your organization.Employees can use their personal Microsoft 365 subscriptions to access Copilot features at work: Microsoft allows employees to sign into Microsoft 365 apps with both work and personal accounts, letting them use Copilot features from their individual plan on work documents even if their work account doesn’t have a Copilot license.
Behind the Build with Netskope: Engineering at the edge for strategic impact.
When Netskope was announced as Microsoft Security’s 2025 ISV Partner of the Year at RSAC, it marked the result of years of steady investment, mutual trust, and deep technical collaboration.A standout example is our collaboration in Microsoft Sentinel, using the Codeless Connector Framework (CCF) to build a Netskope integration.This joint effort positions Netskope as a pioneer in integrating SASE enforcement with Microsoft Purview’s data protection capabilities, delivering unified visibility and control for customers.
Customer review: Vumacam SafeCity camera network and proof platform for optimized public safety
Vumacam's SafeCity, a solution published to Microsoft AppSource, delivers a flexible camera network powered by Vumacam's Proof, a cloud-enabled, video-centric physical security information management (PSIM) solution, to enhance public safety through advanced video analytics.Vumacam SafeCity optimizes delivery of overview and license-plate recognition video feeds directly to your CCTV control room, where Proof enables rapid responses and automatic dispatches, allowing you to better secure public spaces.How is customer service and support for Vumacam SafeCity and Proof?
Host Microsoft Defender data locally in the United Arab Emirates
We are pleased to announce that local data residency support in the UAE is now generally available for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Microsoft Defender for Identity.Existing customers can check their deployment geo within the portal by going to Settings -> Microsoft Defender XDR-> Account; and see where the service is storing your data at rest.If you would like to update your service location, please reach out to Customer Service and Support for a tenant reset.
Better detecting cross prompt injection attacks: Introducing Spotlighting in Azure AI Foundry
One of the most common risks is cross prompt injection, which are malicious instructions embedded inside untrusted content such as documents, emails, or web pages.To address this, the researchers introduced Spotlighting, a family of prompt engineering techniques that transform inputs to provide a continuous signal of provenance.Spotlighting is now part of Prompt Shields, which are available as a content filter in Azure AI Foundry and integrated into Azure AI Content Safety.
Reimagining Collaboration
At WebexOne, the future of intelligent collaboration took center stage as Kenneth Pan, CVP at Microsoft, joined Snorre Kjesbu, SVP & GM from Cisco to announce a major step forward in redefining the hybrid work experience.This collaboration is about more than technology — it’s about creating secure, intelligent, and effortless experiences that empower people and organizations everywhere.By bringing the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) to Cisco’s RoomOS devices, we’re delivering a unified foundation that simplifies IT management, accelerates innovation, and ensures consistent, high-quality experiences across the workplace.
Boo-tiful costumes, powered by Microsoft Copilot
This spooky season, Microsoft Copilot can help you and your family find or create the perfect costume, whether you’re attending a party, trick-or-treating, or hoping to win your town’s or workplace’s costume contest.Put together a group costumeWe hope these prompts and ideas provide you with the inspiration you need for a great and spooky Halloween!
Keeping Agents on Track: Introducing Task Adherence in Azure AI Foundry
AI agents are no longer just answering questions. They can plan, reason, and act. A single agent can fetch information from APIs, trigger workflows, or even make transactions. Multiple agents can work together in orchestration to complete more complex goals. That shift from chatbots to agents is exciting, but it also introduces a new challenge: task drift. When an agent drifts, even slightly, the results can be costly or unsafe. Think about an assistant that ignores bu...
Action Required: Account Verification for Windows Hardware Program Begins October 16, 2025
Effective October 16, 2025, Microsoft will initiate mandatory account verification for all partners in the Windows Hardware Program who have not completed account verification since April 2024. Mismatch between the name on the government ID and the Partner Center Primary Contact.For more information on what is required to successfully complete verification or how to check status of your account, please review Verify Your Account Information - Partner Center |
From Chalkboards to Cloud: How the Greater Austin YMCA Is Transforming Child Care Through Technology
How do you launch a first-of-its-kind childcare model in a rapidly growing city? For the Greater Austin YMCA, the answer was bold: a sweeping digital transformation powered by Microsoft tools like Teams,
Empowering Nonprofits to Strengthen Digital Defenses
Did you know October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month? It’s the perfect time for nonprofits to strengthen their digital defenses and build a culture of security. This year’s theme— “Cybersecurity first, stay safe always”—is a powerful reminder to prioritize digital safety in every aspect of your mis...
Introducing the Microsoft Agent Framework
Introducing the Microsoft Agent Framework: A Unified Foundation for AI Agents and Workflows The landscape of AI development is evolving rapidly, and Microsoft is at the forefront with the release of the Microsoft Agent Framework an open-source SDK designed to empower developers to build intelligent, multi-agent systems with ease and precision. Whether you're working in .NET or Python...
Introducing the Micrsoft Agent Framework
Introducing the Microsoft Agent Framework: A Unified Foundation for AI Agents and WorkflowsThe landscape of AI development is evolving rapidly, and Microsoft is at the forefront with the release of the Microsoft Agent Framework an open-source SDK designed to empower developers to build intelligent, multi-agent systems with ease and precision.Whether you're working in .NET or Python, this framework offers a unified, extensible foundation that merges the best of Semantic Kernel and AutoGen, while introducing powerful new capabilities for agent orchestration and workflow design.
Supercharging AI Agents with Memory on Azure Managed Redis
Co-authored by Purna Mehta, AMR Product Manager, Redis, Inc. and Han Xing Choong, Software Engineer, Redis, Inc. AI agents are quickly evolving from simple chatbots to sophisticated, context-aware systems that reason, orchestrate tools, and learn over time. Memory is at the heart of that transformation. ...
Azure AI Foundry: Advancing OpenTelemetry and delivering unified multi-agent observability
Microsoft is enhancing multi-agent observability by introducing new semantic conventions to OpenTelemetry, developed collaboratively with Outshift, Cisco’s incubation engine.These advancements have been integrated into Azure AI Foundry, Microsoft Agent Framework, Semantic Kernel, and Azure AI packages for LangChain, LangGraph, and the OpenAI Agents SDK, enabling customers to get unified observability for agentic systems built using any of these frameworks with Azure AI Foundry. The additional semantic conventions and integration across different frameworks equip developers to monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize their AI agents in a unified solution with increased efficiency and valuable insights.Microsoft has proposed new spans and attributes to OpenTelemetry semantic convention for GenAI agent and framework spans.
Monthly news - October 2025
This is our monthly "What's new" blog post, summarizing product updates and various new assets we released over the past month across our Defender products.Defender for Identity data centers are now also deployed in the United Arab Emirates, North and Central regions.(Public Preview) We are excited to announce the availability of a new Graph-based API for managing unified agent server actions in Defender for Identity.
New in Microsoft AppSource: September 11-21, 2025
For this volume, 215 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live.365Metrics: 365Metrics, a Software as a Service solution from Chrysalis SAS, is designed to help organizations optimize their Microsoft 365 subscriptions by reducing license costs and enhancing employee productivity.The solution includes preconfigured analytics for Microsoft Power BI dashboards, and playbooks for conversational intelligence powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI.
Partner Skilling Hub – Microsoft-kumppaneiden uusi oppimisalusta
Microsoftin kumppaniekosysteemi on saanut uuden työkalun osaamisen kehittämiseen: Partner Skilling Hub.Tämä alusta on kehitetty yhteistyössä Digital Arts & Sciencesin kanssa ja se on suunniteltu erityisesti Microsoftin kumppaneille.Sen tavoitteena on tukea kumppaneita osaamisen kasvattamisessa, Microsoft-teknologioiden hallinnassa ja liiketoiminnan kehittämisessä.
Building a Secure and Compliant Azure AI Landing Zone: Policy Framework & Best Practices
As organizations accelerate their AI adoption on Microsoft Azure, governance, compliance, and security become critical pillars for success. Deploying AI workloads without a structured compliance framework can expose enterprises to data privacy issues, misconfigurations, and regulatory risks. To address this challenge, the Azure AI Land...
Upgrade your voice agent with Azure AI Voice Live API
Today, we are excited to announce the general availability of Voice Live API, which enables real-time speech-to-speech conversational experience through a unified API powered by generative AI models. With Voice Live API, developers can easily voice-enable any agent built with the Azure AI Foundry Agent Service.
FabSoft and Hive offer transactable partner solutions in Azure Marketplace
Microsoft partners like FabSoft and Hive deliver transact-capable offers, which allow you to purchase directly from Azure Marketplace. Learn about these offers below:
🔐 Public Preview: Backup Immutability for Azure SQL Database LTR Backups
The Ransomware Threat Landscape Ransomware attacks have become one of the most disruptive cybersecurity threats in recent years. These attacks typically follow a destructive pattern:
Announcing General Availability of Azure Local on Microsoft Azure Government Cloud
We are excited to announce that Azure Local is now generally available for Azure Government customers. Building on the momentum from our public preview, Azure Local is ready for production deployments, enabling government organizations to run cloud-connected infrastructure at their own physical locations under their operational control and helps them align compliance with stringent regulatory and security requirements. What is Azure Local?
Important Lab Update for MS-700 and MS-721
We are currently investigating an issue that is affecting lab functionality in both the MS-700 and MS-721 courses. Due to a new verification requirement in the Teams admin center when ordering telephone numbers, certain lab components may not work as expected. Please be aware that some labs will not be able...
Transforming Emergency Response: How AI is reshaping public safety
Brand new released Smart City Trend Report:Discover how AI is transforming emergency response and public safety in cities worldwide.In an era of escalating climate events, urban complexity, and rising public expectations, emergency response systems are under pressure like ...
Hotfix Released for Skype for Business Server SE (SE RTM Hotfix 2)
Microsoft has released a hotfix update for Skype for Business Server Subscription Edition (Version 7.0.2046.828) to resolve two issues impacting functionality:
Building a Custom Continuous Export Pipeline for Azure Application Insights
1. Introduction MonitorLiftApp is a modular Python application designed to export telemetry data from Azure Application Insights to custom sinks such as Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 (ADLS). This solution is ideal when Event Hub integration is not feasible, providing a flexible, maintainable, and scalable alternative for organizations needing to move telemetry...
Partner Blog | Becoming Frontier: Insights, resources, and partner opportunities
Across industries and job functions, Microsoft partners aren’t just transforming the way organizations work today, they're shaping what’s next. Together, we are powering the rise of the Frontier Firm. Structured around on-demand intelligence and powered by hybrid teams of humans and agents, Frontier Firms understand the value of pairing irreplaceable human insight with the power of AI. They embed agents into their workflows, not just as assistants but as essential team...
Windows 11, version 25H2 security baseline
Microsoft is pleased to announce the security baseline package for Windows 11, version 25H2! You can download the baseline package from the Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit, test the recommended configurations in your environment, and customize / implement them as appropriate. Summary of changes This release includes several changes made since the
An IT pro’s guide to Windows 11, version 25H2
Windows 11, version 25H2 is now available through Windows Autopatch and the Microsoft 365 admin center.i It is also available for download from the Microsoft Software Download Service and Visual Studio Subscriptions. Windows 11, version 25H2 will become ...
Partner Case Study | Cloudforce
Few fields have as much promise to benefit from AI-powered workloads as medical and life sciences. The potential rewards are massive: faster research, better patient outcomes, and more personalized care. At the same time, few fields face as much pressure to use AI responsibly. Sensitive data, strict compliance requirements, and high operational complexity mean that even the most innovative life sciences organizations and research institutions must move carefully. Longtime Microsoft par...
Microsoft is headed to Oracle AI World 2025 in Las Vegas!
AI and data transformation are reshaping industries – and your Oracle data is at the heart of it. Join us at Oracle AI World to see how Microsoft and Oracle are partnering to unlock the full potential of your data with Oracle Database@Azure. Register now to reserve your seat...
From the frontlines: Delivering critical early responder device management
By: Catarina Rodrigues – Product Manager 2 | Microsoft Intune In high-stakes environments like emergency response, speed, accuracy, and security are essential. Whether it’s paramedics delivering life-saving care or police officers responding to critical incidents, frontline teams need real-time access to information—right where the action is. To meet these demands, emergency services are increasingly deploying mobile devices, paired with advanced device m...
What’s new in Microsoft Planner – September 2025
This month, we introduced the Project Manager Agent in Microsoft Teams meetings and channels and enhanced Planner’s security. These features make collaborating with your team more effective while keeping your work secure. Project Manager Agent
What's New in Excel (September 2025)
🎉 Happy 40th Birthday, Excel! 🎉 Today, Excel turns 40—and we’re so excited to celebrate this milestone with you, our amazing community. For four decades, you’ve helped shape Excel into what it is today, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Take a stroll down memory lane with our
Microsoft Sentinel data lake is backed by App Assure's Sentinel promise
Microsoft Sentinel continues to lead the industry as a cloud-native SIEM, trusted by organizations worldwide to deliver scalable, intelligent security analytics. On September 30th, Sentinel’s new data lake features become generally available. This unlocks new threat hunting, compliance, and investigation scenarios for security teams looking for a cost-effective solution ...
Microsoft Excel turns 40!
In 1985, the world was grooving to “Careless Whisper,” watching Back to the Future rocket Michael J. Fox into superstardom, and marveling at the discovery of the Titanic’s wreckage beneath the Atlantic. The Golden Girls had just premiered, and Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. was about to change gaming forever. Amid this whirlwind of cultural and technological transformation, another revolution was taking shape, one that wouldn’t make headlines but would eventual...
What’s new in Microsoft 365 Copilot | September 2025
Welcome to the September 2025 edition of What's New in Microsoft 365 Copilot! Every month, we highlight new features and enhancements to keep Microsoft 365 admins up to date with Copilot features that help your users be more productive and efficient in the apps they use every day. This month we have a special announcement to share – we’ve developed a new Copi...
Microsoft Sentinel data lake is backed by App Assure's Sentinel promise
Microsoft Sentinel continues to lead the industry as a cloud-native SIEM, trusted by organizations worldwide to deliver scalable, intelligent security analytics. On September 30th, Sentinel’s new data lake features become generally available. This unlocks new threat hunting, compliance, and investigation scenarios for security teams looking for a cost-effective solution ...
Chapter 1: Ready for Agents - 2025 Agentic Teaming & Trust Research Report
AI agents are becoming increasingly prevalent at work, going beyond generating content to taking action, following processes, and making decisions within set boundaries. Organizations began exploring agentic AI much like they did with generative AI – starting with experimentation. But now, many have moved beyond that early phase, as recent research reported that 90% of organizations have progressed beyond solely experimenting with AI agents1. And we’re starting to see this impact a...
So You Want to Become an MVP: A Practical Guide for Aspiring Tech Leaders
The Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award honors individuals who go above and beyond in sharing their technical expertise, building communities, and helping others succeed with Microsoft technologies. If you’re passionate about technology and building community, consider joining this 30+ year program with more than 4,000 professionals worldwide. What Is the MVP Program? The MVP program recognizes exceptional community leaders who demonstrate: ...
Azure AI Search: Microsoft OneLake integration plus more features now generally available
Introduction Azure AI Search has officially launched its latest generally available (GA) REST API version 2025-09-01 release, delivering enterprise-grade enhancements ...
Teams Private Channels: Group-Based Compliance Model & Purview eDiscovery Considerations
Microsoft Teams Private Channels are undergoing an architectural change that will affect how your organisations uses Microsoft Purview eDiscovery to hold and discovery these messages going forward. In essence, copies of private channel messages will now be stored in the M365 Group mailbox, aligning their storage with how standard and shared channels work today. This shift, due to roll out from early October 2025 to December 2025, brings new benefits (like greatly expanded channel limit...
What’s New in Microsoft Teams | September 2025
Hey Microsoft Tech Community, we’re back with the latest updates to Microsoft Teams! This month we’re excited to spotlight many new features, like Threads in Channels which lets you reply directly to specific messages, keeping related conversations grouped together and preserving context without disrupting the main flow; updates to Teams AI Library that enables developers to build more powerful collaborative agents for Teams; an...
Imagine Cup 2026: Where students build what’s next
For more than two decades, Imagine Cup has highlighted the journeys of student founders, stories of projects that grew into startups, or b...
The Microsoft Entra agent for smarter access governance: Access Review Agent
Access reviews just received a major upgrade. With the introduction of the Microsoft Security Copilot Access Review Agent in Microsoft Entra, we’re bringing the power of AI directly into the heart of access governance. No more static lists or disconnected portals—reviewers are guided through decisions in a natural, conversational flow right inside Microsoft Teams. Access reviews are critical for compliance but often a checkbox exercise. Reviewers face long lists of users and entitlemen...
SharePoint Showcase: Governance and Security Essentials for Admins in the AI Era
This month’s SharePoint Showcase comes at a pivotal time following our recent announcement of the new Knowledge Agent in SharePoint. We encourage you to opt-in for our public preview and share ...
Introducing developer solutions for Microsoft Sentinel platform
Security is being reengineered for the AI era, moving beyond static, rule-bound controls and toward after-the-fact response toward platform-led, machine-speed defense. The challenge is clear: fragmented tools, sprawling signals, and legacy architectures that can’t match the velocity and scale of modern attacks. What’s needed is an AI-ready, data-first foundation - one that turns telemetry into a security graph, standardizes access for agents, and coordinates autonomous actions while keeping h...
Introducing Microsoft Security Store
Security is being reengineered for the AI era—moving beyond static, rulebound controls and after-the-fact response toward platform-led, machine-speed defense. We recognize that defending against modern threats requires the full strength of an ecosystem, combining our unique expertise and shared threat intelligence. But with so many options out there, it’s tough for security professionals to cut through the noise, and even tougher to navigate long procurement cycles and stitch together tools a...
Microsoft Sentinel data lake FAQ
On September 30, 2025, Microsoft announced the general availability of the Microsoft Sentinel data lake, designed to centralize and retain massive volumes of security data in open formats like delta parquet. By decoupling storage from compute, the data lake supports flexible querying, while offering unified data management and cost-effective retention. The
Microsoft Sentinel data lake is now generally available
Security is being reengineered for the AI era, shifting from static controls to fast, platform-driven defense. Traditional tools, scattered data, and outdated systems struggle against modern threats. An AI-ready, data-first foundation is needed to unify telemetry, standardize agent access, and enable autonomous responses while ensuring humans are in command of strategy and high-impact investigations. Security teams already anchor their operations around SIEMs for comprehensive visibili...
Introducing Microsoft Sentinel graph (Public Preview)
Security is being reengineered for the AI era—moving beyond static, rulebound controls and after-the-fact response toward platform-led, machine-speed defense. The challenge is clear: fragmented tools, sprawling signals, and legacy architectures that can’t match the velocity and scale of modern attacks. What’s needed is an AI-ready, data-first foundation—one that turns telemetry into a security graph, standardizes access for agents, and coordinates autonomous actions ...
Announcing Microsoft Sentinel Model Context Protocol (MCP) server – Public Preview
Security is being reengineered for the AI era—moving beyond static, rulebound controls and after-the-fact response toward platform-led, machine-speed defense. The challenge is clear: fragmented tools, sprawling signals, and legacy architectures that can’t match the velocity and scale of modern attacks. What’s needed is an AI-ready, data-first foundation—one that turns telemetry into a security graph, standardizes access for agents, and coordinates autonomous actions while keeping humans in co...
Agentic security your way: Build your own Security Copilot agents
Microsoft Security Copilot is redefining how security and IT teams operate. Today at Microsoft Secure, we’re unveiling powerful updates that put genAI and agent-driven automation at the center of modern defense. In a world where threats move faster than ever, alerts pile up, and resources stay tight, Security Copilot delivers the competitive edge: contextual intelligence, a growing network of agents, and the flexibil...
App Assure's Sentinel promise now extends to Microsoft Sentinel data lake
Microsoft Sentinel continues to lead the industry as a cloud-native SIEM, trusted by organizations worldwide to deliver scalable, intelligent security analytics. On September 30th, Sentinel’s new data lake features become generally available. This unlocks new threat hunting, compliance, and investigation scenarios for security teams looking for a cost-effective solution ...
How to automate the deployment of an Elastic Job Agent with a Private Endpoint via Bicep
Environment Overview Recently, I worked on a case where our customer encountered an issue during the deployment of an Elastic Job Agent (EJA) and a Private Endpoint (PEP) using a Bicep deployment script. The process resulted in an endles...
How to Capture Running Queries in SQL Server
(本記事の最後に日本語でもご案内しております) Sometimes, you need to check which queries are running in your SQL Server. If you want to understand what’s happening inside your SQL Server—such as diagnosing errors or slow performance—xEvents can be very helpful. 🔍 What is Extended Events (xEvents)? Extended Events is a lightweight performance monitoring system built into SQL Server. It helps you:
Exclude Prefix in Azure Storage Action: Smarter Blob Management
Azure Storage Actions is a powerful platform for automating data management tasks across Blob and Data Lake Storage. Among its many features, Exclude Prefix stands out as a subtle yet critical capability that helps fine-tune task assignments. What Is the "Exclude Prefix" Feature? The Exclude Prefix option allows users to omit specific blobs or folders from being targeted by Azure Storage...
Configure Auditing for Azure SQL Database on a Specific table
The Azure SQL Auditing feature is used to track database events and writes them to an audit log in your Azure storage account, Log Analytics workspace, or Event Hubs. For those who are interested on how to configure Auditing on Azure SQL Database either on server-level or database-level please visit this
How to Master GitHub Copilot: Build, Prompt, Deploy Smarter
The way we write code as engineers is changing—fast. If you think GitHub Copilot is just glorified autocomplete, think again. Copilot is more than a tool—it’s a teammate. It’s a tireless, context-aware, prompt-savvy peer that can help you architect, refactor, and deploy with speed and precision. It also takes on tedious tasks that eat into your day, freeing you up to write more fulfilling, high-value code.
Secure AI by Design Series: Embedding Security and Governance Across the AI Lifecycle
Problem Statement Securing AI in the Age of Generative Intelligence Executive Summary The rapid adoption of Generative AI (GenAI) is transforming industries—unlocking new efficiencies, accelerating innovation, and reshaping how enterprises operate. However, this transformation introduces significant security risks, novel attack surfaces, and regulatory uncertainty. This white paper outlines the key challenges, suppo...
Microsoft 365 Learning Pathways: Enabling learning for customers
What's new New Microsoft 365 Copilot training playlists were published to Learning Pathways on September 26, 2025. Content was published to all 10 languages that Learning Pathways supports. Playlists include: Get started with the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, Copilot in Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel, OneNote, Teams, Loop, OneDrive, Whiteboard, Planner, Forms, SharePoint, Stream, Viva Amplify, Viva Engage, Viva Puls...
Securing AI Workloads with Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Purview and Sentinel in Azure Landing Zones
In this blog, we’ll cover: Why AI Landing Zones matter. Security threats specific to AI workloads. Mapping Azure security services into AI Landing Zone design areas. A reference architecture diagram . Ready-to-use Azure Policy and Blueprint snippets. ARM & Terraform templates to bootstrap security controls. Why AI Landing Zones? Landing Zones are opinionated environments that encode iden...
Important update about the future of Microsoft 365 Learning Pathways
We’re excited to share an important update about the future of Microsoft 365 Learning Pathways (M365LP): starting December 1, 2025, M365LP will transition to a fully community-supported tool. M365LP has always been a partnership between the Microsoft 365 Community and Microsoft. Microsoft has traditionally been responsible for the content updates and funding development while the community has spearheaded the technical upkeep and solution support. To better provide for the demand from ...
MVP Champ Spotlight- Derk van der Woude
Derk is recognized as a Most Valued Professional (MVP) by Microsoft as an exceptional community leader for their technical expertise, leadership, speaking experience, online influence, and commitment to solving real-world problems. Learn more about MVPs and what it takes to become one here:
Introducing Wi-Fi 7 for enterprise connectivity
We’re excited to announce the general availability of Wi-Fi 7 support for enterprise access points. Starting with the September 2025 Windows preview non-security update, a significant leap forward in wireless networking reaches Windows 11, version 24H2 and later. Windows 11 has already supported Wi-Fi 7 for consumer access points since 2024. Now, your organization can also benefit from better speed, high throughput, improved reliability, and enhanced security for modern enterprise envi...
Explore HPC & AI Innovation: Microsoft + AMD at HPC Roundtable 2025
Explore how Microsoft and AMD are accelerating HPC and AI innovation at the HPC Roundtable 2025 in Turin. On September 30th, the city of Turin will host the HPC Roundtable 2025, a premier gathering of leaders and innovators in high-performance computing (HPC) and AI infrastructure. Organized by DoITNow, the event will bring together experts from across industries to discuss how cloud-native HPC and AI infrastructure is transforming engineering, simulation, and intelligent workloads. ...
How to Enable Transcription in Microsoft Teams: A Quick Guide to Smarter Meetings
Transcription in Microsoft Teams transforms your meetings into searchable, readable text—making it easier to review conversations, follow up on decisions, and stay organized. Whether you're using it for accessibility, documentation, or productivity, enabling transcription is simple once a few key requirements are met. Requirements Before Enabling Transcription: Scheduled Meetings Only: Transcription is available only in meetings scheduled ...
Partner Blog | Partner Center Technical Corner: September 2025 edition
Welcome to the September edition of Partner Center Technical Corner. This month, we’re highlighting new investments in partner enablement, essential security enhancements, and a recap of recent releases. As always, you’ll find the latest roadmap and key Partner Center resources at the end of this post. Advancing partner success: SMB growth and AI transformation
Welcoming Neat to the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform
Today, we’re excited to share that Neat is joining MDEP. Organizations want secure, smart, and consistent meeting experiences, and trusted, predictable operations at scale. Neat and MDEP help deliver on that promise by combining Neat’s intuitive, versatile, design‑forward devices with MDEP’s enterprise fundamentals: standardized device management, a security-first approach, and a steady update rhythm that keeps fleets current.
What’s New in Microsoft Intune: September 2025
The most resilient IT environments aren't just reactive, they're built with hardware-level contingencies, flexible deployment methods, and automation that works asynchronously. Behind every new capability is our team of Microsoft Intune engineers, who think about the real-world problems IT admins face every day. They're the ones building solutions that address questions like, 'What if a device goes offline and you can't reach it?' or 'How can we make a complex app installation less lik...
Use Entra IDs to run jobs on your HPC cluster
Introduction This blog demonstrates the practical implementation of System Security Services Daemon (SSSD) with the recently introduced “idp” provider that can be used on Azure Linux 3.0 HPC clusters to provide consistent Usernames, UIDs and GIDs across the cluster all rooted in Microsoft Entra ID. Having consistent Identities across the cluster is a fundamental requirement that is commonly met using SSSD and a provider such as LDAP, FreeIPA, or ADDS, or if no IdP is available...
Cloud and AI Cost Efficiency: A Strategic Imperative for Long-Term Business Growth
Why cost efficiency matters more than ever In today’s digital-first economy, cost efficiency is top of mind for organizations worldwide. As businesses increasingly rely on cloud and AI technologies to drive innovation, streamline operations, and deliver customer value, the pressure to manage investments effectively has never been greater. As organizations scale their workloads, managing infrastructure expenses and usage pa...
Integrating Azure AI Foundry with Copilot Studio: A Strategic and Technical Overview
As organizations accelerate their AI adoption, the need for flexible, scalable, and secure platforms becomes paramount. My previous article,
Don’t Miss Out: The Ultimate Guide to Microsoft’s AI Agent Ecosystem!
“2025 is the year of the AI agents.” — Satya Nadella AI agents are no longer just chatbots—they are intelligent collaborators that can reason, use tools, and work together to solve real problems. Microsoft offers a full stack of frameworks to help you build these agents, from low-code copilots in Teams to enterp...
Unlock Your Competitive Edge with Azure AI: The Strategic Roadmap You Can’t Afford to Miss
AI isn’t the future—it’s the now. Today, AI is a business imperative, and the organizations that master it will shape tomorrow’s industries. But here’s the truth: most teams don’t fail at AI for lack of ambition—they fail because they don’t have a structured plan. ...
Introducing Protection Unit Offboarding in Microsoft 365 Backup
We’re excited to announce that Protection Unit Offboarding (aka backup deletion) is now available! This feature empowers organizations to manage their backup data with greater precision, compliance, and control. Why does this matter? It’s been a popular request from customers and ISV partners to delete specific SharePoint sites or OneDrive accounts, particularly in scenarios involving compliance, cost management, and operational agility. Up un...
Office Agent – “Taste driven” multi-agent system for Microsoft 365 Copilot
Today we’re introducing Office Agent, a multi-agent system that builds upon an open-source stack, Anthropic's Claude model, and a new taste-driven development (TDD) paradigm to deliver polished PowerPoint presentations, ready-to-use Word documents, and soon Excel spreadsheets. The system orchestrates specialized agents that can plan, draft, and refine Office arti...
Building Agent Mode in Excel
Excel is the world’s most trusted canvas for working with data, powering everything from household budgets to Fortune 500 companies, scientific research, operational planning, and classroom learning. It’s where millions turn to think, plan, and build. Agent Mode takes that impact even further, unlocking expert-level capabilities and making advanced analysis, modeling, and automation approachable for everyone, across every domain. Agent Mode lets you describe a task in natural language ...
Microsoft Frontier Program expands to individual Microsoft subscribers
The Frontier program that gives commercial Microsoft 365 Copilot customers early access to exciting, cutting-edge capabilities is now coming to individuals who have a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription. This expansion enables individuals to get hands-on with Microsoft’s latest AI innovations and help shape how they evolve before they launch. What Is the Frontier Program?
Welcome to the FY26 Q1 Partner Digest!
Stay up to date on the latest Microsoft Marketplace news, tools, and resources to help you grow your business. Subscribe to the Partner Digest label to never miss an update. 🚀 Noteworthy Highlights Introducing Microsoft Marketplace: Growth starts here. Turn your agents and other cloud-based innovations into sales, at scale, with Microsoft Marketplace.
Announcement: Upcoming Changes to SQL Server on Linux Virtual Machine (VM) Provisioning in Azure
We’re making an important update to how customers provision SQL Server on Linux virtual machines (VMs) in Azure. What’s Changing? Starting soon, Linux-based SQL Server Virtual Machine (VM) images published by Microsoft will be removed from the Azure Marketplace. As a result, these SQL Server on Linux images will no longer be visible in the Azure SQL hub du...
Edge AI for Student Developers: Learn to Run AI Locally
AI isn’t just for the cloud anymore. With the rise of Small Language Models (SLMs) and powerful local inference tools, developers can now run intelligent applications directly on laptops, phones, and edge devices—no internet required. If you're a student developer curious about building AI that works offline, privately, and fast, Microsoft’s Edge AI for Beginners course is your perfect starting point. What Is Edge ...
Install and run Azure Foundry Local LLM server & Open WebUI on Windows Server 2025
Foundry Local is an on-device AI inference solution offering performance, privacy, customization, and cost advantages. It integrates seamlessly into your existing workflows and applications through an intuitive CLI, SDK, and REST API. Foundry Local has the following benefits: On-Device Inference: Run models locally on your own hardware, reducing your costs while keeping all your data on your device. Model Customization: Select from prese...
Data Migration - Collation mismatch error during an offline migration
Symptoms During an offline migration from a SQL Server Express instance to Azure SQL Database using Azure Database Migration Service (DMS), customers may encounter a collation mismatch error. In the Migration Wizard (Step 5), validation fails because the source database collation appears as 'undefined', even though both the source and target databases are configured with the same collation setting. This discrepancy c...
Demystifying SessionTrackingId and Request Correlation in D365 CE Integrations
Introduction As a Cloud Solution Architect working with Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (D365 CE) customers, I often see organizations building high-volume integrations using the ServiceClient SDK for .NET Core (or CrmServiceClient
Optimizing Microsoft Sentinel: Resolving AMA-Induced Syslog & CEF Duplicates
2) Recommended Solutions When collecting both Syslog and CEF logs from the same Linux collector using the Azure Monitor Agent (AMA) in Microsoft Sentinel, duplicate log entries can occur. These duplicates arise because the same event may be ingested through both the Syslog and CEF pipelines, leading to redundancy in the Log Analytics Workspace (LAW). The following solutions ai...
Developer Tier APIM + Self-hosted Gateway
Developer tier APIM enjoys many "premium" features such as vnet injection. FeatureConsumptionDeveloperBasicBasic v2StandardStandard v2PremiumPremium v2 (preview)Microsoft Entra integration1NoYesNoYes<...
How to Save Personal Prompts and Create Team Prompts in Copilot
How to Save and Share Prompts in Microsoft Copilot Ever had a great Copilot prompt, maybe one you wrote or got from a coworker, and then lost it? Maybe it’s buried in OneNote or somewhere else you’ll never find again. Let’s fix that. With Prompt Gallery and Team Prompts in Microsoft Copilot, you can save your favorite prompts and share them with your team. Here’s how it works.
Faster formula writing with formula completion in Excel for Windows
Hi, Microsoft 365 Insiders! I’m Lev Solodkin, a Senior Product Manager on the Excel team. I’m excited to share a new Microsoft 365 Copilot feature in Excel for Windows that can improve how you write formulas with proactive suggestions. Faster formula writing with formula completion in Excel for Windows Writing formulas in Excel can be difficult, intimidating, and time-consuming, even for experienced users. Between selecting the right function, referencing the correct cells, an...
PostgreSQL and the Power of Community
PGConf NYC 2025 is the premier event for the global PostgreSQL community, and Microsoft is proud to be a Platinum sponsor this year. The conference will also feature a keynote from
Windows Hardware Compatibility Program - Windows 10 Certification Deprecation Plan
As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and ecosystem readiness, we are sharing the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) and Hardware Lab Kit (HLK) end-of-support plan for Windows 10, in alignment with its upcoming end-of-support (EOS) milestone on October 14, 2025. Key Updates WHCP Windows 10 Certification Deprecation...
Microsoft Sentinel and Defender: ITSM Integrations Explained
One of the main changes and advantages of onboarding Microsoft Sentinel to the Defender portal is the fact that alerts are automatically correlated into single incidents. Alert correlation will kick in when we have enough evidence that multiple alerts are related. This has great benefits, as it can quickly unveil multi-stage attacks that otherwise could look like unrelated harmless alerts. It also helps reduce the amount of incidents by merging those that are related.
PostgreSQL Discovery and Assessment in Azure Migrate – Public Preview
We’re excited to announce the public preview of PostgreSQL discovery and assessment in Azure Migrate! This feature helps organizations plan their migration journey to Azure by providing deep insights into on-premises PostgreSQL environments. Why This Matters
Accelerating Infrastructure as Code: Introducing Game-Changing Terraform Features for Azure
We're thrilled to announce a suite of powerful new features from the Terraform on Azure Team that will revolutionize how you build, manage, and deploy infrastructure. These enhancements deliver an unprecedented end-to-end experience that makes Terraform on Azure more accessible, intelligent, and comprehensive than ever before. Seamless Code Generation to Deployment Experience Public Preview: October 2025 Say goodbye to starting from scratch. Our new integrate...
Title Plan Update – September 26, 2025
🗂️ September 26, 2025 Title Plan Now Available Access the latest Instructor-Led Training (ILT) updates anytime at http://aka.ms/Courseware_Title_Plan to ensure you're always working from the most current version. 📌 Reminder: To help you stay informed more quickly and consistently, we’ve moved to a weekly publishing cadence for the title plan. This means eac...
How Azure network security can help you meet NIS2 compliance
With the adoption of the NIS2 Directive EU 2022 2555, cybersecurity obligations for both public and private sector organizations have become more strict and far reaching. NIS2 aims to establish a higher common level of cybersecurity across the European Union by enforcing stronger requirements on risk management, incident reporting, supply chain protection, and governance. If your organization runs on Microsoft Azure, you already have powerful services to support your NIS2 journey. In p...
Sprint to Imagine Cup: Fuel your innovation
Sprint to Imagine Cup is the first major step of the journey. For founders already building in Scale (learn more about the two path options this year), it’s the chance to strengthen their solution by deploying Microsoft AI in ways that meet the expectations of large organizations. For those earlier i...
Microsoft Lists Mobile Apps Retirement in November 2025: What You Need to Know
Microsoft is officially announcing the retirement of the Microsoft Lists mobile apps for both Android and iOS. This decision is part of our ongoing commitment to deliver the best possible experience through our web-based solutions, ensuring users have access to the latest features and improvements. If you currently use the Lists mobile apps, it’s important to understand what’s changing, when it’s happening, and how you can prepare for a smooth transition. Key Dat...
Stay Informed with the Azure AI Foundry Status Dashboard
Introducing the status dashboard in Azure AI Foundry, a centralized view into the status, uptime, and availability of key Azure AI Foundry services as you design, customize, and manage AI applications and agents at scale. The dashboard makes it easier for customers to track live service status, review historical reliability, and stay informed should unexpected incidents arise. Explore the status dashboard here:
Introducing Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Postgres!
In the world of high-performance, modern software engineering, developers often face a tough tradeoff: how to achieve lightning-fast data retrieval response rates without adding complexity, sacrificing reliability, or getting locked into specialized, external data caching products or platforms. What if you could harness the power and flexibility of your existing Postgres database to solve this challenge? Enter the
Securing Azure Databricks Serverless: Practical Guide to Private Link Integration
The Challenge: Outbound Control in a Serverless World Serverless compute resources run in the serverless compute plane, and is managed by Microsoft, for ease of use. Databricks serverless provides hassle-free compute for running notebooks, jobs, and pipelines and by default, outbound traffic can reach the internet and other networks freely. One of the most common security requirements for customers in the fin...
Announcing the Grok 4 Fast Models from xAI: Now Available in Azure AI Foundry
These models, grok-4-fast-reasoning and grok-4-fast-non-reasoning, empower developers with distinct approaches to suit their application needs. Each model brings advanced capabilities such as structured outputs, long-context processing, and seamless integration with enterprise-grade security and governance. This release marks a significant step toward scalable, agentic AI...
4 Ways Copilot in Microsoft Fabric Accelerates Data Engineering and Analytics
As a data aficionado I have had a front row seat admiring how Microsoft Fabric is revolutionizing the data landscape by unifying data engineering, data analytics, real-time analytics, and more into a single SaaS platform. At the heart of this transformation is Copilot in Fabric—a generative AI assistant that empowers users to interact with data and tools using natural language, dramatically reducing the complexity of building, managing, and analyzing data solutions. Whether you'r...
Using Application Gateway to secure access to the Azure OpenAI Service: Customer success story
Introduction A large enterprise customer set out to build a generative AI application using Azure OpenAI. While the app would be hosted on-premises, the customer wanted to leverage the latest large language models (LLMs) available through Azure OpenAI. However, they faced a critical challenge: how to securely access Azure OpenAI from an on-prem environment without private network connectivity or a full Azur...
Unlock visibility, flexibility, and cost efficiency with Application Gateway logging enhancements
Introduction In today’s cloud-native landscape, organizations are accelerating the deployment of web applications at unprecedented speed. But with rapid scale comes increased complexity—and a growing need for deep, actionable visibility into the underlying infrastructure. As businesses embrace modern architectures, the demand for scalable, secure, and observable web applications continues to rise. Azure App...
Defender for Storage: Malware Automated Remediation - From Security to Protection
In our previous Defender for Cloud Storage Security blog, we likened cloud storage to a high-tech museum - housing your organization’s most valuable artifacts, from sensitive data to AI training sets. That metaphor resonated with many readers, highlighting the need for strong defenses and constant vigilance.But as every museum cur...
From Handshakes to AI: Toastmasters Evolves for a Global Future
For over 100 years, Toastmasters International has helped millions conquer glossophobia—the fear of public speaking—through live practice, structured feedback, and a strong sense of community. From local club meetings to international conferences, the nonprofit has built a legacy of empowering voices. Now, it’s embracing a new chapter: AI-powered transformation. Tradi...
Why OneDrive Is More Than Just Cloud Storage
When people hear “OneDrive,” they often think of a simple place to stash files. But Microsoft OneDrive is far more than a digital filing cabinet—it’s a powerful tool for collaboration, backup, and productivity across devices. Whether you're working solo or with a team, OneDrive offers features that make your workflow smarter, safer, and more seamless. 1. Real-Time Collaboration with Office Apps Open a Word, E...
CycleCloud + Hammerspace
Abstract The theme of this blog is “Simplicity”. Today’s HPC user has an overabundance of choices when it comes to HPC Schedulers, clouds, infrastructure in those clouds, and data manage...
The Future of AI: An Intern’s Adventure Turning Hours of Video into Minutes of Meaning
The Future of AI blog series is an evolving collection of posts from the AI Futures team in collaboration with subject matter experts across Microsoft. In this series, we explore tools and technologies that will drive the next generation of AI. Explore more at: Collections | Microsoft Learn The moment that started it
AI Azure Landing Zone: Shared Capabilities and Models to Enable AI as a Platform
This architecture diagram illustrates a Microsoft Azure AI Landing Zone Pattern — a scalable, secure, and well-governed framework for deploying AI workloads across multiple subscriptions in an enterprise environment. Let's walk through it end-to-end, breaking down each section, the flow, and key Azure services involved. 🧭 Overview: The architecture is split into 4 major landing zones: Connectivity Subscription AI Apps ...
Microsoft Azure Introduces Azure Integrated HSM: A Key Cache for Virtual Machines
Today we are excited to release the public preview support for Azure Integrated HSM for AMD v7 Trusted Launch Virtual Machines. As announced last year at Ignite, Azure Integrated HSM is hardware security module (HSM) cache and crypto offload designed to enhance the security and performance of cryptographic operations in vir...
Partner Blog | A reimagined Microsoft Marketplace: New investments to power growth
Frontier Firms, organizations at the leading edge of digital transformation, are redefining how innovation is scaled and how value is created. To empower emerging and established Frontier Firms, we are excited to launch the reimagined Microsoft Marketplace, your trusted source for cloud solutions, AI apps, and agents. The new Marketplace brings together AppSource and Azure Marketp...
Azure Native Pure Storage Cloud brings the best of Pure and Azure to our customers
Azure Native Integrations tightly couple partner solutions to the Azure management experience allowing you to deploy and operate industry-leading solutions like Pure Storage Cloud with the same tools and methodology you use with Azure services like virtual machines, storage accounts, and Azure Kubernetes Service clusters. Azure Storage...
Foundry Fridays: Your Gateway to Azure AI Discovery
🎓 What Is Foundry Fridays? Every Friday at 1:30 PM ET, join the Azure AI Foundry Discord Community https://aka.ms/model-mondays/discord for a 30-minute live Ask Me Anything (AMA) session. It’s your chance to connect with the experts behind Azure AI—Principal PMs, researchers, and engineers—who are building the tools you’...
Simplify Image Signing and Verification with Notary Project and Trusted Signing (Public Preview)
Supply chain security has become one of the most pressing challenges for modern cloud-native applications. Every container image, Helm chart, SBOM, or AI model that flows through your CI/CD pipeline carries risk if its integrity or authenticity cannot be guaranteed. Attackers may attempt to tamper with artifacts, replace trusted images with malicious ones, or inject unverified base images into builds. Today, we’re excited to highlight how
Sneak Peek: 2025 Agentic Teaming & Trust Research Report
With the introduction of AI agents to the workplace, we are beginning to blend machine intelligence with human judgment1, and AI agent teammates are starting to enhance collaboration2. AI at work is no longer just about using generative tools for daily tasks, it’s driving a complete rethink of workflows and talent strategies. This summer, the Microsoft People Science team set out to better understand how organizations and employees are adapting to these changes, explorin...
Surface Highlights at Microsoft AI Tour: Chicago & Toronto
The Microsoft AI Tour is starting in Chicago on September 25 and then heading to Toronto on October 1. Join Microsoft Surface in the Connection Hub and our Lightning Talk to see how Surface is enabling AI transformation. For the full agenda and speakers, visit the Microsoft AI Tour site.
Announcing the General Availability of the Azure Arc Gateway for Arc-enabled Servers!
We’re excited to announce the General Availability of Arc gateway for Arc‑enabled servers. Arc gateway dramatically simplifies the network configuration required to use Azure Arc by consolidating outbound connectivity through a small, predictable set of endpoints. For customers operating behind enterprise proxies or firewalls, this means faster onboarding, fewer change requests, and a smoother path to value with Azure Arc. What’s new: To Arc‑enable a s...
Announcing the General Availability of Arc Gateway for Azure Local
Hello everyone, Now that the Azure Arc gateway is GA is announced, we are super happy to also announce the General Availability of the Arc Ga...
Now Generally Available: Azure Native Pure Storage Cloud for Azure VMware Solution
We’re excited to announce the General Availability of Azure Native Pure Storage Cloud for Azure VMware Solution (AVS) — a fully managed block Storage-as-a-Service (STaaS) offering that brings enterprise-grade storage to Azure with a native integration. Azure Native Integrations enable you to easily provision, manage, and tightly integrate Independent Soft...
OpenAI Agent SDK Integration with Azure Durable Functions
Picture this: Your agent authored with the OpenAI Agent SDK is halfway through analyzing 10,000 customer reviews when it hits a rate limit and dies. All that progress? Gone. Your multi-agent workflow that took 30 minutes to orchestrate? Back to square one because of a rate limit throttle. If you've deployed AI agents in production, you probably know this frustration first-hand. Today, we're announcing a solution that makes your agents reliable: OpenAI ...
It's time to secure your MCP servers. Here's how.
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) provides a powerful, standardized way for LLMs to interact with external tools. But as soon as you move from a local demo to a real-world application, a critical question arises: How do you secure it? Exposing an MCP server without security is like leaving the front door of your house wide open. Anyone could walk in and use your tools, access your data, or cause havoc. This guide will walk you thr...
Using MCP Server with Azure Managed Redis in VS Code
Overview Have you thought about asking your VS Code to generate test data and automatically upload them to Redis, without having to write any code? Wouldn’t it be nice to code and manage resources all in one place in VS Code? This blog walks you through setting up VS Code to connect with Redis MCP Server and an Azure Managed Redis to accomplish these. By the end of this blog, we will be able to run VS Code in agent mode and tell it to generate customer test data in English, and it wi...
Talk to your data: PostgreSQL gets a voice in VS Code
As product roadmaps accelerate to meet new business needs, developer teams are struggling to maintain productivity, some even reporting that they need to use six or more tools to do their job. To address this, Microsoft has released an improved PostgreSQL extension to aid developers working with PostgreSQL in Visual Studio (VS) Code streamline their workflows and increase productivity.
Access fixes released in versions 2507 and 2508
Version 2507 (Build 19029.20136) Bug Name Issue Fixed Alert, “The Microsoft Access database engine cannot find the input table or query ‘MSysSQLComments’.” when importing queries from an old database which has never been used with the Monaco SQL editor Importing queries...
Supercharging NVAs in Azure with Accelerated Connections
Hello folks, If you run firewalls, routers, or SD‑WAN NVAs in Azure and your pain is connection scale rather than raw Mbps, there is a feature you should look at: Accelerated Connections. It shifts connection processing to dedicated hardware in the Azure fleet and lets you size connection capacity per NIC, which translates into higher connections‑per‑sec...
MGDC for SharePoint FAQ: Which regions are supported? Updated in September 2025
1. Overview When gathering SharePoint data through Microsoft Graph Data Connect (MGDC), you need to pay attention to an important detail: regions. That includes both the region of your Microsoft 365 tenant (the data source), the region of the Azure Storage account (the data destination) and the region of your workspace where you run your pipelines. In this blog, we’ll investigate the importance of understanding regions, which regions are supported by ShareP...
Announcing the Public Preview of Azure Container Apps Azure Monitor dashboards with Grafana
We’re thrilled to announce the public preview of Azure Container Apps Azure Monitor Dashboards with Grafana, a major step forward in simplifying observability for your apps and environments. With this new integration, you can view Grafana dashboards directly within your app or environment in the Azure portal, with no extra setup or cost required. What’s new?
From Call Transcripts to CRM Gold: AI-Powered Post-Call Intelligence
Call transcripts are full of business intelligence that never makes it to your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software. Customer sentiment, promised follow-ups, escalation signals – all lost in walls of conversational text. We’ve all seen it happen. Agent frantically scribbles notes during calls. Promised callbacks fall through cracks. Critical details get buried in transcript files that sit untouched for months. Meanwhile, your CRM holds half-empty case records and incomplete ...
Improving accessibility: Standard red gets an update in Microsoft 365
Hello, Insiders! I’m Shireen Salma, a Product Manager on the Office Accessibility team. I’m excited to announce that we are upgrading the standard red font color in the color picker in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote on Windows and Mac to make it more inclusive and accessible to all users. Improving accessibility: Standard red gets an update in Microsoft 365 The standard red font color (RGB 255,0,0) is one of the most commonly used in Microsoft 365, whether to...
Microsoft 365 Backup: Protect your business with data recovery
In today's digital age, ensuring the safety and availability of your data is paramount. Microsoft 365 offers robust solutions for data backup and recovery, designed to help restore your data and get your business back on track in the face of various challenges like ransomware events or accidental deletions. Microsoft 365 Backup services go beyond standard protection to make sure that your data remains compliant, protected, and recoverabl...
Design Security in Solutions from Day One! Innovate boldly, Deploy Safely, and Never Regret it!
As organizations navigate the complexities of modern cloud environments, embedding security early in the architecture lifecycle proves invaluable. For privacy and compliance requirements I will provide generic examples. A startup that designed its web application with secure authentication and encrypted data storage from the outset avoided costly retrofits after a major client demanded compliance with data protection standards, saving thousands in redevelopment expenses and winn...
Supercharging Security Copilot with Logic Apps: Best practices and pro tips
Integrating Microsoft Security Copilot with Azure Logic Apps enables security teams to automate investigations, orchestrate fast incident response, and unify workflows across the modern enterprise. By leveraging the unique strengths of both platforms, organizations can achieve scalable, efficient, and actionable security automation. Why Integrate Security Copilot with Logic Apps? Security Copilot brings AI-powered reasoning, automation, and natural langu...
Architecting Secure PostgreSQL on Azure: Insights from Mercedes-Benz
Authors: Johannes Schuetzner, Software Engineer at Mercedes-Benz & Nacho Alonso Portillo, Principal Program Manager at MicrosoftWhen you think of Mercedes-Benz, you think of innovation, precision, and trust. But behind every iconic vehicle and digital experience is a relentless drive for security and operational excellence. At Mercedes-Benz R&D in Sindelfingen, Germany, Johannes Schuetzner and the team faced a challenge familiar to many PostgreSQL...
Azure DDoS Protection now supports QUIC protocol — Securing the future of HTTP/3 traffic
The internet’s transport layer is undergoing one of its most significant evolutions in decades. QUIC (Quick UDP Internet Connections) — the protocol underpinning HTTP/3 — is rapidly becoming the default for high performance, secure communication on the web. From YouTube
PostgreSQL 18 Preview on Azure Postgres Flexible Server
We’re excited to announce the preview release of PostgreSQL 18 on Azure Database for PostgreSQL! This release unlocks a number of powerful new features and enhancements that will bring improved performance, better developer experience, and stronger security and manageability for your workloads. Starting this week, customers can begin testing PG-18 in preview, giving you early access before we move toward gene...
Profiles in Partnership Ep17: Growth with Ethical Partnerships: A Conversation with Javier Lozano
In this IAMCP Profiles in Partnership episode, hosts Anthony Carrano and Rudy Rodriguez sit down with
Upgrading to Windows Server 2025 from Windows Server 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, or 2022 using Media (ISO)
About media-based upgrade to Windows Server 2025 With N-4 media based upgrades, you can upgrade your organization’s physical devices and virtual machines directly from Windows Server 2012R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, or Windows Server 2022 to Windows Server 2025 in one hop using the Windows Server 2025 media. Running Windows Server 2025 setup enables customers to either upgrade or clean install Windows Server 2025. This process takes under an hour per...
Your Guide to Azure Community Activations at Microsoft Ignite 2025
Microsoft Ignite 2025 is right around the corner! From November 18–21 in San Francisco, we’re excited to bring the Azure community together for four days of learning, connection, and fun! Whether you’re joining us onsite at the Moscone Center or tuning in online, the Community Space will be buzzing with MVP meetups, interactive theater sessions, and plenty of opportunities to network. This is the first...
Image Search Series Part 4: Advancing Wound Care with Foundation Models and Context-Aware Retrieval
Introduction Wound assessment and management are central tasks in clinical practice, requiring accurate documentation and timely decision-making. Clinicians and nurses...
Gen1 to Gen2 Azure VM Upgrade in Rolling Fashion
Introduction: Azure offers Trusted Launch. This seamless solution is designed to significantly enhance the security of our Generation 2 virtual machines (VMs), providing robust protection against advanced and persistent attack techniques. Trusted Launch is composed of several coordinated infrastructure technologies, each of which can be enabled independently. These technologies work in harmony to create multiple layers of...
Gen1 to Gen2 Azure Linux Upgrade in Rolling Fashion
Introduction: Azure offers Trusted Launch. This seamless solution is designed to significantly enhance the security of our Generation 2 virtual machines (VMs), providing robust protection against advanced and persistent attack techniques. Trusted Launch is composed of several coordinated infrastructure technologies, each of which can be enabled independently. These technologies work in harmony to create multiple layers of...
Windows Hardware Compatibility Program - Guidance for Windows 11, version 25H2 Release
To support the Windows 11, version 25H2 release, the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program is set to accept submission for the release. However, any submission package must meet the pre-requisites to help ensure compatibility between OS and HLK. Windows Hardware Compatibility Requirements – Windows 11, version 25H2 https://aka.ms/whcp Submission Pre-requisites OS, WDK and HLK minim...
M&A Due Diligence Prep Guide
Selling your business is one of the most important decisions you’ll make, and preparation is everything. The IAMCP’s official M&A partner, IT ExchangeNet, has designed a Due Diligence Prep Guide to help Microsoft partners prepare for the due diligence process before they begin. You can access the guide below and find more resources by visiting the IAMCP M&A page.Key...
Announcing GPT‑5‑Codex: Redefining Developer Experience in Azure AI Foundry
Today, we’re excited to announce OpenAI’s GPT‑5‑Codex is generally available in Azure AI Foundry, and in public preview for GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Code. This release is the next step in our continuous commitment to empower developers with the latest model innovation, now building on the proven strengths of the earlier Codex generation along with the speed and CLI fluency many teams have adopted with the latest
Partner Case Study | Persistent
In asset-heavy industries like manufacturing, maintenance, and on-site equipment inspection, fragmented data is a common issue. As employees across different functions feed data into multiple systems, the challenges can multiply. Disparate systems, inconsistent data formats, and siloed business units make it difficult for leaders to see the full picture, potentially leading to inefficient decisions and missed opportunities for revenue growth. This is the kind of challenge Persistent Sy...
Calling Logic Apps MCP Server from Copilot Studio
We recently released our MCP Server capabilities in Azure Logic Apps that unlocks enterprise data assets for agentic solutions. One of the questions that I received was, how ...
Microsoft Azure scales Hollow Core Fiber (HCF) production through outsourced manufacturing
Introduction As cloud and AI workloads surge, the pressure on datacenter (DC), Metro and Wide Area Network (WAN) networks has never been greater. Microsoft is tackling the physical limits of traditional networking head-on. From pioneering research in microLED&nb...
eSignature now available worldwide
We’re excited to share that eSignature for Microsoft 365 is now available worldwide* on Microsoft 365 public clouds. This pertains to all PDFs and Word documents stored in SharePoint. Previously, this service was limited to the US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia-Pacific regions. Worldwide availability also includes the integration of Adobe Acrobat Sign and Docusign eSignature for PDFs on SharePoint. Signatures made simple We’re also excited to announce several updates to eSignatur...
Learn about Modern Requirements' transactable partner solution in Azure Marketplace
Microsoft partners like Modern Requirements deliver transact-capable offers, which allow you to purchase directly from Azure Marketplace. Learn about Modern Requirements' offer below:
Migrate and Modernize Summit 2025: Unifying the Database Journey in Azure
At the heart of every digital transformation is data. This year’s Migrate and Modernize Summit was more than a showcase of new features—it was a demonstration of how Microsoft Azure is reimagining the migration and modernization journey for organizations of every size, including for their databases. The Summit showcased how Azure is making it easier and faster to move...
Shadow IT Isn’t Going Away: Why Continuous Discovery May Be the Only Way Forward
Shadow IT has always been a bit of a ghost story in cybersecurity. You know it’s there, lurking in the background, but it rarely shows itself until something goes wrong. For years, people thought it just meant employees sneaking Dropbox or Slack into their workflow without permission. That’s still part of it, sure, but the real problem today seems much bigger. Think about all the unmanaged devices on a corporate network. Or those forgotten cloud workloads someone spun up two years ago ...
Introducing the Azure Maps Geocode Autocomplete API
We’re thrilled to unveil the public preview of Azure Maps Geocode Autocomplete API, a powerful REST service designed to modernize and elevate autocomplete capabilities across Microsoft’s mapping platforms. If you’ve ever started typing an address into a search bar and immediately seen a list of relevant suggestions—whether it’s for a landmark, or your own home—you’ve already exper...
Discover and Assess PostgreSQL databases for migration to Azure using Azure Migrate
Discover and Assess PostgreSQL Databases at Scale with Azure Migrate (Preview) Cloud migration projects can be complex, and it can be difficult to determine where to begin, especially when you host different technology workloads and wish to migrate as well as modernize your workloads on Azure VM and PaaS solutions respectively. Planning migrations without full visibility into your IT estate—including the...
Streamlining Campus Life: A Multi-Agent System for Campus Event Management
Introduction Managing campus events has long been a complex, manual process fraught with challenges. Traditional event management systems offer limited automation, placing a considerable workload on staff for tasks ranging from resource allocation to participant communication. This procedural friction presents a clear opportunity to build a more intelligent solution, leveraging the emerging paradigm of AI agents. To solve these challenges, I developed and evaluated a multi-agent...
Use Copilot and MCP to query Microsoft Learn Docs
Are you ready to take your Azure development workflow to the next level? In this post, we’ll walk through how to use GitHub Copilot in Agent Mode—paired with MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers—to get trusted, grounded answers from Microsoft Learn Docs, right inside your coding workspace. Whether you’re tired of switching tabs to search documentation or want to ensure your AI assistant’s answers are always accurate, this guide will show you how to streamline your workflow and boost yo...
General Availability of Azure Backup vaulted support for Azure Files Premium (SSD) shares
Whether you're an enterprise IT administrator or a cloud-native developer, ensuring data protection and resiliency is non-negotiable, especially when running mission-critical workload on Azure Files Premium (SSD) shares. We’re thrilled to announce the General Availability of vaulted backup support with Azure Backup for
Entra Group Source of Authority CONVERSION: Enabling Cloud-First Identity Management
As organizations modernize their identity infrastructure, Microsoft Entra’s Group Source of Authority (SOA) Conversion feature enables a granular migration of group management from on-premises AD to Microsoft Entra ID without disabling sync or rearchitecting the entire directory. What Is Group Source of Authority? Group SOA defines where a group object is mastered either in on-prem AD or in Entra ID. With SOA conversion, administrators can selectively convert AD-synced groups ...
Surface Hub: Windows 10 Team Support Ends Oct 14, 2025 - Act now!
On October 14, 2025, support for Windows 10 Team Edition will end. On the same date, the Microsoft Teams App on Windows 10 Team will also stop functioning, devices will no longer be able to log into Microsoft Teams. This means any Surface Hub 2S devices that remain on Windows 10 Team after that date will lose the ability to join Teams meetings and wi...
Partner Blog | From migration to modernization: Building the foundation for AI-powered growth
Last month, we introduced the Cloud & AI Platforms blog series with a blog outlining how partners can lead customers into the AI era with a secure, agile foundation. This installment builds on that discussion, focusing on the pivotal role of migration and application modernization in helping organizations r...
The Ripple Effect of Small Actions: My MVP Journey - Muhammad Samiullah
By Guest Blogger Muhammad Samiullah. What if a single 15-minute conversation could change someone’s future?That’s something I discovered during my MVP journey. At first, I believed being an MVP was all about influence, advocacy, and sharing knowledge. I thought it meant exploring new technolo...
General Availability: Azure Synapse Runtime for Apache Spark 3.5
We’re thrilled to announce that we have made Azure Synapse Runtime for Apache Spark 3.5 for our Azure Synapse Spark customers generally available for customers to start using it for their production workloads, while they get ready and prepare for migrating to Microsoft Fabric Spark. What Does This Mean for You? You can now create Azure Synapse Runtime for Apache Spark 3.5. The essential changes include features which come from upgrading Apache Spark to...
Introducing Channel Agent in Teams
Hi, Insiders! I’m Sandhya Rao, a Principal Group Product Manager on the Teams team. I’m excited to announce a new agent experience for driving productivity in Teams: Channel Agent! Introducing Channel Agent in Teams Channel Agent is a dedicated agent created within a Teams channel that leverages channel conversations, Planner boards, and meeting content to act as an expert assistant. It adopts the channel’s name and can be invited to meetings and group chats, making it a power...
Azure Kubernetes Service Automatic: Fast and frictionless Kubernetes for all
AKS Automatic simplifies Kubernetes by offering a fully managed, opinionated experience that abstracts away from infrastructure complexity, while keeping the full power of Kubernetes at your fingertips. Learn how production-ready clusters and automated infrastructure operations can accelerate your time to delivery and simplify operations for you! Check out the
Unlocking Private IP for Azure Application Gateway: Security, Compliance, and Practical Deployment
If you’re responsible for securing, scaling, and optimizing cloud infrastructure, this update is for you. Based on my recent conversation with Vyshnavi Namani, Product Manager on the Azure Networking team,
How Microsoft Azure AI Services are Helping Astronauts Prepare for Deep Space Exploration
Microgravity, space radiation, and other harsh environmental conditions during spaceflight can change the human body and alter human performance. To safeguard the well-being of crews, Mission Control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston has relied on an Earth-based team of physicians, biomedical engineers, and other health care experts who work around the clock to monitor and address crew health issues in real time. Still, the risks of adverse health events during sp...
Introducing new capabilities for communicators in Viva Amplify: More Control, Flexibility, and Reach
At Microsoft, we believe that great communication is the heartbeat of a thriving organization. That’s why we’re excited to announce a powerful new set of features in Viva Amplify to give communicators more control, flexibility, and reach in their communications cascade than ever before. Whether you're launching a global campaign or publishing a single news post, these updates make it easier to connect with your audience in meaningful ways, securely, efficiently, and at scale. <...
Expanding Teams Best Practice Configurations: 3 Scenarios to Elevate Call Quality and Reliability
Written by: Snigdha Chaturvedi and Shilpa Vijayakumar We’re excited to announce the next phase of enhancements to the Best practice configurations dashboard in Teams admin center with three new scenarios that further empower administrators to optimize their tenant’s collaboration experience: Bypass Local Proxy Detect locat...
Driving transparency: New logging capabilities and attribute enhancements in Microsoft Entra
At Microsoft Security, our commitment to transparency shapes every step we take toward providing customers with better insights. Today, we're excited to announce several enhancements to the logging capabilities of Microsoft Entra, making sign-in activity more comprehensive, actionable, and accessible. Representing agents in Microsoft Entra sign-in logs Alex Simons
New Resource: Getting Started with Custom Analysis in Viva Insights and Copilot Analytics
Last month, we introduced an exciting new resource to help organizations unlock deeper insights with Microsoft 365 Copilot: the “Getting Started with Custom Analysis in Copilot Analytics” playbook. This guide is now publicly available as part of the Copilot Success Kit under the User Enablement section. Why This Playbook Matters As more organizati...
Deprecation of Power BI Integration within SharePoint Lists and Libraries
Today, we are announcing the retirement of the Power BI integration within SharePoint lists and libraries. This change impacts customers who currently use the “Visualize the List” or “Visualize the Library” feature to create or access reports directly from SharePoint. This blog post provides details about the deprecation timeline and recommended alternatives to continue working with SharePoint list data in Power BI. Deprecation Timeline
New in Azure Marketplace: September 1-10, 2025
We continue to expand the Azure Marketplace ecosystem. For this volume, 266 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live. See details of the new offers below: Get it now in our marketplace
TechNexus: A Best Practice in Building Passion-Driven Tech User Group
This blog is part of a new Microsoft MVP-led Tech User Group Series highlighting the best practices of user groups worldwide. Across regions, user groups are inspiring people, building careers, and shaping the future of technology. Each story we share will spotlight leaders and communities who are proving that passion, collaboration, and inclusivity can change lives....
Architecting Multi-region solution in Azure - Lessons Learned
Using Azure as a cloud, not as a region As Mark Russinovich stated in his blog post we want to empower customers and partners to build and run applications and data with the highest performance, availability, and security possible. That’s why we are growing our global footpr...
Monitoring web application traffic for configuring rate limit on Azure Front Door WAF
Introduction Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) is a cloud-native service that actively protects web applications from common vulnerabilities and exploits. It also supports custom rules that allow fine-grained control over traffic. Among these custom rules is the rate-limiting feature available in both Azure Application Gateway and Azure Front Door. Rate limiting helps mitigate denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, prevents abuse from misconfigured clients sending excessive requests, an...
Enable Certificate-Based Authentication for Windows Admin Center Gateway Servers with AD CS
Implementing certificate-based authentication for Windows Admin Center (WAC) involves leveraging smart card login (user certificates) in Active Directory. In a production Active Directory environment, you can require administrators to authenticate with a client certificate. These are typically stored on a smart card or virtual smart card, before the administrator they can access the WAC gateway. This is achieved by using Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) to issue logon certificate...
Signing with the new 2023 Microsoft UEFI certificates: what submitters need to know
Certificate expirations and continuity Microsoft Corporation UEFI CA 2011 (Expiration: June 2026) → replaced by:
Agentic AI research-methodology - part 2
This post continues our series (previous post) on agentic AI research methodology. Building on our previous discussion on AI system design, we now shift focus to an evaluation-first perspect...
Azure Migrate: Connected Experiences
Shiva Shastri Sr Product Marketing Manager, Azure Migrate—Product & Ecosystem. Modernization in motion: Evolving at the speed of change. Modernization is the process of transforming legacy IT systems into technologies and architectures that improve agility, scalability, performance and cost-efficiency. It enables businesses to stay competitive by...
The Future of AI: Evaluating and optimizing custom RAG agents using Azure AI Foundry
The Future of AI blog series is an evolving collection of posts from the AI Futures team in collaboration with subject matter experts across Microsoft. In this series, we explore tools and technologies that will drive the next generation of AI. Explore more at: Collections | Microsoft Learn. AI agents can be powerful productivity enablers. They can unders...
Title Plan Update – September 19, 2025
We’re excited to share the latest version of the Courseware Title Plan with you! As part of our ongoing efforts to keep you informed and aligned with the fast-paced ILT release cycle, we’re introducing two important updates: 📅 Weekly Title Plan Releases Starting this week, we’ll be publishing week...
Disciplined Guardrail Development in enterprise application with GitHub Copilot
What Is Disciplined Guardrail-Based Development? In AI-assisted software development, approaches like Vibe Coding—which prioritize momentum and intuition—often fail to ensure code quality and maintainability. To address this, Disciplined Guardrail-Based Development introduces structured rules ("guardrails") that guide AI systems during coding and maintenance tasks, ensuring consistent quality and reliability. To get AI (LLMs) to generate appropri...
The Arm ecosystem expands for Copilot+ PCs
The introduction of Copilot+ PCs is driving a transformative shift in the world of personal and enterprise computing. These devices combine all-day battery life, ultra-fast performance, enhanced security, portability and on-device AI capabilities exceeding 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS). Most importantly for our customers, an expanding ecosyste...
Save the date! Tech Community Live: Intune edition – October 6
Tech Community Live: Intune edition October 6, 2025 | 8:00-11:00 AM PT https://aka.ms/TCL/Intune
Transforming Strategic Marketing & Analytics with Microsoft 365 Copilot
For todays post we have two videos for you that demonstrate the power of leveraging Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, Chat with GPT-5, and AI Agents, for Marketing Analytics, Marketing Operations, Productivity, & Creative Work. As part of work with a customer I was asked to deliver some in-depth work around the use of these Copilot technologies and prompts that would help across a range of use cases. Watch the two videos to see the power of the Mic...
Microsoft Marketplace Rewards FY26: Partner incentives, Azure sponsorships, and growth strategies
As Microsoft continues to expand its commercial marketplace ecosystem, the Microsoft Marketplace Rewards program introduces powerful new FY26 incentives for software development companies and channel sellers. From Azure sponsorships to co-sell enablement and performance-based marketing benefits, this program is designed to accelerate partner growth and drive cloud solution adoption. In this article, we break down the key updates, eligibility criteria, and strategic actions partners can take t...
Maximizing success in the Microsoft Marketplace: FY26 strategies for software development companies
Staying competitive in today’s software marketplace requires more than just innovative products, it demands strategic alignment with the platforms and programs that drive visibility, sales, and partner support. Microsoft’s Partner Office Hours, held on August 28, 2025, provided software development companies with a comprehensive overview of the latest updates to the Microsoft Marketplace ecosystem. The session highlighted new investment opportunities, streamlined partner benefits, and actiona...
Deep dive into Windows Autopilot device preparation: How to deploy and when to use it
By: Maggie Dakeva - Product Manager | Microsoft Intune Provisioning devices at scale used to be complex and time-consuming, especially with today’s remote and hybrid work models. Windows Autopilot and Windows Autopilot device preparation simplify and secure the process, helping IT teams deliver ready-to-go devices with minimal touch. Understanding the differences between the two helps organizations choose the right approach for device lif...
Lessons Learned #535: BACPAC Import Failures in Azure SQL Database Due to Incompatible Users
We recently worked on a support case where a customer was trying to import a BACPAC file, generated on a different server and subscription, into their Azure SQL Database. The process kept failing with the following errors: "Could not import package. Error SQL72014: Framework Microsoft SqlClient Data Provider: Msg 33159 - Only connections established with Active Directory accounts can create other Active Directory user" At first glance, this looked like a ...
Empowering.Cloud Community Update – October 2025
The latest Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 expert community briefings, podcasts and upcoming community events for October 2025. Expert Briefings Backing up your Teams Phone Number Configuration – Why & How https://empowering.cloud/backing-up-your-teams-phone-number-configuration-why-how/ Da...
News to Know – Volume 2, Edition 7, September 2025
To help you get the most out of the Viva Glint product, this September 2025 newsletter is full of need-to-knows which coincide with this month’s platform deployments and enhancements. New on your Viva Glint platform Export Team Summary report to editable PowerPoint slides. We’re thrilled to announce the worldwide release of the new PowerPoint report Export in Viva Glint. This capability will enhance the w...
New in Microsoft AppSource: September 1-10, 2025
We continue to expand the Microsoft AppSource ecosystem. For this volume, 277 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live. See details of the new offers below: Get it now in our marketplace ...
Beyond the Black Box: See Inside AI's Performance with AI Toolkit
Technology is evolving at an incredible pace, and now the world is in the midst of another revolution: Generative AI. This isn't just for tech experts anymore; it's a field that has truly democratized AI, putting powerful capabilities into the hands of everyone. From creating art to drafting emails, people and businesses are adopting these applications faster than ever. But as with any powerful technology, there are challenges. One might have experienced a frustrating ...
Join Us for a Technical Deep Dive and Q&A on Foundry Local - LLMs on device
Join us for an Ask Me Anything with the Foundry Local team on September 29th, 2025! Discover how Foundry Local is redefining edge AI with powerful features like on-device inference, enabling you to run models directly on your hardware, cutting costs and keeping your data secure. Whether you're customizing models to fit unique use cases or integrating seamlessly via SDKs, APIs, or CLI, Foundry Local offers scalable pathways to Azure AI Foundry as y...
Azure Monitor managed service for Prometheus now includes native Grafana dashboards
We are excited to announce that Azure Monitor managed service for Prometheus now includes native Grafana dashboards within the Azure portal at no additional cost.However, Azure Monitor's latest integrations with Grafana provides this capability out-of-the-box by enabling you to view Prometheus metrics and Azure other observability data in Grafana dashboards fully integrated into the Azure portal.Grafana dashboards are widely adopted visualization tool used with Prometheus metrics and cloud-native observability tools.
Power up project management in Teams with the Project Manager Agent
Project Manager Agent skills are now in public preview for Teams meetings and Teams channels, unlocking new ways to streamline workflows and boost productivity right inside your conversations.Select the image above or button below to launch a demo of Project Manager Agent in Planner.Project Manager Agent skills in Teams channels: Task generation, progress tracking, and more
Skilling snack: Get started with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat
Digital deep dive: Copilot Control System (51 mins): Discover how the Copilot Control System in the Microsoft 365 admin center enables you to manage Copilot agents.You will learn how to stage rollout agents, manage the cost of agents within Copilot chat, use the "Agents and Connectors" page for lifecycle management, and more.Do you know of additional resources that would help a peer get started with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat?
Updated CSP authorization requirements take effect October 1
Beginning October 1, 2025, the updated Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) authorization eligibility requirements will be enforced.Use the reseller performance report to identify at-risk resellers, then work with them to meet the new requirements.Learn more about the authorization requirements and available resources for CSP partners and download the partner FAQ for more information.
Introducing agents in Viva Engage communities: Your AI-powered community expert
Launching in Public Preview today, Microsoft 365 Copilot can give every Engage community its own agent, grounded in the conversations and content that matter most to your community.All members in the community can see the agent activation status, capabilities, and connected knowledge sources on the agent hovercard.Now in Public Preview, AI-powered agents are available in Engage communities for users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.
How Microsoft Defender Experts and partners like Quorum Cyber are redefining cybersecurity teamwork
Quorum Cyber is a trusted Microsoft solutions partner and MSSP of the Year.Quorum Cyber complements Microsoft Defender Experts, MDR services with additional security operations center (SOC) capabilities, extended coverage, non-Microsoft telemetry, and 3rd party domain expertise.In May 2024 alone, Microsoft Defender XDR detected over 176,000 incidents involving tampering with security settings, impacting more than 5,600 organizations.
AI and Microsoft Teams: A New Era of Collaboration
Now, each channel can have a Channel Agent that draws on its conversations and meetings to act as a domain expert for the team.Agents in Viva Engage communities are now in Public Preview* for users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot licenseThe new Copilot experience in Teams will be available in Public Preview* on October 1st for users with a Copilot license.
Introducing Knowledge Agent in SharePoint
Knowledge Agent, launching in Public Preview today, delivers a new wave of AI-powered features in SharePoint designed to streamline content management and boost Copilot capabilities.SharePoint is the knowledge platform for Copilot and agents – and AI-ready content starts here.Structured and contextualized content in SharePoint enables Copilot and agents to deliver accurate, grounded responses.
Driving business value with Microsoft 365 Copilot: Join our three-part Business Value series
To do that, organizations need actionable analytics that reveal Copilot and Agent usage, adoption, and impact.During our three-part Business Value Customer Hub series, you’ll join our product experts and learn how to prioritize high value scenarios, build targeted deployment and adoption plans, and connect usage to measurable business outcomes—all within Copilot Analytics.This session helps you align your implementation to the outcomes and scenarios that matter most to your business.
SharePoint Showcase highlights: Get the most out of SharePoint agents
We’ve recently launched the SharePoint Showcase blog series dedicated to monthly deep dives, tips, resources, and the latest features for SharePoint.This year, customers have built over 3 million agents with SharePoint and Copilot Studio – a testament to your creativity and innovation.To set up a new agent in SharePoint:
Introducing Image Customizer for Azure Linux
We are excited to release Image Customizer, an open-source tool, built and maintained by the Azure Linux team.Image Customizer lets you customize well-tested existing Azure Linux images for any scenario in just minutes.Join our upcoming community call to learn more about using Image Customizer and see a live demo.
Automate Security Workflows in Microsoft Sentinel with BlinkOps
BlinkOps is a no-code security automation platform designed for security and platform operations teams.It allows users to build and scale workflows using natural language prompts and a library of over 30,000 pre-built actions.With BlinkOps, teams can automate incident response, compliance, and operational tasks—without writing a single line of code.Now with an enhanced integration with Microsoft Sentinel, BlinkOps enables customers to generate automated playbooks triggered by Sentinel alerts and incidents.
Introducing WireGuard In-Transit Encryption for AKS (Public Preview)
We’re excited to announce the public preview of WireGuard-based in-transit encryption in AKS, a new capability in Advanced Container Networking Services that enhances inter-node traffic protection with minimal operational overhead.Integrated into the Cilium data plane and managed as part of AKS networking, WireGuard offers an efficient way to encrypt traffic transparently within your cluster.With this new feature, WireGuard is now natively supported as part of Azure CNI powered by Cilium with Advanced Container Networking services, no need for third-party encryption tools or custom key management systems.
Build Multi‑Agent AI Systems with Microsoft
In this post, I want to share the engineering challenges we faced, the architecture we designed with Azure AI Foundry, and the lessons learned along the way.Our goal is to empower AI engineers and developers to leverage multi-agent systems for real-world applications, with the benefit of Microsoft’s tools, research insights, and enterprise-grade platform.Today, Azure AI Foundry’s Agents platform provides a unified environment to develop, test, and deploy multi-agent systems, complete with the orchestration, observability, and safety features to make them enterprise-ready.
Release Announcement of SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) v10.3
We’re excited to announce the release of SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) v10.3, bringing important enhancements across multiple SSMA flavors to make your database migration journey simpler and more efficient.One of the key highlights in this release is the SKU Recommendation feature for Db2 migrations.With just a few inputs, SSMA for Db2 automatically generates a detailed recommendation report in HTML format with source system details and recommended Azure targets, giving you confidence in planning your migration.
Conversational Agents for Campus Energy Management
We introduce the proof-of-concept conversational multi-agent system for campus energy management. This system is developed and evaluated through emerging frameworks in Microsoft’s Azure AI Agent Services.We quantitatively discuss the evaluation results and existing limitations within agentic evaluation frameworks.In this blog, we showcase domain-specific agent evaluations to test key capabilities: base agents, prompt engineering, tool use, and contextual grounding.
Announcing Azure Confidential Computing for Azure Database for PostgreSQL (GA)
That’s where Azure Confidential Computing (ACC) steps in.We’re excited to announce that ACC CVMs are now generally available for Azure Database for PostgreSQL.By running your flexible server deployments on Confidential Virtual Machines CVMs, customers gain hardware-based protection for data in use, ensuring that even during processing, your data remains protected from unauthorized access.
Announcing the Azure Database Migration Service Hub Experience
We’re excited to introduce the Azure Database Migration Service (DMS) Hub experience—a powerful new enhancement that simplifies how you view, manage, and track your SQL Server migration journey to Azure.The new DMS Hub offers a streamlined landing page that brings together everything you need to begin your migration journey:View a unified dashboard for discovery and assessment.
Introducing new update policy for Azure SQL Managed Instance
We’re excited to introduce the new update policy SQL Server 2025 for Azure SQL Managed Instance.Update policy is an instance configuration option that provides flexibility and allows you to choose between instant access to the latest SQL engine features and fixed SQL engine feature set corresponding to 2022 and 2025 major releases of SQL Server.In short, instances with update policy SQL Server 2025 benefit from all the SQL engine features that were gradually added to the Always-up-to-date policy over the past few years, and not available in the SQL Server 2022 update policy.
Accelerate and Simplify Cloud Transformation with New Agentic AI Solutions
Mark your calendar for the upcoming Migrate and Modernize Summit, happening September 23 and 24.Get ready for a rich agenda featuring interactive sessions led by Microsoft product leaders—including our keynote speakers—compelling customer stories, and live demos of the latest cloud innovations.The Migrate and Modernize Summit is your opportunity to connect with peers, gain fresh perspectives, and position your organization for transformative growth.
Cybersecurity: What Every Business Leader Needs to Know Now
This guide distils five key lessons drawn from real-world engagements to help executive leaders navigate today’s evolving threat landscape.In this article, I share five lessons (and quotes) from the field that help demystify how to enhance an organisation’s security posture.In many organisations, the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) operates in isolation from other C-level executives, which can limit their influence and complicate the implementation of security measures across the enterprise.
jcd 1.0 for Linux and Mac, and ZoomIt v9.01
jcd 1.0 for Linux and Macjcd (jump change directory) is a Sysinternals command-line tool that provides quick directory navigation with substring matching and smart selection for both Linux and macOS.This update to ZoomIt fixes a regression that made the current drawing disappear after snip, reenables mouse click for drawing dots in draw mode, and fixes a bug with consecutive record activations.
Model Mondays S2E13: Open Source Models (Hugging Face)
This week’s spotlight featured a live interview and demo with Jeff Boudier (VP of Product, Hugging Face) and Nitya Narasimhan from Microsoft.For this final recap, I focused on capturing the energy of the open source AI movement and the practical impact of Hugging Face and Azure AI Foundry collaboration.I'm Sharda, a Gold Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador focused on cloud and AI.
AI-Powered Migration & Modernization—Secure, Resilient, and Ready for Innovation
Accelerate your migration and modernization journey with Azure Essentials, Azure Migrate, and GitHub Copilot—empowering your organization to join the ranks of Frontier Firms: businesses that put AI and cloud innovation at the core of their strategy.Join the Migrate and Modernize Summit, where Microsoft will show new AI-assisted migration tools that will help teams modernize.Azure Essentials offers organizations a comprehensive blueprint for secure, resilient, and cost-effective migration to the cloud.
Cyber Dial Agent: Protecting Your Custom Copilot Agents
a browser add-on and agent that streamlines security investigations by providing analysts with a unified, menu-driven interface to quickly access relevant pages in Microsoft Defender, Purview, and Defender for Cloud.This tool eliminates the need for manual searches across multiple portals, reducing investigation time and minimizing context switching for both technical and non-technical users.Using Purview DSPM for AI to Secure (Cyber Dial Custom Agent) Copilot Studio Agents
MSSQL Extension for VS Code: Fabric Integration and GitHub Copilot Slash Commands (Public Preview)
In version v1.36.0, we’re announcing the Public Preview of Fabric Connectivity (Browse), SQL Database in Fabric Provisioning, and GitHub Copilot Slash Commands — three capabilities that bring Microsoft Fabric and AI-powered assistance directly into your development workflow inside Visual Studio Code.The MSSQL extension for Visual Studio Code now includes Fabric connectivity, making it easier than ever to browse and connect to your Fabric workspaces directly from your development environment.The v1.36 release marks a major milestone by introducing Fabric Connectivity (Browse), SQL Database in Fabric Provisioning, and GitHub Copilot Slash Commands in Public Preview.
Introducing the new Network Security Hub in Azure
This updated hub brings together Azure Firewall, Web Application Firewall, and DDoS Protection—enabling you to manage, configure, and monitor all your network security services in one place.With this new experience, Firewall Manager has expanded into the Network Security Hub, making it easier to discover, configure, and monitor the right security services with just a few clicks.The expansion of Firewall Manager into the Network Security hub is part of a greater strategic effort to simplify and enhance the Azure Networking portfolio, ensuring better alignment with customer needs and industry best practices.
Microsoft Copilot Studio Unleashed: Build Secure, Scalable AI Agents for Real Business Impact!
Microsoft 365 Copilot Studio (portal shown in the picture above), together with Azure AI Foundry, empowers enterprises to build intelligent agents that automate workflows, enhance productivity, and uphold responsible AI principles.This blog explores how technical, and business leaders can leverage these platforms to create extensible, trustworthy AI solutions, drawing on best practices from recent Microsoft Learning Paths and community feedback.Microsoft 365 Copilot Studio lets organizations create custom agents that use enterprise data, automate tasks, and enhance experiences in Microsoft 365 apps.
Supercharge your workflow with real-time information from the Microsoft Learn MCP Server
That’s where a new standard is emerging: Model Context Protocol (MCP) Servers.They connect AI agents directly to trusted, real-time data sources, so answers are accurate, relevant, and up to date.Think of the Microsoft Learn MCP Server as your direct line to official Microsoft documentation—delivered to your AI Agent, in real time, in context, without leaving the tools you already use.
Copilot-powered file previews coming to Microsoft 365 Copilot app for iOS
Copilot-powered file previews coming to Microsoft 365 Copilot app for iOSThe Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app on iPhone and iPad is getting an experience update that puts key AI-driven capabilities and experiences front and center.As part of this change, the Outlook, OneDrive, and Teams apps for both iPhone and iPad will no longer open Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files in Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Deep dive into Pacemaker cluster for Azure SAP systems optimization
Azure Pacemaker offers a centralized management platform that streamlines the process of monitoring and maintaining pacemakers.The most recommended approach for validating Pacemaker configurations in SAP HANA clusters, which is through the SAP Deployment Automation Framework (SDAF) and its High Availability Testing Framework.Troubleshoot startup issues in a SUSE Pacemaker cluster - Virtual Machines |
SQL Server 2025 Preview RC1: Now Supporting Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 10
We’re happy to announce that SQL Server 2025 Release Candidate 1 (RC1) now includes preview support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 10, expanding our commitment to modern, secure, and flexible Linux-based deployments.I launched the SQL Server 2025 RC1 container, connected to it using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), and successfully tested the vector data type enhancement. The addition of RHEL10 support in SQL Server 2025 Preview is a major milestone in delivering a modern, secure, and flexible data platform for Linux users.
Building AI Apps with the Foundry Local C# SDK
Foundry Local is a lightweight runtime designed to run AI models directly on user devices.The C# SDK brings Foundry Local into the heart of the .NET ecosystem.One of the most exciting aspects of the Foundry Local C# SDK is its compatibility with popular AI tools such as:
Windows 365 Cloud Apps are now in public preview
Windows 365 Cloud Apps are now available to all customers during public preview.Windows 365 Cloud Apps allow administrators to give users access to specific apps delivered from the cloud instead of a full Cloud PC.Windows 365 Cloud Apps runs on Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PCs in shared mode.
Announcing Windows 365 Frontline for GCC and GCCH
Big news for U.S. government agencies and contractors: Windows 365 Frontline in dedicated mode is now generally available with support for Government Community Cloud (GCC) and GCC High (GCCH) customers.Windows 365 Frontline in dedicated mode enables shift-based, part-time, or temporary workers to access Cloud PCs during their working hours.A single license enables up to three Cloud PCs, each assigned to a different user, but only one Cloud PC can be active at a time.
Extending Copilot in Intune to manage Windows 365 Cloud PCs
Windows 365 and its integration with Microsoft Intune sets the standard for simplicity in cloud endpoint management.The release of Copilot in Intune support for Windows 365 is one step of many on that journey, enabling IT administrators to leverage advanced AI-driven insights and automation to manage their Cloud PCs more effectively.Copilot in Intune helps endpoint admins quickly get information about their Windows 365 Cloud PCs wherever they are in the Intune portal.
Practical ways to use AI in your Data Science and ML journey
The series will guide you on practical ways to use AI in your learning journey with Data Science and Machine Learning.Guided Pathways: Move seamlessly from the popular Data Science for Beginners and Machine Learning for Beginners curriculums to interact with fellow learners in the Azure AI Foundry Discord community.Join us for these exciting events and join us in the Azure AI Foundry Discord community.
SQL Server IaaS Agent 拡張機能の概要 (What is the Windows SQL Server IaaS Agent extension?)
複数の SQL Server インスタンスがインストールされている環境で SQL Server IaaS Agent 拡張機能 をインストールすることは可能ですか？複数の SQL Server インスタンスがある場合は既定のインスタンス (MSSQLSERVER) のみが拡張機能にサポートされます。In this article, we will explain the SQL IaaS Agent Extension and the SQL Virtual Machines resource on Azure.The SQL Server IaaS Agent Extension is a feature that enables you to manage and operate SQL Server installed on Azure VMs directly from the Azure Portal.When an Azure VM with SQL Server installed is registered with the "SQL Server IaaS Agent Extension" on Azure, a corresponding "SQL Virtual Machine" resource is created in the Azure Portal.
Automated Remediation for Malware Detection - Defender for Storage
Today, Defender for Storage released, in public preview for Commercial Cloud, the feature Automated Remediation for Malware Detection.This is for both On-upload and On-demand malware scanning.Anytime that a blob is found malicious (malicious content was found in the blob), the Automated Remediation feature will kick in and soft-delete the blob.
GA: DCasv6 and ECasv6 confidential VMs based on 4th Generation AMD EPYC™ processors
Today, Azure has expanded its confidential computing offerings with the general availability of the DCasv6 and ECasv6 confidential VM series in regions UAE North and Korea Central.These VMs are powered by 4th generation AMD EPYC™ processors and feature advanced Secure Encrypted Virtualization-Secure Nested Paging (SEV-SNP) technology.In addition to the newly announced security upgrades, the new DCasv6 and ECasv6 family of confidential VMs have demonstrated up to 25% improvement in various benchmarks compared to our previous generation of confidential VMs powered by AMD.
Beyond OAuth: Why SCIM must evolve for the AI agent revolution
As AI agents transition from concept to widespread implementation, the current identity infrastructure—effective for humans and traditional applications—must adapt to new requirements.Along with the need for advanced authorization mechanisms in OAuth, AI agents also require updated approaches to identity lifecycle management and provisioning of those identities and their access.This leads to System for Cross-domain Identity Management (SCIM), a protocol facilitating automated identity exchange.
Presenter Mode: Share Content Like A Pro in Microsoft Teams
Enter Presenter Mode in Microsoft Teams: the game-changing feature that transforms your presentations from basic to brilliant.Presenter Mode offers three dynamic layouts, each designed to elevate your delivery:Your video feed is layered in front of your shared content, so you’re literally part of the presentation.
Tag, You’re It: Wrangling Communication in Microsoft Teams
Enter: Tags in Microsoft Teams.Tags in Teams are custom labels you assign to users within a team.Go to your team in Microsoft Teams.
Identity and Network Security Practitioner Webinar Series
Webinar series: Microsoft Entra Practitioner Webinar Series (October 2025) This October, we’re hosting a three-part webinar series for Identity and Network Access practitioners.In this foundations panel session hosted by Identity Expert, Merill Fernando, Microsoft product leaders will walk through some core steps to implement a unified identity and network foundation using Microsoft Entra Suite:
What's new in Microsoft Security Copilot
This month’s update is brief but important: progress on government cloud certification.Security Copilot is now included within the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) High Authorization for Azure Commercial.Don’t miss Microsoft Secure digital event on September 30th - we’ll be announcing exciting new capabilities for Security Copilot and sharing what’s next in AI-powered security.
New Course Release: MS-4024: Generate creative assets with Copilot Create
We’re excited to announce the upcoming release of MS-4024: Generate creative assets with Copilot Create, available starting October 31stThis hands-on course explores how to use Copilot Create to generate a wide range of business-ready assets including:MS-4024 is designed for everyday Microsoft 365 business users.
AKS Automatic with Azure Linux
Earlier today Microsoft announced that AKS Automatic is officially Generally Available (GA) on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).AKS Automatic enables organizations to build, deploy, and scale applications on Kubernetes with enhanced efficiency and minimal operational overhead.AKS Automatic leverages Azure Linux as the default operating system for all user and system node pools.
September V1 Title Plan Now Available
🗂️ September V1 Title Plan Now AvailableAccess the latest Instructor-Led Training (ILT) updates anytime at: http://aka.ms/Courseware_Title_PlanKindly note: This blog is intended solely for informational purposes.
Partner Blog | Accelerating AI growth and innovation: Your guide to Microsoft Ignite
Microsoft Ignite is where possibility meets action.This year’s event will take place at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from November 18 to 21, 2025, with an optional pre-day on November 17.I am excited to join Microsoft leaders including Satya Nadella, Judson Althoff, Scott Guthrie, Jay Parikh, Charlie Bell, and Mark Russinovich in San Francisco to showcase the latest innovations, highlight partner impact, and share our vision for the future!
Partner Case Study | Silverfort
Founded in 2016 as part of the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, Silverfort is now a managed partner whose business runs almost completely on the Microsoft Cloud.Silverfort’s patented Runtime Access Protection (RAP) technology natively integrates with Microsoft Active Directory—extending MFA and modern identity protections to systems that have traditionally been left behind and enabling customers to meet modern cybersecurity requirements.Dozens of legacy systems still lacked MFA enforcement.
OneDrive Office Hours | September 2025
Join the OneDrive product team live each month on our monthly OneDrive Customer Office Hours to hear what's top of mind, get insights into roadmap updates, and dig into a special topic.Each call includes live Q&A where you'll have a chance to ask the OneDrive product team any question about OneDrive - The home of your files. This month's special topic: "Microsoft 365 Archive: Doc Lib improvements & OneDrive licensing updates" with Trent Green!
Search Less, Build More: Inner Sourcing with GitHub CoPilot and ADO MCP Server
Using GitHub CoPilot + Azure DevOps MCP server (with the free `code_search` extension) we turn the IDE into an organizational knowledge interface.# GitHub Copilot Instructions for Azure DevOps MCP Integration This project uses Azure DevOps with MCP server integration to provide organizational context awareness.We have demonstrated in this article how quickly we can make our Azure DevOps content discoverable.
KulenDayz 2025: A Community-Driven Celebration in Croatia
KulenDayz has long been a cornerstone of the Balkan tech scene, and this year’s edition was no exception. From September 4–6, the event brought together MVPs and community leaders from Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovenia, and beyond, creating a vibrant space for cross-border collaboration, mentorship, and innovation.The KulenDayz Kidz track was a standout feature this year, offering interactive workshops for children to explore technology through creativity and play.While the main conference inspires professionals, KulenDayzKidz sparks curiosity in the next generation - bringing STEM, robotics, and IT to life for children in a fun and engaging way.
Windows 365 Boot, Connection Center & improved experience - generally available
On any device running Windows 11, Windows 365 Boot allows you to sign in directly to your Cloud PC as the primary Windows experience.Windows 365 Boot now includes built-in access to the Windows 365 Connection Center.When configured, it enables built-in cross-region disaster recovery by allowing users to connect to their Cloud PCs from any supported region.
Experience the future: Switch to new Outlook for Windows today!
Outlook for Windows has a myriad of advanced capabilities for enhancing productivity, communication, and time management in today’s world of cloud computing, hybrid ways of working, and generative AI.Outlook for Windows is seamlessly integrated with Microsoft Teams, without the need to install a separate add-in.The updated Outlook for Windows is available to all Windows 10 and higher users.
Addressing multi-tenant management challenges for MSPs with Microsoft Intune and partner innovations
Managing a growing number of customer environments across multiple tenants is an ongoing challenge for managed service providers (MSPs) of all sizes.Microsoft Intune is proud to announce a collaboration with two leading global providers of multi-tenant MSP solutions: inforcer and Nerdio.inforcer empowers MSPs to standardize Microsoft 365 and Intune policies across all tenants, automate environment configuration, monitor compliance in real time, and reduce risk through policy drift detection.
Check This Out! (CTO!) Guide (August 2025)
Summary: Azure Elastic SAN now supports public preview integrations with Azure Backup and Commvault, providing automated, managed backup and recovery for Elastic SAN volumes.Summary: The article discusses how AI-powered search can accurately extract and associate page numbers with search results in large PDF documents using Azure Blob Storage and Azure AI Search.Summary: Part 4 of the Windows Server 2025 Networking Deployment Series details how Contoso Medical Center secures its Software Defined Datacenter using SDN features.
Everything you need to know about TDE key management for database restore
Transparent data encryption (TDE) in Azure SQL with customer-managed key (CMK) supports Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) for data protection at rest and facilitates separation of duties in key and data management.The key used for encrypting the Database Encryption Key (DEK), known as the TDE protector, is an asymmetric key managed by the customer and stored in Azure Key Vault (AKV).Once a database is encrypted with TDE using a Key Vault key, new backups are encrypted with the same TDE protector.
🎊Microsoft NextGen Heroes – Season 2 is almost here!
After an incredible first season filled with innovation, collaboration, and inspiring stories myself, Nicklas, Marko, and proudly welcoming Ana to our team for Season 2 — are ready to begin the next chapter in the Microsoft Hero Community 🚀This season we'll be bringing together industry experts, Microsoft MVPs, students and a wide range of impactful projects that will inspire and challenge the next generation of tech leaders.Stay tuned — the best is yet to come 😍
Announcing Public Preview for Business Process Solutions
Yet in many organizations, data remains fragmented across best of breed applications – creating blind spots in cross-functional processes and throwing roadblocks in the path of automation.Microsoft is dedicated to tackle these challenges, delivering a unified data foundation that accelerates AI adoption, simplifies automation and reduces risk – empowering businesses to unlock the full potential of unified data analytics and agentic intelligence. Our new solution offers cross-functional insights across previously siloed environments and includes:
Enhancing Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 experience with health checks
To further optimize the user experience for Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365, Microsoft has introduced a health check suite.Confirms the device can connect to essential endpoints required for Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 functionality.The health check suite offers IT admins and end users transparent, proactive troubleshooting to ensure optimal performance in their Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 environments.
Selecting the Right Agentic Solution on Azure
There are several approaches to building, deploying, running, and orchestrating agents on Azure.However, Microsoft has already deprecated version 1 of the Azure OpenAI Assistants API, and version 2 remains in preview.Microsoft strongly recommends migrating all existing Assistants API-based agents to the Agent Service.
Introducing a new Issuer/SID AltSecID
Starting with the September 9, 2025 Windows security update, a new Alternate Security Identity (AltSecID) is made for just-in-time certificate deployments in Windows Server 2022 and later.What are weak and strong mappings in Active Directory?The Issuer/SID AltSecID is recognized as a form of strong mapping because the SID serves as a unique identifier within Active Directory.
At HR Tech this week? Check out the Employee Self-Service Agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot
The new Employee Self-Service Agent offers HR- and IT-focused support in a single chat experience, helping employees find information and complete tasks efficiently without navigating multiple systems.The Employee Self-Service (ESS) Agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot helps employees get HR and IT answers and tasks done quickly while allowing teams to focus on bigger priorities.We’re excited to bring the Employee Self-Service Agent to life at the HR Tech Conference 2025 in Las Vegas this week.
Azure Networking Portfolio Consolidation
That's why we're excited to introduce a more focused, streamlined, and intuitive experience across Azure.com, the Azure portal, and our documentation pivoting around four core networking scenarios:The portfolio consolidation initiative is a strategic effort to simplify and enhance the Azure Networking portfolio, ensuring better alignment with customer needs and industry best practices.We added scenario hub pages for each of the scenarios.
Safeguard & protect your custom Copilot Agents (Cyber Dial Agent)
Security Operations Centers (SOCs) and InfoOps teams are constantly challenged to reduce Mean Time to Detect (MTTD) and Mean Time to Respond (MTTR).Cyber Dial Agent is a lightweight agent and browser add-on designed to streamline investigations, minimize context switching, and accelerate SecOps and InfoOps workflows.The Cyber Dial Agent is a “hotline accelerator” that provides a unified, menu-driven experience for analysts.
🚀✨ Are you ready for a power-packed, productive, and inspiring October? ✨🚀
Here we go, friends! 🎉 The October Calendar is officially here, right on time, as always! 🗓️💯This month, we’re bringing you a lineup of world-class sessions designed to help you:🌍 Explore the Microsoft ecosystem from new perspectives💡 Gain practical skills you can apply immediately🤝 Connect with experts and a global community of learners🚀 Stay ahead with the latest innovations in Azure, AI, Power Platform, Security, and beyond.And the best part? ⏰ No matter where you are in the world, the sessions are scheduled across multiple time zones so you can always join in.💙🔗 Check out the full list of sessions, register today, and prepare yourself for an amazing month of learning, networking, and growth.
Refining Attack Paths: Prioritizing Real-World, Exploitable Threats
Over the past year, we’ve evolved our exposure management strategy so that security issues, from Defender (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender) are no longer viewed in isolation, but connected through attack paths to tell a complete story.It’s time to rethink how risk is defined and how defenses are prioritized, as this directly shapes the proactive security steps that follow.This post will walk you through the key changes to attack paths, including enhancements for cloud environments, and explain what this means for security teams.
New Microsoft Purview Deployment Blueprint | Lightweight guide to mitigate data leakage
We’re excited to share our latest Data Security deployment blueprint: “Lightweight guide to mitigate data leakage”—a practical resource designed to help organizations quickly enable core data security features across their Microsoft 365 estate with minimal setup.The blueprint follows a good / better / best model that maps protections to your licensing.With the new E5 Compliance Add-On for Business Premium, this guide shows how organizations can capture quick wins today while building toward stronger, long-term security practices.
JDBC Driver 13.2 for SQL Server Released
Version 13.2 of the Microsoft JDBC Driver for SQL Server has been released.Version 13.2.0 brings several added features, changes, and fixed issues over the previous production release.Add the JDBC 13.2 RTW driver to your Maven project by adding the following code to your POM file to include it as a dependency in your project (choose .jre8 for Java 8/1.8 or .jre11 for Java 11 and up).
Released: General Availability of Microsoft.Data.SqlClient 6.1
We have released for general availability Microsoft.Data.SqlClient 6.1.This .NET Data Provider for SQL Server provides general connectivity to the database and supports all the latest SQL Server features for applications targeting .NET, .NET Framework, and .NET Standard.Some of the highlights of new features in 6.1 over the 6.0 release of Microsoft.Data.SqlClient include:
Day zero support for iOS/iPadOS and macOS 26
With Apple's release of iOS/iPadOS and macOS 26 Tahoe, we’ve been working hard to ensure that Microsoft Intune provides day zero support for Apple’s latest operating systems (OS) so that existing features work as expected.The settings catalog has been updated to support newly released iOS/iPadOS and macOS settings for both declarative device management (DDM) and mobile device management (MDM) to empower your IT teams to have devices ready on day zero.We highly recommend updating your organization’s devices to the most recent Apple OS version publicly available to keep your devices secure and up to date.
How AI + Communication APIs Are Transforming Work Across Industries
We're seeing a shift from cookie-cutter automation to AI that gets context.A Framework for Communication IntelligenceSmart Appointment Management: Healthcare systems use communication APIs to send HIPAA-compliant reminders via SMS, email, and voice calls.
Face the future today by moving your application to cloud native
Migrating applications from Configuration Manager and other on-prem solutions to Microsoft Intune cloud native remains a challenging and time consuming undertaking, especially when dealing with complex line-of-business, legacy, and custom home-grown applications.To address the complex realities of app migration, the Microsoft partner ecosystem has stepped up with specialized offers designed to reduce risk and accelerate cloud adoption.As part of this initiative: starting today, our Microsoft partners Rimo3 and Robopack are offering no-cost, time-limited app migration service to all Intune customers who are looking to move from ConfigMgr to Intune.
Get ready now: One month until Office 2016/2019 end of support
That’s why it’s important to know that in just one month, on October 14, 2025, support will end for Office 2016 and Office 2019 suites, standalone applications, and servers (see the full list of impacted products below). Now is the time to move all remaining devices running Office 2016 or Office 2019 to a supported version.The Office Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) is designed for devices that cannot accept feature updates or connect to the internet.
Enhancing AVD and Windows 365 experience with health checks
To further optimize the user experience for Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365 (W365), Microsoft has introduced a health check suite.Verifies that the local device is connected to a network and can access the internet, a prerequisite for cloud-based services.The Health Check suite offers IT admins and end users transparent, proactive troubleshooting to ensure optimal performance in their AVD and Windows 365 environments.
T-1 month: Exchange Server 2016 and Exchange Server 2019 End of Support
On October 14, 2025, one month from now, Exchange Server 2016 and Exchange Server 2019 will reach end of support.In July 2025, we announced the general availability of Exchange Server SE with details on how to upgrade if you intend to continue to run Exchange Server on-premises.If your organization intends to continue running Exchange Server and you want to test and evaluate pre-release builds of Exchange Server SE releases, you can apply to join the Exchange Server Technology Adoption Program (TAP).
T-1 month: Skype for Business Server 2015 and Skype for Business Server 2019 End of Support
On October 14, 2025, one month from now, Skype for Business Server 2015, Skype for Business Server 2019, Skype for Business 2016 (client), and Skype for Business 2019 (client) reach end of support.Customer installations of Skype for Business Server 2015 and Skype for Business Server 2019 and clients running Skype for Business 2016 and Skype for Business 2019 will continue to run after October 14, 2025.If your organization intends to continue running Skype for Business Server and you want to test and evaluate pre-release builds of Skype for Business Server SE, you can apply to join the Skype for Business Technology Adoption Program (TAP).
Build Enterprise-Ready AI Agents with the New Azure Postgres LangChain + LangGraph Connector
That’s why we’re excited to announce native LangChain + LangGraph connector for Azure Database for PostgreSQL. With this release, Postgres becomes your single source of truth for AI agents, handling knowledge retrieval, chat history, and long-term memory all in one place.With EntraID authentication, DiskANN acceleration, vector store, and a dedicated agent store, you can go from prototype to production on Azure faster than ever.
Copilot Chat comes to the Microsoft 365 apps
Starting today, Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and agents are rolling out in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote for all users—creating a unified chat experience across the apps millions of people use every day at work.Copilot Chat is secure AI chat grounded in the web—and now, it’s available in the Microsoft 365 apps.It’s content aware, meaning it quickly understands what you’re working on, tailoring answers to the file you have open.
Explore Microsoft Fabric Data Agent & Azure AI Foundry for agentic solutions
Over the past year, Gen AI apps have expanded significantly across enterprises. The agentic AI era is here, and the Microsoft ecosystem helps enable end-to-end acceleration of agentic AI apps in production. In this blog, we'll cover how both low-code business analysts and pro-code developers can use the Microsoft stack to build reusable agentic apps for their organizations.This blog post explains how to develop multi-agent solutions for various industries using Azure AI Foundry, Copilot Studio, and Fabric. We saw how Fabric data agents can be created and utilized in Copilot Studio in a multi-agent setup. In the future, pro-code and low-code agentic developers are expected to work together to create agentic apps, instead of in silos. So, how do we solve the challenge of connecting all the components together in the same technology stack ? Let’s say a pro-code developer has created a custom agent in AI Foundry.
Copilot Chat: Snack Pack #1
We're kicking off a five-part series of Copilot Chat "Snack Packs": bite-sized articles packed with tips and tricks to help you become a Copilot Chat pro.Follow the download links below to install the Copilot Chat desktop app. Double-click the installer when prompted, and you're in. Use Chat right inside Outlook to refine your writing and send polished messages—all in one place.
Unlocking Application Modernisation with GitHub Copilot
Let’s delve into how GitHub Copilot is helping teams update old systems, move processes to the cloud, and achieve results faster than ever before.Tools like GitHub Copilot have emerged as AI pair programmers that dramatically lower the barriers to modernisation.Today, GitHub Copilot can act like an expert co-developer inside your IDE, ready to explain mysterious code, suggest updates, and even rewrite legacy code in modern languages.
Introducing the Azure SQL hub: A simpler, guided entry into Azure SQL
Choosing the right Azure SQL service can be challenging.To make this easier, we built the Azure SQL hub, a new home for everything related to Azure SQL in the Azure portal.Try the Azure SQL hub today in the Azure portal, and share your feedback in the comments!
Learn about Tape Ark's transactable partner solutions in Azure Marketplace
Microsoft partners like Tape Ark deliver transact-capable offers, which allow you to purchase directly from Azure Marketplace.Mass Tape Ingest and Tape Restore Service: Get fast access to your legacy content – anytime and anywhere – with Tape Ark’s mass tape ingest services.Available on a one-off project basis, Tape Ark’s services restore your data from tape to Microsoft Azure, enabling you to scale access to your content as needed.
Microsoft 365 LTI is now General Availability
Microsoft 365 LTI release debuts with OneNote Cass Notebook, Teams, Meetings and Reflect – all generally available. Microsoft Assignments, OneDrive, and Reading Coach join these experiences in preview and will transition to GA as ready.At-a-glance:Unified access to OneDrive, Teams, Class Notebook, Reflect, and more, directly in your LMSOnce deployed, the Microsoft 365 LTI integration has links to Contact Support and Send Feedback from right within the app. These can be found in the user voice menu in the upper right on any view that appears within the LMS. Learn more about Microsoft feedback for your organization.
Enable Nested Virtualization on Windows Server 2025
First, ensure you’re running a Hyper-V host capable of nested virtualization and have the Windows Server 2025 VM on which you want to enable as a Hyper-V host ready. Boot up the Windows Server 2025 VM that you want to configure as a Hyper-V host.Open Hyper-V Manager inside your VM and you’re now ready to run test VMs in your nested environment!
Compliance Meets Ai: Microsoft Purview in the Age of Ai
As organizations embrace AI-powered tools like Microsoft Copilot, Copilot Agents, and non-Microsoft Ai applications, ensuring compliance and mitigating risk is more critical than ever.That’s why we’re excited to launch our new webinar series: Compliance Meets Ai.This series will guide you through configuring Microsoft Purview to effectively manage and reduce the risks associated with Ai usage across your organization.
Announcing Live Interpreter API - Now in Public Preview
Today, we’re excited to introduce Live Interpreter –a breakthrough new capability in Azure Speech Translation – that makes real-time, multilingual communication effortless.Live Interpreter continuously identifies the language being spoken without requiring you to set an input language and delivers low latency speech-to-speech translation in a natural voice that preserves the speaker’s style and tone.With coverage across 76 input languages and 143 locales, Live Interpreter helps people communicate clearly and inclusively in everyday scenarios, like in Teams meetings, customer support centers, international classrooms, or global events.
🚀 Join Us for the Migrate and Modernize Summit – September 23-24, 2025
On September 23-24, Microsoft is hosting the Migrate and Modernize Summit, a digital event to help you and your customers accelerate cloud migrations to Azure and simplify modernization. This event is appropriate for both partner and customers.Leverage AI to simplify and accelerate Migrations and Modernization to Azure, unlocking new projects and revenue.Join us for the Migrate and Modernize Summit!
Partner Blog | Evolving our productivity offerings to resolve European competition concerns about Teams
In keeping with these values and responsibilities, Microsoft recently finalized an agreement with the European Commission (Microsoft’s “Commitments”) in which we will expand interoperability and data portability resources and make additional changes to licensing and pricing for Microsoft 365, Office 365, and Microsoft Teams.Commitments to interoperability and data portabilityMicrosoft will maintain our add-in model, allowing communication and collaboration solution providers to access Microsoft 365 and Teams in the same ways as other software development companies that provide add-ins to Microsoft 365 and Teams.
Revolutionizing Learning with Immersive AI
Instead of silently reading from a textbook, students log into an interactive platform powered by neural voice and avatar technology.Using Azure Speech Studio’s Avatar Engine, the generated audio is combined with animated lip movements, facial expressions, and gestures to create human-like avatar videos.This workflow describes the end-to-end process for creating avatar-driven audio and video content using Azure services and SSML (Speech Synthesis Markup Language) files, culminating in downloadable video assets.
Don’t miss our upcoming Azure Accelerate Partner Webinar on September 25
Azure Accelerate is Microsoft’s unified offering that brings together Azure Migrate and Modernize with Azure Innovate, built on the foundations of Azure Essentials.Azure Accelerate gives partners access to trusted experts, significant investments, and comprehensive coverage for every stage of the cloud and AI journey.Don’t miss our upcoming Azure Accelerate Partner Webinar on September 25, 8–9am PT, where we'll cover:
People of Purview: Elie El Karkafi
I am a Microsoft MVP in Security and a results-driven and dedicated Senior Solutions Architect with more than 14 years of professional experience in Microsoft Technologies.I became a member of the Microsoft Customer Connection Program (MCCP) in 2022 and was honored with the Microsoft MVP award in Security in 2023.Elie is based in Dallas, Texas and is a Senior Solutions Architect at ampiO Solutions.
Fantasy Football with a Copilot
Being a Dallas Cowboys fan is a bit like being in a long-term relationship with chaos, you love them, but you know better than to trust them with your fantasy football lineup.It can suggest optimal lineups based on projections and matchups tailored to your league’s scoring format.When it comes to the waiver wire, Copilot is a wizard.
Our commitment to help build AI skills in higher education
Microsoft Learn for Educators AI Bootcamps at no cost—Limited-time offerTo support institutions globally, we’re opening over 2,500 slots in our Microsoft Learn for Educators (MSLE) AI Bootcamps, available at no cost to all higher education faculty members.Expanding AI skilling through community and technical college partnerships
Discover what’s in store at Microsoft Ignite 2025
Microsoft Ignite 2025 is just around the corner, taking place November 18–21, both online and in person.This year’s agenda is designed to deliver maximum value to partners with actionable insights and customer-centric storytelling.Secure your spot today by registering and selecting the partner program as your primary focus.
Show or hide the Copilot icon in OneNote on Windows
I’m excited to share that we’ve added a simple but powerful customization option in OneNote on Windows: You can now choose whether to show or hide the Copilot icon in your notebook pages.Show or hide the Copilot icon in OneNote on WindowsSelect or clear the Show Copilot icon on OneNote pages check box.
End‑to‑End Deep Content Workflow With Microsoft 365 Copilot
Microsoft 365 Copilot now stitches together a research‑to‑delivery pipeline that lets you produce authoritative content once, then repurpose it into formats that meet people where they are: on desktops, in meetings, in their earbuds during a commute, or on the big screen for live sessions.In this post I will first show you using out of the box Microsoft 365 Copilot how you can accomplish deep research that accomplishes all the above in 35 minutes rather than days.Then I used the same process to document for you how to do the demonstration in the real world with step by step written instructions, an audio podcast, and a how to video.
How to setup alerts for deadlocks using Log Analytics
On the Azure Portal, open the Diagnostic settings of your Azure SQL Managed Instance and choose Add diagnostic settingStep 3 - Create a server audit on the Azure SQL Managed InstanceUse the query below to create an Alert on Azure Log Analytics
The first temporary enforcement of dedicated hybrid app use is coming on September 16
We wanted to post a quick reminder that on September 16 2025, we will enforce the first temporary block of shared security principal use for our hybrid customers, as per our announcement Dedicated Hybrid App: temporary enforcements, new HCW and possible hybrid functionality disruptions.Your organization might be impacted if:You have not created and enabled the use of the dedicated Exchange hybrid app
Real AI development and real wins with the new VS Code extension for PostgreSQL
Launched at Build, the Visual Studio (VS) Code extension for PostgreSQL allows you to manage database objects and draft queries with intelligent assistance—all without leaving your favorite code editor.You will need the GitHub Copilot and GitHub Copilot chat extensions installed in VS Code to be able to log into your GitHub Account and use "@pgsql" in the chat interface to interact with your PostgreSQL database.The VS Code extension for PostgreSQL offers significant enhancements to development efficiency and productivity.
Cumulative Update #21 for SQL Server 2022 RTM
The 21st cumulative update release for SQL Server 2022 RTM is now available for download at the Microsoft Downloads site.Please note that registration is no longer required to download Cumulative updates.To learn more about the release or servicing model, please visit:Starting with SQL Server 2017, we adopted a new modern servicing model.
The Future of AI Is Responsible—And Azure AI Foundry Is Leading the Way
Yet, with each leap forward, we've also encountered new risks that underscore the necessity of building trust through responsible AI.Without responsible AI moderation, users are at risk of encountering harmful content such as hate speech, graphic violence, misinformation, or harassment, which can lead to significant emotional distress, especially for children and other vulnerable individuals.Azure AI Foundry provides a multi-layered safety system designed to proactively detect, block, and monitor harmful or off-policy content.
Achieving ATO and ATU for Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365: A Foundational Guide
Achieving an Authorization to Operate (ATO) or Authority to Use (ATU) is a critical step in ensuring compliance with federal standards.Microsoft provides a robust framework to support these efforts through its Service Trust Portal, comprehensive documentation, and built-in compliance tools across Azure, Microsoft 365, and AI services.The Microsoft Service Trust Portal (STP) is a centralized resource for accessing security, compliance, and privacy documentation related to Microsoft cloud services.
AI at Work: How Teams and AI are Transforming Collaboration and Communications in the Workplace
A strategic overview of emerging market trends and customer insightsMahendra Sekaran, CVP Microsoft 365 – Intelligent CommunicationsPete Daderko is a Senior Director of Product Marketing at Microsoft, where he leads marketing for the portfolio of collaborative applications including Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, Planner, and Viva Engage.
Intune AI Agent: Instant Threat Defense, Invisible Protection
Microsoft Intune’s integration with Security Copilot agents addresses this need.This blog introduces the Vulnerability Remediation Agent, an AI-based solution for managing endpoint security.Vulnerability Remediation Agent in Microsoft Intune are AI-driven tools developed to support security teams in endpoint management and protection.
New in Microsoft AppSource: August 20-31, 2025
We continue to expand the Azure Marketplace ecosystem.For this volume, 190 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live.Utilizing Azure Cognitive Services, the pilot processes various feedback sources and delivers an AI model, a Microsoft Power BI dashboard, and recommendations for service enhancements.
🚀 Export D365 CE Dataverse Org Data to Cosmos DB via the Office365 Management Activity API
This post demonstrates one method to export Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CE) Dataverse organization data using the Office 365 Management Activity API and Azure Functions.Solutions such as Splunk and other enterprise-grade platforms commonly implement integrations based on the Office 365 Management Activity API to ingest tenant-wide audit data.This solution provides a robust, extensible pattern for exporting Dynamics 365 CE Dataverse org data to Cosmos DB using the Office 365 Management Activity API.
Disallowing changing Azure SQL database connection policy using Azure policy
In this blog article, we will cover how we can use customer Azure policy to prevent users from changing the Azure SQL database connections policy.Tutorial: Create a custom policy definition - Azure Policy |Also this is another blog article using the same method if you want to force a specific number of days for your Azure SQL database backup retention period: Azure custom policy to prevent backup retention period to be below X number - Azure SQL |
App Assure backs Microsoft’s Sentinel promise
In today's evolving cyber-threat landscape, enterprises need the most up-to-date tools for detection, investigation, and response.Cloud-native, AI-driven solutions like Microsoft's Sentinel provide businesses with faster implementation, greater integration and automation capabilities, and intelligent event correlation. But when moving from on-prem to the cloud, or from one SIEM to another, migrating can seem risky and complex for Security Operations Centers (SOCs) that have spent years investing in customized solutions. One challenge businesses face is how to port over third-party connectors, especially ones processing large data volumes, which can reach terabytes per day. For customers with such needs, Microsoft has built the Codeless Connector Framework (CCF) in Microsoft Sentinel.Read the full announcement here: App Assure’s promise: Migrate to Sentinel with confidence
App Assure ensures a smooth transition to Nested App Authentication in Outlook
Microsoft is taking steps to champion security by replacing traditional Exchange Online tokens with Nested App Authentication (NAA).Thanks to building on top of Microsoft Entra ID, NAA supports modern authentication protocols and zero-trust policies while providing a streamlined single sign-on experience. Read the full announcement here: App Assure puts Security first for Microsoft Outlook Customers
Deploying GPT-OSS as Azure ML Online Endpoint
In this post, we’ll walk through how to deploy GPT-OSS using Azure Machine Learning (Azure ML) Online Endpoint on a managed compute (NV-A10 & NC-H100) —leveraging a streamlined, script-driven approach.Azure ML online endpoints provide a fully managed, scalable, and secure way to serve models like GPT-OSS.With built-in autoscaling, authentication, monitoring, and seamless REST API integration, they’re ideal for deploying large models on managed compute with minimal operational overhead.
Opera builds Arm-optimized browser with assistance from App Assure
Today, I want to highlight one of our many successful engagements: the new Opera Browser for Arm-based Windows devices.In May, an Arm-optimized version of Opera for Windows was made available on the developer stream of the browser.Engineering assistance from the Microsoft App Assure team played a key role in this effort.
Accelerating NordVPN’s Arm Optimization with Microsoft App Assure
Copilot+ PCs are the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs ever built.With powerful new system architecture designed to deliver best-in-class performance, all–day battery life and the ability to run the most advanced AI models on device, Copilot+ PCs help users to be more productive, creative and to communicate more effectively.Read the full announcement here: Microsoft App Assure helps Nord Security build for Windows on Arm
RSAC 2025: Announcement of New Microsoft Sentinel Connectors
Microsoft Sentinel is a leading cloud-native security information and event management (SIEM) solution that helps organizations confidently detect, investigate and respond to threats across their multi-cloud, multiplatform environments. Microsoft Sentinel offers seamless integration of data from both Microsoft and third-party sources for a comprehensive view across the entire digital environment. We are very pleased to share the latest Microsoft Sentinel integrations from our valued Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partners that allow you to seamlessly connect your existing security solutions with Microsoft Sentinel and benefit from robust analytics and automation capabilities to strengthen your defenses against evolving cyber threats.Read the full announcement here: RSAC 2025 new Microsoft Sentinel connectors announcement
Ignite 2024: Announcement of New Microsoft Sentinel Connectors
Microsoft Sentinel continues to be a leading cloud-native security information and event management (SIEM) solution, empowering organizations to detect, investigate, and respond to threats across their digital ecosystem at scale. Microsoft Sentinel offers robust out of the box (OOTB) content, allowing seamless connections with a wide array of data sources from both Microsoft and third-party providers.This enables comprehensive collection and analysis of security signals across multicloud, multiplatform environments, enhancing your overall security posture. In this Ignite 2024 blog post, we are thrilled to present the latest integrations contributed by our esteemed Partners.
App Assure promise expands to Copilot for Microsoft 365
Copilot iterates fast and relies on the latest updates and integration throughout the Microsoft product suite, so devices need to be on a monthly update channel for Microsoft 365 Apps (Current Channel or Monthly Enterprise Channel).The vast majority—over 75 percent—are currently running on the Monthly Update Channel or Current Channel.Read the full announcement here: Microsoft App Assure supports Copilot for Microsoft 365 customers moving to monthly updates
o4-mini Reinforcement Fine-tuning (RFT) Now Generally Available on Azure AI Foundry
Today, we are happy to promote RFT with o4-mini to General Availability on Azure AI Foundry.We have also introduced Custom Python Code as a grader which can be included as part of the finetuning job on both UI and SDK for predictable tasks.In this demo video, Liam Cavanaugh, Data & AI Specialist, dives into the applications for RFT with o4-mini.
Turn compassion into action: Your guide to Hunger Action Month with Microsoft Copilot
This September, Hunger Action Month arrives at a time when food insecurity in the United States has reached its highest level in over a decade.According to Feeding America’s latest data, more than 47 million people, including 14 million children, are facing hunger in 2025.The USDA reports that 13.5% of U.S. households experienced food insecurity in 2023, with nearly 18 million households affected.
Partner Blog | Accelerating AI growth and innovation: Your guide to Microsoft Ignite
Microsoft Ignite is where possibility meets action.This year’s event will take place at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from November 18 to 21, 2025, with an optional pre-day on November 17.I am excited to join Microsoft leaders including Satya Nadella, Judson Althoff, Scott Guthrie, Jay Parikh, Charlie Bell, and Mark Russinovich in San Francisco to showcase the latest innovations, highlight partner impact, and share our vision for the future!
Support tip: Upcoming Microsoft Intune network changes
Starting on or shortly after December 2, 2025, Intune will also use Azure Front Door IP addresses to improve security and simplify firewall management.As part of Microsoft’s ongoing Secure Future Initiative (SFI), starting on or shortly after December 2, 2025, the network service endpoints for Microsoft Intune will also use Azure Front Door IP addresses.If you have configured an outbound traffic policy for Intune IP address ranges or Azure service tags for your firewalls, routers, proxy servers, client-based firewalls, VPN or network security groups, you will need to update them to include the new Azure Front Door ranges with the “AzureFrontDoor.MicrosoftSecurity” tag.
Model Mondays S2E12: Models & Observability
GPT Real Time (GA):Azure AI Foundry now offers GPT Real Time (GA)—lifelike voices, improved instruction following, audio fidelity, and function calling, with support for image context and lower pricing.Azure AI Foundry Agents Learning Plan:Build agents with autonomous goal pursuit, memory, collaboration, and deep fine-tuning (SFT, RFT, DPO) - on Azure AI Foundry.CalcLM Agent Grid (Azure AI Foundry Labs):Project CalcLM: Agent Grid is a prototype and open-source experiment that illustrates how agents might live in a grid-like surface (like Excel).
Transforming Teams Troubleshooting: Secure Remote Log Collection
We’re thrilled to introduce a game-changer: Remote Log Collection for Microsoft Teams.This new feature is designed with both admins and end users in mind, cutting out the unnecessary hassle from troubleshooting.Instead of waiting on a user to gather logs, an IT pro can initiate the collection directly from the Teams Admin Center.
Microsoft Teams Hacks You Didn’t Know You Needed
The Open in new window feature in Microsoft Teams lets you seamlessly manage chats, meetings, apps, and channel conversations—without losing your place.By tapping into these lesser-known features and shortcuts, you can transform the way you collaborate, communicate, and manage your day-to-day tasks.From slash commands to immersive reading and app integrations, these hacks are designed to help you reclaim your time and sharpen your focus.
Elevating Trust in Data through Data Quality in the AI Era
Elevating data quality means going beyond merely identifying issues—it's about equipping data stewards, analysts, and engineers with the right tools to proactively improve trust, consistency, and readiness of data for AI, analytics, and operations.Research shows that 75% of companies do not have a formal data quality program.Microsoft Purview Unified Catalog empowers governance domain owners and data stewards to assess and manage data quality across the ecosystem, driving informed and targeted improvements.
General Availability: Automatic Identity Management (AIM) for Entra ID on Azure Databricks
Today, we are excited to announce that Automatic Identity management (AIM) for Entra ID on Azure Databricks is generally available.Users, groups, and service principals from Microsoft Entra ID are automatically available within Azure Databricks, including support for nested groups and dashboards.You can share AI/BI dashboards with any user, service principal, or group in Microsoft Entra ID immediately as these users are automatically added to the Azure Databricks account upon login.
Cross-region Disaster Recovery for Windows 365 Frontline (dedicated mode)
Windows 365 Frontline supports shift-based employees and contractors in critical industries such as healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and large customer support centers where downtime is not an option and disaster recovery is essential.This Windows 365 add-on feature creates “snapshots” of Cloud PCs in customer-defined, geographically distant locations.Cross-region Disaster Recovery was first introduced for Windows 365 Enterprise, and now Windows 365 Frontline users with dedicated Cloud PCs have the same rapid failover option.
Supercharge SharePoint Content Creation with Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft Copilot in SharePoint Online is transforming how organizations create and manage content.With AI-powered tools built directly into the SharePoint experience, users can now generate entire pages or add new sections using natural language prompts—dramatically reducing the time and effort required to deliver high-quality content.Copilot in SharePoint leverages generative AI and Microsoft Graph to help users create engaging, professional pages quickly.
Empowerment Unlocked: Key Conditions for Thriving Teams
In the second blog of Microsoft People Science team’s People Success Series, we shared the importance of employee trust in leadership.In 2023, our research on the PS Elements found 9 critical needs associated with Empowerment, such as Decision Transparency, Risk-Taking, and Work Ownership.Our research found that employees who have job empowerment decision making authority are 2.8 times less likely to leave than those who don’t2.
How to: Ingest Splunk alert data to Microsoft Sentinel SIEM
Send Splunk alerts to Sentinel SIEMFrom Microsoft perspective, organizations can take advantage of Logs Ingestion API, which allows for any application that can make a REST API call to send data to Sentinel SIEM.Once the webhook is configured on Splunk side, any time the alert is raised it will trigger the webhook, which will initiate the Logic App resource on Azure side responsible for parsing the data and sending that data through Logs Ingestion API to the destination table in Sentinel SIEM.
Azure Application Gateway protection against CVE-2025-8671 (MadeYouReset)
A new HTTP/2 vulnerability, CVE-2025-8671 (MadeYouReset), was recently disclosed on August 13, 2025.This attack leverages carefully crafted protocol frames to force servers into repeatedly resetting streams on a single connection, which can lead to high resource consumption and denial of service (DoS) in extreme cases.MadeYouReset and Rapid Reset (CVE-2023-44487) are two similar attack patterns exploiting HTTP/2 steam resets feature leading to resource exhaustion.
Upcoming September 2025 Microsoft 365 Champion Community Call
Join our next community call on September 23, 2025, to learn more about how to leverage Viva Engage for Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption.Once you register, you will receive an email confirmation and calendar invite with the event join link.Since our calls are open to everyone, you must be a member of the Microsoft 365 Champion Program in order to access the presentation materials - the access link is in the initial welcome email and the monthly newsletter emails sent the week before the community calls.
Security Update for SQL Server 2022 RTM CU20
The Security Update for SQL Server 2022 RTM CU20 is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2022 RTM CUs, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2019 RTM GDR
The Security Update for SQL Server 2019 RTM GDR is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2019 RTM, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2019 RTM CU32
The Security Update for SQL Server 2019 RTM CU32 is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2019 RTM CUs, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2016 SP3 GDR
The Security Update for SQL Server 2016 SP3 GDR is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2016 SP3, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2016 SP3 Azure Connect Feature Pack
The Security Update for SQL Server 2016 SP3 Azure Connect Feature Pack is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2016 SP3 Azure Connect Feature Pack, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2022 RTM GDR
The Security Update for SQL Server 2022 RTM GDR is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2022 RTM, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2017 RTM GDR
The Security Update for SQL Server 2017 RTM GDR is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2017 RTM, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2017 RTM CU31
The Security Update for SQL Server 2017 RTM CU31 is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2017 RTM CUs, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
🎉 Excel Turns 40! Join Our Reddit AMA 🎉
We’re the Microsoft Excel team, and we’re celebrating a huge milestone this year— Excel is turning 40!From the humble beginnings of spreadsheets to today’s powerhouse features like PivotTables, Power Query, XLOOKUP, LET & LAMBDA, Python, and Copilot, Excel has evolved in ways we couldn’t have imagined—thanks to YOU, our amazing community.To celebrate, we’re hosting a Reddit AMA on September 30, 2025, at 10 AM PT.
Support tip: Troubleshoot device cap reached when enrolling devices into Microsoft Intune
When Microsoft Entra or Intune device limits are reached, users will encounter an error when enrolling their device into Intune. While it can be difficult to understand the reason for the failure from the error message, this blog will explain the differences between Microsoft Entra device registration limit and the Intune device enrollment limit, along with the steps to resolve these issues.Similar to the Intune device limit reached, to resolve this issue either increase the device limit in Microsoft Entra for Microsoft Entra registration or remove any stale devices associated with the user in the Microsoft Entra admin center.The Microsoft Entra device limit reached error will also occur when changing the primary user in Intune for Windows Autopilot Microsoft Entra hybrid joined devices).
Partner Case Study | Covenant
With a suite of Microsoft technology and an agile approach, Covenant helped the Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund (IMSIF) connect their data, modernize their operations, and future-proof their mission.For decades, the Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund (IMSIF) has been helping homeowners and businesses manage this risk by making sure they have access to financial resources when the ground literally shifts beneath their feet.A custom legacy system and siloed data
Broadcom VMware Licensing Changes: What Azure VMware Solution Partners Need to Know
Broadcom announced a change to their VMware licensing policies that will impact Microsoft partners and Azure VMware Solution customers. These changes require customers to bring their own portable VCF subscriptions when using any hyperscaler platform.Azure VMware Solution (AVS) already supports Broadcom’s model with the AVS VCF BYOL option which enables customers to use AVS with their own VCF subscriptions, and Azure will continue being the best cloud for customers to run their VMWare environments. AVS VCF BYOL option is priced lower than AVS with VCF subscriptions included.
Simplifying file share management and control for Azure Files
Azure Files makes it easy to run your file shares in the cloud without the overhead of on-premises file servers or NAS devices.To simplify this experience, we're excited to announce the preview of a new file share-centric management model for Azure Files.In preview, you can create up to 1,000 file shares per subscription per region.
Announcing the release of SSMS 22 Preview 1
The SSMS team is excited to share the first preview of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 22!Full details of all features and fixes are available in our release notes, with known issues documented here.An important note: the SSIS and GitHub Copilot components are not present in SSMS 22 Preview 1.
🎉 Azure Logic Apps: Ushering in the Era of Multi-Agentic Business Process Automation
We're excited to announce enhancements that make Azure Logic Apps the multiagentic business process automation platform that empowers you to build intelligent, collaborative automation solutions.The key highlights of this release includes support for Agent loop in any workflow - new or existing, Python code interpreter, support for Foundry Agent Service in Agent loop, rich Conversational capabilities in our agentic workflows, and multiagent patterns in workflows.Along with these new features, we are also introducing Azure Logic Apps Labs, your hub for AI labs, workshops, and tutorials.
📢Announcement! Python Code Interpreter in Logic Apps is now in Public Preview
Introducing Python Code Interpreter in Logic Apps Agent LoopThis capability enables Logic Apps developers to use Python Code Interpreter in their workflows and also as a tool in Agent loop.The action to execute Python code is powered by Azure Container Apps (ACA)session pool.
What’s new in SSMS 21.5.14
We’re excited to share that SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 21.5.14 is now available!Modify your installation of SSMS 21.5.14 in the Visual Studio InstallerThis release is chock-full of bug fixes, nearly all of them coming from the SSMS Developer Community site.
Build expertise, earn recognition, and drive transformation with Microsoft skilling
We have designed the Partner Skilling Hub as a central portal where you can build new capabilities, accelerate organizational growth, and learn how to set your solutions apart and create meaningful customer outcomes.With advanced search and filters by category, solution area, and skill level, you can quickly find live events, self-paced courses, and training opportunities tailored to your needs. Below are just some of the skilling resources available to you through this new portal so you can spend less time searching and more time innovating.
Zero Trust for Software Development Companies: what “good” looks like in practice
Microsoft is tracking a sharp rise in daily attacks and password-spray attempts, which is exactly why software development companies need a Zero Trust foundation that assumes breach and limits blast radius by default.If your multi-tenant SaaS lives on Microsoft Entra ID, treat the app’s home tenant like production infrastructure, not a convenience sandbox.Create a dedicated “app tenant” that is locked down, automated, and free of day-to-day human use.
Reimagining Telco with Microsoft: AI, TM Forum ODA, and Developer Innovation
At the heart of this transformation is TM Forum Innovate Americas 2025, a flagship event bringing together global leaders to reimagine the future of connectivity.At TM Forum Innovate Americas 2025, Microsoft is not just showcasing technology—it’s sharing a bold vision for the future of telecom.T-Mobile and Microsoft are spotlighting a transformative approach to enterprise AI: Connected Intelligence.
How Microsoft 365 Copilot builds customer trust with responsible AI
ISO 42001 is the first certifiable and auditable standard for AI risk management.According to EY’s Responsible AI Pulse Survey (June 2025), while 72% of executives report integrating AI across enterprise initiatives, only one-third have implemented governance controls.The result: Microsoft 365 Copilot achieved ISO 42001 certification in March 2025, becoming one of the few AI solutions globally to do so.
🚀 Bring Your Own License (BYOL) Support for JBoss EAP on Azure App Service
We’re excited to announce that Azure App Service now supports Bring Your Own License (BYOL) for JBoss Enterprise Application Platform (EAP), enabling enterprise customers to deploy Java workloads with greater flexibility and cost efficiency.BYOL allows customers with existing Red Hat subscriptions to apply those licenses directly to their JBoss EAP deployments on Azure App Service.BYOL support for JBoss EAP on Azure App Service is a game-changer for enterprise Java customers.
Fix spelling and grammar faster with Microsoft 365 Copilot in Word for the web
I’m excited to share a one-click solution for fixing all spelling and grammar errors in a document at once.Fix spelling and grammar faster with Microsoft 365 Copilot in Word for the webMicrosoft 365 Copilot in Word for the web can now apply all spelling and grammar corrections simultaneously.
Empowering Learners for the Age of AI: New Information Literacy Features Coming to Search Progress
Information literacy skills like verifying sources, understanding context, and thinking critically are foundational for responsible and effective navigation of online information. These skills become even more critical as AI becomes an integral part of learning and daily life -- students need more than just access to information, they need to know how to evaluate it. By strengthening these skills, we help students become thoughtful, independent researchers, and savvy digital citizens. Launching in preview in the coming months, the enhanced Search Progress features will allow educators to scaffold the research process (and perhaps pick up some new skills themselves), breaking down complex information evaluation into core skills such as: As global initiatives like the PISA 2029 Media and Artificial Intelligence Literacy (MAIL) assessment start to take shape, schools will be expected to demonstrate that students have had meaningful opportunities to learn about and engage critically with digital content.
A Quick Guide to Benchmarking AI models on Azure: Llama 405B and 70B with MLPerf Inference v5.1
For the MLPerf Inference v5.1 submission, Azure shared performance results on the new ND GB200 v6 virtual machines.A single ND GB200 v6 VM on Azure is powered by two NVIDIA Grace CPUs and four NVIDIA Blackwell B200 GPUs.This document highlights Azure’s MLPerf Inference v5.1 results and outlines the steps to run these benchmarks on Azure.
Microsoft Sentinel’s AI-driven UEBA ushers in the next era of behavioral analytics
Microsoft Sentinel User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) brings the power of AI to automatically surface anomalous behaviors, helping analysts cut through the noise, save time, and focus on what truly matters.Microsoft Sentinel UEBA has already helped SOCs uncover insider threats, detect compromised accounts, and reveal subtle attack signals that traditional rule-based methods often miss.Today, we’re excited to announce a major expansion: Sentinel UEBA now supports six new data sources including Microsoft first- and third-party platforms like Azure, AWS, GCP, and Okta, bringing deeper visibility, broader context, and more powerful anomaly detection tailored to your environment.
Enforce or Audit Policy Inheritance in API Management
We’re excited to announce a new Azure Policy definition that lets you enforce or audit policy inheritance in Azure API Management.With this capability, platform and governance teams can ensure that API Management policies are always inherited across all policy scopes — operations, APIs, products, and workspaces — strengthening consistency, compliance, and security across your API estate.With the new Azure Policy definition, you can automatically ensure that <base /> is located at the start of each API Management policy section — <inbound>, <outbound>, <backend>, and <on-error> — across policies configured on operations, APIs, products, and workspaces.
Security Review for Microsoft Edge version 140
We have reviewed the new settings in Microsoft Edge version 140 and determined that there are no additional security settings that require enforcement.The Microsoft Edge version 139 security baseline continues to be our recommended configuration which can be downloaded from the Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit.Please continue to give us feedback through the Security Baselines Discussion site or this post.
Supercharge Your TM Forum Open API Development with GitHub Copilot
Developing applications that implement TM Forum (TMF) Open APIs can be greatly accelerated with the help of GitHub Copilot, an AI-based coding assistant.In this blog post, we’ll walk through how to set up a project with GitHub Copilot to write TMF Open API-based applications, including prerequisites, configuration steps, an example workflow for building an API, best practices, and additional tips.Once you have your endpoints coded with Copilot’s help, it’s crucial to test them against the TMF specification to ensure correctness.
Announcing preview of new Azure Dasv7, Easv7, Fasv7-series VMs based on AMD EPYC™ ‘Turin’ processor
Today, Microsoft is announcing preview of the new Azure AMD-based Virtual Machines (VMs), powered by 5th Generation AMD EPYC™ (Turin) processors.The preview includes general purpose (Dasv7 & Dalsv7 series), memory-optimized (Easv7 series) and compute-optimized (Fasv7, Falsv7, Famsv7 series) VMs, available with and without local disks.These VMs are in preview in the following Azure regions: East US 2, North Europe, and West US 3.
ATLAS: Your AI Tutoring Agent For Personalised Learning
To overcome these challenges, I developed ATLAS, an agentic Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) designed to bring together the adaptability of human educators and the availability of LLMs.In this blog post, I’m excited to introduce ATLAS, a Python system built using Azure AI Foundry, Semantic Kernel, and Azure Cloud Services.To address this, I built SAILED (Student-Agent Interactive Learning Evaluation through Dialogue), a scalable framework that simulates tutoring sessions between ATLAS and virtual students.
Building Agentic Workflows with n8n and Azure Container Apps
On Azure, combining n8n with Azure OpenAI Service and Azure Container Apps (ACA) makes it easier than ever to run intelligent automations at any scale.Managed scale: Use Azure Container Apps to deploy n8n in a fully managed, container-native environment with scaling, networking, and security built in.Three ways to deploy n8n with Azure Container Apps
Building Enterprise Voice-Enabled AI Agents with Azure Voice Live API
The sample application covered in this post demonstrates two approaches in an end-to-end solution that includes product search, order management, automated shipment creation, intelligent analytics, and comprehensive business intelligence through Microsoft Fabric integration.Part 3 - demonstration of the Microsoft Fabric Integration, Data Agents, Copilot in Fabric and Power BI for insights and analysis - hereThe Direct Model Integration provides ultra-low latency for real-time applications, while the Azure AI Foundry Agent Integration offers enterprise-grade governance and autonomous operation.
Windows 365 Link – Deployment Planning, Setup and Enrollment
The Link device is a ‘last mile’ endpoint device; there are pre-requisites that need to be in place in Intune, Entra and Windows 365 for both deployment of Link, as well as on-going use of Link to access Cloud PCs. Manage firmware settings for Windows 365 Link devices. |If you can't tell, I think the Link is a great device that continues to expand the Windows 365 solution. I hope these details help you as you try them out in your environment. Drop a note into the comments and share how your Windows 365 journey is going.
Announcing General Availability of Azure D192 Sizes in the Azure Dsv6 and Ddsv6-series VM Families
We’re excited to announce the addition of the D192 size to the Azure Dsv6 and Ddsv6-series Virtual Machines families, powered by the 5th Generation Intel® Xeon® Platinum 8573C (Emerald Rapids) processor.These new VM sizes offer 192 vCPUs and 768 GiB of RAM, making them ideal for general-purpose workloads such as enterprise-grade applications like SAP, SQL, in-memory analytics platforms, and large relational databases.The sizes are now available on Azure Portal in available regions.
Designing AI Workloads with the Azure Well-Architected Framework
What Is the Azure Well-Architected Framework?The Azure Well-Architected Framework is a set of guiding principles that help cloud architects build high-quality solutions on Azure.See the episode of the Azure Essentials Show, as it serves as a valuable resource for anyone involved in building AI solutions on Azure.
Windows 365 Link – Deployment Planning, Setup and Enrollment
The Link device is a ‘last mile’ endpoint device; there are pre-requisites that need to be in place in Intune, Entra and Windows 365 for both deployment of Link, as well as on-going use of Link to access Cloud PCs. “How do I create an Assignment Filter for Link in Intune?”If you can't tell, I think the Link is a great device that continues to expand the Windows 365 solution. I hope these details help you as you try them out in your environment. Drop a note into the comments and share how your Windows 365 journey is going.
Introducing formula completion - A new way to write formulas in Excel using Copilot
Formula completion in Excel is a new Copilot feature that is designed to solve these challenges.When you type “=” in a cell, Excel analyzes the context of your workbook and suggests a formula completion suggestion, using the context of your worksheet - headers, nearby cells, formulas and tables.Tips for getting the best formula completion suggestion
Introducing Logic Apps MCP servers (Public Preview)
Using Logic Apps (Standard) as MCP servers transforms the way organizations build and manage agents by turning connectors into modular, reusable MCP tools.This approach allows each connector—whether it's for data access, messaging, or workflow orchestration—to act as a specialized capability within the MCP framework.Registering Logic Apps connectors as MCP servers using Azure API Center
Logic Apps - MCP Demos
We recently announced the ability to create MCP servers using Logic Apps connectors.In this post we are going to share some demo videos that will help you get started and provide you with some ideas on how you can build MCP servers to address your Agent connectivity needs.In this video, we will leverage Azure API Center to create an MCP Server using Logic Apps connectors.
Generally Available - High scale mode in Azure Monitor - Container Insights
Container Insights is Azure Monitor’s solution for collecting logs from your Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) clusters. As the adoption of AKS continues to grow, we are seeing an increasing number of customers with log scaling needs that hit the limits of log collection in Container Insights.Today, we are happy to announce the General Availability of High Scale mode.High scale mode is ideal for customers approaching or above 10,000 logs/sec from a single node.
Protect your Storage accounts using network security perimeter - now generally available
We are excited to announce the general availability of network security perimeter support for Azure Storage accounts.A network security perimeter allows organizations to define a logical network isolation boundary for Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) resources like Azure Storage accounts that are deployed outside your organization’s virtual networks.First, by grouping assets such as Azure Key Vault and Azure Monitor in the same perimeter as your storage accounts, communications between these resources are secured while disabling public access by default, thereby preventing data exfiltration to unauthorized destinations. Then, they centralize the management of network access controls across numerous PaaS resources at scale by providing a single pane of glass.
GPT-5 in Azure AI Foundry: Unlocking New Possibilities for Developers and Enterprises
It’s been only 30 days since launch of the GPT-5 models on Azure AI Foundry, and we’re seeing unprecedented uptake in usage both inside Microsoft’s products and across our customers and partners.The following section provides an overview of the core capabilities that set GPT-5 on Azure AI Foundry apart.Azure AI Foundry wraps GPT-5 in a robust security and compliance framework.
Proactive Security with Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM)
This is where the Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) framework comes into play, offering a structured, cyclical approach to reducing risk across your attack surface.What is Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM)?Gartner introduced the coined term CTEM in 2022, and it is a strategic security framework that emphasizes continuous and adaptive risk reduction.
Released: September 2025 Exchange Server Hotfix Updates
Microsoft has released Hotfix Updates (HUs) that address issues in earlier updates for:The September 2025 HUs do not contain any new Exchange Server security updates but contain a fix for a non-security issue.We wanted to remind you that since Exchange updates are cumulative, September 2025 HUs include support for creation of the dedicated Exchange hybrid app originally announced during April 2025 HU release.
Protect Copilot Studio AI Agents in Real Time with Microsoft Defender
Building AI agents has never been easier. Platforms like Microsoft Copilot Studio democratize the creation of AI agents and empower non-technical users to build intelligent agents that automate tasks and streamline business processes.Today, we’re excited to take the next step in securing AI agents: Microsoft Defender now delivers real-time protection during agent runtime for AI agents built with Copilot Studio. It automatically stops agents from executing unsafe actions during runtime if suspicious behavior, such as a prompt injection attack attempt, is detected and notifies security teams with a detailed alert in the Defender portal. Defender’s AI agent runtime protection is part of our broader approach to securing Copilot Studio AI agents, as outlined in this blog post.
KCDC: Where Global Voices Drive Local Innovation
At the heart of the Kansas City Developer Conference (KCDC) is a vibrant, inclusive community—one that empowers developers from around the world to connect, collaborate, and innovate.This year, Microsoft MVPs brought their expertise and passion to the event, uplifting others and sparking curiosity across every session.We caught up with a few of them, to hear their reflections on the experience and what makes KCDC such a standout event in the developer world.
Enforcing SQL PaaS backup retention with Azure Policy
The requirement in this example is to ensure that all Azure SQL Databases have a short-term (PITR) backup retention of at least 9 days.Once the initial remediation scan completes, you can look at the backup retention policies (in Data Management | backups) on the logical server(s) and see that the PITR retention periods have been increased to a minimum of 9 days.Purpose: This is a sample to create the Azure policy defintions, assignment and remediation tasks to enfore organisational policies for minimum short-term (PITR) and weekly long-term (LTR) backup retention.
Customer review: Board enterprise planning platform increases efficiency and improves data quality
Board – The Enterprise Planning Platform, published on Azure Marketplace, powers end-to-end operational and financial planning to deliver greater forecast accuracy using continuous, AI-powered insights and external economic intelligence.Recognized by Gartner, Board seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Azure to solve enterprise-grade challenges and help multinational businesses such as Takko Holding GmbH.Learn more about Azure Marketplace and find ways to discover the right application for your business needs.
Zone redundancy is now enabled by default in Azure Container Registry
We’re excited to announce a major resiliency enhancement for Azure Container Registry (ACR): Zone redundancy is now enabled by default for all ACR SKUs in regions that support Availability Zones.With this update, all SKUs, including Basic and Standard, now benefit from zone redundancy in supported regions.However, zone redundancy is enabled for all registries in supported regions.
Latest Avatar Updates: 4K Support and Emotion Control Features
You can train a 4K avatar using the self-serve tool in Azure AI Foundry.In Azure AI Foundry, in the Text to Speech avatar tool, users can select the Lisa-casual-standing avatar.Watch the demo video featuring Lisa Casual Standing with emotion control enabled.
Capacity Template v2 with Microsoft Fabric
This SharePoint Capacity v2 Template, based on Microsoft Fabric, is now publicly available.How to install the Microsoft Fabric and Microsoft Graph Data Connect prerequisites How to import the Power BI template and configure the data source settings
Understanding and Troubleshooting - Strong Certificate Name Mapping in Active Directory
In recent years, Microsoft has introduced Strong Certificate Name Mapping (Strong Mapping) as a requirement for certificate-based authentication in Active Directory environments.This article provides a deep technical overview, common errors, troubleshooting scenarios, and guidance for enterprise and government deployments.Beginning with the May 2022 update, Microsoft introduced categorizations of strengths for the options for explicit/manual mapping of a certificate to its corresponding Active Directory identity (this applies to both computer and user objects).
Azure routing preference: A hidden lever for performance vs. cost trade-offs
How you design your cloud architecture affects not just performance but also your burn rate, margins, and ultimately your ability to scale.If your product depends on moving data, whether streaming, analytics, or SaaS APIs, outbound traffic is part of your unit economics.Outbound internet rates vary by region, and they differ sharply between routing options.
Build Multi-Agent AI Systems on Azure App Service
Introduction: The Evolution of AI-Powered App Service ApplicationsOver the past few months, we've been exploring how to supercharge existing Azure App Service applications with AI capabilities.Today, we're taking the next leap forward by demonstrating how to build sophisticated multi-agent systems that leverage connected agents, Model Context Protocol (MCP), and OpenAPI tools - all running on Azure App Service's Premium v4 tier with .NET Aspire for enhanced observability and cloud-native development experience.
Alta Disponibilidade e Resiliência com App Gateway e Múltiplos APIMs: Uma Arquitetura Estratégica
Este artigo explora o design de alta disponibilidade (HA) utilizando a oferta Premium Tier do Azure API Management (APIM) em cenários multi-região ou mesmo intra-região, com foco na aplicação de Availability Zones — uma prática recomendada no pilar de Confiabilidade.O Azure Application Gateway é um balanceador de carga de camada 7 (HTTP/HTTPS) que permite gerenciar o tráfego de aplicações web com inteligência, segurança e escalabilidade.A adoção de uma arquitetura com App Gateway à frente de múltiplos APIMs, integrada com Akamai WAF, Azure Functions, Key Vault e sistemas legados, oferece uma solução robusta, segura e altamente disponível.
Azure Front Door Protection against CVE-2025-8671 (MadeYouReset)
A new HTTP/2 vulnerability, CVE-2025-8671 (MadeYouReset), was recently disclosed on August 13, 2025.This attack leverages carefully crafted protocol frames to force servers into repeatedly resetting streams on a single connection, which can lead to high resource consumption and denial of service (DoS) in extreme cases.MadeYouReset and Rapid Reset (CVE-2023-44487) are two similar attack patterns exploiting HTTP/2 steam resets feature leading to resource exhaustion.
Listen to an audio recap of your meetings in Teams
Listen to an audio recap of your meetings in TeamsThe new audio recap feature in Microsoft Teams is your go-to companion for keeping up with important conversations. Select Recap, then select the day and time of the meeting you’d like to recap.
What’s next for Copilot in SSMS
The original Copilot in SSMS 21 will continue to be available in SSMS 21 but will not receive any updates. If you’ve been using Copilot in SSMS 21 (which connects to your Azure OpenAI Service), you can continue to use it in SSMS 21.x.However, the original Copilot in SSMS will not be actively developed further, and it will not be available in the next major release.When will GHCP in SSMS be available?
Coffee and Copilot: AI Skills for Healthcare Professionals
Coffee and Copilot is back!With Copilot Chat now available across Microsoft 365, join us for Coffee and Copilot, a one-hour, expert-led session designed to help you unlock the full potential of your new AI assistant.Tailored for healthcare professionals aligned to Life Sciences and Med Tech, Payors, and Providers, these sessions focus on real-world healthcare use cases and are updated regularly to reflect the latest product developments most useful to these industries.
Microsoft Project Online is retiring: What you need to know
After more than a decade of supporting project managers and teams around the world, Project Online will officially retire on September 30, 2026.This update is exclusive to Project Online and does not affect Project desktop, Project Server, or Planner (which brings together Project for the web, Planner in Microsoft 365, and To Do).With certain SharePoint Online workflow design tools deprecating in 2026, Microsoft is prioritizing innovation within Planner, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and the Project Manager agent, which represents a new generation of work management tools designed to be more intuitive, scalable, and powered by AI.
AKS - Problemas de desempenho do NGINX Ingress Controller Gerenciado
O NGINX ingress controller gerenciado é um complemento de roteamento que permite direcionar tráfego HTTP e HTTPS para aplicações executando em um cluster Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).Em problemas relacionados à performance, o sistema de roteamento pode ser a causa raiz.Este artigo fornece um guia passo a passo para solucionar problemas de performance do NGINX ingress controller.
Build Custom Engine Agents in AI Foundry for Microsoft 365 Copilot
Develop fast and deploy to Azure with the Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit for VS Code.The Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit extension for VS Code streamlines development and deployment:The Microsoft 365 Agents SDK uses Azure Bot Service to handle channel connectivity between Copilot and your agent endpoint.
Microsoft and PASS Summit are going on tour!
Join us for this two-day event Sep 15 - 16 in Dallas, TX, together with our partners Pure Storage.Pre-Con: Deep-Dive Workshop: Accelerating AI, Performance and Resilience with SQL Server 2025Learn directly from Microsoft and Pure Storage experts how to harness SQL Server’s vector capabilities and walk through real-world demos covering semantic search, change event streaming, and using external tables to manage vector embeddings.
New Mbv3 Size, Standard_M416bs_v3, General Availability
Today, we're excited to expand the Mbv3 portfolio to better support large-scale, mission-critical database workloads—especially for healthcare organizations operating EHR (Electronic Health Records) database on Azure. We’re pleased to announce the general availability of the new Mbv3 size, Standard_M416bs_v3.This VM size, newly added to the Mbv3 series, Standard_M416bs_v3, offers 416 vCPU which is over 2x the vCPU of the largest launched Mbv3 VM.The Standard_M416bs_v3 offers high remote storage performance with up to 550,000 IOPS and 10 GBps of remote disk storage bandwidth.
Announcing the Public Preview of the New App Service Quota Self-Service Experience
The updated experience introduces a dedicated App Service Quota blade in the Azure portal, offering a streamlined and intuitive interface to:Set custom quotas tailored to your App Service plan needsIf you choose to create a support ticket, then you will interact with the capacity management team for that region.
The Future of AI: Creating a Web Application with Vibe Coding
In this article I am sharing my experience of creating a web application by providing natural language instructions to an agent created with GPT-5 (Preview) in Azure AI Foundry Models, built with Visual Studio Code.In this blog post, I am sharing how easy it was to build a web application using vibe coding to demonstrate the service's capabilities.This final web application was built entirely through vibe coding using the GPT-5 Agent in Visual Studio Code, showcasing how effortlessly advanced service capabilities can be brought to life.
New Diagnostic: Copilot Agent Functionality in Microsoft Teams.
As Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 continues to evolve, ensuring reliable agent performance within Microsoft Teams is critical to delivering a seamless user experience.To support this, we’re introducing the Copilot Agent Functionality Diagnostic—a powerful tool designed to identify and resolve issues that may prevent Copilot agents from operating in Teams.This includes validating eligibility, confirming service availability, and checking for configuration compliance.
Partner Blog | Security, growth, and trust: Introducing the FY26 Security solution plays
That’s the challenge we’ve committed to tackling with the Secure Future Initiative (SFI), and it’s why we recently introduced SFI patterns and practices to support partners and customers as they turn their security learnings into action.With over a million customers already using Microsoft Security solutions, there’s a significant opportunity for Microsoft partners like you to further differentiate your business and grow.Our extensive threat intelligence gives us visibility into more than 84 trillion security signals daily, as well as a deeper understanding of the evolving threat landscape and how our solutions can better protect customers.
Announcing a new Azure AI Translator API (Public Preview)
Seattle—September 4, 2025—Today, we are excited to announce a new Azure AI Translator API which provides you with flexibility to choose general neural machine translation (NMT), or a list of generative AI large language models (LLMs) at a request level.Using generative AI models, the new API offers new capabilities to produce tone translation, gender translation, and adaptive custom translation.Leverage generative AI LLMs to produce gender specific translation.
Partner Blog | Cloud & AI Platforms series part 1: Capturing the market opportunity
Across industries, organizations are racing to modernize, unify data, and embrace AI.At the center of this transformation are Microsoft partners, guiding customers through disruption and redefining what’s possible.With more than 150 million developers building on GitHub, 13 million apps running on Azure, and over 70,000 organizations innovating with Azure AI Foundry, the ecosystem is creating new ways to reimagine business processes and deliver AI-powered outcomes.
What’s New in Azure AI Foundry Fine-tuning: August 2025
The Azure AI Foundry team continues to push the boundaries of model customization with powerful updates to its fine-tuning capabilities.August brings several new features—Pause & Resume, Cross-Region Model Copying, and Reinforcement Fine Tuning (RFT) with Swagger and API Support—designed to give developers and data scientists greater control, flexibility, and efficiency in managing their fine-tuning workflows.We are introducing the Copy Models feature, allowing users to transfer checkpointed models across regions and subscriptions within the same tenant—a significant advancement for teams operating in multi-region environments.
From the frontlines: Managing common kiosk scenarios in your business
I'm Saurabh Sarkar and I've had the opportunity to collaborate with several customers on effectively managing their Windows kiosk devices to enhance productivity with Microsoft Intune.In this post, we’ll explore how to effectively utilize Intune to enhance the productivity of frontline workers in two example sectors: the airline industry and the food and beverage sector (restaurants).Self-service kiosks in airports and restaurants
No More Guesswork—Copilot Makes Azure Security Crystal Clear
As organizations migrate workloads to Azure, the need for robust security frameworks and proactive compliance strategies grows. Security Copilot, integrated with Azure, is transforming how technical teams approach these challenges, empowering users to build secure, compliant environments with greater efficiency and confidence.Below, I’ll highlight a range of security topics with sample Copilot prompts that you can use to help create a more secure and compliant environment.While Security Copilot supports secure coding by identifying vulnerabilities like SQL injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), and buffer overflows, it is not a direct replacement for traditional code scanning tools, instead, it complements these tools by leveraging telemetry from integrated Microsoft services and applying AI-driven insights to prioritize risks and guide remediation.
New in Azure Marketplace: August 12-19, 2025
For this volume, 184 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live.It uses AI agents for coverage assessment, cost estimation, online search, and report generation.Their Microsoft Copilot service offers a proof of concept with real use cases, testing core capabilities and enabling hands-on experience.
Announcing: Setup CD in Azure Logic Apps Standard with Deployment Center
Deployment Center - a built-in feature in Azure Logic Apps Standard - in now available, with built-in support on your VS Code projects, making it easier to deploy Logic Apps from your source control repository.Deployment Center connects your Logic Apps to your favourite source control systems—like GitHub or Azure Repos—and handles code deployments automatically, giving you the following benefits:Once the Deployment Center scripts are generated and pushed to your source control, you can connect your repository to your existing Azure Logic Apps Standard application.
Unlock the Full Potential of LLMs with POML: The Markup Language for Prompts
Most of the times, it is observed that prompts/system message for large language models (LLMs) can become unstructured and difficult to manage, especially when it is lengthy containing few shot examples.For those who have experienced this challenge, Prompt Orchestration Markup Language (POML) offers a structured solution.Next step is to create the python file that will use POML file to interact with the Language model.
Build Your AI Email Agent with Microsoft Copilot Studio
In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create an AI agent that can send emails on your behalf.Communication Services: Search for "Communication Services" in the marketplace and create a new resource.If you want branching, remember the HTTP Request action has no built-in success check, you can save the response (e.g., varSendResult), add a Condition that tests varSendResult.ok == true, and on success send a confirmation and End current topic to prevent loops.
The Responses API in Azure AI Foundry is now generally available
We’re excited to announce the general availability of the Responses API in Azure AI Foundry, making it easier than ever for developers to build intelligent, tool-using agents with stateful, multi-turn conversations—all in a single API call.Now, with GA, the API is production-ready and supports the full range of popular OpenAI models, including the GPT-5 series and fine-tuned models, along with a rich set of built-in tools to accelerate development.The Responses API is now available in all supported regions and ready for production use.
Hybrid Logic Apps deployment on Rancher K3s Kubernetes cluster
K3s is a lightweight Kubernetes distribution, certified by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) and originally developed by Rancher.This makes K3s a perfect choice for running Azure Logic Apps Standard close to your data sources (e.g., on-prem SQL Server, local file shares) without the heavy infrastructure requirements of a full Kubernetes cluster.There are 5 steps which are followed to setup the Hybrid Logic Apps including infrastructure which is illustrated in the following diagram. Most of these 5 steps are same as discussed in the Hybrid Logic Apps doc except the K3s Setup part Set up your own infrastructure for Standard logic app workflows - Azure Logic Apps |
Prevent Accidental Deletion of an Instance in Azure Postgres
Setting Deletion Protection on a new flexible server instanceAzure Resource Manager locks provide a simple but powerful safeguard to prevent accidental deletion of Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server instances.Now that you’ve learned how to apply deletion protection for both new and existing flexible server instances, we recommend reviewing your organization’s governance practices and integrating ARM locks as part of your deployment standards.
Windows 365 is now supported in Korea Central
We are pleased to announce that we have enabled Windows 365 in Korea Central.Customers can now create Cloud PCs with data stored in the Korea Central region.Korea Central can now be selected within provisioning policies when you select the South Korea geography:
Navigating Azure Certifications with Copilot and Azure Course Blueprints
That’s where Azure Course Blueprints and Copilot come in.Developing a clear roadmap for your Azure certification journey can present several challenges:Combining Copilot with Azure Course Blueprints enables more efficient preparation than using individually.
Introducing Surveys Agent, your personal survey expert
I’m excited to introduce Surveys Agent, a brand-new pre-built agent developed by Microsoft, ready to help you with survey creation from start to finish.IMPORTANT: Surveys Agent is now available to commercial users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license as part of the Frontier program which gives customers early access to new Copilot innovations while they’re still in development.Surveys Agent streamlines the entire process into a simple conversational experience, making survey creation as intuitive as having a chat.
What’s New with Viva Glint Benchmarks?
We’ve streamlined the benchmark generation process and released new global benchmarks for 2025.Because most Viva Glint customers use a common set of core survey questions, Viva Glint can calculate robust benchmarks on a large number of survey items using customer data exclusively.In compliance with Microsoft data security standards, the People Science team has implemented an automated process that enables us to generate and review benchmark suites without accessing or seeing customer data directly.
Course Title Updates: What You Need to Know
We’re refining how courses and learning paths are titled to improve clarity, discoverability, and learner experience.Clear, action-oriented titles: Start with a present-tense verb + subject.Enhanced metadata: Descriptions now include general skill terms to boost SEO and discoverability.
New in Microsoft AppSource: August 12-19, 2025
For this volume, 169 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live.AdLead: AdLead from Advaiya Solutions is a lead management solution integrated with Microsoft Power Pages and Microsoft Dynamics 365.Global Pty Ltd's Audit Trail for Business Central enables organizations to track, log, and review changes made to critical data within Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Replication lag metric for Azure SQL DB is now in public preview
Azure SQL Database offers business continuity capabilities to recover quickly from regional disasters. Features such as active geo-replication and failover groups provide continuous replication of the data in your primary database to a secondary database in a different Azure region. In the event of a regional disruption, these features allow you to perform quick disaster recovery to your secondary database to meet your business' recovery time objective (RTO) and recovery point objective (RPO). RTO for Azure SQL Database is typically less than 60 seconds, but RPO depends on the amount of data changes before the disruptive event that have not been replicated. Consequently, monitoring the replication lag between the primary and secondary databases is critical in ensuring your RPO goals are met.Until now, the main way to measure the replication lag between the primary and secondary databases was with the replication_lag_sec column of the dynamic management view (DMV), sys.dm_geo_replication_link_status from your primary database. With the introduction of the Replication lag metric, you can now monitor lag with respect to RPO in near real time in the Azure portal in addition to using the DMV. Replication lag is a new Azure monitor metric that is emitted at a one-minute frequency and stored up to 93 days. You can monitor the metric by adding Replication lag (preview) from your primary database in the portal as shown below:
Inference performance of Llama 3.1 8B using vLLM across various GPUs and CPUs
Following our previous evaluation of Llama 3.1 8B inference performance on Azure’s ND-H100-v5 infrastructure using vLLM, this report broadens the scope to compare inference performance across a range of GPU and CPU platforms.Using the Hugging Face inference benchmarker, we assess not only throughput and latency but also the cost-efficiency of each configuration—an increasingly critical factor for enterprise deployment.As organizations seek scalable and budget-conscious solutions for deploying large language models (LLMs), understanding the trade-offs between compute-bound and memory-bound stages of inference becomes essential.
Partner Blog | How systems integrators are scaling innovation with Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents
Imagine a workplace where AI agents don’t just support your team, they transform how tasks get done, unlocking new levels of creativity, speed, and impact.According to Microsoft’s latest Work Trend Index Annual Report, nearly half of leaders say their companies are already using agents to fully automate workflows or processes across departments and functions.And behind many of them are Microsoft 365 Copilot, agentic AI, and a deep partnership with Microsoft.
ICYMI: Partner Blog | How systems integrators are scaling innovation with Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents
Imagine a workplace where AI agents don’t just support your team, they transform how tasks get done, unlocking new levels of creativity, speed, and impact.According to Microsoft’s latest Work Trend Index Annual Report, nearly half of leaders say their companies are already using agents to fully automate workflows or processes across departments and functions.And behind many of them are Microsoft 365 Copilot, agentic AI, and a deep partnership with Microsoft.
Recommended Read: Securing and governing autonomous agents
My colleague Igor Sakhnov, CVP of Engineering and Deputy Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Identity, shares his thoughts on the new risks and responsibilities we're all facing with agents. Starting with the provocative question By 2026, enterprises may have more autonomous agents than human users.Igor explains why agents are a new entity type, not just a minor extension of existing identity or application governance.
MVP Champ Spotlight- Pierre Thoor
Get familiar with the hunting tables in advanced hunting and the reporting capabilities in MDO.A: We highlight MDO’s business value using the Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Overview dashboard, which provides clear, visual metrics, like threats blocked before delivery, items purged post-delivery via ZAP, and any “uncaught” threats.Take the time to understand how the features and settings really work, and share that knowledge with others.
Staying Ahead of Compliance: Keep Up with Key Insights from our Quarterly Compliance Update
As artificial intelligence (AI) and generative tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot transform how enterprises operate, the stakes for data protection, regulatory alignment, and operational resilience continue to increase.The July 2025 Quarterly Compliance Update – released at the beginning of each quarter – is designed to help CISOs, IT administrators, and compliance leaders stay ahead of emerging risks and regulatory shifts, while maximizing the value of Microsoft’s cloud and AI services.It’s a practical guide for organizations navigating the complexities of compliance in regulated industries.
Partner Case Study | Siemens
The longstanding partnership between Microsoft and Siemens—a German tech conglomerate that focuses on industrial automation—helps solve a crucial challenge facing consumer packaged goods (CPG) and retail companies: fragmented processes across production.Cloud-powered lifecycle management tailored for CPG and retailAt the core of Siemens' ILM is Siemens' Teamcenter X on Azure, a cloud-based product lifecycle management (PLM) platform.
Ingesting .CSV log files from Azure Blob Storage into Microsoft Sentinel
To enhance security monitoring, compliance, and threat detection, it is important to bring this log data into a centralized security tool like Microsoft Sentinel.The main goal is to automatically collect and analyze .CSV log files stored in Azure Blob Storage using Sentinel’s advanced analytics and automation capabilities.CSV log files from Azure Blob Storage into Microsoft Sentinel is a powerful way to centralize and automate the organization’s security monitoring.
Save new files automatically to the cloud in Word for Windows
I’m excited to share an update to Microsoft Word for Windows that automatically saves new documents to the cloud.Save new files automatically to the cloud in Word for WindowsCreate a new document in Word on your Windows device and notice that AutoSave is already toggled on.
Cutting the wire without cutting the audio quality
Windows 11 and most modern Bluetooth headsets now support improved audio compression and double the sample rate for HFP, which is called “wideband” voice.LE Audio uses improved audio compression and TMAP requires headphones and earbuds to support even higher “super wideband” audio fidelity at a 32kHz sample rate while using voice.Today, we’re excited to announce a new feature in Windows 11 that allows Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio devices to play in high quality stereo while using the microphone, for a drastically improved audio experience in games and calls!
Connecting an Agent in Copilot Studio to an MCP Server
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a standardized framework designed to enable seamless communication between agents and external data or tool sources.This blog provides a step-by-step guide to creating and configuring a custom connector for an MCP server and integrating it with an agent in Copilot Studio.Extend your agent with Model Context Protocol - Microsoft Copilot Studio |
Performance of Llama 3.1 8B AI Inference using vLLM on ND-H100-v5
The pace of development in large language models (LLMs) has continued to accelerate as the global AI community races toward the goal of artificial general intelligence (AGI).In this paper, we explore the capabilities of the Llama 3.1 8B model as a representative example of a modern, enterprise-ready LLM.We benchmark its inference performance on Azure’s ND-H100 v5 infrastructure using the vLLM engine and present our findings along with recommendations for enterprise deployment.
Windows Backup for Organizations is now available
This new feature allows your organization to seamlessly back up Windows 10 or Windows 11 settings and effortlessly restore them on a Microsoft Entra joined device.With Windows 10 support ending on October 14, 2025, ease your transition to Windows 11.Note: While Windows Backup for Organizations can easily help you move to Windows 11 with your settings and Microsoft Store apps already in place, there are circumstances that could prevent you from replacing Windows 10 devices before the end of support.
Reimagining work: Microsoft’s vision for the future of Desktop as a Service
In this landscape, Desktop as a Service (DaaS) is emerging as a strategic enabler, not just a technical solution.Microsoft is at the forefront of reimagining DaaS, extending beyond virtual desktops to deliver a platform for business agility, resilience, and human-centric innovation.Our Leader position in the Gartner Magic Quadrant™ for Desktop as a Service for three consecutive years, we believe, reflects our commitment to driving this evolution.
Kick off NFL season right with Microsoft Copilot
If you’re hoping to make the most out of this NFL season, consider using Microsoft Copilot!Get help drafting a winning Fantasy Football teamPlan the perfect tailgate or party
Introducing the SharePoint Showcase blog series
In Microsoft’s FY25 Q4 earnings, Satya Nadella announced that this year, customers have built over 3 million agents from SharePoint and Copilot Studio - a milestone that reflects the incredible momentum and creativity across customers.Create an agent scoped to your content.Access SharePoint agents directly in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app
Updates to Data Security specialization (formerly Information Protection and Governance)
As of 8/26/2025, the Information Protection and Governance specialization is now updated to the Data Security specialization in response to partner feedback and evolving market conditions.In addition to a new name, the specialization also features updated skilling and performance requirements.The Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program has the resources you need to meet these new benchmarks and stand out to customers.
Microsoft deployment blueprint - Address oversharing concerns for your M365 Copilot deployment
Optimized deployment leverages advanced compliance and automation capabilities available in Microsoft 365 E5.This episode outlines how E5 customers can proactively secure data and enhance Copilot performance.Export top 100 sites and run SharePoint Advanced Management (SAM) permission state reports and Purview DSPM for AI assessments to gain visibility into all data at risk of Copilot access (pivot on labels and sensitive information types).
Automate Your Log Analytics Workflows with AI and Logic Apps
In this post, we’ll demonstrate how to build a simple yet powerful workflow using Azure Logic Apps, Log Analytics queries, and LLMs to automate log analysis, save time, and spot issues faster.While we focus here on an example using Application Insights data with Azure OpenAI, the same approach can be applied to any Log Analytics source - whether raw logs, security events, or custom logs.With Azure Logic Apps, you can create a recurring workflow that automatically runs your Log Analytics queries, sends the summarized results to Azure OpenAI for analysis, and delivers a clear, actionable report straight to your inbox on your preferred schedule.
August update: What's new in Azure for Partners
We just shared our FY26 partner strategy at MCAPS Start for Partners—and it’s all about what’s next with AI.GPT-5 is now in Azure AI Foundry, offering top-tier reasoning for building intelligent and safe AI apps and agents.Dive into our latest blog and research to learn how Azure-native integration, autoscaling, and unified governance make Azure Databricks the best home for your data and AI workloads, and then share the information with your customers as they consider their preferred data platform.
AgentCon Southeast Asia 2025 is just around the corner!
AgentCon Southeast Asia 2025 is just around the corner!Be part of this FREE, community-powered AI event where innovation meets collaboration: 📍Dive into hands-on workshops, experience live demos, and gain expert insights on Copilot, agentic AI, and real-world applications from global tech experts.
Revolutionizing Excel: How Copilot Simplifies Cell Formulas
In this HLS Microsoft 365 Copilot Learning Session Microsoft's Darryl Rowe and Michael Gannotti discuss how Microsoft 365 Copilot simplifies cell formulas and Darryl provides two different demonstrations of the new feature. Today, Microsoft is changing the game with Copilot in Excel, an AI-powered assistant designed to make formula creation easier, faster, and more intuitive.Copilot in Excel is an intelligent assistant that leverages artificial intelligence to help users perform a wide range of tasks, including writing, editing, and troubleshooting cell formulas.
How Copilot Can Save Us Energy
Devices like Amazon Alexa and Google Home are not just glorified trivia machines, they’re energy-saving ninjas when used correctly.But here’s the plot twist: these devices can also be energy vampires.With Copilot in your corner, you can harness the power of AI to make your home smarter, greener, and a little less expensive.
The Future of AI: Developing Lacuna - an agent for Revealing Quiet Assumptions in Product Design
The future of AI blog series is an evolving collection of posts from the AI Futures team in collaboration with subject matter experts across Microsoft.In this series, we explore tools and technologies that will drive the next generation of AI.I saw an opportunity to create an agent using Copilot Studio, powered by Azure AI Foundry, to investigate the assumptions that were baked into my team's product thinking.
SQL Server 2025 Preview: Now Supporting Ubuntu 24.04 and TLS 1.3
We are excited to introduce two key enhancements in the SQL Server 2025 Release Candidate 0 (RC0) for Linux: Ubuntu 24.04 and the addition of Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3 support.SQL Server 2025 Preview now supports Ubuntu 24.04.How to Deploy SQL Server 2025 RC0 on Ubuntu 24.04
Generate Now! Podcast - Agentic AI Partner and Industry Conversations
James Caton sits down with Microsoft industry experts and leading global system integrators (GSIs) to explore how Agentic AI is transforming industries— from banking and healthcare to manufacturing and public sector.Each episode will feature behind-the-scenes insights, measurable impact, and the strategic thinking that’s driving Agentic AI success at scale.Subscribe and listen on all major podcast platforms.
Governing Copilot agents: Your next step starts here
For those of you navigating this shift, Rob Howard, Microsoft’s VP of Copilot Extensibility, offers a practical governance framework in his article, What IT admins need to know about governing AI agents.The article introduces three key governance pillars:Ready to securely and strategically lead your organization into the future of AI?
What’s New in Microsoft Intune: August 2025
This month's new capabilities tackle these everyday challenges with four key improvements: smarter application control, devices that manage their own patching, multi-admin approval for critical workflows, and better visibility into Apple updates.App Control for Business is now generally available with new targeting capabilities that make Managed Installer enterprise ready.Windows 11 devices now grab quality updates automatically during their out-of-box experience on Microsoft Entra-joined devices.
Announcing Public Preview for Azure Service Groups!
Service Groups are a new resource container enabling management and observability scenarios where flexibility in hierarchy and membership is needed.No, Service Groups have been designed to work in parallel with existing Azure Groups.Service Groups are tenant level so they can have membership from across the tenant.
Partner Blog | Drive impact in the era of agentic AI with new benefits and resources in FY26
As we kick off a new fiscal year, we’re renewing our commitment to enabling partners to lead in the era of agentic AI.Unlock new AI-powered benefits in FY26 Beginning in February 2026, we will roll out new and enhanced benefits designed to reflect partner feedback and enable further growth—starting with Microsoft AI and Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Skilling snack: Get started with AI in Windows
Start at the top to understand the broader implications of AI on the Windows ecosystem or jump straight to your topic of interest to learn more.Help improve productivity for users in your organization by pinning Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat to the navigation bar and downloading the Copilot Success Kit.Learn about using and managing enhanced enterprise data protection (EDP), Microsoft Entra accounts, the Copilot app, the Copilot hardware key, and more.
Microsoft Entra Private Access for Domain Controllers is now in Public Preview
Microsoft Entra Private Access for Active Directory Domain Controllers is now in Public Preview.As part of Microsoft’s Security Service Edge (SSE), this feature lets organizations use Conditional Access and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for internal resources that authenticate through Kerberos, managed via Global Secure Access.Microsoft Entra Private Access for Active Directory Domain Controllers enhances Zero Trust access controls for on-premises resources through the deployment of the Private Access sensor, a lightweight agent installed on domain controllers.
MSSQL Extension for VS Code: Schema Compare, Schema Designer, Local SQL Server Container GA
In version v1.35.0, we’re announcing the General Availability (GA) of Schema Designer, Schema Compare, and Local SQL Server Containers — three powerful tools that bring structure, clarity, and flexibility to your local development workflow.What’s new in MSSQL extension for VS Code v1.35The v1.35 release marks a major milestone with the general availability of Schema Designer, Schema Compare, and the Local SQL Server Container.
Enforcing Angular Unit Test Coverage in Azure DevOps Pipelines: A Step-by-Step Guide
2️⃣ Run Angular Unit Tests with Coverage Why it matters: Makes test results visible in Azure DevOps UI.By enforcing Angular unit tests in your Azure DevOps pipeline with JUnit, Cobertura, and a 70% threshold, you build a quality gate that scales with your team.
Syksyn 2025 tekniset ja myynnin Kumppanitunnit
Microsoftin tekniset ja myynnille suunnatut Kumppanitunnit järjestetään Cloud Champion -sivustolla, josta ne ovat kätevästi saatavilla tallenteina materiaaleineen pari tuntia live-lähetyksen jälkeen.Kumppanitunti on joka toinen perjantai klo 10–11 järjestettävä Microsoftin kumppaniwebinaari, joka on tarkoitettu Microsoftin kumppaneille.Microsoftin suomalaiset arkkitehdit, tuotepäälliköt, ratkaisumyyjät ja kumppanivastaavat ovat poimineet kiinnostavia ja hyödyllisiä aiheita, joita he vuorollaan esittelevät.
Learn about Binary Stream's ISV Success for Business Applications solutions in Microsoft AppSource
Microsoft ISV Success for Business Applications offers platforms, resources, and support designed to help partners develop, publish, and market business apps. Learn about offers from Binary Stream Software below:Businesses can use Subscription Billing Suite, an extension for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, to drive growth and streamline their financial operations.Advanced Subscription Management also enables compliance with key accounting and financial standards, like ASC 606, IFRS 15, ASC 842, and IFRS 16.
Introducing the New SharePoint Page Template Gallery
We’re excited to announce that the new SharePoint Template Gallery is now generally available for commercial customers worldwide!A rich collection of modern, out-of-the-box (OOB) templates under ‘From Microsoft’, designed to help you create polished pages and news posts with ease.Browse and select a template in the new Templates Gallery
Unlocking Regional Insights with the Location Based Capabilities REST API
Managing MySQL Flexible Server deployments across Azure regions often means navigating differences in available features, SKUs, storage options, backup retention periods, or high availability configurations. That’s where the Location-Based Capability Set – List API comes in, providing a programmatic way to retrieve up-to-date, region-specific capabilities.These PowerShell and Bash scripts help you quickly check Azure Database for MySQL capabilities in a region to prevent deployment issues and ensure reliable provisioning workflows.
Seoul AI Hub & Microsoft MVPs Empower Citizens with AI Skills — No Coding Required
Seoul AI Hub, an AI-specialized support organization under the Seoul Metropolitan Government, is dedicated to fostering the city’s AI industry ecosystem through talent development, startup incubation, and public education.In partnership with Microsoft MVPs, the hub is making AI accessible to all through the AI Frontiers Series — blending expert talks with hands-on workshops.The collaboration between Seoul AI Hub and Microsoft MVPs demonstrates the transformative power of community-led expertise.
Model Mondays S2E10: Automating Document Processing with AI
We kicked off with the top news and updates in the Azure AI ecosystem:Agent Factory Blog Series:A new 6-part blog series on designing reliable, agentic AI—exploring multi-step, collaborative agents that reflect, plan, and adapt using tool integrations and design patterns.This week’s spotlight was a hands-on exploration of document processing, featuring both Microsoft and Mistral AI experts.
Migrating Oracle Partitioned Tables to Azure PostgreSQL Without Altering Partition Keys
When migrating partitioned tables from Oracle to Azure PostgreSQL Flexible Server, many customers prefer to preserve their existing Oracle table design exactly as defined in the original DDLs. Specifically, they want to avoid altering the partition key structure, especially by not adding the partition key to any primary or unique constraints, because doing so would change the table’s original design integrity.It supports declarative partitioning in PostgreSQL while eliminating the need to modify primary or unique constraints to include the partition key.However, Azure PostgreSQL Flexible Server requires that any primary or unique constraint on a partitioned table must also include the partition key.
Key Considerations to Avoid Implicit Conversion Issues in Oracle to Azure SQL Modernization
This blog dives into the mechanics of implicit data type conversions and their impact during the post-migration performance optimization phase of heterogeneous database migrations.Drawing from our observed Engineering field patterns across diverse application architectures, this blog explores why certain platforms like ORMs, JDBC drivers, and cross-platform data models are more prone to implicit conversions than others and how they result in performance issues, break indexes, or cause query regressions.Refactor your application code to leverage strongly typed variables and parameter declarations to ensure data type consistency at the source, minimizing implicit conversions during query execution.
OneNote for Windows 10 support is ending
Today, I’d like to share an important update: Beginning October 14, OneNote for Windows 10 will reach End of Support.We recommend OneNote customers begin using the OneNote on Windows app for a more streamlined experience.OneNote for Windows 10 support is ending
Limiting Onmicrosoft Domain Usage for Sending Emails
MOERA domains for emailIf your tenant's default domain is a MOERA domain, set the default domain to a custom domain.You can use the Message Trace feature in Exchange Admin Center to retrieve the outbound traffic being sent from your tenant. By placing a wild card address in the Senders field, you can get a report with all traffic using your onmicrosoft.com domain to send.
Discover the latest security innovations at Microsoft Ignite 2025
In today’s rapidly evolving digital world, security leaders and practitioners face new challenges—and opportunities—driven by the rise of AI. At Microsoft Ignite, we will showcase end-to-end security innovations and share world class threat and regulatory intelligence to give you the advantage you need to safely adopt AI and face the rapidly changing threat landscape.Visionary insights: Hear directly from Microsoft Security leaders and industry experts on the evolving threat landscape and the role of AI in defense.San Francisco, November 17–21, 2025 Or join us online November 18–21
Streamlining Document Creation with Microsoft 365 Copilot: A Step-by-Step Workflow
Whether producing content for external customers or for those inside of your organization the use of the Researcher Agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat combined with Edit in Pages to Microsoft Word and Audio overviews can save you hours, if not days of work.Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat addresses these challenges, offering a seamless workflow that leverages AI-powered capabilities to streamline document creation from initial research to final delivery.By integrating the Researcher Agent, Pages collaboration, Word distribution, and audio podcast overview into a unified workflow, Microsoft 365 Copilot dramatically reduces the time and effort required to produce high-quality documents.
Most widely used SharePoint Framework ISVs from the Store - July 2025
We are excited to see the continuous growth on the submissions of the SharePoint Framework (SPFx) solutions to the app source and on the usage of the SharePoint store for extending experiences for SharePoint, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Viva.SharePoint Framework is extensibility model for Microsoft Viva, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Microsoft 365 app and SharePoint (soon also for Copilot).It enables the same code to be used easily across the Microsoft 365 with this widely adopted tooling which uses industry standard tech with easy and automatic SSO and hosting. Usage of SPFx continues to grow steady and we have currently tens of millions of monthly active users in Microsoft 365 on custom extensibility build with SPFx.
Hotpatch readiness: Enable VBS at scale
If you're looking to bring hotpatch to your environment, there’s one key requirement to start with: virtualization-based security (VBS) must be enabled on your devices.With the hotpatching feature of Windows Autopatch, you can apply security updates to Windows without requiring a restart.Alternatively, enable VBS using this command in an elevated command prompt:
Microsoft Copilot Studio: Créer et déployer un chatbot
Copilot Studio est un outil faisant parti de Microsoft 365 qui permet de créer facilement des Chatbots.Un Agent Copilot est capable de discuter avec les utilisateurs en langage naturel.Un responsable d’un projet d’étudiant qui veut créer un assistant virtuel pour répondre aux questions fréquentes sur le projet :
Viva Amplify Just Got a Whole Lot More Expressive
At Microsoft, we believe that great communication is more than just delivering a message, it’s about creating connection, clarity, and impact. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce a set of powerful new features in Viva Amplify that give communicators even more creative control and flexibility: multi-column layouts, animated GIF support, custom themes, and custom fonts.With support for animated GIFs, you can now add energy and emotion to your communications.Viva Amplify now supports custom fonts sourced from your organization’s Brand Center, allowing you to maintain consistency across SharePoint pages and Outlook email*.
Introducing Cloud-Managed Remote Mailboxes: a Step to Last Exchange Server Retirement
In hybrid environments, mailbox attributes of directory-synchronized user accounts cannot be managed from Exchange Online by design – attempts to edit mailbox attributes in the cloud would usually be blocked because the object source of authority (SOA) is on-premises.A new Exchange Online feature (in preview) helps eliminate the need for an Exchange server for remote mailbox management, by enabling cloud-side management of directory-synchronized user remote mailbox attributes.We are excited to introduce a new feature in Exchange Online that allows administrators to manage Exchange properties of directory-synchronized users with remote mailboxes directly from the cloud.
New in Azure Marketplace: August 1-11, 2025
For this volume, 241 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live.Features include unified audit dashboard, AI-driven anomaly detection, real-time monitoring, generative AI-powered report generation, policy interpretation, smart assistant for auditors, secure role-based access, and seamless integration with Microsoft 365, Azure, SharePoint, and popular data platforms.MKB (NL): Available in Dutch, Cyber Basics NIS2 is a comprehensive information security management system (ISMS) solution for cybersecurity compliance, simplifying NIS2 requirements with pre-defined policies and procedures.
Beyond Prompts: How Agentic AI is Redefining Human-AI Collaboration
Here are the high-level steps to get started with Agentic AI using only official Microsoft resources, each with a direct link to the relevant documentation:Build an Agentic Web App with Semantic Kernel or Foundry - Follow a hands-on tutorial to integrate agentic capabilities into a .NET web app using Semantic Kernel or Azure AI Foundry.I'm Juliet Rajan, a Lead Technical Trainer and passionate innovator in AI education.
Shipped! Surveys Agent now live for customers in Microsoft 365 Copilot (Frontier program)
Today, we’re excited to introduce Surveys Agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot, a brand-new pre-built agent developed by Microsoft, now available through the Frontier program.Surveys Agent in BizChatSurveys Agent is now available to commercial users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license as part of the Frontier program that gives customers early access to new Copilot innovations while they’re still in development.
Breaking Limits: Full-Length SQL Audit Statements Now Supported for Azure SQL DB
We’re excited to announce a major enhancement to SQL auditing in Azure SQL Database, the removal of the 4,000-character truncation limit for audit records.With this update, statements are no longer truncated.Audit logs now capture the entire content of auditable actions, ensuring complete visibility and traceability for security and compliance teams.
Event Recap - TechCon Atlanta - August 2025
We’ve just concluded an unforgettable week at the Microsoft 365, Copilot / AI & Power Platform Conference in Atlanta, GA, hosted at the Georgia World Congress Center from August 11–15, 2025.It’s a workforce, leadership, and community topic.3️⃣ The 10-10-10 guideline from author Suzy Welch, a decision-making tool my dad, Stan Cook, shared with me years ago that I still use today. Using the new Researcher Agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot, I pulled stats from the 2025 PwC Global AI Jobs Barometer Report (a must read) and generated a 21-page paper in minutes.This will fuel future blogs and content on supporting women in AI-exposed roles and amplifying conversations around women’s health.
Building AI Muscle Today: Why and How Organizations Should Embrace AI Now
A 2025 McKinsey report revealed that while almost all companies have invested in AI, only about 1% feel they have achieved AI maturity.According to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index 2024, 75% of knowledge workers are now using generative AI at work, a figure that nearly doubled in just six months.Yet many organizations have no clear AI strategy: 60% of leaders say their company lacks a concrete AI vision or plan.
Partner Case Study | 3Cloud
A multi-time Partner of the Year Award winner, including both the Data & AI and Healthcare & Life Sciences categories in 2024, 3Cloud has been building on Azure since 2016.Fully dedicated to Azure, the team was founded by former Microsoft colleagues and has helped more than 1,600 clients with their Azure engagements.This impressive track record made 3Cloud a natural choice when Members 1st Federal Credit Union decided they wanted to harness their data infrastructure to deliver more personalized, convenient experiences to their members.
Generating Classes with Custom Naming Conventions Using GitHub Copilot and a Custom MCP Server
To address such needs, one possible approach is to build a custom MCP server and connect it to GitHub Copilot.By building an MCP server as an ASP.NET Core application and integrating it with GitHub Copilot, you can introduce custom rules and functionality tailored to your organization’s needs.In this article, we introduced how to build your own MCP server and use it via the GitHub Copilot Agent.
Prep for fall classes and college life with Microsoft Copilot
Up your life skills with recipes and moreLiving on your own for the first time means taking on a lot of new tasks, like cooking for yourself or navigating public transit.Learn about the Microsoft 365 Insider program and sign up for the Microsoft 365 Insider newsletter to get the latest information about Insider features in your inbox once a month!
M365 Copilot Prompt-a-thon: A Hands-On Event for Government Innovators
Join us for an immersive, in-person experience at the Microsoft Innovation Hub in Reston, VA on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM ET.Through interactive sessions, hands-on exercises, and real-world mission scenarios, you’ll learn how to transform your day-to-day operations using generative AI.Learn how to build a compelling business case for generative AI adoption in your agency.
What's New in Microsoft EDU - Back to School August 2025
Microsoft 365 LTI brings Microsoft 365 for Education capabilities for learning management systems together into a single tool and streamlined user experience.Microsoft 365 LTI is now in public preview for Instructure Canvas, Powerschool Schoology, Anthology Blackboard, D2L Brightspace, and Moodle.We recently introduced the updated Microsoft 365 Copilot app, your hub for the latest functionality and later this year in preview, for AI-powered features for educators.
New in Microsoft AppSource: August 1-11, 2025
For this volume, 209 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live.Chain Partner (NL): Cyber Basics NIS2/Cybersecurity Act is an ISMS solution for NIS2 compliance designed for supply chain partners.MKB (NL): Cyber Basics NIS2/Cybersecurity Act is a comprehensive ISMS solution for cybersecurity compliance, simplifying NIS2 requirements with pre-defined policies and procedures.
Microsoft Sentinel’s New Data Lake: Cut Costs & Boost Threat Detection
Now, with the introduction of its new Data Lake architecture, Sentinel is transforming how security data is stored, accessed, and analyzed, bringing unmatched flexibility and scale to threat investigation.Unlike Microsoft Fabric OneLake, which supports analytics across the organization, Sentinel’s Data Lake is purpose-built for security.Microsoft Sentinel’s Data Lake separates storage from computing, offering scalable and cost-effective analytics and compliance.
SharePoint Pages: Introducing Sections with AI
Sections with AI works by first looking at the context of your page to offer prompt suggestions for what content you need next to offer a starting point.Figure 1: Click the "Add section using AI" section next to the '+' button between sectionsOnce you click generate, Sections with AI then leverages your sources, the knowledge and content already inside of your organization, and the content already on your page to create rich sections that go beyond just image and text.
Announcing Early Preview: BYO Remote MCP Server on Azure Functions
If you’ve already built Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers with the MCP SDKs and wished you could turn them into world class Remote MCP servers using a hyperscale, serverless platform, then this one’s for you!We’ve published samples showing how to host bring‑your-own (BYO) Remote MCP servers on Azure Functions, so you can run the servers you’ve already built with the MCP SDKs—Python, Node, and .NET—with minimal changes and full serverless goodness.If you’ve already implemented servers with the MCP SDKs (Python, Node, .NET), deploy them to Azure Functions as remote MCP servers with just one line of code change.
Optimizing Large-Scale AI Performance with Pretraining Validation on a Single Azure ND GB200 v6
The Llama3 8B model was selected as the focus of this analysis due to its relevance as a modern, open-weight large language model (LLM) architecture.Llama 3 70B is too large to fit onto the previous generations of virtual machines covered in our Azure AI Benchmarking guide, while the 3B model doesn’t fully stress the ND GB200 v6 VM.This section explains parallelism parameters (tensor, pipeline, context, data) and micro batch size to maximize the Azure virtual machine’s performance and training speed.
Optimize Large-Scale AI performance with proven Single VM pretraining validation on ND GB200 v6
The Llama3 8B model was selected as the focus of this analysis due to its relevance as a modern, open-weight large language model (LLM) architecture.Llama 3 70B is too large to fit onto the previous generations of virtual machines covered in our Azure AI Benchmarking guide, while the 3B model doesn’t fully stress the ND GB200 v6 VM.This section explains parallelism parameters (tensor, pipeline, context, data) and micro batch size to maximize the Azure virtual machine’s performance and training speed.
How do I choose the right model for my agent?
How do I choose the right model for my agent?Define the level of reasoning and adaptability your agent needs.In short: start by mapping out your agent’s needs in terms of data types, reasoning depth, control, domain, and interaction style.
August V1 Title Plan Now Available
🗂️ August V1 Title Plan Now AvailableAccess the latest Instructor-Led Training (ILT) updates anytime at: http://aka.ms/Courseware_Title_PlanMake sure you're always working from the most current version.
Course Retirement Announcement: DP-3012
The retirement is due to low demand and the availability of alternative courses that better align with current industry needs and technologies.DP-700T00: Microsoft Fabric Data EngineerThere is no direct replacement for DP-3012, but these alternatives offer robust pathways for developing data engineering and analytics skills on Microsoft platforms.
Released: August 2025 Skype for Business Server Hotfix Updates
Microsoft has released Hotfix Updates (HUs) for Skype for Business (SfB) Server that introduces support for a new security-related feature.Starting with the August 2025 Hotfix (HF), Skype for Business Server has the capability to configure a Dedicated Hybrid Application to ensure secure and reliable hybrid integration with Exchange Online.Note: For Skype for Business Server 2015, administrators must also run the add_sfbassets.ps1 script after installing the update to ensure continued functionality of the Skype Meetings Application.
Bring AI to your formulas with the COPILOT function in Excel
Today, I’m excited to introduce the new COPILOT function in Microsoft Excel for Windows and Excel for Mac, a major step forward in how you work with data that brings the power of large language models directly into the grid and makes it easier than ever to analyze text, generate content, and work faster.Bring AI to your formulas with the COPILOT function in ExcelThe new COPILOT function in Excel for Windows and Excel for Mac is here to save time and supercharge your workflows!
How The Great Copilot Journey Helps Drive Copilot Usage
Internal Microsoft pilots saw more than 23% higher daily active usageThe Great Copilot Journey is a 30-day skilling resource that helps users learn how to use Copilot, one prompt at time.We ran internal pilots of the Great Copilot Journey for Microsoft 365 Copilot with 653 participants, and here’s what we found:
Enhance Your Data Protection Strategy with Azure Elastic SAN’s Newest Backup Options
As organizations adopt Azure Elastic SAN for scalable high-performance storage, we are pleased to announce the public preview of backup support via Azure Backup and Commvault.Both the integration of Azure Backup for Elastic SAN and Commvault’s integration with Elastic SAN are in public preview and available for everyone to use.With features such as independent lifecycle backups, high-frequency restore points, and simplified management, you can confidently protect your Elastic SAN volumes from a range of data loss scenarios.
Deep Dive: DLP Incidents, Alerts & Events - Part 2
In addition to these standard details, the alert view also displays the correlation reason, which is particularly beneficial for security analysts and administrators.The details page is divided into two sections.Now that we understand incidents and alerts, let's review events.
Unlocking Summer Productivity: 3 Microsoft 365 Features SMBs Should Be Using Right Now
Loop is collaborative workspace app designed for teams to co-create and organize content.These pages can then be shared across Teams, Outlook, and other Microsoft 365 apps as links or embedded Loop components.Microsoft OneNote: Streamline Task Management
Deep Dive: DLP Incidents, Alerts & Events - Part 1
Prior to delving into the specifics, it is essential to understand that Microsoft Defender employs correlation analytics to aggregate related alerts and automated investigations from various products into a single incident.Alert correlation and incident merging in the Microsoft Defender portal - Microsoft Defender XDR |Microsoft Defender XDR automatically names incidents, alerts, and events using attributes like activity, channel, users, detection sources, and category.
更新プログラム適用後、bcp.exe の出力メッセージが英語になる
SQL Server の更新プログラムを適用後、日本語リソースファイルを再配置します。As a result, the Japanese resource file for the ODBC driver is deleted during the update process.After applying the SQL Server update, relocate the Japanese resource file.
Simplify networking and enhance security with Azure Virtual WAN and Fortinet in Azure Marketplace
In this guest blog post, Srija Reddy Allam, a cloud security architect at Fortinet, explores how Azure Virtual WAN simplifies networking and how integrating FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall, available in Azure Marketplace, enhances security and performance for seamless, scalable connectivity across distributed environments.To streamline connectivity across hybrid and cloud environments, many enterprises are turning to cloud-native networking models, such as Azure Virtual WAN (VWAN).Fortinet FortiGate Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) in Azure Marketplace offers a wide range of capabilities, including advanced networking, SD-WAN, IPsec, and SSL VPN functionalities, alongside robust security features such as intrusion prevention and detection, antivirus, web and video filtering, SSL inspection, and more.
GPT-5: The 7 new features enabling real world use cases
GPT-5 was trained with a focus on features that provide value to real world use cases.In this article we will cover the key innovations in GPT-5 and provides practical examples of these differences in action.We will cover the below 7 new features, that will help accelerate your real world adoption of GenAI:
Introducing new SharePoint Site Header & Footer Enhancements
To better align with modern design standards and evolving customer expectations, we’re excited to introduce a refreshed and more customizable visual experience for the SharePoint site header and footer.When will this feature be available?General Availability (Worldwide, GCC): Rollout begins late August 2025 and completes by mid of September 2025.
How to Use Custom Models with Foundry Local: A Beginner's Guide
Foundry Local is a user-friendly tool that helps you run small AI language models directly on your Windows or Mac computer.Microsoft Olive is like a smart assistant that helps convert AI models for you.This command takes you to the "models folder" - think of it as the app store for your AI models.
From mission to impact: Why Surface is the trusted choice for nonprofits
Across continents and causes, nonprofits are redefining what it means to serve—and technology is quietly powering this transformation behind the scenes.Nonprofits have always been on the front lines of change, but their work today is more dynamic—and more digital—than ever.With trusted security, mobility built in, and powerful AI at the ready, nonprofits can focus on what they do best: creating lasting change.
September Calendar IS HERE!
🚀✨ Another month, another exciting calendar from the Microsoft Hero ✨🚀From 🌍 different time zones, and 🌟 diverse topics, we’re bringing incredible sessions designed for everyone, whether you’re just starting your journey or already an expert in Microsoft and the cloud.This month, we’ve packed the calendar with amazing speakers from across the globe 🌐 who will be sharing their invaluable knowledge and real-world experiences. 🙌💡 Join our live sessions, learn from inspiring experts, and take a step closer to transforming your career, boosting your skills, and making an impact in your organization.⏰ Just like last month, we’re covering multiple time zones, from Australia 🇦🇺, to Europe 🇪🇺, to the Americas 🌎, so no matter where you are, there’s a session waiting for you!👉 Don’t miss out, register today, get ready, and let’s grow together from Zero to Hero! 💪🚀Santhoshkumar Anandakrishnan Mastering Azure Networking Services to Protect Your ApplicationsSeptember 4, 2025 11:00 AM CETSeptember 4, 2025 07:00 PM AEST Arafat TehsinA deep dive into Agentic AI with Semantic KernelSeptember 9, 2025 11:00 AM CETSeptember 9, 2025 07:00 PM AESTKim BergNavigating the Azure AI seasSeptember 13, 2025 06:00 PM CETAndrew O'YoungData Security Considerations for M365 CopilotSeptember 16, 2025 11:00 AM CETSeptember 16, 2025 07:00 PM AESTPam DeGraffenreidStart Smart with AI Builder: Prompts, Power Platform, and Pro TipsSeptember 20, 2025 06:00 PM CETAnthony PorterAutomating Sentinel Triage with Microsoft Security CopilotSeptember 29, 2025 09:00 AM CETSeptember 29, 2025 05:00 PM AEST
Supercharge Your App Service Apps with AI Foundry Agents Connected to MCP servers
The integration of AI into web applications has reached a new milestone with the introduction of Model Context Protocol (MCP) support in Azure AI Foundry Agent Service.This powerful new feature allows developers to extend the capabilities of their Azure AI Foundry agents by connecting them to tools hosted on remote MCP servers—and the best part?In this blog post, we'll explore how this new functionality works, demonstrate a practical implementation, and show you how to get started with your own MCP-enabled applications on App Service.
Microsoft Security Exposure Management Ninja Training
This blog post has a curation of many Microsoft security exposure management (MSEM) resources, organized in a format that can help you to go from absolutely no knowledge in MSEM, to designing and implementing different scenarios.You can use this blog post as a training roadmap to ramp up your knowledge in MSEM. Microsoft Security Exposure Management empowers customers to:
Welcome to the Microsoft Defender Experts Ninja Hub!
Microsoft Defender Experts for XDRMicrosoft Defender Experts for XDR is a managed extended detection and response (MXDR) service that triages, investigates, and responds to incidents for you to help stop cyberattackers and prevent future compromise.The documentation links below provide more information on the service, requirements, and FAQs:
Deepening our Partnership with Mistral AI on Azure AI Foundry
We’re excited to mark a new chapter in our collaboration with Mistral AI, a leading European AI innovator, with the launch of Mistral Document AI in Azure AI Foundry Models.This marks the first in a series of Mistral models coming to Azure as a serverless API, giving customers seamless access to Mistral’s cutting-edge capabilities, fully hosted, managed, and integrated into the Foundry ecosystem.Mistral Document AI is built with a multimodal approach that combines vision and language understanding, it interprets documents with contextual intelligence and delivers structured outputs that reflect the original layout—tables remain tables, headings remain headings, and images are preserved alongside the text.”
Building AI Agents with Ease: Function Calling in VS Code AI Toolkit
Function calling is a powerful technique that allows Large Language Models (LLMs) to go beyond their static training data and interact with real-world, dynamic information sources like databases and APIs.The process of Tool/Function calling typically involves two main components: a client application and the LLM.# To authenticate with the model you will need to generate a personal access token (PAT) in your GitHub settings.
Deploying OpenAI’s First Open-Source Model on Azure AKS with KAITO
OpenAI recently released GPT-OSS, its first open-source large language model.Microsoft Azure’s AKS (Azure Kubernetes Service) paired with KAITO (Kubernetes AI Toolchain Operator) provides a powerful, scalable environment for deploying such models.In this tutorial, we’ll walk through deploying the openai/gpt-oss-20B model on Azure’s Standard_NV36ads_A10_v5 GPU instances using vLLM for fast inference — all running on AKS via KAITO.
Empowering.Cloud Community Update – September 2025
The latest Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 expert community briefings, podcasts and upcoming community events for September 2025.Gregory explains how Logitech's Zone Wireless 2 and Zone 305 became the first two Microsoft-certified headsets that work without dongles, eliminating a long-standing pain point for users.Join Microsoft MVPs Zoe Wilson and Kevin McDonnell for the monthly Copilot Fireside Chat series!
Using Entra ID Authentication with Arc-Enabled SQL Server in a .NET Windows Forms Application
This code connects to an Azure SQL Database using a connection string and an access token obtained through MSAL authentication.Configure Azure Arc SQL Server to use Entra ID authenticationBy following the steps outlined in this guide, developers can ensure secure and efficient connections between their .NET Windows Forms applications and Arc-enabled SQL Server instances using Entra ID authentication.
Higher log rate for business critical service tier in Azure SQL MI
We are thrilled to publish this article dedicated to a significant improvement for Azure SQL Managed Instance: customers using the business critical service tier on premium series hardware can now benefit from a much higher log rate.This update brings improved transaction processing, faster data recovery, and expanded scalability - empowering mission-critical operations in the cloud.With the new enhancement from June 2025, the per-vCore log rate for the Business Critical service tier on premium series hardware has been substantially improved - from 4.5 MiB/s to 12 MiB/s – extending the log rate benefit to instances running on up to 20 vCores.
One MCP Server, Two Transports: STDIO and HTTP
What if a single MCP server supports both STDIO and HTTP, controlled by a simple switch?This post shows how to build a single MCP server that supports both transports, selected at runtime with a --http switch, using the .NET builder pattern.All server apps in the repo support both STDIO and HTTP via the switch.
Gpresult Like Tool For Intune
I had to troubleshoot a lot of Intune policies lately and I used a variety of tools for that.At the end, I built my own script to have a result which looks similar to what “GPresult /h” creates for on-premises group polices.The script is inspired by the following article: https://doitpshway.com/get-a-better-intune-policy-report-part-2 by Ondrej Sebela.It follows a similar approach, but without any module dependencies and fewer output options, as my script only generates an HTML page.What started as a script is now a module which might have more functions in the future.Feel free to read any of my other articles here: https://aka.ms/JonasOhmsenBlogsUse parameter “-MDMDiagReportPath” to load MDM report data captured on a remote machine.Simply generate MDM report data, either with the MdmDiagnosticsTool.exe, via the settings app or via Intune.
Announcing the Text PII August preview model release in Azure AI language
Azure AI Language is excited to announce a new preview model release for the PII (Personally Identifiable Information) redaction service, which includes support for more entities and languages, addressing customer-sourced scenarios and international use cases.Tier 1 language support for DateOfBirth entity: expanding upon the original English-only support earlier this year, we’ve added support for all Tier 1 languages: French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, and DutchAI quality improvements for financial entities, reducing false positives/negatives
Send signals from Micronaut applications to Azure Monitor through zero-code instrumentation
Add the GraalVM Maven plugin and enable the use of GraalVM Reachability Metadata obtained from the above dependency.Now, run the application using the Tracing Agent and create the necessary configuration files.(1) Azure Monitor (Application Insights)
Send signals from Micronaut native image applications to Azure Monitor
We found information on how to send logs and metrics to Azure Monitor in the Micronaut documentation and guides, but we need to know how to send traces.Their query is, in short, Spring Boot provides Spring Boot Starter and Quarkus provides Quarkus as dependencies, but does Micronaut do the same?3) Enable Azure Monitor Agent in Azure Container Environment to send data using the OpenTelemetry protocol (OTLP).
Send logs from Micronaut native image applications to Azure Monitor
Add the GraalVM Maven plugin and enable the use of GraalVM Reachability Metadata obtained from the above dependency.Then, run the application using the Tracing Agent to generate the necessary configuration files.We should specify the timing of class initialization (build time or runtime), the command line options for the native-image tool (the same command line options work in Maven/Gradle plugin), and the JVM arguments in the native-image.properties file.
Send traces from Micronaut native image applications to Azure Monitor
Add the GraalVM Maven plugin and enable the use of GraalVM Reachability Metadata obtained from the above dependency.We should specify the timing of class initialization (build time or runtime), the command line options for the native-image tool (the same command line options work in Maven/Gradle plugin), and the JVM arguments in the native-image.properties file.Send metrics from Micronaut native image applications to Azure Monitor |
Send metrics/traces/logs from Micronaut native image applications to Azure Monitor
We found information on how to send logs and metrics to Azure Monitor in the Micronaut documentation and guides, but we need to know how to send traces.Their query is, in short, Spring Boot provides Spring Boot Starter and Quarkus provides Quarkus as dependencies, but does Micronaut do the same?3) Enable Azure Monitor Agent in Azure Container Environment to send data using the OpenTelemetry protocol (OTLP).
Send metrics from Micronaut native image applications to Azure Monitor
Create a Micronaut Application to Collect Metrics and Monitor Them on Azure Monitor Metricshttps://graal.cloud/gdk/gdk-modules/metrics/micronaut-metrics-azure/Add the GraalVM Maven plugin and enable the use of GraalVM Reachability Metadata obtained from the above dependency.Then, run the application using the Tracing Agent to generate the necessary configuration files.
SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc is now generally available in the US Government Virginia region
With Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server, U.S. government agencies and organizations can manage SQL Server instances outside of Azure from the Azure Government portal, in a secure and compliant manner.Arc-enabled SQL Server resources in US government Virginia can be onboarded and viewed in the Azure Government portal just like any Azure resource, giving you a single pane of glass to monitor and organize your SQL Server estate in the Gov cloud.The availability of Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server in the US Gov Virginia region marks an important milestone for hybrid data management in Government. If you’re an Azure Government user managing SQL Server instances, we invite you to try out Arc enabled SQL Server in US Government in Viginia region.
Unveiling the Next Generation of Table Structure Recognition
While the promise of Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) in document understanding is vast, our research in table parsing has revealed a critical insight: for tasks requiring precision in data alignment, such as correctly associating data cells with their respective row and column headers, classical computer vision techniques currently offer superior performance.Therefore, Azure Document Intelligence (DI) and Content Understanding (CU) leverages an even more robust and proven computer vision algorithms to ensure the foundational accuracy and consistency that enterprises demand.Figure 1: Vision LLMs struggle to accurately recognize table structure, even in simple tables.
Update To API Management Workspaces Breaking Changes: Built-in Gateway & Tiers Support
If your API Management service uses preview workspaces on the built-in gateway and meets the tier-based limits below, those workspaces will continue to function as-is and will automatically transition to general availability once built-in gateway support is fully announced.We introduced the requirement for workspace gateways to improve reliability and scalability in large, federated API environments.In addition to workspaces support on the built-in gateway described in the section above, Premium and Premium v2 services will continue to support deploying workspaces with workspace gateways.
The new Planner for the web is now available to customers in GCC High
We are thrilled to share that we have started rolling out the new Microsoft Planner for the web to customers in GCC High! The ability to access all your plans, projects and to do lists in a single placeExperiencing premium capabilities in the new Planner for the web
The new Planner web is now available to customers in GCC High
We are thrilled to share that we have started rolling out the new Microsoft Planner for the web to customers in GCC High! The ability to access all your plans, projects and to do lists in a single placeExperiencing premium capabilities in the new Planner for the web
Arc-enabled SQL Server is now generally available in the US Government Virginia region
With Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server, U.S. government agencies and organizations can manage SQL Server instances outside of Azure from the Azure Government portal, in a secure and compliant manner.Arc-enabled SQL Server resources in US government Virginia can be onboarded and viewed in the Azure Government portal just like any Azure resource, giving you a single pane of glass to monitor and organize your SQL Server estate in the Gov cloud.The availability of Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server in the US Gov Virginia region marks an important milestone for hybrid data management in Government. If you’re an Azure Government user managing SQL Server instances, we invite you to try out Arc enabled SQL Server in US Government in Viginia region.
Expanding Global Reach and Enhancing Observability with Oracle Database@Azure
Oracle Database@Azure expands to Germany North – now available in 23 regions worldwide Oracle Database@Azure is now available in 23 Azure regions globally – the most of any hyperscaler.Exadata customers using Oracle Database@Azure now have more ways to monitor and manage their environment with enhanced observability for Exadata logs and events with Azure Monitor and Microsoft Sentinel.
Expanding Global Reach and Enhanced Observability with Oracle Database@Azure
Oracle Database@Azure expands to Germany North – now available in 23 regions worldwide Oracle Database@Azure is now available in 23 Azure regions globally – the most of any hyperscaler.Exadata customers using Oracle Database@Azure now have more ways to monitor and manage their environment with enhanced observability for Exadata logs and events with Azure Monitor and Microsoft Sentinel.
Investigating M365 Copilot Activity with Sentinel & Defender XDR
Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI is a Microsoft Purview capability designed to help organizations discover, secure, and apply compliance controls for AI usage across your enterprise.In this blog, we will explore how Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR can help security teams operationalize DSPM for AI.You can perform Advanced Hunting of Microsoft 365 Copilot data through CloudAppEvents.
Lower costs and boost flexibility with Azure Files provisioned v2
To bring this flexibility to your hands, we introduced the provisioned v2 model for the HDD (standard) media tier in 2024.Today, we are excited to announce that we're extending the provisioned v2 model to the SSD (premium) media tier.Provisioned v2 is designed to give you more control, better performance alignment, and significant cost savings across a wide range of customer scenarios - by decoupling performance from capacity, lowering the minimum share size to 32 GiB, and increasing the maximum share size to 256 TiB.
Unlocking Flexibility with Azure Files Provisioned V2
In this episode of E2E:10-Minute Drill, host Pierre Roman sits down with Will Gries, Principal PM in Azure Storage, to explore the newly released Azure Files Provisioned V2 billing model.This model introduces a game-changing approach to cloud file storage by allowing users to provision storage, IOPS, and throughput independently—a major leap forward in flexibility and cost optimization.High Performance on Demand: Each file share can now scale up to 50,000 IOPS and 5 GiB/sec throughput, and support up to 256 TiB of data in a single share.
Announcing MSGraph Provider Public Preview and the Microsoft Terraform VSCode Extension
We are thrilled to announce two exciting developments in the Microsoft ecosystem for Terraform infrastructure-as-code (IaC) practitioners: the public preview of the Terraform Microsoft Graph (MSGraph) provider and the release of the Microsoft Terraform Visual Studio Code (VSCode) extension.The new official Microsoft Terraform extension for Visual Studio Code consolidates AzureRM, AzAPI, and MSGraph VSCode support into a single powerful extension.The extension supports exporting Azure resources as Terraform code, as well as IntelliSense, syntax highlighting, and code sample generation.
Join us October 8th for the 3rd Annual OneDrive Digital Event!
We’re thrilled to announce “Copilot + OneDrive — Intelligence in every click, inspiration in every memory” our upcoming digital event on October 8th, 2025!Following up on last year’s successful event, our third-annual OneDrive event will shine the light on OneDrive’s latest advancements in AI – showing how every click can be smarter and every memory more inspiring.The team will demonstrate how Copilot turns your files from static content into actionable insights – improving how you share and collaborate on documents.🗣️After the showcase, stick around for a live chat-based Q&A session.
New microphone volume indicator in Teams
I’m excited to let you know about a new feature in Microsoft Teams that alerts you to your microphone’s volume during meetings.New microphone volume indicator in TeamsThe new microphone volume indicator for Microsoft Teams on Windows and Mac provides you with real-time visual feedback on your audio levels, minimizing interruptions and enhancing your confidence and effectiveness in meetings.
How Microsoft Defender Experts uses AI to cut through the noise
AI-based incident classification allows us to filter noise up front without compromising on detecting real threats.Instead, our AI is powered by insights from hundreds of thousands of real investigations conducted by Defender Experts security analysts.If you're a security leader struggling with alert overload, Microsoft Defender Experts for XDR, Microsoft’s MXDR (managed extended detection and response) service, can deliver around the clock, expert-led protection.
Data, AI, and Opportunity: Why Microsoft Partners Should Attend the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference 2025
The Microsoft Fabric Community Conference (FabCon) is happening September 15–18, 2025, at the Austria Center in beautiful Vienna. If you're a Microsoft partner, this is a key opportunity to participate in one of the most important events in data and AI strategy.Whether you're leading solution execution or developing apps, Fabric presents a powerful unified data platform for AI transformation—and this conference is where you'll learn how to capitalize on it.Purchase a 4-day pass including our Partner Day on September 15 to learn how Microsoft partners play a central role in bringing Fabric to life for our customers, and get access to the use cases, tools, and co-sell opportunities you need to succeed.
New AI capabilities available for Government environments
Today, we are excited to announce the general availability of new AI-powered capabilities for our U.S. Government cloud customers, including Microsoft 365 Copilot for the Office 365 Department of Defense (DoD) Impact Level 5 (IL5) environment and Copilot Studio agent builder for Office 365 Government Community Cloud (GCC) environment.M365 Copilot now generally available in Office 365 DoD (IL5) environmentStarting this month, with purchase of the M365 Copilot licenses, users in the Office 365 DoD (IL5) environment will now have access to integrated Microsoft 365 Copilot experiences.
Closing the loop: Interactive write-back from Power BI to Azure Databricks
We're excited to announce that the Azure Databricks connector for Power Platform is now Generally Available.A key functionality unlocked by this connector is the ability to write data back from Power BI to Azure Databricks.With this connector, users can now read from and write to Azure Databricks data warehouses in real time, all from within familiar interfaces — no custom connectors, no data duplication, and no loss of governance.
Improved margins in OneNote for Android and iOS
I’m excited to share that we’ve addressed a long-standing formatting request for mobile users: Pages created on Android and iOS now have cleaner, more consistent margins when viewed in OneNote on Windows, for Mac, and for the web.Improved margins in OneNote for Android and iOSThe mobile margin fix is available to OneNote users running:
Viva Engage Public Content is Now Available in Microsoft 365 Copilot
So, we’ve made public information from across Viva Engage available in Microsoft 365 Copilot — starting with Q&A and now including discussion posts.This includes public discussion posts from public communities, events, Answers and Storylines.Try out some of these prompts in Copilot:
Leaving the key under the doormat: How Microsoft Defender uses AI to spot exposed credentials
Microsoft Defender can now help eliminate this vulnerability with a new, AI-powered posture alert that uses layers of intelligence to spot exposed credentials.Understanding free text fields in identity systems:Within identity systems like Active Directory (AD) and Microsoft Entra ID, free text fields are customizable attributes that allow administrators to store unstructured or semi-structured data.
What's new in OneNote for EDU - Back to School 2025
New Microsoft 365 LTI 1.3 integration – Streamlined LMS access to Class Notebook, Assignments, Reflect, and more1. Enable the Class Notebook Toolbar natively in OneNote on Windows and for MacLastly, a call to action for passionate educators: if you love getting early access to new features or want to provide direct feedback to the OneNote and Class Notebook team, consider joining the Education Insiders Program (EIP).
Model Mondays S2E9: Models for AI Agents
GPT-5 and GPT-OSS Models Now in Azure AI Foundry: Azure AI Foundry now supports OpenAI’s GPT-5 lineup (including GPT-5, GPT-5 Mini, and GPT-5 Nano) and the new open-weight GPT-OSS models (120B, 20B).That's why we have the Azure AI Developer Community.I'm Sharda, a Gold Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador interested in cloud and AI.
Red-teaming a RAG app with the Azure AI Evaluation SDK
Fortunately, Microsoft released an automated Red Teaming agent, part of the azure-ai-evaluations Python package.The agent uses an adversarial LLM, housed safely inside an Azure AI Foundry project such that it can't be used for other purposes, in order to generate unsafe questions across various categories.My RAG-on-PostgreSQL sample application answers questions about products from a database representing a fictional outdoors store.
SAP Sybase ASE to Azure SQL Migration using SSMA and BCP Overview
Enterprises upgrading legacy databases often face challenges in migrating complex schemas and efficiently transferring large volumes of data.Transitioning from SAP ASE (Sybase ASE) to Azure SQL Database is a common strategy to take advantage of enhanced features, improved scalability, and seamless integration with Microsoft services.SQL Server Migration Assistant for SAP Adaptive Server Enterprise (SSMA) Automates migration from SAP ASE to SQL Server, Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance. While SSMA provides a complete end-to-end migration solution, the custom BCP script (ASEtoSQLdataloadusingbcp.sh) enhances this process by enabling parallel data transfers, making it especially effective for migrating large databases with minimal downtime.
Logic Apps Community Day 2025
The Logic Apps Community Day is a free event driven by Microsoft, for anyone who wants to learn more about Logic Apps and how it can help to solve real life integration problems.The call for papers are open until September 7, 2025 - 11:00 PM (PST).Click on the image below to submit your session to Logic Apps Community Day 2025!
Access announces removal of Salesforce ODBC driver in October 2025
MS Access 2016 (and newer) ships a licensed Salesforce ODBC driver from InsightSoftware that will lose sustaining support after June 30th, 2026.Because we can no longer provide security updates for the driver, we'll be removing it from the product in October.Once you purchase and install the driver, Access can connect to your Salesforce external data source.
MSLE Newsletter - August 2025
As we begin a new school year, we’re excited to welcome you to the new MSLE Community on Tech Community—your central hub for program updates, refreshed onboarding content, support from Community Managers, upcoming events, and more.Additionally, if you haven’t already, be sure to register your courses for the new academic year!🚀 Community Colleges collaborate to create a National Applied AI Consortium to develop AI skills with Microsoft certifications
Exciting News: Azure AI Blogs Have Come Together in the New Azure AI Foundry Blog
To streamline your experience, several Azure AI Tech Community blogs have been consolidated into a single destination—the Azure AI Foundry Blog. The Azure AI technical blogs – including the AI Platform Blog, Azure AI Services Blog, and Azure Machine Learning Blog – are now part of the new Azure AI Foundry Blog.To continue receiving the latest Azure AI updates, please re-subscribe to the Azure AI Foundry Blog.
Exciting News: Azure AI Blogs Have Come Together in the New Azure AI Foundry Blog
To streamline your experience, several Azure AI Tech Community blogs have been consolidated into a single destination—the Azure AI Foundry Blog.Multiple Azure AI blogs have merged into one. The Azure AI technical blogs – including the AI Platform Blog, Azure AI Services Blog, and Azure Machine Learning Blog – are now part of the new Azure AI Foundry Blog.
Exciting News: Azure AI Blogs Have Come Together in the New Azure AI Foundry Blog
To streamline your experience, several Azure AI Tech Community blogs have been consolidated into a single destination—the Azure AI Foundry Blog.Multiple Azure AI blogs have merged into one. The Azure AI technical blogs – including the AI Platform Blog, Azure AI Services Blog, and Azure Machine Learning Blog – are now part of the new Azure AI Foundry Blog.
OneDrive Office Hours | August 2025
Join the OneDrive product team live each month on our monthly OneDrive Customer Office Hours to hear what's top of mind, get insights into roadmap updates, and dig into a special topic.Each call includes live Q&A where you'll have a chance to ask the OneDrive product team any question about OneDrive - The home of your files. This month's special topic: "Doc Libs: What's new & what's next" with Lincoln DeMaris!
Partner Blog | Driving business impact through skilling
As Nicole Dezen emphasized in her MCAPS Start for Partners 2025 recap, success in this era is rooted in clarity, consistency, and capability—and you.This month, we’re spotlighting what’s new in partner skilling, how AI-powered enablement is driving measurable impact, and what steps you can take next to stay ahead.Partner Skilling Hub: What’s new and how to drive impact
BitUnlocker: Leveraging Windows Recovery to Extract BitLocker Secrets
To enable BitLocker recovery, significant design changes were implemented in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).In this blog post, we will share the research journey: we will begin with an overview of the WinRE architecture, followed by a retrospective analysis of the attack surfaces exposed with the introduction of BitLocker.We will reveal how we identified new vulnerabilities and developed exploits, enabling us to bypass BitLocker and extract the protected data.
From Traditional Security to AI-Driven Cyber Resilience: Microsoft’s Approach to Securing AI
AI is changing the way organizations work.Cybersecurity leaders are starting to see that AI security is not just another layer of defense.It is becoming essential to building trust, ensuring resilience, and maintaining business continuity.
Building an AI Receptionist: A Hands-On Demo with Azure Communication Services and OpenAI
In this post, we'll show you how to build an AI receptionist that does just that, using Azure Communication Services and Azure OpenAI.We'll guide you through a hands-on demo that uses a simulated but realistic calendar for reliable confirmations and rescheduling, and show you how to make it production-ready.Watch the video demo to see the app in action with live code explanations.
Azure Linux with OS Guard: Immutable Container Host with Code Integrity and Open Source Transparency
Azure Linux is the Linux OS Microsoft trusts for its Linux fleet.Built from the ground up for cloud-native workloads, Azure Linux is optimized for performance, reliability, and security.We’re excited to announce that Azure Linux with OS Guard will be available soon as an official OS SKU on AKS.
Analyze images with Python in Excel
I’m Ndeyanta Jallow, a Product Manager on the Excel team.I’m excited to announce a powerful new Python capability in Microsoft Excel for Windows, Excel for Mac, and Excel for the web: images as input.Analyze images with Python in Excel
Announcing Extended Support for Azure Database for MySQL
As part of our ongoing commitment to customer success and operational continuity, we are introducing Extended Support for Azure Database for MySQL as a paid offering designed to help customers continue running workloads on older MySQL versions with confidence, even after community support ends.We initially planned to retire support for MySQL 5.7 in Azure by September 2025, aligning with the community’s end-of-life (EOL) timeline.The pricing for Extended Support will be announced by Q3 2025 and will be available via the Azure pricing calculator at that time.
Encryption in Microsoft Teams: June 2025
With over 320 million monthly active users, Teams hosts sensitive conversations, file sharing, and collaborative work, necessitating a thorough understanding of how Teams protects data in transit and at rest.Encryption is essential for protecting sensitive communications and helping to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.Microsoft Teams employs multiple layers of encryption to protect different types of data throughout the communication process.
Microsoft Finland - Software Developing Companies monthly community series.
Microsoft Finlandin järjestämä Software Development monthly Community series on webinaarisarja, joka tarjoaa ohjelmistotaloille ajankohtaista tietoa, konkreettisia esimerkkejä ja strategisia näkemyksiä siitä, miten yhteistyö Microsoftin kanssa voi vauhdittaa kasvua ja avata uusia liiketoimintamahdollisuuksia.Microsoft Software Developing Companies monthly community webinars -webinaarisarja järjestetään Cloud Champion -sivustolla, josta webinaarit ovat kätevästi saatavilla tallenteina pari tuntia live-lähetyksen jälkeen.Tässä webinaarissa tutustumme siihen, miten Azure AI Foundry tarjoaa kehittäjille ja tuoteomistajille työkalut autonomisten agenttien rakentamiseen – mahdollistaen monimutkaisten prosessien automatisoinnin ja uudenlaisen asiakasarvon tuottamisen.
Build lightweight AI Apps on Azure App Service with gpt-oss-20b
OpenAI recently introduced gpt-oss as an open-weight language model that delivers strong real-world performance at low cost.In this post, we’ll walk through a complete sample that uses gpt-oss-20b as a sidecar container running alongside a Python Flask app on Azure App Service.Our main app is a simple Python Flask service that connects to the model running in the sidecar.
Apptividad and CoreView offer transactable partner solutions in Azure Marketplace
Microsoft partners like Apptividad and CoreView deliver transact-capable offers, which allow you to purchase directly from Azure Marketplace.CoreView ONE - The Governance Platform for Microsoft 365: CoreView ONE delivers comprehensive security, governance, and administration by unifying visibility, control, and policy enforcement across your Microsoft 365 ecosystem.The platform integrates with hybrid environments, enabling centralized management and reporting for both cloud and on-premises systems.
GPT-5: Will it RAG?
OpenAI released the GPT-5 model family last week, with an emphasis on accurate tool calling and reduced hallucinations.Q: What are the coverage limitations of the Northwind Standard plan regarding clinical trials?I share my evaluations on our sample RAG app as a way to share general learnings on model differences, but I encourage every developer to evaluate these models for your specific domain, alongside domain experts that can reason about the correctness of the answers.
How Microsoft Semantic Kernel Transforms Proven Workflows into Intelligent Agents
Unlike traditional LLM integrations where you send a prompt and receive text, Semantic Kernel acts as an AI orchestration layer that bridges natural language with your existing codebase.Instead of replacing her proven workflows with unpredictable AI generation, we'll show how Microsoft Semantic Kernel transforms her existing script into an intelligent agent that preserves her business logic while adding natural language control.Let's see how Semantic Kernel solves Kemi's workflow problem by transforming her existing script into an intelligent agent that preserves her business logic while adding natural language orchestration.
Azure App Testing: Playwright Workspaces for Local-to-Cloud Test Runs
Azure App Testing centralizes functional and performance testing for your apps.With Playwright Workspaces, you can author, execute, and analyze browser tests at scale, both locally and in the cloud, with shared reporting and parallel, cloud-hosted browsers.Open your Playwright Workspace to author and run tests locally or on cloud-hosted browsers, and view results in “Test runs.”
Microsoft 365 Champion community break in August
This is a reminder that the program takes a break in August, and community calls will resume on September 23, 2025.Our September call will dive into what community tools are included in a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, and how to use Microsoft Viva Engage for Copilot adoption.In the meantime, the new calendar reminders for September 2025-July 2026 are available to download on the Champions-only resource page - you'll find the link in the welcome email when you joined the Champion program or in the last newsletter from July.
🚀 General Availability: Enhanced Data Mapper Experience in Logic Apps (Standard)
We’re excited to announce the General Availability (GA) of the redesigned Data Mapper UX in the Azure Logic Apps (Standard) extension for Visual Studio Code.This release marks a major milestone in our journey to modernize and streamline data transformation workflows for integration developer.The new UX, previously available in public preview, is now the default experience in the Logic Apps Standard extension.
Azure Logic App AI-Powered Monitoring Solution: Automate, Analyze, and Act on Your Azure Data
Enter the Azure Logic App AI-Powered Monitoring Solution—an intelligent, serverless pipeline that leverages Azure Logic Apps and Azure OpenAI to automate monitoring, analyze data, and deliver comprehensive reports right to your inbox.The Azure Logic App AI-Powered Monitoring Solution creates an automated pipeline that:Analyzes data with AI using the Azure OpenAI GPT-4o model.
Security Update for SQL Server 2022 RTM CU20
The Security Update for SQL Server 2022 RTM CU20 is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2022 RTM CUs, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2022 RTM GDR
The Security Update for SQL Server 2022 RTM GDR is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2022 RTM, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2019 RTM CU32
The Security Update for SQL Server 2019 RTM CU32 is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2019 RTM CUs, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2019 RTM GDR
The Security Update for SQL Server 2019 RTM GDR is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2019 RTM, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2017 RTM CU31
The Security Update for SQL Server 2017 RTM CU31 is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2017 RTM CUs, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2017 RTM GDR
The Security Update for SQL Server 2017 RTM GDR is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2017 RTM, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2016 SP3 Azure Connect Feature Pack
The Security Update for SQL Server 2016 SP3 Azure Connect Feature Pack is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2016 SP3 Azure Connect Feature Pack, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Security Update for SQL Server 2016 SP3 GDR
The Security Update for SQL Server 2016 SP3 GDR is now available for download at the Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update Catalog sites.This package cumulatively includes all previous security fixes for SQL Server 2016 SP3, plus it includes the new security fixes detailed in the KB Article.Latest Updates for Microsoft SQL Server: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/releases/download-and-install-latest-updates
Supercharge Data Intelligence: Build Teams App with Azure Databricks Genie & Azure AI Agent Service
We'll guide you through leveraging the integration between Azure Databricks and Azure AI Foundry to build a Python-based Teams app that consumes Genie APIs using the secure On-Behalf-Of (OBO) authentication flow.The Sample Solution: Python Teams App for Genie APIsConnect Teams to Azure Databricks Genie via Azure AI Foundry using OBO (On-Behalf-Of) authentication.
Major Update to MB-800: A New Chapter for Business Central Learners
We’re excited to announce a major update to the MB-800T00: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant learning experience, scheduled for August 29, 2025.Manage business solutions with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralThis update adds four brand-new modules designed to deepen learners’ understanding of financial operations and platform integration within Dynamics 365 Business Central:
Released: August 2025 Exchange Server Security Updates
Microsoft has released Security Updates (SUs) for vulnerabilities found in:Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE)Exchange Server 2019
Build the Future of AI-Driven Apps with SharePoint Embedded
SharePoint Embedded is your foundation for next-gen AI apps.Dive in with live demos, hands-on content, and direct access to the product team across three key events.SharePoint Embedded is a headless, API-only platform that lets you build custom, AI-powered apps on top of the same secure and compliant content services that power Microsoft 365.
Pull print is now available in Universal Print
We are excited to share that Universal Print anywhere, the feature that brings "pull print" functionality to Universal Print, reached general availability.We are excited to announce that Universal Print anywhere, a new feature that enables users to print securely from any location and retrieve their documents at any printer—a capability known as "pull print"—has reached general availability.Universal Print anywhere is ready for production deployments across Microsoft 365 organizations.
Partner Case Study | Adastra
Operating in six states and specializing in catering to Hispanic communities under banners such as Los Altos Ranch Market, Cardenas Markets, El Rancho Supermercado, and Tony’s Fresh Market, the company found itself growing fast.Enter Adastra, a data analytics and IT consulting company and Microsoft partner with a proven track record in analytics, business intelligence, AI, and process automation.To maintain high quality standards and customer satisfaction across various geographic locations and customer segments throughout the acquisition process, Heritage Grocers Group recognized the need to better understand their customer data.
Microsoft Global Hackathon 2025: MVPs Driving Innovation Across Communities
The Microsoft Global Hackathon is back the week of September 15, 2025, bringing together thousands of Microsoft employees and select external contributors to dream big, team up, and build solutions that make a difference.Hosted by The Microsoft Garage, this multi-day gathering is the largest private hackathon in the world - a place where creativity, curiosity, and community collide.In 2024, more than 71,000 people participated across 75+ venues worldwide - spanning every role, team, and geography at Microsoft.
Azure PostgreSQL Extended Support: Stay Secure at Every Stage of Your Upgrade
To help, we’re introducing Extended Support for Azure Database for PostgreSQL as a paid offering.It keeps your workloads secure and supported, even after your PostgreSQL version reaches community end-of-life (EOL).Extended Support for Azure Database for PostgreSQL will be a paid offering starting April 2026.
Public Preview: Auto agent upgrade for Azure Arc-enabled servers
We are excited to announce the Public Preview of Auto Agent Upgrade for Azure Arc-enabled servers.Once enabled, your Connected Machine agents will automatically upgrade to the latest supported version without requiring manual intervention or scripting.Auto Agent Upgrade is built into the Connected Machine agent and can be enabled via Azure CLI or PowerShell by setting the enableAutomaticUpgrade property to true.
Now Generally Available: Platform SSO for macOS with Microsoft Entra ID
We’re pleased to announce the General Availability (GA) of Microsoft’s support for Platform Single Sign-On (Platform SSO) for macOS, providing enterprise environments with an integrated, secure, and improved single sign-on experience on Apple devices.Platform SSO is an advanced feature integrated into macOS and supported by Microsoft Enterprise SSO plug-in.This functionality enables users to authenticate on their Mac with their Microsoft Entra ID credentials, providing seamless single sign-on across applications and browsers, while minimizing repeated prompts and reducing authentication fatigue.
How Azure Storage Powers AI Workloads: Behind the Scenes with OpenAI, Blobfuse & More
In the latest episode of E2E: 10-minute Drill, I sat down with Vamshi from the Azure Storage team to explore how Azure Blob Storage is fueling the AI revolution.From training massive foundation models like ChatGPT to enabling enterprise-grade AI solutions.Microsoft’s collaboration with OpenAI has led to innovations like Azure Scaled Accounts and Blobfuse2, now available to all Azure customers.
Microsoft deployment blueprint - Address oversharing concerns for your M365 Copilot deployment
In regulated industries, internal oversharing can compromise data integrity and Copilot effectiveness.This episode defines what “Foundational” means for Microsoft 365 E3 customers and outlines actionable steps to mitigate oversharing risks during Copilot deployment.Foundational deployment focuses on establishing baseline protections using native Microsoft 365 E3 capabilities.
Private Pod Subnets in AKS Without Overlay Networking
Azure CNI Pod SubnetThe alternative to using the Azure CNI Overlay is to use the Azure CNI Pod Subnet.When you deploy a setup using Azure CNI Pod Subnet, all the subnets in the vNet are configured with routes and can talk to each other.
New in Azure Marketplace: July 23-31, 2025
For this volume, 201 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live.WinWire’s Automated Data Ingestion and Data Quality (AIDQ) solution is built to solve these challenges.Designed natively for Azure Databricks using Spark, Delta Lake, and Unity Catalog, AIDQ automates data onboarding and enforces quality at scale through a metadata-driven framework.
🎉Malware scanning add-on is now generally available in Azure Gov Secret and Top-Secret clouds
Microsoft Defender for Storage now includes malware scanning for Azure Government Secret and Top Clouds.This update aligns cloud storage protection features across both commercial and government cloud services.👟Enable malware scanning in Defender for Storage
SQL Server on Linux Now Supports cgroup v2
If you’re running SQL Server on Linux, here’s some great news - cgroup v2 is now supported in SQL Server 2025 preview and SQL Server 2022 CU 20.But, With the release of SQL Server 2025 preview and SQL Server 2022 CU 20, the memory limits are now correctly enforced.With the introduction of cgroup v2 support in SQL Server 2025 and SQL Server 2022 CU 20, Linux-based deployments gain a powerful tool for smarter resource management.
Fix Broken Migrations with AI Powered Debugging in VS Code Using GitHub Copilot
What if you could simply describe the error or broken state, and AI could fix your migration in seconds?Use GitHub Copilot to describe and fix broken migrations with natural languageGibsonAI with GitHub Copilot:
MDVM Guidance for CVE-2025-53786: Exchange Hybrid Privilege Escalation
CVE-2025-53786 is an Elevation of Privilege (EoP) flaw in hybrid Microsoft Exchange Server deployments.Attackers with administrative rights on an on-premises Exchange Server can exploit the shared service principal trust to gain control of the connected Exchange Online environment.CVE-2025-53786 is a high-impact vulnerability in the hybrid trust model.
Modernizing legacy Java project using GitHub Copilot App Modernization upgrade for Java
The GitHub Copilot App Modernization – Upgrade for Java is an AI-powered solution designed to streamline the modernization of legacy Java applications.This tool is available as a Visual Studio Code extension and leverages GitHub Copilot to perform the following tasks:We hope this walkthrough demonstrates how the GitHub Copilot App Modernization – Upgrade for Java can save time and eliminate the tedious work of upgrading legacy code.
A Deep Dive into Spark UI for Job Optimization
The Spark UI (User Interface) stands as an indispensable tool, offering a detailed, web-based dashboard that provides real-time and historical insights into your Spark applications.This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of accessing, navigating, and interpreting the Spark UI, empowering you to translate its rich data into concrete strategies for optimizing your Spark jobs.This Mermaid mindmap visually organizes the key concepts related to analyzing the Spark UI and optimizing Spark jobs, covering accessing the UI, understanding its various tabs, specific optimization strategies, and overarching best practices for continuous improvement.
Building Application with gpt-oss-20b with AI Toolkit
Enterprises and developers can now deploy these models on edge devices without relying on cloud APIs, enabling local deployment.The AI Toolkit for VS Code extension provides developers with a complete development workflow—from model testing and local deployment to building intelligent agent applications—creating a comprehensive AI application development workflow.OpenAI has released gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b, the first open-weight language models since GPT-2.
What’s new in Microsoft Security Copilot
Improve IT efficiency with Copilot in Microsoft Intune – now generally availableSecurity Copilot in Microsoft Entra now brings AI-assisted investigation and identity management directly into the Entra admin center.The Phishing Triage Agent in Microsoft Defender is now in public preview, bringing autonomous, AI-powered threat detection to your SOC workflows.
New pen tools and Draw tab customization in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Windows
I want to highlight some exciting new tools and customization options for doing digital inking and handwriting in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Windows.New pen tools and Draw tab customization in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for WindowsOpen the Draw tab in a new or existing file in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint for Windows.
Explain Formulas with Copilot—Now on the Grid
The new Explain Formula feature turns Copilot into your inline assistant, delivering clear, step-by-step breakdowns directly on the grid, right next to your data, no need to switch context or open the chat pane.When you select a formula cell, Copilot can now explain what that formula does using a dedicated card shown in the grid. Just click the 👍 or 👎 at the bottom of the Copilot response to share your thoughts.
Viva Engage Email Sender Domain Update
As part of the final phase of the Yammer to Viva Engage rebranding, we are updating the email sender domains used for all Viva Engage communications.The rollout of the new email sender domains will occur in phases over several months starting in late August 2025:Safe Senders and Allow Lists: To proactively prevent any Viva Engage notifications from being misclassified as junk email and treated as external, consider adding the new domain to your organization’s safe sender lists.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud expands U.S. Gov Cloud support for CSPM and server security
U.S. government organizations face unique security and compliance challenges as they migrate essential workloads to the cloud.To help meet these needs, Microsoft Defender for Cloud has expanded support in the Government Cloud with Defender cloud security posture management (CSPM) and Defender for Servers Plan 2. This expansion helps strengthen security posture with advanced threat protection, vulnerability management, and contextual risk insights across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.Defender for Servers provides continuous, automated threat protection, vulnerability management, and compliance monitoring across all server environments, enabling agencies to safeguard their infrastructure and maintain a strong security posture.
Enhancing business continuity: Windows 365 Reserve is now in limited public preview!
Following our June 18 disclosure, we are excited to announce that the limited public preview of Windows 365 Reserve is now live —offering secure and on-demand Cloud PC access from anywhere when you need it most.Windows 365 Reserve is a standalone, Windows 365 offering that provides temporary, secure, and dedicated Cloud PC access when a user's primary PC is unavailable, granting users up to 10 days of Cloud PC access per year.Once licenses have been purchased for the organization’s tenant, admins create a provisioning policy for their Windows 365 Reserve licenses.
What’s New in Microsoft Purview eDiscovery
New and upcoming enhancements will improve how legal and compliance teams manage cases, streamline workflows, and reduce operational friction.The new “Retry failed locations” feature introduces a simple, automated way to reprocess those issues without restarting the entire job.We recently introduced a new case-level Data Sources view in Purview eDiscovery, allowing data sources to be reused in searches and holds within a case.
Paste text only in OneNote on Windows, for Mac, and for the web
Paste text only in OneNote on Windows, for Mac, and for the webThe ability to paste text only was highly requested by many of you, and I’m thrilled to announce this popular shortcut is now supported in OneNote on Windows, OneNote for Mac, and OneNote for the web.Place your cursor where you want the content to go in OneNote, then right-click and select Paste Options > Keep Text Only, or select Paste > Paste Options > Keep Text Only in the Home tab.
Creating an AI Policy Analysis Copilot
In April 2025, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released over 10,000 public comments in response to its AI Action Plan.In the second post, we built a knowledge graph using Microsoft’s GraphRAG to connect ideas and uncover deeper insights. Across this three-part series, I’ve taken 10,000+ public comments on the White House AI Action Plan and turned them into actionable insight.
Navigating AI Adoption: Legal Considerations Every Organization Should Know
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes a cornerstone of modern enterprise innovation, organizations face a critical challenge: how to harness its power responsibly.Microsoft’s white paper, Legal Considerations for Organizational AI Adoption, offers a comprehensive guide for legal and privacy professionals seeking to enable AI adoption while safeguarding compliance, security, and trust.The paper opens with a clear message: successful AI adoption isn’t just about technical capability—it’s about embedding privacy, security, and legal compliance into every step.
Microsoft Purview: The Ultimate AI Data Security Solution
As generative AI tools like Microsoft Copilot become embedded in everyday workflows, the need for clear governance and robust data protection is more urgent than ever.Through this blog post, let's explore how Microsoft Purview can help organizations stay ahead of securing AI interactions without slowing down innovation.By using Microsoft Purview’s compliance manager, organizations can assess and manage regulatory compliance risks associated with AI usage.
Protect against SharePoint CVE-2025-53770 with Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF)
Microsoft recently disclosed CVE-2025-53770, a critical vulnerability affecting on-premises SharePoint Server versions 2016, 2019, 2010, 2013, and Subscription Edition (SE).The vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE) by chaining two separate CVEs:If exploited, this vulnerability could allow an attacker to bypass authentication, extract cryptographic keys, and execute arbitrary C# code on the server.
Finding the Right Page number in PDFs with AI Search
Associating search results with page numbers enables:3.Using Azure AI Search Indexer with OCR and ImageActionAzure AI Search allows you to extract page-level data by configuring the indexer with:
Cloud forensics: Prepare for the worst -implement security baselines for forensic readiness in Azure
Preparing your Azure environment for forensic readinessCase study: Forensic investigation disrupted due to lack of forensic readiness in Azure[ ] Use Kusto Query Language (KQL) queries in Sentinel to investigate and correlate incidents.
Issuing Custom Claims Using Directory Extension Attributes in Microsoft Entra ID
In some scenarios, organizations may need to pass custom data about users like internal identifiers or sponsorship info to applications during SSO.Microsoft Entra ID supports this using directory extension attributes, which can be registered and referenced in claims.This blog outlines how to register and use custom directory extension attributes in an Enterprise Application and configure them to issue claims conditionally based on group membership.Directory extension attributes are a powerful way to issue dynamic claims in Microsoft Entra ID.
GPT-5 Family of Models & GPT OSS Are Now Available in AI Toolkit for VS Code
This release introduces full support for:OpenAI’s open-source models (GPT OSS) via Azure AI Foundry and ONNX RuntimeThe GPT-5 model family is now fully integrated into AI Toolkit and available via GitHub, Azure AI Foundry, or OpenAI.
Announcing a New Microsoft Security Virtual Training Day
We’re thrilled to announce a brand-new opportunity for learning and growth: Microsoft Virtual Training Day: Strength Cloud Security with Microsoft Defender for Cloud!Learn how to increase cloud security using Microsoft Defender for Cloud and how to deploy security across your DevOps workflows.Microsoft Virtual Training Days offer a host of benefits:
Simplifying Outbound Connectivity Troubleshooting in AKS with Connectivity Analysis (Preview)
Troubleshooting outbound connectivity issues in Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) can be daunting.To simplify the network troubleshooting process, we're excited to announce the Connectivity Analysis feature for AKS, now available in Public Preview.This feature leverages the same underlying engine as the Azure Virtual Network Verifier (VNV) tool, and is now purpose-built for AKS scenarios and fully integrated into the AKS Portal experience.
Get the most out of OneDrive with these little-known features!
Instead, in OneDrive, select a folder, select Request Files, and then send the link to contributors so that they can upload their files without seeing anyone else’s content.Click ... next to any file you want to edit in a desktop app, and select Open > Open in app.Control your digital footprint by setting expiration dates on shared links
Listen to an audio overview of a document with Microsoft 365 Copilot in Word
I’m Vishnu Gogula, a Product Manager on the Office AI team.I’m excited to announce a new Microsoft 365 Copilot feature in Word for Windows and Word for the web that allows you to generate and listen to an audio overview of any document.Listen to an audio overview of a document with Microsoft 365 Copilot in Word
What's New in Microsoft EDU webinar - August 2025
Join us on Wednesday, August 20th, 2025 for our latest "What's New in Microsoft EDU" webinar!These 30-minute webinars are put on by the Microsoft Education Product Management group and happen once per month, this month both 8:00am Pacific Time and 4:00pm Pacific time to cover as many global time zones as possible around the world. And don’t worry – we’ll be recording these and posting on our Microsoft Education YouTube channel in the new “What’s New in Microsoft EDU” playlist, so you’ll always to able to watch later or share with others!Here is our August 2025 webinar agenda:
The Future of AI: An Intern's Adventure Improving Usability with Agents
The Future of AI blog series is an evolving collection of posts from the AI Futures team in collaboration with subject matter experts across Microsoft.As an intern on the Azure AI Foundry Product Team, I have the privilege of working on a project called the "model operation agent"—an internal proof-of-concept agent that transforms complex model management into a guided, conversational experience.In this blog, I will walk through the capabilities of the "model operation agent" and demonstrate its functionality.
The Future of AI: An Intern's Adventure Improving Usability with Agents
The Future of AI blog series is an evolving collection of posts from the AI Futures team in collaboration with subject matter experts across Microsoft.As an intern on the Azure AI Foundry Product Team, I have the privilege of working on a project called the "model operation agent"—an internal proof-of-concept agent that transforms complex model management into a guided, conversational experience.In this blog, I will walk through the capabilities of the "model operation agent" and demonstrate its functionality.
Azure App Service Domain module for Terraform
You can create a custom domain name in Azure using the `App Service Domain` service, either through the Azure Portal or the Azure CLI.In this implementation, we demonstrate how to create a custom domain name in Azure using Terraform, leveraging the Azure App Service Domain via the AzApi provider.You just need to have a resource group, a public DNS Zone and then you can add the App Service Domain.
Highlights from MCAPS Start for Partners 2025
We’re seeing strong momentum and tangible value across customer segments with Microsoft’s AI platform—particularly through Copilot and intelligent agents. 🚀 Explore the latest partner innovations and announcements from MCAPS Start for Partners: https://aka.ms/MCAPSHighlights2025
Security baseline for Microsoft Edge version 139
We have reviewed the settings in Microsoft Edge version 139 and updated our guidance with the addition of one setting and the removal of one setting.A new Microsoft Edge security baseline package was just released to the Download Center.Microsoft Edge version 139 introduces 6 new computer settings and 6 new user settings.
GPT-5 in Microsoft 365 Copilot available today!
We’re excited to announce that GPT‑5—OpenAI’s best AI system to-date—is rolling out today in Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Copilot Studio across the world.GPT-5 is a significant leap in intelligence and becomes even more powerful when applied to work.Bringing GPT-5 to Copilot on the day of its release is part of our commitment to make OpenAI’s latest models available to customers in Microsoft 365 Copilot within 30 days.
Available today: GPT-5 in Microsoft 365 Copilot
We’re excited to announce that GPT‑5—OpenAI’s best AI system to-date—is rolling out today in Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Copilot Studio across the world.GPT-5 is a significant leap in intelligence and becomes even more powerful when applied to work.Bringing GPT-5 to Copilot on the day of its release is part of our commitment to make OpenAI’s latest models available to customers in Microsoft 365 Copilot within 30 days.
Uncover shadow AI, block threats, and protect data with Microsoft Entra Internet Access
Security teams now face growing blind spots: encrypted traffic obscures visibility, unsanctioned AI usage introduces compliance concerns, and traditional controls often stop at sanctioned apps, leaving a wide perimeter of unmanaged exposure.To close this gap, Microsoft Entra Internet Access introduces three new capabilities:Microsoft Entra Internet Access now offers Application Insights and Analytics, leveraging the app catalog experience in Defender for Apps, to enable your security team to monitor generative AI and cloud app usage across the organization in real time.
Help Shape the Microsoft Ignite Security Roundtable: Take Our Quick Survey
As we prepare for Microsoft Ignite, we’re building a focused, practitioner-led security roundtable and we want your input to ensure it reflects the most relevant and pressing topics in the field.We invite you to take a short survey and share the security topics, trends, and technical questions you want to see covered.Your input will directly influence the structure and substance of the Ignite Security Roundtable.
Azure AI Translation Preprocessing Workflow
Yet, many organizations struggle with inconsistent results, API errors, and high costs when using machine translation services.The Azure AI Translation Preprocessing Workflow is a purpose-built solution designed to bridge the gap between raw document inputs and high-quality machine translation outcomes.Developed in response to real-world enterprise challenges, this service automates the preprocessing of multilingual documents, ensuring they meet Azure AI Translate’s strict formatting and content standards.
Becoming Frontier: AI, agents and how communicators can lead the way
At the center of this transformation wave in the next 12 -18 months will be the concept of the “Frontier Firm”.At the heart of becoming Frontier are four pillars that can guide how AI delivers real value in our organizations, and for communications: In this upcoming webinar, we’ll dive deeper into each of these pillars of AI transformation in the frontier firm and explore how Microsoft is embracing them to reshape communications - from the tools we use to the culture we build.
GPT-5 in Azure AI Foundry: The future of AI apps and agents starts here
OpenAI’s GPT-5 is available today in Azure AI Foundry. GPT-5 adds advanced capabilities to support agentic workflows, complex code synthesis, and safer, more flexible integrations.Unified reasoning + chat for end-to-end problem solving
Introducing Azure App Testing: Scalable End-to-end App Validation
Azure App Testing enables developers and QA teams to run large-scale functional and performance tests to pinpoint issues in their applications, across frameworks like Playwright, JMeter, or Locust.It brings together two powerful testing capabilities—Azure Load Testing and Microsoft Playwright Testing—into a single hub in the Azure Portal, providing a consistent experience for resource provisioning, access control, and consolidated billing.With Azure App Testing, developer and QA teams can provision, manage, and pay for both Load Testing and Playwright Workspaces under a single umbrella.
Transforming Dynamics 365 Customer Data with Azure Maps | Inogic Guest Post
As Microsoft’s native geospatial platform, Azure Maps delivers enterprise-grade capabilities such as mapping, geocoding, routing, and spatial analytics directly into your Dynamics 365 environment, making location insights native, seamless, and powerful.Developed by Inogic and available on Microsoft AppSource, Maplytics is a Microsoft-certified, geo-analytical app designed to seamlessly integrate Azure Maps and Bing Maps with Dynamics 365, Power Apps, Dataverse, and Power Pages.Maplytics offers a comprehensive suite of advanced features built on Azure Maps and Bing Maps for Enterprise, including:
Understanding foundation model changes in Microsoft 365 Copilot
Microsoft regularly enhances the underlying AI models that power Microsoft 365 Copilot.Customers do not need to make changes to their environment to account for new model changes.Microsoft regularly updates the underlying AI models to improve the performance, reasoning, and multimodal capabilities of Microsoft 365 Copilot, Microsoft Copilot Chat, and agents.
What’s new in FinOps toolkit 12 – July 2025
That’s why the FinOps toolkit 12 release introduces a new Summary page in the Cost summary report, designed specifically to provide a high-level, executive-friendly view of cost drivers across your environment.To ensure compatibility with the latest features and improvements in Microsoft Cost Management, the FinOps toolkit PowerShell commands for Cost Management exports were all updated to default to the latest GA API version, 2025-03-01.To support this momentum, I’m also working on a set of premium services designed to help organizations deploy, customize, and scale the FinOps toolkit with confidence.
Multi-tenant endpoint security policies distribution is now in Public Preview
We’re excited to announce a key milestone in Defender’s multi-tenant management journey—Microsoft Defender for Endpoint security policies can now be distributed across multiple tenants from the Defender multi-tenant portal.Content distribution is a powerful Defender feature that enables scalable management of content across tenants.With this capability, you can create content distribution profiles in the multi-tenant portal that allow you to seamlessly replicate existing content—such as custom detection rules and now, endpoint security policies—from a source tenant to designated target tenants.
Cloud Update Reaches General Availability: Transforming Microsoft 365 Apps Management
The wait is over: the Cloud Update feature is now generally available (GA) in the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center, ushering in a new era for update management.Designed to simplify and modernize how organizations handle Microsoft 365 Apps updates, Cloud Update is already making waves with its ease of use and impressive results in keeping environments current and secure.One of the perennial challenges for IT admins is maintaining a high update currency rate—making sure that as many devices as possible are running the latest, most secure, and feature-rich versions of Microsoft 365 Apps. Cloud Update sets a new standard here, enabling organizations to achieve higher currency rates than legacy management solutions.
Nail back-to-school planning with Microsoft Copilot
Consider leveraging Microsoft Copilot to organize your schedule, check items off those to-do lists, and start the school year calm, cool, and collected!Complete your school supplies checklistWith a new school year on the horizon, it’s time to get the supplies list and purchase the “must have’s” and the “nice to have’s.”
Create your own Bicep Local Extension using .NET
Bicep Local Deploy can be used to author Bicep files which use Bicep extensions that are designed to run fully locally, without the need for an Azure connection.This quick start guide provides guidance for creating your own Bicep Local Extension using .NET.This guide assumes you have the .NET 9 SDK installed locally, and the Bicep 0.37.4 (or higher) CLI and VSCode extension installed.
Model Mondays S2E8: On-Device & Local AI
Generate a technical blog post for Model Mondays S2E8 based on the transcript and episode details.Join us as we talk to Mona Whalin about the Azure AI Foundry Agent Catalog – open-source samples you can explore to accelerate your agent development by integration into projects.That's why we have the Azure AI Developer Community.
Monthly news - August 2025
Microsoft Defender XDRMonthly news - August 2025 EditionThis is our monthly "What's new" blog post, summarizing product updates and various new assets we released over the past month across our Defender products.We announced a significant expansion of Microsoft Sentinel’s capabilities through the introduction of Sentinel data lake, now rolling out in public preview.
QTip: Maintenance plan for performance issues demo
In update statistics and rebuild indexes there is not status of the process it means you will not see % of the process you will see an update when process is finished.-- This will update all the statistics on all the tables in your database.-- This will rebuild all the indexes on all the tables in your database.
New data lake in Microsoft Sentinel
-Microsoft Sentinel, our industry-leading SIEM, now has a brand-new unified data lake, and this changes everything.-Our new data lake takes an open-format approach to bring all your security data together, centrally leveraging our expanding set of connectors, and you can even mirror data from on-premises and non-Microsoft cloud data sources at hyperscale without migrating it.-This means you can now bring in high-volume, low fidelity, and long-term data, like firewall logs, that previously were not practical to keep, so that you now have the data to discover low and slow attacks happening under the radar, as attackers take weeks to months before striking, and disrupt them with Microsoft Sentinel’s built-in threat intelligence, automation, and AI, all in one single solution.
Validate Updates Early by Staggering Maintenance in Azure PostgreSQL
This article shows how to leverage System-Managed Windows (SMW) and Custom Maintenance Windows (CMW)** to patch Dev/UAT servers first and defer production updates by a week.Azure offers two types of maintenance scheduling for PostgreSQL flexible server:💡 Tip: Use Azure Service Health alerts to stay on top of maintenance notifications.
Partner Case Study | CoreView
Save the Children's IT team navigates complex administration across 65 countries, 25,000 individuals, and 30 unique IT setups, with 19 sharing a Microsoft 365 tenant.In the heart of a transformative period, the organization encountered a critical issue: A simple misconfiguration by an employee altered a local email setting globally, inadvertently disrupting email access for 20,000 users.This incident underscored the complexities and risks inherent in managing a global IT system and highlighted the urgent need for a more refined, secure, and efficient management solution.
Announcing GA of Bicep templates support for Microsoft Entra ID resources
We're thrilled to announce that Bicep templates for Microsoft Entra ID resources is generally available from July 29th, 2025.Bicep templates bring declarative infrastructure as code (IaC) capabilities to Microsoft Graph resources.Azure Resource Manager and Bicep templates allow you to declare Microsoft Azure resources in files and deploy those resources into your infrastructure.
Mastering Agent Governance in Microsoft 365
The "Mastering Agent Governance in Microsoft 365" series is based on the Administering and Governing Agents whitepaper published by Microsoft and designed to educate IT leaders, compliance officers, and decision-makers about the importance of governance for AI agents in Microsoft 365, particularly in highly regulated industries like Healthcare and Life Sciences (HLS).The six-episode series cover the growing role of agents, the risks of unmanaged agents, and the strategic importance of governance frameworks.A practical roadmap for responsible AI adoption in regulated industries
Determine Onboarding Methods in Defender for Endpoint - Part 1
Onboarding devices in Defender for Endpoint using a GPO is a method that is perfect for on-premises only devices.The reason for this is, if you mix your Endpoint security policies with another GPO that might be applying security settings to your devices, it will make your troubleshooting process more difficult because you will have to focus on two different areas to troubleshoot and depending on the number of settings you have defined in the GPO you are using for both, it can be prone to errors.Normally, organizations that have a well-established implementation of MCM prefer to use this platform because the device collections where they keep organized their devices by operating system and the task sequences to provision devices in an automated way has been used and maintained by the organization for a long time and it becomes second nature to use the platform to onboard your devices in Defender for Endpoint using a well-known method for MCM administrators.
What's New in Excel (July 2025)
Welcome to the July 2025 update.The new Get Data dialog for Power Query brings together search and recommendations in a streamlined layout to help you quickly locate the right data source to bring data from.Power Query refresh & data source settings for authenticated data sourcesYou can now refresh the Power Query queries in your workbook that source data from a selection of authenticated data sources.
Azure Automation: General Availability of PowerShell 7.4, Python 3.10 runbooks, Runtime Environment
General Availability of PowerShell 7.4 and Python 3.10 runtime versions.Support for Azure CLI commands in PowerShell runbooks (GA).Run your automation on the latest, supported runtime versions and improve security, performance, and compatibility with the broader Azure ecosystem.
Develop Custom Engine Agent to Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat with pro-code
There are some great articles that explain how to integrate an MCP server built on Azure with a declarative agent created using Microsoft Copilot Studio.While debugging the ASP.NET Core part we just walked through in the source code, it also launches the Agent Playground from the other project.Next, create a development tunnel to allow external access to the project you will run in debug mode.
راهنمای کامل راهاندازی، همگامسازی یکپارچه فایلها بین سرورهای داخلی و آژور
:سرویس همگامسازی فایل آژوریکی از سرویسهای قدرتمند مایکروسافت در حوزهی ذخیرهسازی ابری است که به سازمانها امکان میدهد فایل سرورهای محلی خود را بدون نیاز به مهاجرت کامل به ابر، با فضای ذخیرهسازی آژور همگامسازی کنند. این سرویس به ویژه برای کسبوکارهایی که به زیرساخت داخلی خود متکی هستند، ولی میخواهند از مزایای مقیاسپذیری، امنیت و قابلیت اطمینان فضای ابری نیز بهرهمند شوند، طراحی شده است:ادامه مطلبAzure File sync on Microsoft MSFarsi Community
Azure راهنمای کامل راهاندازی، همگامسازی یکپارچه فایلها بین سرورهای داخلی و
:سرویس همگامسازی فایل آژوریکی از سرویسهای قدرتمند مایکروسافت در حوزهی ذخیرهسازی ابری است که به سازمانها امکان میدهد فایل سرورهای محلی خود را بدون نیاز به مهاجرت کامل به ابر، با فضای ذخیرهسازی آژور همگامسازی کنند. این سرویس به ویژه برای کسبوکارهایی که به زیرساخت داخلی خود متکی هستند، ولی میخواهند از مزایای مقیاسپذیری، امنیت و قابلیت اطمینان فضای ابری نیز بهرهمند شوند، طراحی شده است:ادامه مطلبAzure File sync |Microsoft MSFarsi Community
How do I A/B test different versions of my agent?
Each post answers a real question from the community with simple, practical guidance to help you build smarter agents.With agent versioning in the AI Toolkit, you can explore new prompts, models, or tools without breaking what already works.To take full advantage of versioning, let’s create a second version of the Movie Recommendation agent with a different system prompt that states how to format the model response.
Connectivity options between Hub-and-Spoke and Azure Virtual WAN
The goal of this article is to expand on additional options that can help customers to migrate to their existing Hub and Spoke topology to Azure Virtual WAN.In this scenario, spokes vNet originally connected to vNet Hub are migrated to the vHub while maintaining existing peering with the vNet Hub but with the Use Remote Gateway configuration disabled.This article outlined four strategies for migrating from Hub and Spoke networking to Azure Virtual WAN—ExpressRoute hair pinning, VPN or SD-WAN virtual tunnels, vNet peering with vHub connections, and transit virtual networks for decentralized vNets—highlighting their pros, cons, and administrative considerations.
Agentless code scanning for GitHub and Azure DevOps (preview)
Agentless code scanning customization options in the Defender for Cloud portalBut Defender for Cloud also supports in-pipeline scanning using Microsoft Security DevOps (MSDO) command line application for Azure DevOps or GitHub Action.Learn more in the Defender for Cloud in the Field episode on agentless code scanning
Immersive events in Microsoft Teams, a new way to host interactive and engaging virtual events
To solve this, we’re integrating immersive capabilities directly into Microsoft Teams, bringing a new powerful event solution that enables teams to create engaging, virtual event experiences using the familiar tools you already know and trust.Introducing immersive events in Teams, customizable 3D event experiences without complexityToday, we are excited to announce the public preview availability of immersive events in Teams.
Messaging Connect: Global SMS Coverage Now Available in Azure Communication Services
We’re excited to announce the public preview of Messaging Connect, a new partner-led program that brings global SMS coverage to Azure Communication Services—starting with Infobip, one of the world’s leading communication providers.This launch is made possible through a strategic partnership with Infobip, a global communications platform with direct connections to 800+ carriers across more than 190 countries and territories.Messaging Connect is now in public preview with Infobip as the first integrated partner.
Oracle Database@Azure: New Services, More Regions & Enhanced Security for Faster Innovation
These include the public preview of the Base Database Service, expanded availability in key global regions, enhanced networking capabilities now generally available, and support for new deployment options with Exadata on Exascale.We’re excited to announce that Oracle Base Database Service is now in public preview on Oracle [email protected]’re excited to announce that Oracle Database@Azure now supports storing Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) keys in Azure Key Vault (AKV)—a significant milestone for organizations seeking full control over their encryption strategy.
Teams immersive, a new way to host interactive and engaging virtual events
To solve this, we’re integrating immersive capabilities directly into Microsoft Teams, bringing a new powerful event solution that enables teams to create engaging, virtual event experiences using the familiar tools you already know and trust.Introducing Teams immersive, customizable 3D event experiences without the complexityToday, we are excited to announce the public preview availability of immersive events in Teams.
Coming to OneNote: Merge Table Cells and Paste Text Only
You can now merge table cells in OneNote!The ability to Merge Table Cells is now available to all OneNote Insiders on supported platforms.Paste Text Only shortcut in OneNote
Zero Trust and Cloud-Native Windows
Microsoft Intune provides a strong foundation for managing Windows devices in line with Zero Trust principles.Cloud-native endpoint management for Windows devices, or cloud-native Windows, refers to Windows devices that are Entra-joined and Intune-managed — a foundational shift from traditional, on-premises models.Cloud-native Windows ensures that devices are seamlessly integrated into modern security frameworks, enabling adaptive access controls and real-time compliance checks.
AI Security Essentials: What Companies Worry About and How Microsoft Helps
These include security and privacy, regulatory compliance, ethical factors, and compatibility with existing IT systems.Additionally, Microsoft Priva integrates seamlessly with Purview to apply sensitivity labels and data loss prevention (DLP) policies, classify sensitive information types (SITs) such as Social Security numbers, health records, and financial data, and enforce encryption and access controls across devices and applications.AI Security Posture Management (AI-SPM) in Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Deprecation of native public folder migrations to service from very old versions of Exchange
We are deprecating support for public folder migrations from Exchange Server 2010 and older versions to Exchange Online to reduce reliance on older systems and improve long-term service reliability.Public folder migrations from these on premises versions to Exchange Online (Public Folders and Microsoft 365 Groups) will be blocked starting October 1st, 2025.Customers migrating public folders from Exchange Server 2010 and older to Exchange Online can continue to use Microsoft migration tools until October 1st, 2025, but should complete their public folder migration by this date.
Upgrade to Windows 11 with Windows Autopatch groups
Have you tried Windows Autopatch groups for the gradual rollout of Windows feature updates?Windows Autopatch offers the fastest, safest way to upgrade to Windows 11—built for phased, controlled rollouts that align with IT priorities. With Windows 10 support ending on October 14, 2025, some organizations must still decide whether to enroll in Extended Security Updates or move forward with upgrading to Windows 11. For those ready to upgrade, here is a proven step-by-step approach using Windows Autopatch groups.Before creating Windows Autopatch groups, use the Windows 11 readiness report to evaluate the readiness of your devices based on CPU, TPM, RAM, and app compatibility. The report will help you easily:
Windows 11 cloud-native migration with Microsoft Intune
Have Windows 10 domain-joined and co-managed devices, but ready to migrate to Windows 11 and cloud-native management with Microsoft Intune.To facilitate a smooth upgrade to Windows 11, first check that all your Windows 10 devices are on the latest supported release (Windows 10, version 22H2) and have all updates installed.Migrating to Windows 11 and Microsoft Intune from Windows 10 domain-joined and co-managed environments positions your organization for future success.
Windows Server 2025 Software Defined Datacenter: Networking Deployment Series (3/6)
Welcome to part three of our Networking Deployment Series for Windows Server 2025.In this deployment series, we look at Contoso Medical Center’s journey deploying and harnessing the power of Windows Server 2025 Software Defined Datacenter (SDDC) to build a next-generation environment for your VMs and applications.Now, with Windows Server 2025, Contoso can deploy Network Controller— the brains of SDN—on Windows Failover Cluster, unlocking the ability to run SDN production workloads in under 10 minutes, no VMs to patch, and so long as the hosts are patched, Network Controller is patched.
Navigating modern economic dissonance with prescriptive analytics from Board in Azure Marketplace
Has consumer sentiment been collapsing?According to the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index, the answer is yes—despite a notable rebound in June.While consumer pessimism dominates headlines, the deeper issue is the proliferation of contradictory economic data.
Managed Identity support for Azure Key Vault in SQL Server running on Linux
We are happy to announce that, you can now use Managed Identity to authenticate to Azure Key Vault from SQL Server running on Azure VM (Linux) available from SQL Server 2022 CU18 onwards. This blog will walk you through the process of using a user-assigned managed identity to access Azure Key Vault and configure Transparent Data Encryption(TDE) for a SQL database.Using managed identity to access Azure Key Vault in SQL Server running on an Azure Linux VM boosts security, streamlines key management, and supports compliance.
Creating Intelligent Video Summaries and Avatar Videos with Azure AI Services
Imagine a world where every second of your organization’s video content whether it’s a crucial training session, a product demo, or an expert-led seminar becomes instantly accessible, searchable, and actionable.Join me as we dive into the future of intelligent video analytics, where Microsoft Azure’s cutting-edge AI transforms raw footage into powerful knowledge assets.Traditional video content management faces several critical limitations:
Securing Containerized Applications with Application Gateway for Containers and Azure WAF
Azure Application Gateway for Containers is a modern, Kubernetes-native Layer 7 load balancer designed to manage ingress traffic for containerized applications running in Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).Application Gateway for Containers is the evolution of the Application Gateway Ingress Controller (AGIC), and introduces a new control and data plane architecture, enabling near-instant updates to routes, probes, and backend pods.Azure Application Gateway for Containers paired with Web Application Firewall (WAF) offers a powerful, flexible, and Kubernetes-native approach to securing microservices at the edge.
Introducing API Management Support in the Azure SRE Agent
In May, the Azure SRE Agent was introduced - an AI-powered Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) assistant built to help customers identify, diagnose, and resolve issues across their Azure environments faster and with less manual effort. Today, we’re excited to highlight how the SRE Agent now extends these capabilities to Azure API Management (APIM) , delivering deep operational visibility, guided troubleshooting, and intelligent remediation for customers running critical APIs at scale.The SRE Agent continuously monitors the overall health of your API Management service.
Azure Support Slack Bot on Azure Container Apps: Production-ready guide
Launch a secure, scalable Slack bot for Azure support tickets in minutes — no secrets in code, no manual admin steps, and fully aligned with modern cloud-native best practices.It’s not just a cool demo — it’s a production-ready blueprint for any digital native team that wants to integrate Slack with Azure support in a secure, automated, and developer-friendly way.After updating your Slack App Manifest with the production URL, Slack will attempt to verify the new endpoint.
Take Notes Automatically in In-Person Meetings with Microsoft Teams Mobile App & Facilitator Agent
Now you can make that happen, right from your phone, with the Microsoft Teams mobile app and the Facilitator agent.Open the Teams app on your phoneSelect "Take notes with Facilitator"
Keep data updated with PivotTable Auto Refresh in Excel
I’m so excited to share with you a long-awaited PivotTable feature in Microsoft Excel for Windows and Mac: PivotTable Auto Refresh!Keep data updated with PivotTable Auto Refresh in ExcelAuto Refresh is on by default for new PivotTables.
🚨 Azure Service Health Built-In Policy (Preview) – Now Available!
Up until now there has been no native scalable solution to provide consistent notifications across Azure subscriptions for Service Health events.We’re excited to announce the release of Azure Service Health Built-In Policy (Preview), a new built-in Azure Policy designed to simplify and scale the deployment of Service Health alerts across your Azure environment.This policy enables customers to automatically deploy Service Health alerts across subscriptions, ensuring consistent visibility into platform-level issues that may impact workloads.
Microsoft Fabric آشنایی با
.مایکروسافت فبریک یک راهحل تحلیلی همهجانبه برای شرکتها است که همه چیز از جابجایی داده تا علم داده، تجزیه و تحلیل بلادرنگ و هوش تجاری را پوشش میدهد تجزیه و تحلیل مقیاس پذیر می تواند پیچیده، تکه تکه و گران باشد. با مایکروسافت فبریک، لازم نیست تمام وقت خود را صرف ترکیب خدمات مختلف از فروشندگان مختلف کنید. در عوض، میتوانید از یک محصول واحد استفاده کنید که به راحتی قابل درک، راهاندازی، ایجاد و مدیریت است. فبریک تجربیات و ابزارهای بهینه شده برای افراد را در یک رابط کاربری یکپارچه ارائه می دهد:ادامه مطلبآشنایی-با-مایکروسافت-فبریک
Azure ExpressRoute Direct: A Comprehensive Overview
Azure ExpressRoute allows you to extend your on-premises network into the Microsoft cloud over a private connection made possible through a connectivity provider.ExpressRoute allows you to create a connection between your on-premises network and the Microsoft cloud in four different ways, CloudExchange Colocation, Point-to-point Ethernet Connection, Any-to-any (IPVPN) Connection, and ExpressRoute Direct.Once your ExpressRoute circuit is created and VLAN connectivity is established, the next crucial step involves setting up BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) sessions between your network and Microsoft's infrastructure.
Draft and deploy - Azure Firewall policy changes [Preview]
Azure Firewall, Microsoft’s fully managed, cloud-native service, offers robust security capabilities including stateful packet inspection, advanced threat prevention, autoscaling, and centralized policy enforcement across distributed Azure environments.To further simplify policy administration, the recently introduced draft and deploy feature enables security teams to safely edit firewall policies in a staging environment and apply those changes atomically.The following CLI commands could be used to update the policy draft.
Strategic Solutions for Seamless Integration of Third-Party SaaS
Developers are expected to build architectures that connect easily with third-party platforms, but too often, core systems are designed in isolation.The real challenge is integrating them with internal systems such as Demand Planning, Offer Management, and Employee Central.This blog post outlines a strategy centered around two foundational components: an Integration and Orchestration Layer, and a Messaging Platform.
News to Know - Volume 2, Edition 5, July 2025
To help you get the most out of the Viva Glint product, this July 2025 newsletter is full of need-to-knows which coincide with the last three months of platform deployments and enhancements. Now available for all tenants, Microsoft 365 global admins can control Copilot in Viva Glint availability for your organization, groups, or users in the Microsoft 365 admin center.Throughout the summer, the People Science team will be publishing a monthly blog series on new trends and insights related to People Success.
Two Powerful Ways to Create Surveys with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat
In this post, we’ll explore two effective methods for building surveys directly within Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat: using the “Create a form” feature and leveraging the innovative Survey Agent.1. Creating Surveys with “Create a Form” in Microsoft 365 Copilot ChatMicrosoft 365 Copilot Chat offers flexible and intelligent options for survey creation.
Effortless Video Sharing in Microsoft 365: Unlocking the Power of SharePoint Media Libraries
Microsoft 365 offers a robust set of tools for storing, managing, and sharing videos, making it easy to distribute engaging content across your organization.Sharing Videos from SharePoint Media LibrariesMicrosoft 365 and SharePoint make video sharing intuitive, secure, and versatile.
Bring Auxiliary Logs to the next level
That’s why we’re excited to announce a series of major advancements to Auxiliary Logs, the Azure Monitor plan that is designed for high volume logs, making it more cost-effective and improving the tools for use.Auxiliary Logs works in tandem with all other Azure Monitor tools including the more powerful Basic and Analytics Logs plans.Public Preview of KQL Transformations for Auxiliary Logs
New Surface Laptop 5G for Business, Copilot+ PC
As the first Surface Laptop to feature 5G, it enables enterprise-ready AI features for deeper insights, productivity boosts, and powerful local inferencing wherever work happens.Surface Laptop 5G supports both physical Nano and eSIM for flexibility to connect from anywhere.This is the first Surface Copilot+ PC to support Intel with 5G and it comes with a choice of Intel Core Ultra 5 and 7 processors.
Microsoft AI Security Story: Protection Across the Platform
Although, as organizations leverage AI to enhance productivity and decision-making, risk associated with AI vulnerabilities, data exposure, attacks, and misuse have become increasing targeted.Understanding these challenges, Microsoft has approached AI security with a platform architecture approach.We discuss Microsoft’s robust AI security story, highlighting the platform approach.
Defender for Storage: Malware Scan Error Message Update
Starting August 2025, Defender for Storage will update the format of error messages returned by malware scanning.The new messages will retain the SAM2592XX: codes, but use clearer, standardized wording and will no longer appear in quotes.The updated error message format for Defender for Storage malware scans will begin with high-level states such as Scan failed or Not scanned.
What’s new in Microsoft Intune: July 2025
This month we made Local Admin Password Solution (LAPS) integration generally available for macOS automated device enrollment.The IT help desk admin retrieves the password from Intune, completes their tasks, rotates the password, and returns the device without compromising security.The timing of this new capability is particularly important because Apple announced at WWDC that MDM software updates will be deprecated with the Apple OS 26 releases in 2025.
Azure Virtual Desktop metadata database now available in Korea Central
We’re pleased to announce that the Azure Virtual Desktop metadata database is now available in the Korea Central region.By extending regional availability, we continue to enhance Azure Virtual Desktop’s performance, support data residency, and meet compliance requirements across more markets.Get started with configuring your Azure Virtual Desktop environment in Korea Central, visit the Data Locations for Azure Virtual Desktop documentation to learn more.
Provide a Flat Network Scaling Solution to AKS - Azure CNI Pod Subnet - Static Block Allocation
We are excited to announce the general availability of Azure CNI Pod Subnet - Static Block Allocation – a networking solution that transforms how you scale Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) clusters! This long-awaited feature is now here, providing enterprise-grade flat networking for clusters in unprecedented capacity.Azure CNI Pod Subnet - Static Block Allocation revolutionizes AKS networking by expanding cluster capacity from 65K to 1M pods – a game-changing 15x increase that eliminates traditional scaling barriers. Azure CNI Pod Subnet - Static Block Allocation enables VNet-routed IP addresses that can scale to over 1M pods, providing the simplicity and low latency of a flat network.
Safer Drivers, Stronger Devices
At Surface, we are improving the security and reliability of Surface devices and drivers and raising the security bar for the entire Windows ecosystem by embracing Rust, a modern programming language designed with memory safety at its core.The impact of the Rust Windows Drivers platformwindows-drivers-rs is a Microsoft open-source project focused on enabling Windows driver development using the Rust programming language.
Automate bulk metadata updates in Microsoft Purview Data Map using Azure Functions and AI
Automate and streamline bulk metadata updates in Microsoft Purview Data Map using serverless Azure Functions.Purview API with Secure AccessMetadata updates are processed in bulk using the REST API, authorized by a Managed Identity token.By combining Azure Functions, Microsoft Purview REST API, and Managed Identity, you can build a secure, scalable, and automated solution for bulk metadata updates.
Smart AI integration with the Model Context Protocol (MCP) ... part 3B
A discussion on Model Context Protocol:Part 3 - A demo of MCP — including how to configure it so anyone can run itThe Coding Agent is an autonomous, AI-powered software development agent integrated into GitHub.
What's new in Viva Insights
We’re excited to announce a variety of new features for Viva Insights, which include a unified experience for accessing the Copilot Dashboard and advanced analysis tools in the new Viva Insights web app, and newly available Power BI reports for measuring Copilot Studio agents adoption and impact and employee learning.With the public preview launch of the Copilot Studio agents report, customers can now understand the adoption and impact of custom agents built using Microsoft Copilot Studio, and measure agent-driven productivity gains and user satisfaction.That’s why we’re excited to introduce the Learning Culture report in Viva Insights—a new Power BI template designed to help HR professionals and business leaders measure and foster a culture of continuous learning across their organizations.
Dream it. See it. Ship it.
Spark empowers developers, builders, and dreamers —— to build and ship intelligent apps from prototype to production using natural language, visual controls, targeted edits, or code.It’s deeply integrated into the GitHub platform and Microsoft ecosystem, enabling users to build quickly and securely.Build your way: Use natural language, visual editing controls, or code with GitHub Copilot code completions at your fingertips to iterate on your ideas.
MSSQL Extension for VS Code: Agent Mode Updates, Colored Connections, and Schema Designer updates
In version v1.34.0, we’ve focused this release on deepening GitHub Copilot Agent Mode, improving connection clarity through color-coded indicators, making local container workflows more flexible, enhancing the Schema Designer, and solving bugs across the experience.What’s new in MSSQL extension for VS Code v1.34You can now assign custom colors to your connections and instantly recognize them in the VS Code status bar.
Microsoft Connected Cache is now generally available
We are proud to announce the general availability of Microsoft Connected Cache on July 23, 2025, to Enterprise and Education organizations.Microsoft Connected Cache for Enterprise and Education is available to all organizations with Windows Enterprise (E3, E5, and F3) or Windows Education (A3 and A5) entitlements, or a more comprehensive Microsoft 365 subscription.Connected Cache complements Delivery Optimization peer-to-peer as a dedicated software caching solution that can be deployed within your network.
ICYMI | Stand out in the marketplace with a Microsoft Copilot specialization
The Microsoft Copilot specialization showcases your expertise providing consulting and professional services around Copilot.The Microsoft Copilot specialization demonstrates your experience and capabilities with Copilot, including Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Chat, Copilot Studio, and agents.Explore AI Advisory Services for Microsoft Copilot.
Stand out in the marketplace with a Microsoft Copilot specialization
The Microsoft Copilot specialization demonstrates your experience and capabilities with Copilot, including Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Chat, Copilot Studio, and agents.Explore AI Advisory Services for Microsoft Copilot. If your organization has already attained one or more of these designations, please review the Microsoft Copilot specialization criteria—which include performance metrics, skilling requirements, and customer references—and begin to work toward meeting them.
Announcing Microsoft 365 Copilot Search General Availability: A new era of search with Copilot
Introducing Microsoft 365 Copilot Search, available as a dedicated module within the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, accessible across desktop, web, and mobile platforms.Microsoft 365 Copilot Search leverages the power of artificial intelligence to simplify and accelerate your search for valuable insights when you need information in a pinch.Microsoft 365 Copilot Search is available through the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.
RDP Multipath is now generally available for Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365
We’re excited to announce the General Availability (GA) of RDP Multipath for both Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365.This new feature dynamically evaluates multiple network paths between your physical device and Cloud PC or session host to help to maintain seamless connectivity and minimize the risk of disconnections.RDP Multipath is being rolled out in phases across Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365. Until the rollout is complete, the feature may not be available across all connections. Each phase is guided by quality benchmarks to ensure a stable and reliable experience as deployment expands.
Always-On Diagnostics for Endpoint DLP
Always-on Diagnostics for Endpoint DLP is our answer, and it's now available in public preview for Windows Endpoints.Always-on Diagnostics represents a fundamental shift from reactive troubleshooting to proactive intelligence.Always-on Diagnostics is available in public preview for all Microsoft Endpoint DLP customers.
The Future of AI: Optimize Your Site for Agents - It's Cool to be a Tool
Below we outline recent best practices, including how Microsoft’s NLWeb project fits in, and other emerging standards to make your site "agent-ready."NLWeb essentially lets you turn your website into a conversational AI app.Conversational Interface for Your Site: NLWeb allows you to deploy a natural language query interface on top of your site’s data.
Frontline Fridays Session 5: Turbocharging your employee home experience through customization
This session will spotlight the Employee Home Experience—a personalized, mobile-first dashboard in Microsoft Teams that brings together everything your frontline teams need in one place: tasks, news, announcements, and company resources.See how the Home Experience, powered by Viva Connections makes frontline employee experience seamless through a ‘Day in the life of a store associate.Companies like American Airlines, Domino’s, Conagra, and BASF are already transforming their frontline experience with Teams—boosting connectivity, streamlining operations, and increasing engagement.
Workspaces Are Now Generally Available In Azure API Management Premium v2
We’re excited to announce the general availability of workspaces and workspace gateways in the Premium v2 tier of Azure API Management!Premium v2 tier remains in preview at the time of this announcement.Workspaces enable management and governance of APIs at scale.
Dynamics 365 آشنایی با
داینامیکس 365 مجموعهای از برنامههای تجاری هوشمند است که کارایی عملیاتی برتر و تجربیات مشتری را به دست میآورد که به کسبوکارها امکان میدهد بدون افزایش هزینهها، چابکتر شوند و پیچیدگی را کاهش دهند. به شما کمک میکند کل کسب و کار خود را اداره کنید و از طریق بینشهای پیشبینیکننده و مبتنی بر هوش مصنوعی، نتایج بهتری ارائه دهید. برنامههای داینامیکس 365 برای کار با یکدیگر – و با سیستمهای موجود شما – برای راهحلی جامع ساخته شدهاند که کل تجارت شما را به هم متصل میکند. بنابراین شما با هر مشتری ارتباط برقرار می کنید:ادامه مطلبآشنایی با Dynamics 365 – MSFarsi |Microsoft MSFarsi Community
Agentic AI research-methodology - part 1
In this blog we provide a practical guide for transitioning agentic AI projects from research to production.In part one we will explore how to effectively design agentic AI systems - AI agents that can reason over and generate unstructured data - by emphasizing the importance of clearly defining the problem and understanding why AI is needed.Agentic AI: a paradigm where autonomous agents, powered by large language models (LLMs), collaborate to reason over unstructured data and generate meaningful outcomes.
Call Function App from Azure Data Factory with Managed Identity Authentication
Integrating Azure Function Apps into your Azure Data Factory (ADF) workflows is a common practice.To enhance security beyond the use of function API keys, leveraging managed identity authentication is strongly recommended.Given the fact that many existing guides were outdated with recent updates to Azure services, this article provides a comprehensive, up-to-date walkthrough on configuring managed identity in ADF to securely call Function Apps.
Capture Java Thread Dump from Kudu console on Windows App Service
In Azure App Service, we provide ability to capture Java thread dump of your Java application by using "Diagnostic & Solve Problem".We can do the same by capturing the thread dump from kudu console in Windows App Service.Now you can find and download the java thread dump files from the same folder.
🌟 Community Spotlight – Nicola Delfino
In this edition of Community Spotlight, we're highlighting some outstanding contributions from the Microsoft communities.Nicola has created and been maintaining a Hub and Spoke playground repository.nicolgit/hub-and-spoke-playgroundA collection of BICEP/ARM templates that deploys on Azure a hub & spoke net topology aligned with Microsoft Enterprise scale landing zone ref architecture to use as a playground for testing and studying.
Hello? Computer? Conversational Interfaces are the Key, not the Keyboard
Generative AI tools like Microsoft Copilot and other advanced chat-based AIs are not just products.They’re a profound shift in how we interact with information.From Point-and-Click to Just Ask
Introducing the Improved Search Job Experience in Azure Monitor Log Analytics
A search job is an asynchronous query that runs on any data in your Log Analytics workspace, including data from the long-term retention, making the results available for further queries in a new Analytics table within your workspace.To efficiently search massive datasets, Search Job divides queries into smaller time-based segments, processes them in parallel, and returns the results. With the new Search Job experience, scanning through massive volumes of logs is now fast, simple, and intuitive.
Identities with Custom ID: A Simpler, Smarter Way to Manage Communication Users
Azure Communication Services (ACS) now solves that with Identities with Custom IDs.This new feature allows developers to associate ACS-generated identities with custom application-defined identifiers (like emails or usernames).These custom identifiers make it easy to recognize and reuse an ACS user identity across multiple sessions — enabling smoother experiences, stronger data consistency, and more intelligent engagement across the entire customer journey.
Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance now available as an add-on for Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Microsoft 365 Business Premium is our comprehensive productivity and security solution designed for small and medium-sized businesses (up to 300 users).We’re excited to announce that starting late August 2025, Microsoft 365 Business Premium customers will be eligible to purchase Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance as an add-on, bringing enterprise-grade capabilities to Microsoft 365 Business Premium customers, helping small and medium-sized businesses manage risk, protect sensitive data, and simplify compliance, all within a unified Microsoft experience. E5 Compliance is available for purchase as an add-on to Microsoft 365 Business Premium in late August 2025.
Azure VMware Solution now available in Spain Central
We are pleased to announce that Azure VMware Solution is now available in Spain Central.Now in 35 Azure regions, Azure VMware Solution empowers you to seamlessly extend or migrate existing VMware workloads to Azure without the cost, effort or risk of re-architecting applications or retooling operations. We recently announced the VMware Rapid Migration Plan, where Microsoft provides a comprehensive set of licensing benefits and programs to give you price protection and savings as you migrate to Azure VMware Solution.
From Individual Voices to Collective Insight
In April 2025, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released over 10,000 public comments in response to its AI Action Plan.These comments—ranging from a few words to over 40,000—offer a rare and powerful snapshot of how Americans feel about the future of artificial intelligence.In my final Blog Post, I’ll show how to bring these insights to life for end users—embedding them into Microsoft 365 Copilot as a custom agent that empowers policy analysts to explore, query, and act on public feedback in real time.
Resilience in action for Windows devices
Windows 11, version 24H2 (KB5062660), introduces two major advancements that strengthen system resilience and minimize downtime: a redesigned user experience for unexpected restarts and the general availability of quick machine recovery.With Windows 11, version 24H2, we’re introducing a more streamlined user interface for unexpected restarts that’s more than just a color change.The new UI for unexpected restarts is now generally available for all devices on Windows 11, 24H2.
Boost mobile productivity with Surface Laptop 5G for Business and Surface Copilot+ PCs
This blog focuses on the technical capabilities that make these devices ready for business and highlights how Surface is evolving to meet the needs of commercial customers.Surface Laptop 5G for Business brings together support for fast, reliable 5G, built-in AI acceleration, and modern management in a sleek Copilot+ PC designed for work on the move.Surface Laptop 5G features Microsoft’s first custom-designed 5G module, delivering exceptional RF performance in an ultra-compact form factor. It features six 5G antennas with an integrated Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) antenna, including Global Positioning System (GPS), Galileo, Baidu, Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), and Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC). The antennas were implemented using advanced tunable architecture in the metal chassis, incorporating innovative matching topology that ensures efficient impedance matching across a wide frequency spectrum.
Partner Case Study | JJ Foodservice
JJ Foodservice, one of the UK’s largest foodservice wholesalers, teamed up with Appvia to modernize infrastructure, improve agility, and expand cloud capabilities with a scalable, secure Azure foundation.This London-based cloud-native consultancy and Microsoft Solutions Partner has been helping organizations navigate these challenges since becoming a Microsoft partner in 2020.Together, Appvia and JJ Foodservice delivered a full-scale Azure migration in just six weeks, creating a secure foundation for growth and unlocking long-term value across the business.
Limitless learning, one location: The Microsoft Partner Skilling Hub is here
The Skilling Hub is a unified platform that brings together all GPS partner skilling resources—Microsoft Titan Skilling Academy, LevelUp, GPS Skilling Hub, SureStep, AI Partner Training Days, and regional events—into one seamless experience.This centralized, global learning portal is designed to help partner sales professionals boost their skills and close more deals through structured, role-based training.Launched on June 1, 2025, its first module, “Sales Titan: Threat Protection,” focuses on Microsoft 365 E5 Security and offers on-demand training, certifications, and resources to support confident customer conversations.
Bits of wisdom from a year of Talking Postgres
In this post you’ll get highlights from the past 13 episodes of Talking Postgres, shared in reverse chronological order.Podcast listening in the US has grown from 170 million hours a week in 2015 to over 770 million hours per week in 2025.In this episode, Peter Farkas shared the origin story of FerretDB, an open source MongoDB alternative that first became an idea at 16,000 feet at the Himalayan K2 base camp.
Responding to the Absence of Change in Change-Driven Systems
Drasi, an open-source Data Change Processing Platform, simplifies the creation of change-driven systems because it provides a consistent way of thinking about, detecting, and reacting to change.Central to Drasi is the Continuous Query Pattern, implemented using the openCypher graph query language.Drasi revolutionizes this process with the Continuous Query Pattern and powerful functions like "trueFor" and "trueLater", enabling developers to build responsive, scalable systems with ease.
New in Excel for the web: Power Query Refresh & Data Source Settings for authenticated data sources
We’ve reached yet another milestone in Excel for the web: Power Query Refresh is now generally available for queries sourcing data from selected authenticated data sources.As we released the ability to refresh Power Query data from anonymous data sources (link), it was only a matter of time until we added the ability to refresh Power Query data from authenticated data sources, which are the majority of data sources used, and require users to enter credentials.You can now view and manage data source credentials for the Power Query queries in your workbook using Data Source Settings:
MDTI is Converging into Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR
In today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape, organizations need threat intelligence (TI) that is woven seamlessly into every step of their security operations—delivered exactly when and where it matters most.That’s why Microsoft is converging Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence (MDTI) directly into Defender XDR and Microsoft Sentinel, which will provide world-class, real-time TI within a unified SecOps experience at no additional cost.The convergence of MDTI value into Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR will take place over the course of several months and be completed by the first half of next year.
Introducing Microsoft Sentinel data lake
Microsoft Sentinel data lake enables a fully managed, cloud-native, data lake that is purposefully designed for security, right inside Sentinel.Built on a modern lake architecture and powered by Azure, Sentinel data lake simplifies security data management, eliminates security data silos, and enables cost-effective long-term security data retention with the ability to run multiple forms of analytics on a single copy of that data.Additionally, as part of the public preview, we are also releasing a new Sentinel Visual Studio Code extension that enables security teams to easily connect to the same data lake data and use Python notebooks, as well as spark and ML libraries to deeply analyze lake data for anomalies.
New in Microsoft AppSource: July 1-10, 2025
For this volume, 309 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live.This extension adds three new API queries to the General Ledger Entries table, exposing fields like vendor name and customer name for advanced reporting.Review Management from FM IT ApS is an extension for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central that streamlines your review collection process by automatically sending personalized email invitations to your customers after a successful sale.
Microsoft Sentinel data lake pricing (preview)
This article describes the pricing for the new Microsoft Sentinel data lake billed components in preview.See What is Microsoft Sentinel data lake (preview) to learn more about the data lake, or the Microsoft Sentinel pricing page for an overview of Microsoft Sentinel pricing.Starting August 4, 2025, refer to the Microsoft Sentinel pricing page for current pricing within your relevant region.
Towards Robust Evaluation of Multi-Agent Systems in Clinical Settings
To address this, we present a modular evaluation framework for the Healthcare Agent Orchestrator, designed to support fine-grained, clinical grounded assessment across both deployed clinical workflows and simulated scenarios.Central to our framework is TBFact, a domain specific factuality metric that evaluates agent outputs based on three key criteria: factual inclusion, factual distortion, and factual omission.Poor tolerance to lomustine is reported, but specific side effects are not listed in the reference summary.
What models can I use for free while prototyping?
Each post answers a real question from the community with simple, practical guidance to help you build smarter agents.These models are maintained by the GitHub team and run entirely on GitHub’s infrastructure, so you don’t need to bring your own API key or worry about usage fees.Run a Local Model
Building Enterprise-Grade Deep Research Agents In-House: Architecture and Implementation
As generative AI adoption accelerates, more professionals are recognizing the limitations of basic Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).Therefore, this article focuses on the approach of building a custom orchestrator in-house and introduces methods for internalizing Deep Research capabilities.This research systematically reviews the latest trends, system architectures, and results of five Japanese companies (NEC, Panasonic Connect, Fujitsu, KDDI, and Panasonic Holdings) that have published official case studies involving the use of Azure AI/OpenAI Service with multi-agent collaboration.
Important Changes to App Service Managed Certificates: Is Your Certificate Affected?
As part of an upcoming industry-wide change, DigiCert, the Certificate Authority (CA) for Azure App Service Managed Certificates (ASMC), is required to migrate to a new validation platform to meet multi-perspective issuance corroboration (MPIC) requirements. However, if you need to limit access to your app, then you must acquire your own SSL certificate and add it to your site.Action: Add a custom domain to your app and point the custom domain to your *.trafficmanager.net domain.
EOL of Azure Linux 2.0 on Azure Kubernetes Service enabled by Azure Arc
Azure Linux 2.0 will reach its End of Life (EOL) in July 2025Starting with the Azure Local 2507 release, Azure Kubernetes Service enabled by Azure Arc will ship Azure Linux 3.0 images for all supported Kubernetes versions. This change applies to all AKS enabled by Azure Arc deployments, as we have used Azure Linux 2.0 as the base image in the past.Approximately every three years Azure Linux releases a new version of its operating system with upgrades to major components.
SC-401 Evolves: Secure AI with Microsoft Purview
A major update is coming to SC-401T00: Information Security Administrator on August 8.The current learning path “Protect data in AI environments with Microsoft Purview” will be retired and replaced with a newly structured path titled:"Secure AI interactions and environments with Microsoft Purview"
Save your spot for the FY26 Partner Power Hour webinar series happening soon!
Get ready to elevate your FY26 go-to-market (GTM) strategies with the Microsoft Partner Power Hour—a three-part, interactive webinar series.Each session is designed to deliver real-world strategies you can immediately apply to drive results.Register anyway—recordings of each webinar will be available on demand.
Discover Azure Accelerate: Fuel transformation across the cloud and AI journey
Azure Accelerate is a unified offering within the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program.It brings together Azure Migrate and Modernize, Azure Innovate, and Cloud Accelerate Factory and is built on the foundation of Azure Essentials.* Eligible partners can register for the August 5 webinar, “Solution and Services Assessments with Dr Migrate” to learn more about how to utilize this key resource.
Support tip: Changes to Google Play strong integrity for Android 13 or above
Google recently implemented changes in May 2025 which require Android 13 or above devices to need hardware-backed security signals and a security patch released in the past 12 months to meet the strong integrity verdict.However, Microsoft Intune will also enforce the strong integrity requirements by September 30, 2025.By configuring the setting Schedule (days after noncompliance), also known as a ‘grace period’, devices which don’t meet the minimum patch level won’t be blocked immediately.
Strengthen identity threat detection and response with linkable token identifiers
We’re announcing the general availability of linkable token identifiers, which let you trace a user’s session across workloads from a specific authentication event.In Microsoft Defender XDR (shown here), authentication requests can now be linked with Microsoft Graph actions, allowing SOCs to trace malicious activity through session IDs.Track and investigate identity activities with linkable identifiers in Microsoft Entra |
CMMC and the Shared Responsibility in the Cloud
The Department of Defense's (DoD) Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program officially went into effect on December 16, 2024, and it kicked off with a bang.Similarly, if you have an implementation documented in your SSP but you cannot demonstrate that control is in place in accordance with the assessment methodology, you will not pass.As a CMMC Advisor and Lead CCA at Redspin, a Microsoft partner and Authorized C3PAO, Robert helps defense contractors prepare for and achieve CMMC certification—enabling them to win and maintain Department of Defense contracts.
Take your presentation skills to the next level with these 7 lesser-known PowerPoint features
Use Cameo to embed a live camera feed of yourself directly into your slides.On the Slide Show tab, select Rehearse with Coach, and follow the prompts.Just highlight your bullet list, select Home > Convert to SmartArt, and pick a layout that fits your message - like a process, cycle, or hierarchy.
Introducing Teams Q&A export API on Microsoft Graph Beta
We are thrilled to announce the availability of the Teams Q&A Export API in Microsoft Graph Beta: Use the Microsoft Graph API to work with Microsoft Teams. It enables programmatic access to Q&A content across Microsoft Teams meetings, webinars, and town halls, addressing a key need for data portability and cross-platform interoperability of question & answer (Q&A) conversations messages for a tenant.The new Export API, the API returns a just-in-time snapshot of all Q&A activity in JSON format.
Rebuilding Trust in the Workplace Before It’s Too Late
In this second blog in the People Success Elements series, we continue to dive deeper into the modern work experience and let survey responses from over 6.8M employees across more than 235 companies from 2022 – 2025 reveal why worker trust has waned and – importantly – how leaders can earn it back.The challenges faced by company leadership today are daunting , and stakeholder confidence in executive teams’ ability to handle them is reportedly at an all-time low1.Only 24% of employees say they trust senior leadership1.
Try a Microsoft Build demo search app with LLM functions from Azure Marketplace partner Elastic
After presenting their example app’s search system architecture, they then demonstrated the app, which uses only Azure and Elasticsearch to create a real estate property hybrid search app.The example app combines the vector database-powered search engine of Elasticsearch with Azure OpenAI and Azure Maps to create a search app that can find properties, within the example dataset, from user queries that are super specific or super vague.The .NET Blazor example app uses a RAG-based search architecture in which Elastic is the grounding data source combined with Azure OpenAI as the LLM chat service that handles search orchestration.
Creating a Slurm Job Submission App in Open OnDemand with Copilot Agent
In this blog post, we'll explore how to use Copilot Agent in Visual Studio Code (VSCode) to build an Open OnDemand application that submits Slurm jobs in a CycleCloud Workspace for Slurm (CCWS) environment.To create an Open OnDemand app that submits Slurm jobs in a CCWS environment, you can use Copilot Agent in VSCode to streamline the development process.By combining the power of Copilot Agent in VSCode with Open OnDemand and CycleCloud Workspace for Slurm, you can build user-friendly HPC applications that streamline job submission and resource management.
Customising Node-Level Configuration in AKS
When you deploy AKS, you deploy the control plan, which is managed by Microsoft, and one or more node pools, which contain the worker nodes used to run your Kubernetes workloads.However, there are some scenarios where you do need to make changes to the underlying node configuration to be able to handle the workloads you need to run.Elasticsearch has a requirement where it needs to increase the limit on mmap count, due to the way it uses "mmapfs" for storing indices.
Critical SharePoint Exploits Exposed: MDVM Response and Protection Strategy
MDVM is aware of active attacks targeting on-premises SharePoint Server customers:In this blog post, we will show you how to effectively manage these CVEs if your organization is affected by it.By combining rapid patching, AMSI enforcement, double MachineKey rotation, and MDVM’s exposure insights, defenders can drastically reduce the blast radius of these SharePoint attacks.
Troubleshoot Az Module within Logic App Standard
If your powershell script depends on Az Module, then the logic app will try to download and install the Az Module within the runtimeIn some cases, when the logic app is VNET integrated (has NSG, or routed to Virtual Appliance), or hosted within internal ASE, the logic app will be unable to reach the needed Powershell endpoints, and the download would fail, and the action would fail with below errorTo resolve this, assure that the NSG, Firewall, or Virtual appliance allows the logic app to reach the mentioned endpoints.,
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) Live Response and Performance Script.
While performance analyzer is run locally on the system to collect Microsoft Defender Anti-Virus performance details , in this document we are describing on running the performance analyzer from MDE Live Response console.The following PowerShell script records Microsoft Defender performance for 60 seconds and saves the output to a temporary file:This document outlines the use of MDE Live Response and PowerShell scripting for performance diagnostics.
آشنایی با مایکروسافت پاور پلتفرم
کسب و کارهای مدرن بر اساس داده ها کار می کنند. روزانه، کاربران وظایفی مانند وارد کردن زمان خود برای حقوق و دستمزد، انجام وظایف بر مبنای فرآیندهای موجود، یا استفاده از دادهها برای تصمیمگیریهای مربوط به کسبوکار را انجام میدهند. در دنیای مبتنی بر فناوری ما، کاربران میتوانند به اطلاعات دست یابند و با دادهها تعامل داشته باشند، در حالی که وظایف شغلی ساده یا تکراری را خودکار میکنندمایکروسافت پاور پلتفرم به کسب و کارها امکان میدهد راهحلهایی متناسب ایجاد کنند و در عین حال به آنان قدرت میدهد تا فناوری های سفارشیسازی شده را متحد کنند تا به همه افراد سازمان کمک شده و کسبوکار را با بینشی مبتنی بر داده هدایت کنند:ادامه مطلبآشنایی با مایکروسافت پاور پلتفرم – MSFarsi |Microsoft MSFarsi Community
Autonomous Visual Studio Code Desktop Automation using Computer Use Agent & PyAutoGUI
The system replicates a developer's workflow by autonomously launching VS Code, configuring the environment, and generating code via GitHub Copilot Agent mode.Limitations:With pyautogui, the App on which the automation needs to be done has to be on the foreground.It cannot choose a particular app from amongst other apps on the Desktop to monitor the visual state.
Inter-Hub Connectivity Using Azure Route Server
As your Azure footprint grows with a hub-and-spoke topology, managing User-Defined Routes (UDRs) for inter-hub connectivity can quickly become complex and error-prone.In this article, we’ll explore how Azure Route Server (ARS) can help streamline inter-hub routing by dynamically learning and advertising routes between hubs, reducing manual overhead and improving scalability.The baseline architecture includes two Hub VNets, each peered with their respective local spoke VNets as well as with the other Hub VNet for inter-hub connectivity.
Understanding Apple enrollment methods in Microsoft Intune
Microsoft Intune, together with Microsoft Entra ID, facilitates a secure, streamlined process for registering and enrolling devices to access your organization’s resources.This blog aims to provide an overview of Microsoft Intune’s enrollment methods for Apple devices to help you make informed decisions about device management.Based on customer feedback, Intune introduced a faster and more intuitive version of device enrollment with the Intune Company Portal called web enrollment in 2023.
AI for Operations - Copilot Agent Integration
The original framework introduced several Logic App and Function App patterns for SQL BPA, Update Manager, Cost Management, Anomaly Detection, and Smart Doc creation.In this article we add two Copilot Studio Agents, packaged in the GitHub repository Microsoft Azure AI for Operation Framework, designed to be deployed in a dedicated subscription (e.g., OpenAI-CoreIntegration):Feel free to clone the GitHub repo, adapt the topics to your tag taxonomy or FinOps dashboard structure, and let us know in the comments how Copilot Agents are transforming your operational workflows and...
Announcing the HLS Copilot Nuggets LinkedIn Group: Your Go-To Spot for Quick Microsoft Copilot Tips!
We’re thrilled to announce the public launch of the HLS Copilot Nuggets LinkedIn group—a brand-new community space created just for you.The HLS Copilot Nuggets group is all about sharing quick, practical, and easy-to-digest content focused on Microsoft 365 Copilot.Why Join the HLS Copilot Nuggets Group?
Microsoft at Black Hat USA 2025: A Unified Approach to Modern Cyber Defense
Start your Black Hat journey early with the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast They explore what it takes to secure one of the world’s most high-profile cybersecurity conferences, what the Black Hat Network Operations Center (NOC) sees in real time, and how defenders can apply those lessons to their own environments.Microsoft security experts Ram Shankar Siva Kumar (founder of the AI Red Team) and Craig Nelson (Microsoft Red Team) will explore how traditional and AI red teams work side by side to proactively test Microsoft’s products, platforms, and AI systems.
Empowering Rich Media Content Editing with Microsoft Copilot: Streamlining Video and Audio Workflows
In today’s digital-first workplace, the ability to efficiently create, edit, and manage rich media content—such as videos and audio recordings—is critical for organizational learning and communication.Microsoft 365 offers a robust suite of tools and integrations, including the powerful Microsoft 365 Copilot, to streamline these processes.This blog post explores how Microsoft 365 enables easy editing of rich media, highlights the integration between SharePoint, Microsoft Stream, and Clipchamp, and explains how Copilot elevates media editing and access experiences.
From social engineering to rogue VMs: The emerging tradecraft in human-directed ransomware attacks
Read this blog to learn about this emerging attack technique as well as how Defender Experts can help protect your organization.The use of rogue virtual machines in active intrusions represents a significant evolution in attacker tradecraft.To learn more about how our human-led managed security services can help you stay ahead of similar emerging threats, please visit Microsoft Defender Experts for XDR, our managed extended detection and response (MXDR) service, and Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting (included in Defender Experts for XDR), our managed threat hunting service.
Deep Dive on Availability Zones in Azure App Service
While this information is documented in the App Service Resiliency Microsoft Learn Docs, in this blog post I will try and walk you through some essential aspects of enabling Availability Zones in Azure App Service.Deploy your App Service plan in a new resource group: Using a new resource group will ensure your new plan is put on a different scale unit than your existing plan(s) that may not currently have zones.Enable zone redundancy on the ASE first;
Take Control of Your Azure VMware Solution Maintenance Schedule
We’re thrilled to introduce Self-Service Scheduling for planned maintenance events in Azure VMware Solution. Step 3 - From the Maintenance page, check the "Maintenance ready" status for each item and use the "Reschedule" link to change the upgrade date and time.Self-Service Maintenance Scheduling is now in Public Preview, use this instead of opening a service request to change your Azure VMware Solution planned maintenance.
New in Azure Marketplace: June 24-30, 2025
For this volume, 251 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live.It automates responses, syncs with more than 5,000 apps, and streamlines workflows for SMBs, departments, and individuals.Trusted by Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, it provides secure video storage, content analysis, closed captions, and multilingual translation.
آشنایی با مایکروسافت ۳۶۵
مایکروسافت ۳۶۵ چیست؟مایکروسافت ۳۶۵ یک پلت فرم بهره وری مبتنی بر ابر است. این برنامه بهترین برنامه های بهره وری را از آفیس ۳۶۵ با مدیریت پیشرفته دستگاه، امنیت هوشمند و خدمات آنلاین نوآورانه گرد هم می آورد. مایکروسافت ۳۶۵ می تواند به شما و سازمان شما در هر اندازه ای کمک کند. ابزارهای مایکروسافت ۳۶۵ به افزایش بهره وری، همکاری و ارتباطات ایمن در بسیاری از دستگاه ها کمک می کند، چه در خانه، چه در سازمان یا در حال حرکت باشید. مایکروسافت ۳۶۵ تجربه ای قابل اعتماد، ایمن و مدرن را برای همه تضمین می کند. مایکروسافت ۳۶۵ طراحی شده است تا به شما کمک کند با برنامههای نوآورانه، به سرویسهای ابری هوشمند و امنیتی در سطح جهانی دست یابید:ادامه مطلب آشنایی با مایکروسافت 365 – MSFarsi |Microsoft MSFarsi Community
Discover and Assess Kubernetes Clusters using Azure AI Agents and Model Context Protocol (MCP)
Chainlit is an open-source framework to quickly build chat UIs for LLM applications.To enable intelligent Kubernetes exploration via MCP, you need a server that translates Kubernetes APIs into tools exposed to the LLM agent.> Discover all workloads, services, and resources in the microservices-demo-dev namespace of the cluster and generate a detailed discovery report and save it to a file.
New database migration experience for SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc – Public Preview
We’re excited to announce a new database migration experience for SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc - now in public preview.This experience is designed to simplify and accelerate SQL Server migration journey to Azure SQL Managed Instance offering a unified, end-to-end workflow directly within the Azure portal.Provide feedback on database migrations for SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc to the product group
Scaling Azure Functions & PaaS - Concurrency, Async, Messaging. Insights from Python Log Analysis
Use try/except around the main logic to catch errors: If an exception is thrown in your async function and not handled, the Azure Functions host will log it and mark the execution as failed.This is an advanced technique and most Azure Functions won’t need it, but it can be useful if you have a long-running async task that you don’t want to tie up the main function’s loop (or if you need to work around limitations in the Python Functions runtime’s event loop).Scaling out the function app: Ensure your Azure Function app’s plan is capable of scaling to meet the queue demand.
DP-3028 Labs Delayed — Trainer Files Releasing Tomorrow
We’d like to inform you that while the DP-3028: Implement Generative AI Engineering with Azure Databricks ILT trainer files will be released tomorrow, the labs will not be included in this release.The labs are scheduled for release next Friday.Thank you for your understanding and continued support. If you have any questions, please reach out to your Authorized Lab Hoster (ALH).
Using Copilot in Fabric with Confidence: Data Security, Compliance & Governance with DSPM for AI
Enter Microsoft Purview’s Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI—a unified solution that empowers enterprises to monitor, protect, and govern AI interactions across Microsoft and third-party platforms.This blog explores how Purview DSPM for AI integrates with Fabric Power BI Copilot to deliver robust data protection and governance and provides a step-by-step guide to enable this integration.The PAYG model applies to a broader set of Purview capabilities—including Insider Risk Management, Communication Compliance, eDiscovery, and other data security and governance solutions—based on copilot for Power BI usage volume or complexity.
Microsoft at TechCon Atlanta - 2025 - Event Guide
Join us in Atlanta for the Microsoft 365, Copilot / AI & Power Platform Conference.Microsoft Global Community Initiative MeetupMark your calendar for August 11–15, 2025 and come make Atlanta part of your tech story.
Geo-Replication is Here! Now generally available for Event Hubs Premium & Dedicated
Today, we are thrilled to announce the General Availability of the Geo-replication feature for Azure Event Hubs, now available in both Premium and Dedicated tiers.The Geo-replication feature allows you to replicate your Event Hubs data across multiple regions either synchronously or asynchronously, ensuring that your data remains accessible in the event of maintenance activities, regional degradation, or a regional outage.Learn more about geo-replication concepts and the pricing model and try out this quickstart to learn how to setup geo-replication for your premium and dedicated tier namespaces.
Announcing the preview of Software Defined Networking (SDN) on Azure Local
Starting in Azure Local version 2506, we’re excited to announce the Public Preview of Software Defined Networking (SDN) on Azure Local using the Azure Arc resource bridge.This release introduces cloud-native networking capabilities for access control at the network layer, utilizing Network Security Groups (NSGs) on Azure Local.Key highlights in this release are:1- Centralized network management: Manage Logical networks, network interfaces, and NSGs through the Azure control plane – whether your preference is the Azure Portal, Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI), or Azure Resource Manager templates.2- Fine-grained traffic control: Safeguard your edge workloads with policy-driven access controls by applying inbound and outbound allow/deny rules on NSGs, just as you would in Azure.3- Seamless hybrid consistency: Reduce operational friction and accelerate your IT staff’s ramp-up on advanced networking skills by using the same familiar tools and constructs across both Azure public cloud and Azure Local.Software Defined Networking (SDN) forms the backbone of delivering Azure-style networking on-premises.
Join Us for an AMA on Improving Your MCP Servers with Azure API Management
Expose Azure API Management instances as MCP servers, enabling remote access to your APIs using AI combined with Model Context Protocol.By integrating MCP with Azure API Management, developers can expose tools to their AI agents while enforcing consistent policies and security standards.Before the event, check out the documentation to learn how to Expose a REST API in API Management as an MCP server, view the Build and protect MCPs faster with governance in Azure API Manager session from Build 2025, or explore the AI-Gateway labs on GitHub and learn how to use APIM and MCP in the MCP for Beginners course.
Microsoft Purview Powering Data Security and Compliance for Security Copilot
Microsoft Purview, combined with Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI, empowers security and compliance teams to manage these risks across Security Copilot interactions.For these alerts, you will find a User Activity scatter plot that provides insights into the activities preceding and following the user's engagement with a risky prompt in Security Copilot.Learn how Microsoft Purview Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI provides data security and compliance protections for Copilots and other generative AI apps |
Rebuilding Trust in the Workplace Before It’s Too Late
In this second blog in the People Success Elements series, we continue to dive deeper into the modern work experience and let survey responses from over 6.8M employees across more than 235 companies from 2022 – 2025 reveal why worker trust has waned and – importantly – how leaders can earn it back.The challenges faced by company leadership today are daunting , and stakeholder confidence in executive teams’ ability to handle them is reportedly at an all-time low1.Only 24% of employees say they trust senior leadership1.
The Adecco Group’s AI skill-building strategy powers talent, client impact
The company recognizes a clear need to skill up for and adopt AI pervasively.Recruiters have increased productivity by 63%, the company’s AI-driven CV Maker has generated more than 200,000 résumés, and 30,000 employees have completed responsible AI training.Microsoft 365 Copilot has helped the company to streamline internal operations, particularly in recruitment and administrative tasks, freeing time for more strategic work.
New in Microsoft AppSource: June 24-30, 2025
For this volume, 138 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live.See details of the new offers below:LiveRoute SmartDesk AI Agent: The LiveRoute SmartDesk AI Agent revolutionizes employee support with a centralized assistant that integrates with Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and web platforms.
Ota haltuun uudet Solution Area Playbookit ja kasvata liiketoimintaasi!
Tervetuloa tutustumaan Microsoftin uusien FY26-ratkaisualueiden mukaisiin kumppaneiden Solution Area Playbookeihin, jotka on suunniteltu auttamaan sinua kasvattamaan liiketoimintaasi ja hyödyntämään tekoälyn voimaa.Näiden oppaiden avulla voit kehittää liiketoimintaasi ja hyödyntää Microsoftin tarjoamia investointeja.AI Business Solutions: Tutustu tekoälyratkaisujen liiketoimintamahdollisuuksiin ja kumppaneiden go-to-market-strategioihin.
Model Mondays S2:E5 – Fine Tuning & Distillation with Dave Voutila
Model Mondays is a weekly series designed to help you build your Azure AI Foundry Model IQ, one week at a time.Dave Voutila showed how Azure AI Foundry makes it easy to fine-tune existing models and use distillation techniques without needing deep ML expertise.Connect with other developers and learn together:
Protecting Cloud Storage in the Age of AI
In this blog, we’ll explore how Defender for Cloud helps to safeguard customer’s most valuable data by helping them to start secure and stay secure.Imagine your cloud storage as a high-tech museum, housing priceless artifacts—your sensitive data, customer records, and AI training sets.In the same way, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Storage Security helps Azure storage customers to start secure and stay secure when it comes to protecting their cloud storage.
Microsoft is headed to VMware Explore 2025 in Las Vegas
This year Microsoft will have several break-out sessions on a variety of topics where you will discover how Microsoft can streamline your VMware workloads’ migration to the cloud.Learn how to maximize your existing on-premises investments and fast path your applications into an AI-innovation platform.Learn how transitioning from on-premises to Azure will give your business a competitive edge.