- \n
- Provide visibility into, and control over, the server infrastructure running your Azure VMs<\/li>\n
- Help address compliance requirements by deploying your workloads on an isolated server<\/li>\n
- Let you choose the number of processors, server capabilities, VM series, and VM sizes within the same host<\/li>\n
- Offer pricing and benefits for Windows Server and SQL Server available only on Azure<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Got a question? Have a read of the Azure Dedicated Host FAQs<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
SQL SERVER 2019 RELEASE CANDIDATE NOW AVAILABLE<\/h4>\n
The first public release candidate for SQL Server 2019 is now available<\/a> for download. SQL Server 2019 builds on previous releases to grow SQL Server as a platform that gives you choices of development languages, data types, on-premises or cloud, and operating systems. It introduces Big Data Clusters for SQL Server, allowing intelligence over your data, and so far has delivered:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Data virtualisation with PolyBase<\/li>\n
- Choice of platform and language<\/li>\n
- Industry leading performance and availability<\/li>\n
- Unparalleled security<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Click here<\/a> to read more about the new features and enhancements for SQL Server 2019.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/SQL-Server-2019-1024x305.png\")
<\/p>\nSQL Server 2019. Source: Microsoft<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
AZURE AVAILABLE FROM NEW CLOUD REGIONS IN SWITZERLAND<\/h4>\n
The new cloud regions, based near Zurich and Geneva, come as a response to the rapid cloud adoption in Switzerland. In their announcement in August, Microsoft stated that more than 30 customer and partner organisations are already using Azure in these regions.<\/p>\n
You can read the full announcement here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/h4>\n
PYTHON SUPPORT IN AZURE FUNCTIONS NOW GENERALLY AVAILABLE<\/h4>\n
Python support in Azure Functions <\/a>is now generally available and ready to host your production workloads across data science and machine learning, automated resource management, and more. You can now develop Python 3.6 apps to run on the cross-platform, open-source\u00a0Functions 2.0 runtime<\/a>. These can be published as code or Docker containers to a Linux-based serverless hosting platform in Azure.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Python-support-Azure-Functions-1024x595.png\")
<\/p>\nEasier development with Python Support in Azure Functions. Source: Microsoft<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
AZURE AVAILABILITY ZONES NOW GENERALLY AVAILABLE IN AZURE FIREWALL<\/h4>\n
Azure Firewall can now be deployed to span multiple\u00a0Availability Zones\u00a0for increased availability. With this, your availability increases to 99.99% uptime when two or more Availability Zones are selected. The capability is generally available in all\u00a0Azure regions that support Availability Zones. Have a read of all the Azure Firewall feature updates here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
AZURE SITE RECOVERY NOW SUPPORTS DISASTER RECOVERY OF AZURE DISK ENCRYPTION ENABLED VMs<\/h4>\n
In August Microsoft announced that Azure Site Recovery now supports disaster recovery of Azure disk encryption (V2) enabled virtual machines<\/a> without Azure Active Directory application. While enabling replication of your VM for disaster recovery, all the required disk encryption keys and secrets are copied from the source region to the target region in the user context. If the user managing disaster recovery does not have the appropriate permissions, the user can hand over the ready-to-use script to the security administrator to\u00a0copy the keys and secrets\u00a0and proceed with configuration.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Azure-AS-DR-1024x527.png\")
<\/p>\nDisaster recovery of Azure disk encryption enabled VMs. Source: Microsoft<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
This feature currently supports only Windows VMs using managed disks. The support for Linux VMs using managed disks will be available in the coming weeks. This feature is available in\u00a0all Azure regions\u00a0where Azure Site Recovery is available.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/h4>\n
BUILD HIGHLY AVAILABLE AZURE STORAGE APPLICATIONS WITH GZRS<\/h4>\n
Geo-zone-redundant storage (GZRS) is now in preview<\/a>. GZRS marries the high availability of\u00a0zone-redundant storage (ZRS)\u00a0<\/a>with protection from regional outages as provided by\u00a0geo-redundant storage (GRS).<\/a> Data in a GZRS storage account is replicated across three\u00a0Azure availability zones\u00a0in the primary region and also replicated to a secondary geographic region for protection from regional disasters. Each Azure region is paired with another region within the same geography, together making a regional pair.<\/p>\n
With a GZRS storage account, you can continue to read and write data if an availability zone becomes unavailable or is unrecoverable. Additionally, your data is also durable in the case of a complete regional outage or a disaster in which the primary region isn\u2019t recoverable. GZRS is designed to provide at least 99.99999999999999% durability of objects over a given year.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, GZRS is only available in US East at the moment, but stay tuned, we don\u2019t think it will be long before we\u2019re able to get our hands on it!<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
MICROSOFT OPENS AZURE SECURITY LAB<\/h4>\n
At Black Hat USA 2019 Microsoft launched the Azure Security Lab<\/a>, a set of dedicated cloud hosts for security researchers to test attacks against IaaS scenarios. As part of the launch of this new space, Microsoft have doubled the top bounty reward for Azure vulnerabilities to $40,000.<\/p>\n
\n
\u2018To make it easier for security researchers to confidently and\u00a0aggressively\u00a0test Azure, we are inviting a select group of talented individuals to come and do their worst to emulate criminal hackers in a customer-safe cloud environment called the\u00a0Azure Security Lab.\u2019 (Source: <\/em>Microsoft<\/em><\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Interested in applying to join the Azure Security Lab? You can do so here<\/a>!<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/h4>\n
IN OTHER NEWS:<\/h4>\n
Azure AD provisioning, now with more apps and better insights<\/a><\/p>\n
Microsoft announces Code Browser with Github integration and one-click Azure Deployment<\/a><\/p>\n
Introducing the new HBv2 Azure Virtual Machines for high-performance computing<\/a><\/p>\n
Announcing new AMD EPYC\u2122-based Azure Virtual Machines<\/a><\/p>\n
Azure Archive Storage pricing dropped by up to 50%<\/a><\/p>\n
Announcing the general availability of Azure Ultra Disk Storage<\/a><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u00a0<\/h3>\n
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\u00a0MICROSOFT AZURE\u00a0\u00a0INTRODUCING AZURE DEDICATED HOSTNow in preview and available in most Azure regions, Azure Dedicated Host acts as a dedicated physical server to host your Azure VMs for Windows and Linux. Perfect for those companies with compliance requirements such as physical security, or for organisations in need of host-level isolation, Azure Dedicated Host promises to:Provide […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":55806,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"
MICROSOFT AZURE<\/strong><\/h1>
Microsoft has had a busy month releasing new tools and services into public review. They\u2019ve also improved their Azure certifications AND for the first time ever have exceeded Amazon\u2019s AWS cloud revenue! Well done to Microsoft Azure.<\/em><\/h4>
\u00a0<\/em><\/p>
MICROSOFT<\/strong> EXCEEDS AMAZON\u2019S CLOUD REVENUE<\/strong><\/h2>
For the first time ever, Microsoft\u2019s Azure revenue has exceeded AWS revenue after jumping a whopping 89 percent in the last financial quarter! In terms of market share however, AWS is still very much in the lead, commanding 33% of public cloud market with Azure following in 2nd<\/sup> place with 13%.<\/p>
AZURE CERTIFICATIONS RECONSIDERED<\/strong><\/h2>
After receiving feedback<\/a> that the current Azure exams are \u2018too broad, covering a range of skills that very few individuals, even experts in the area, would have\u2019 Microsoft have taken it upon themselves to take another look at their certifications. The result? They\u2019ll be assessing the skills you actually need to be successful \u2013 we think that\u2019s an excellent idea!<\/p>
Microsoft are even offering an 80% discount on their Azure Administrator beta exams for the first 300 people who register! 3\u20262\u20261\u2026go!<\/p>
MICROSOFT ADDS KUBERNETES TOOLS TO AZURE<\/strong><\/h2>
Microsoft\u2019s Azure Dev Spaces<\/a> is now in public review. The cloud-native development experience can be used with Azure Kubernetes Services<\/a> (AKS) and is designed to help developers work with cloud native code \u2013 making it easier to make the jump into container development.<\/p>
To get started click here<\/a>.<\/p>
AZURE SQL DATA WAREHOUSE GETS A SPEED BOOST<\/strong><\/h2>
Microsoft recently announced<\/a> that Azure SQL Data Warehouse customers will benefit from \u2018at least 2x faster query performance from their workloads, cementing it as the fastest data warehouse in the cloud\u2019. In the announcement they explained the speed boost was made real by brand spanking new instant data movement capabilities<\/a> which makes the movement between data warehouse computer notes more efficient than ever before. Well, it\u2019s certainly peaked our interest!<\/p>
MICROSOFT INTEGRATES AZURE SECURITY CENTER INTO SUBSCRIPTION EXPERIENCE<\/strong><\/h2>
Looking for visibility into the security of your cloud platform? Great news \u2013 Azure Security Center is now available in public preview and has been integrated into the subscription package so that customers can assess the security state of resources and ensure data is protected and not vulnerable to attacks.<\/p>
Find out more here<\/a>.<\/p>
AZURE SERVICE FABRIC MESH NOW AVAILABLE AS PUBLIC PREVIEW<\/strong><\/h2>
In July Microsoft announced<\/a> the release of their Azure Service Fabric Mesh to public preview. The fully-managed service supports both Windows and Linux containers and is designed to enable developers to \u2018deploy and operate containerised applications without having to manage VMs, storage or networking configuration\u2019.<\/p>
You can get started with it here<\/a>.<\/p>
AZURE COSMOS DB GETS AN UPGRADE<\/strong><\/h2>
In May 2017, Microsoft announced its new database service, Azure Cosmos DB<\/a>, designed to deliver high performance for large scale applications. This month Microsoft announced that Cosmos DB is getting an upgrade. Introducing the new and improved Cosmos DB Explorer<\/a>, described by Microsoft as \u2018a full screen standalone web-based version of the Data Explorer many of you already use in Azure Portal for Cosmos DB\u2019.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>
AMAZON WEB SERVICES<\/strong><\/h1>
July was a big month for Amazon Web Services. They introduced a couple of new instances and even found themselves some Greek gods!<\/em><\/h4>
\u00a0<\/em><\/p>
AMAZON INTRODUCES EC2 INSTANCES TO THEIR AWS SNOWBALL EDGE SYSTEM<\/strong><\/h2>
Following the success of AWS Greengrass<\/a> in 2017, Amazon has added more edge computing capabilities to its AWS services. Not only will this allow customers to analyse and move data at the site where its created, the introduction of their Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instances to their Snowball Edge<\/a> system, cuts down processing delays and reduces the amount of data customers need to store in the cloud.<\/p>
Take a look at Amazon\u2019s announcement here<\/a>.<\/p>
2,600 PERSONAL DATA FILES EXPOSED DUE TO OPEN AWS S3 BUCKET<\/strong><\/h2>
A political autodial company has come under fire after exposing the personal data of 2,600 voters in the US after failing to properly secure their AWS S3 bucket. Unfortunately, this is becoming a pretty common issue despite Amazon offering up a solution<\/a> in November 2017 with the introduction of five new encryption and security features, including dashboard warning lights.<\/p>
AWS ANNOUNCES THREE NEW INSTANCES\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>