Azure Weekly Newsletter Issue #372

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@HowardvRooijen | @endjin

AI + Machine Learning

Covering: Anomaly detector, Azure Bot Service, Azure Machine Learning, Azure Open Datasets, Bing APIs, Cognitive Services, Computer Vision, Content moderator, Custom vision, Data Science Virtual Machines, Face, Form Recogniser, Immersive Reader, Ink Recogniser, Language Understanding (LUIS), Machine Learning Studio, Microsoft Genomics, ML.NET, Personaliser, Project Cortex, QnA Maker, Speaker Recognition, Speech-to-Text, Speech translation, Text Analytics, Text to Speech , Translator Speech, Translator Text

• Natalie Mickey provides A Data and AI guide to Build 2022
• Bethany Jepchumba (@bethanyjep), Cloud Advocate, explains how to Explore and analyze data with R and Tidymodels - part 2 of 4
• Louise Han presents Detect Anomalies in Equipment with Anomaly Detector in Azure Databricks
• Ed Miller blogs about Wildlife Monitoring and Conservation with Azure Percept
• Frederik Kirkegaard writes about APIOps with Azure API Management

Analytics

Covering: Apache Spark for HDInsight, Apache Storm for HDInsight, Azure Analysis Services, Azure Data Explorer, Azure Data Share, Azure Databricks, Azure Stream Analytics, Azure Synapse Analytics, Data Catalog, Data Factory, Data Lake Analytics, Event Hubs, HDInsight, .NET for Apache Spark, R Server for HDInsight, Azure Purview

• On the MSSQL Tips site, Ron L'Esteve, Data Architect, writes about Synapse Analytics vs Snowflake for Delta Format Files, Machine Learning, Table Relationships and Constraints
• Fikrat Azizov describes Implementing Fact-to-Dimension Mapping on Lakehouse using Synapse Mapping Data Flow
• Kevin Chant explains how to Keep your Azure Synapse secrets secret in GitHub
• Ryan Majidimehr walks through Introducing the Azure Synapse Influencer Program
• Darwin Schweitzer (@DataSnowman) writes Bring Vision to Life with Three Horizons, Data Mesh, Data Lakehouse, and Azure Cloud Scale Analytics
• Rajendra Gupta (@rajendragupta16) describes Getting Started with Query History and Table Designer in Azure Data Studio
• The Azure Updates Team blogs about Public preview: Additional support for managed identity authentication in Azure Stream Analytics

Compute

Covering: Azure CycleCloud, Azure Dedicated Host, Azure Functions, Azure VMware Solution by CloudSimple, Batch, Cloud Services, Linux Virtual Machines, SAP HANA on Azure Large Instances, Service Fabric, Virtual Machines, Virtual Machine Scale Sets

• On Code Project, Duncan Edwards Jones (@Merrion) covers Event Sourcing on Azure Functions
• Roelf Zomerman (@RCZ_Jag) talks about Availability Zones VM Conversion
• Jason Masten talks about Copy Azure Compute Gallery Image Versions between Azure Clouds, Tenants, and Subscriptions

Containers

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

• The Azure Updates Team describes Public preview: Container Storage Interface extensible API for AKS and writes about Generally available: Bring your own Container Network Interface plugin
• Sakthi Vetrivel announces Azure Service Operator in Beta
• Geert Baeke (@GeertBaeke) presents Quick Guide to Kubernetes Workload Identity on AKS
• Vinicius Apolinario (@vrapolinario) talks about Docker Host network alternatives for Windows containers
• Thomas Maurer (@thomasmaurer) walks through Speaking at KubeCon Europe 2022
• Geert Baeke (@GeertBaeke) writes about Quick Guide to the Secret Store CSI driver for Azure Key Vault on AKS

Databases

Covering: Azure Cosmos DB, Azure Database for MariaDB, Azure Database for MySQL, Azure Database for PostgreSQL, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Database Edge, Azure Cache for Redis, SQL Data Warehouse, SQL Server on virtual machines, SQL Server Stretch Database, Table storage

• Halil Ozan Akgul talks about Moving Postgres data 26X faster with Azure Data Factory
• Mousa Janini describes How to setup email alerts to monitor automation jobs for Azure SQL DB maintenance
• Swabhiman Das discusses Cross-Subscription Failover Group - Azure SQL Managed Instance

Developer Tools

Covering: App Configuration, Azure Lab Services, CLIs, Developer tool integrations, SDKs, Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio Online

• On Visual Studio Magazine, David Ramel (@dramel) highlights What's New in Visual Studio Code 1.67 April 2022 Update and writes about Visual Studio 2022 for Mac Team Fixes Release Candidate Issues
• Antti K. Koskela (@koskila) covers The simplest fixes to 500 Internal Server Error from Azurite

DevOps

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

• On the Microsoft DevOps blog, Ankit Kumar discusses Azure Artifacts introduces new Upstreaming capabilities
• Also on the Microsoft DevOps blog, April Edwards (@TheAprilEdwards) discusses DevOps for Java on Azure and explains how to Deploy a Java application to Azure App Service using GitHub Actions
• Also on the Microsoft DevOps blog, Gloridel Morales writes about May patches for Azure DevOps Server and Team Foundation Server, talks about Azure DevOps Server 2020.1.2, 2020.0.2 and 2019.1.2 releases and covers Updates to Azure Pipelines Runtime Variables Settings Updated
• On episode 193 of the Azure DevOps podcast, Jeffrey Palermo (@jeffreypalermo) is joined by Rod Paddock to discuss Application Longevity for Dummies
  
• Mark Heath (@mark_heath) explains how to Deploy ASP.NET Core websites to Azure App Service with Azure Pipelines
• Panu Oksala talks about DevSecOps with Azure DevOps Auditing
• Anthony Chu (@nthonyChu) writes about Multi-stage Azure Static Web Apps deployments with Azure DevOps
• Tjado Mäcke writes about Continuous schema migrations for MySQL databases

Hybrid + Multicloud

Covering: Azure Arc, Azure Stack

• On the Azure blog, Sergio Figueiredo announces Azure DNS Private Resolver: Now in preview
• The Azure Updates Team writes about Generally available: Open Service Mesh extension for Azure Arc
• Jose Moreno (@erjosito) describes Azure VMware Solution networking voodoo
• Marisa Brasile discusses Connecting SQL Server 2016 to Azure - SQL Managed Instance link Data Exposed
• Monojit Datta explains how to Connected Micro-services with Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes and Data Services
• Sanjay Satheesh covers Azure Arc at Build 2022: Heres where you should go
• Scott Manchester discusses Citrix extends Windows 365 Cloud PC to new audiences
• Steve Read (@swread) writes about Why Organizations are Entrusting Microsoft Cloud with their Mainframes

Identity

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

• Gerasimos Alexiou discusses Authentication failed. The Authorization header is missing – Invoke-WebRequest Azure ARM
• Damien Bowden (@damien_bod) blogs about Using multiple Azure B2C user flows from ASP.NET Core
• On the Azure Medium blog, Sharmila Musunuru describes Azure Security: Best Practices You Need to Know and covers Tenant Restrictions in Azure AD
• Sue Bohn covers Building API-first solutions that aid modern Zero Trust infrastructure
• On Microsoft Security blog, Christine Barrett writes about Easy authentication and authorization in Azure Active Directory with No-Code Datawiza

Integration

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

• Omar Abu Arisheh walks through Using Inline Code instead of a Foreach Loop for better performance in Logic Apps
• Mark Brimble (@BrimbleMark) writes 'OpenText GXS is not supported by Azure SFTP-SSH'
• The Azure Podcast covers Episode 424 - Landing Zone Accelerator for API Management

Internet of Things

Covering: Azure Digital Twins, Azure IoT Central, Azure IoT Edge, Azure IoT Hub, Azure IoT solution accelerators, Azure Maps, Azure Sphere, Azure Time Series Insights, IoT DevKit, WildernessLabs, Windows 10 IoT Core Services

• The Azure Updates Team announce the General Availability of: Industrial IoT Connectivity Partners integrate with Azure IoT Central and Easily manage your Azure IoT Central dashboards using a catalog
• Sander van de Velde describes How to cope with IoT Hub enrichment restrictions

Learning

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

• Nancy Tandy explains how to Discover Microsoft Certified: Customer Data Platform Specialty
• Temante Leary discusses The 2-Minute Recap: Everything new with Microsoft 365 on Microsoft Learn
• Travis Roberts (@Ciraltos) talks about AZ-900 Describe Cloud Concepts, Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Part 1
• Hailie Meehan writes about An IT professionals guide to Azure at Build 2022
• Pantelis Apostolidis (@papostolidis) writes about Global Azure Greece 2022
• Justin Orcutt explains how to Get started with Microsoft Learn for CMMC
• Jeffrey Raymond Kitt covers Microsoft UK Tech Community Day

Management and Governance

Covering: Automation, Azure Advisor, Azure Backup, Azure Blueprints, Azure Lighthouse, Azure Managed Applications, Azure mobile app, Azure Monitor, Azure Policy, Azure Resource Manager, Azure Service Health, Azure Site Recovery, Cloud Shell, Cost Management, Microsoft Azure portal, Scheduler, Azure Purview

• Gerasimos Alexiou describes InvalidAuthenticationToken message: The access token is invalid. – Powershell
• Adi Biran highlights Simplified Log Analytics Table Management
• Bruno Gabrielli blogs about Azure Monitor: Expanding the Out-of-the-Box Observability for your IT Infrastructure
• Craig Porteous (@cporteous) blogs about The Purpose and Pain of Azure Resource Locks

Media

Covering: Azure Media Player, Content Protection, Encoding, Live and On-Demand Streaming, Media Analytics, Media Services, Video Indexer

• On the Azure blog, Victor Bahl announces that Microsoft and AT&T demonstrate 5G-powered video analytics

Migration

Covering: Azure Database Migration Service, Azure Migrate, Data Box

• Andres Pad discusses ADLS Gen1 to ADLS Gen2 Migrations: Options and Best Practices
• Mark Brimble (@BrimbleMark) talks about Migrating to Azure – A Project Plan

Mobile

Covering: App Service (Mobile), Mobile apps, Notification Hubs, Visual Studio App Centre, Xamarin

• On the Trailhead blog, Walter Aguilar blogs about Xamarin and the Magical Quest to Bind a Java Native Library
• On the Xamarin blog, Michael Rumpler discusses Migrating MR.Gestures from Xamarin.Forms to .NET MAUI

Networking

Covering: Application Gateway, Azure Bastion, Azure DNS, Azure ExpressRoute, Azure Firewall, Azure Firewall Manager, Azure Front Door, Azure Internet Analyzer, Azure Private Link, Content Delivery Network, Load Balancer, Network Watcher, Traffic Manager, Virtual Network, Virtual WAN, VPN Gateway, Web Application Firewall

• The Azure Updates Team announces the Public Previews of: Azure DNS Private Resolver – Hybrid name resolution and conditional forwarding and AKS Private Link Service integration
• Pantelis Apostolidis (@papostolidis) blogs about Network Policy for Private Endpoints

Security

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

• Christopher Knight blogs about Surface delivers built-in security from chip to cloud
• Ely Abramovitch explains how to What's new: Similar incidents in Microsoft Sentinel
• Juli Hooper blogs about Troubleshooting mode for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint now in public preview
• TJ Banasik blogs about Microsoft Sentinel: NIST SP 800-53 Solution
• Michael Shalev discusses Microsoft 365 Defender Streaming API: Identity and CloudApp Events in General Availability

Storage

Covering: Archive Storage, Avere vFXT for Azure, Azure Data Lake Store, Azure FXT Edge Filer, Azure HPC Cache, Azure NetApp Files, Blob Storage, Disk Storage, File Storage, Managed Disks, Queue Storage, Storage Accounts, Storage Explorer, StorSimple

• Mitch van Huuksloot covers Data Archiving Strategies for SQL Server
• The Azure Updates Team announce the General availability: Azure Backup support for trusted launch Azure Virtual Machines

Web

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

• Jenn Jinhong writes about An Azure Developer's guide to Microsoft Build 2022
• Justin Yoo (@justinchronicle) delves into Blazor WebAssembly for Headless CMS on Azure Static Web Apps
• Weizhen Sun explains how to Diagnose App Service Web Apps' Performance Issues And Failing Issues Using Application Insights
• Oscar Garcia Ozkary explains how to Improve App Performance with In-Memory Cache and Real-Time Integration
• Meghali Chakraborty blogs about Capturing dotnet trace for app service

Azure Virtual Desktop

Covering: Azure Virtual Desktop

• On IT Next, Jack Roper talks about AZ-140 Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty Exam Tips
• On the Redmond magazine site, Kurt Mackie writes about IT Pros Describe Azure Virtual Desktop Practices and Gripes in New Study
• Yun Liu talks about Microsoft Teams background effects is now generally available on Azure Virtual Desktop and Microsoft Teams Multi-window support and Call Me are now in GA on Azure Virtual Desktop

Useful Links

• Azure Resource Inventory - Azure Resource Inventory is a powerful script written in PowerShell to generate an Excel report of any Azure Environment you have read access
• Azure Quickstart Templates - Learn how to deploy to Azure using ARM Templates. Over 850 examples in this repo.
• Azure CNAB Quickstarts Library - You can deploy to the Cloud, on Prem and on the Edge using CNAB & Porter. This library provides a number of quickstart templates to help you get started, fast!
• Power BI Weekly - Interested in Power BI? Sign up to our sister newsletter Power BI Weekly to receive all the week's Power BI news.
• Azure Resources - A fantastic collection of resources contained in this repo. Issue a PR if you have resources to share. Managed by Azure MVP Gregor Suttie.
• Azure Charts - Azure Charts is a set of auto-rebuilt charts to keep you updated on Azure changes, news, stats. Public updates, RSS channels and web pages are used as data sources
• The Developer’s Guide to Microsoft Azure (2nd Edition) - ebook from Microsoft showcasing architectural approaches and common design patterns you face when building modern applications.
• Azure Virtual Datacenter - ebook from Microsoft highlighting an approach to isolation, security, and trust in the Microsoft cloud.
• Cyber Security Demystified - ebook from Microsoft describing how to keep your organisation safe.
• Microsoft's What is Azure poster - a visual overview of Azure's services and features.
• Microsoft Azure Essentials: Fundamentals of Azure - a free ebook from Microsoft Press, by Michael S. Collier and Robin E. Shahan.
• Data Science in the Cloud with Microsoft Azure Machine Learning and R - a free ebook on Azure Machine Learning, by Stephen F. Elston.
• Protecting Data in Microsoft Azure - a whitepaper that describes the various mechanism you can you can leverage for managing sensitive data in the Azure platform.
• Azure Architecture Center - guidance from the Patterns & Practices team covering API Design, API implementation, Autoscaling, Background jobs, CDN, Caching, Data partitioning, Monitoring and diagnostics, Retry, Scalability and availability.
• Azure Architect's Reference - if you are an architect responsible for building an application on Azure, or are trying to figure out how you could migrate an application and need to dig deep into the workload, cost, security, capacity, availability, deployment and operational modelling this invaluable resource should be your first stop. An open source project, with contributions from several experienced architects, it gathers data from many different references into a single, useful guide that is constantly updated by the community.
• Azure Table Storage Design Guide - a guide from the storage team.
• Azure infrastructure services implementation guidelines - key design and implementation guidelines for deploying an IT workload in Azure infrastructure services.
• Azure Speed Test - a simple web tool that measures the latency between you and Azure Datacenters to suggest which might be fastest for you location.
• Azure Websites Cheatsheet - everything you need to know about configuring & managing Azure Websites on a single page.
• Data Migration Assistant - enables you to upgrade to a modern data platform by detecting compatibility issues that can impact database functionality on your new version of SQL Server and Azure SQL Database. It recommends performance and reliability improvements for your target environment.
• Azure SQL DTU Calculator - a tool to help you determine the number of DTUs for your existing SQL Server database(s) as well as a recommendation of the minimum performance level and service tier that you need before you migrate to Azure SQL Database.
• Microsoft Azure Symbol/Icon Set - a set of Visio and PowerPoint shapes for use in architecture diagrams / presentations.
• Service Bus Explorer - a free and open source tool for managing and exploring Azure Service Bus(including Event Hubs).
• Best practices for designing Azure Resource Manager Templates - guidance based on the whitepaper 'World Class ARM Templates Considerations and Proven Practices'.
• Microsoft Cloud Networking for Enterprise Architects - a downloadable guide to Azure networking, covering topics such as cloud migration and networking for PaaS and SaaS services
• Whitepapers for Power BI - numerous whitepapers ranging various Power BI topics
• Azure Serverless Computing Cookbook - ebook from Microsoft, including use cases, hands-on steps, and tutorials for quickly configuring your own serverless environments.
• Executive Summary: Enterprise Cloud Strategy - executive summary of the 140-page e-book from Microsoft. Learn about the basics of adopting a cloud computing strategy for your enterprise.
• Migrating SQL Server to Azure SQL Database Managed Instance—A Step-by-Step Guide - ebook from Microsoft providing breakdown of tactical steps for implementing a quick, simple, and low-impact data migration with Azure SQL Database Managed Instance.
• Azure Backup Deep Dive Whitepaper - a deep dive by Adin Ermie and Charbel Nemnom describing Azure Backup
• Azure Stack: An extension of Azure - whitepaper from Microsoft detailing how you can extend Azure Stack to make Azure services available on-premises
• Azure Strategy and Implementation Guide - For Azure users - ebook from Microsoft outlining recommended general architecture and cloud design principles, DevOps, approaches to service management, and overall governance.
• Azure Data Factory: SSIS in the Cloud - eBook from Microsoft explaining why you would want to migrate your existing SSIS workloads to Azure Data Factory and addressing common considerations and concerns. Includes technical details of creating an Azure-SSIS IR and then walk-throughs of how to upload, execute, and monitor your packages through Azure Data Factory
• Parallel Virtual File Systems on Microsoft Azure - ebook from Microsoft documenting the results of a series of performance tests on Azure to see how scalable Lustre, GlusterFS, and BeeGFS are
• Build and deploy a multi-container application in Azure Service Fabric - ebook from Microsoft which shows how to create a sample multi-container application using ASP.NET Core and Docker and deploy it on an Azure Service Fabric cluster.
• Azure ebook/whitepaper resources - White papers, analyst reports, and e-books landing page with an abundance of extra resources.
• Farmer - This is a DSL for ARM template creation - "Making repeatable Azure deployments easy"!