Azure Weekly Newsletter Issue #454

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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

• Jill Armour talks about Drive customer engagement with the power of AI
• Alberto Santamaria-Pang describes Leverage Secure Multi Party Computation SMPC for machine learning inference in rs-fMRI datasets.
• Alexandre Levret explains how to Build an LLM-based application, benchmark models and evaluate output performance with Prompt Flow
• Bruno Capuano (@elbruno) writes about a Chat Service demo running Phi-2 LLM locally with Semantic Kernel
• Anton Slutsky talks about Vision Transformer Learning with AML Part 1
• Gaurav Mantri (@gmantri) discusses Azure Sidekick – An AI Assistant to Answer Questions About Your Azure – in three articles Introduction,  Part II – Prompt Patterns & More and Part III – Lessons Learned
• Martin Bald blogs about Ensuring Edge ML Models Provide Value by Observing Data Drift.
• Geert Baeke (@GeertBaeke) writes about Fast chat bot creation with the OpenAI Assistants API and the Microsoft Bot Framework SDK and Super fast bot creation with Copilot Studio and the Azure OpenAI Assistants API

Analytics

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

• On Microsoft Fabric Blog, Matthew Hicks talks about OneLake Shortcuts APIs available in Preview
• Liliam Leme writes Fabric Change the Game: How easy is it to use Copilot in Microsoft Fabric
• Byansi Anthony covers Understanding OneLake Architecture: The OneDrive for Data
• Kevin Chant blogs about T-SQL Tuesday 171 – Using SemPy to view DAX in Microsoft Fabric
• Noam Raveh writes Automate your CI/CD pipelines with Microsoft Fabric Git REST APIs
• Amira Bedhiafi discusses Azure Analysis Services vs. Azure Synapse Analytics: What are the main differences
• Michael Olschimke talks about Modelling Microsoft Dynamics 365 Data Using Data Vault 2.0
• Anoop Kulkarni explains how to Establish Secure Connections to Azure SQL using Service Principal Authentication with PySpark Code
• Akshay Suryawanshi covers Exploring Databricks Dolly 2.0

Compute

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

• The Azure Updates Team blogs about Public preview: Upgrade policies for Virtual Machine Scale Sets using Flexible Orchestration
• Dominic Codespoti discusses Unveiling .NET 8 – Part 2: Seamless Azure Functions Integration
• Ana Franco walks through Converting an AWS Lambda Function in Go into an Azure Function using LLMs
• Aimee Garcia writes about Choosing the Right Azure Spot VM for Rendering Workloads Using MoonRay
• Vinil Vadakkepurakkal blogs about Accelerating OpenFOAM Integration with Azure CycleCloud
• Mark Brimble (@BrimbleMark) discusses Upgrading .Net 6.0 to .Net 8.0 – JsonConvert.DeserializeObject
• Jerry Zhang covers Batch pool with user assigned Managed Identity and Key Vault extension
• Sandro Pereira (@sandro_asp) presents an Azure function solution for doing XML validation in three forms: Basic, Intermedium, and Advanced; he also blogs about Azure Functions to validate XML against DTD and Friday Fact: XML to JSON Conversion in API Management and Logic Apps have different behaviors
• John Kilmister (@johnkilmister) blogs about Azure Metrics in Teams with Azure Functions and Adaptive Card Tables

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 blogs about Public preview: AKS cluster control plane metrics in managed Prometheus
• On episode 284 of the Azure DevOps podcast, Jeffrey Palermo (@jeffreypalermo) is joined by Paul Yuknewicz (@paulyuki99) to talk about Cloud Native & Serverless
• Nicholas Xuan Nguyen discusses Leveraging a Windows 11 Linux Host as an IT Administrator
• Elishiah Miller walks through Simplifying Azure Kubernetes Service Authentication Part 2
• On The New Stack, Joab Jackson writes about CNCF-Approved Strimzi Eases Apache Kafka onto K8s Clusters
• On Diagrid Blog, Bilgin Ibryam (@bibryam) talks about Unlocking Dapr: Five Reasons to Try Conductor Enterprise
• Abdullah Abu-Hassan presents Step by Step Practical Guide to Architecting Cloud Native Applications

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

• Morgan Oslake writes about General availability: serverless for Hyperscale in Azure SQL Database
• Jonas Ekerhovd (@jonastalks) writes about The Four Horsemen of Azure SQL Auth
• Aditi Gupta blogs about Azure Database for MySQL - Single Server retirement - Key updates and migration tooling available
• Amrinder Singh discusses Leveraging Redis Insights for Azure Cache for Redis
• On the Data Exposed show, Anna Hoffman (@AnalyticAnna) and Pieter Vanhove (@Pieter_Vanhove) talk about Encryption and Ledger in Azure SQL Database
• Mitch van Huuksloot delves into SQL Server - Minimum downtime schema updates
• Oluwaseun Oyero writes Let's explore Databases in Azure
• Vijay Kumar describes Azure SQL Managed Instance - Log Space Growth Alert using Azure Runbook/PowerShell
• John Miner explains how to Deploy and Configure PostgreSQL on an Azure Virtual Machine

Developer Tools

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

• On the Visual Studio blog, Harshada Hole provides A Look Back: Visual Studios Profiling Tool Advancements in 2023
• Nick Sturdivant discusses Replacing Postman with the REST Client Visual Studio Code Extension
• On the Visual Studio blog, Maddy Montaquila announces Visual Studio 2022 17.9 Now Available
• Also on the Visual Studio blog, Mark Downie (@poppastring) announces Visual Studio 17.10 – Preview 1 is Here
• Erik Ejlskov Jensen writes about Better together with Entity Framework Core Power Tools - use a SQL Server Database Project .dacpac and EF Core
• Panu Oksala explains how to Develop Teams Bot with Visual Studio
• On Visual Studio Magazine, David Ramel (@dramel) writes about For Build Developer Conference, Semantic Kernel AI SDK Aims for 'First-Class Agent Support' and explains how to AI Marks New Release of Visual Studio 2022 17.9

DevOps

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

• Gloridel Morales talks about February patches for Azure DevOps Server
• John Reilly (@johnny_reilly) discusses Using Bun in Azure Pipelines
• Richard Fennell (@richardfennell) describes Getting a BadGateway error when trying to create Azure DevOps Work items using Power Automated
• On the Microsoft DevOps blog, Bohdan Janousek announces End of SSH-RSA support for Azure Repos
• Also on the Microsoft DevOps blog, David Paquette discusses JUnit Attachments Support for Publish Test Results
• Microsoft DevOps blog, Eric van Wijk anounces Workload identity federation for Azure deployments is now generally available
• Martin Hinshelwood (@nakedalm) explains how Blocked Columns on Kanban Boards Obfuscate Workflow and Undermine Effectiveness
• Helder Pinto writes Test your Patches A Staged Patching Solution with Azure Update Manager
• Tao Yang (@MrTaoYang) blogs about Azure Bicep Module for Network Security Groups

Hybrid + Multicloud

Covering: Azure Arc, Azure Stack

• The Azure Updates Team announces Public preview: Azure SQL migration assessment enabled by Azure Arc
• Kerim Hanif blogs about Hyper-V VM Migration to Azure Stack HCI, version 23H2
• Sarah Lean (@TechieLass) explains How to apply ESU patches to your SQL Server 2012 servers

Identity

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

• Irina Nechaeva talks about Microsoft and SAP collaborate to modernize identity for SAP customers
• Daichi Isami (@normalian) explains how to Avoid the complexity when utilizing Entra ID multi-tenants and School or Work/Microsoft Accounts

Integration

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

• Yannick Reekmans (@yannickreekmans) delves into Force populate a "Microsoft Entra ID" based Team in Power Platform

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

• No content this week

Learning

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

• No content this week

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

• Roshni Patil discusses Labeling with Microsoft Purview Data Map now supports Dataverse, Azure Databricks, and Snowflake
• On the Azure blog, Farzana Rahman and Shefy Manayil Kareem write about Achieving sustainable growth with Azure and FinOps best practices
• Bhalchandra Atre writes about Final Reminder: Outlook REST API v2.0 and beta endpoints decommissioning
• Jerry Zhang explains how to Migrate classic Cloud Service to CSES when SKU is unsupported without original project
• Stanislav Zhelyazkov (@StanZhelyazkov) provides a Tip: KQL Query for Azure VMs with Periodic Assessment Enabled
• On episode 486 of The Azure Podcast, the Podcast team (@AzurePodcast) are joined by Obinna Nwokolo to talk about Azure Savings Plans
• On episode 255 of the Ctrl+Alt+Azure podcast, Tobias Zimmergren & Jussi Roine (@CtrlAltAzure) explain how to Get sustainability insights with Azure Carbon Optimization

Media

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

• Kelly Johnson explains how to Get more out of hybrid meetings with Teams Rooms and Copilot

Migration

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

• The Azure Updates Team covers Public preview: Migration service in Azure Database for PostgreSQL

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 Azure Elastic SAN is now generally available
• The Azure Updates Team covers Azure Firewall: Flow Trace Logs and Autoscaling based on number of connections are now generally available and Azure Firewall: Parallel IP Group update support is now in public preview
• Suren Jamiyanaa announces New Monitoring and Scaling Updates in Azure Firewall
• Sven Baeck discusses Consistent DNS resolution in a hybrid hub spoke network topology
• Charbel Nemnom (@charbelnemnom) delves into Navigating Azure Network Security

Security

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

• The Azure Updates Team announces General availability: Improvements in Azure Key Vault
• Sochi Ogbuanya discusses Updating Microsoft Secure Boot keys
• On the Azure Medium blog, Andre Camillo Cissp discusses A Comprehensive, Single vendor CNAPP solution and its Capabilities in 2023
• Arnab Mitra explains how to Protect unmanaged or 3rd party MDM managed iOS/Android devices with MDE
• Krithika Ramakrishnan talks about Hunting for QR Code AiTM Phishing and User Compromise

Storage

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

• The Azure Updates Team announces Generally available: Azure Blob Storage Cold Tier support on Change Feed and Object Replication
• Damien Bowden (@damien_bod) walks through Using Blob storage from ASP.NET Core with Entra ID authentication

Web

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

• Beena More writes about APIs in Action: Unlocking the Potential of APIs in Today's Digital Landscape
• Denver Brittain wtites aboyt Migrating your JBOSS EAP apps to Azure App Service
• Thomas Gauvin walks through Building an Azure Static Web Apps site using WordPress on App Service as a headless CMS

Azure Virtual Desktop

Covering: Azure Virtual Desktop

• On the Microsoft Mechanics show, Matt McSpirit (@mattmcspirit) describes How to run Azure Virtual Desktop on-premises
• Travis Roberts (@Ciraltos) explains How to Configure a Conditional Access Policy for AVD
• Jason Parker announces general availability of FSLogix 2210 hotfix 3

Useful Links

• Azure Resource Inventory - Azure Resource Inventory - It's a Powerful tool to create EXCEL inventory from Azure Resources with low effort
• Azure Quick Review (azqr) - A command-line interface (CLI) tool specifically designed to analyze Azure resources and identify whether they comply with Azure's best practices and recommendations.
• AzSaveMoney - Clean-up and save money by identifying and marking unused Azure resources/groups as subject for deletion by tagging.
• Azure Cost CLI - CLI tool to perform cost analysis on your Azure subscription
• Azure Code Samples - Explore Microsoft's samples and discover the things you can build.
• 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.
• Cyber Security Demystified - ebook from Microsoft describing how to keep your organisation safe.
• Azure Resource Center - Whitepapers, code samples, solution architectures
• 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.
• Design scalable and performant tables - a guide from the storage team.
• Azure Speed Test 2.0 - a simple web tool that measures the latency between you and Azure Datacenters to suggest which might be fastest for you location.
• 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).
• Microsoft cloud for IT architects illustrations - These cloud architecture posters give you information about Microsoft cloud services, including Microsoft 365, Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), Microsoft Intune, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and hybrid on-premises and cloud solutions.
• Whitepapers for Power BI - numerous whitepapers ranging various Power BI topics
• Farmer - This is a DSL for ARM template creation - "Making repeatable Azure deployments easy"!