Azure Weekly Newsletter Issue #287

powered by endjin

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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

• On Channel 9, Seth Juarez (@sethjuarez) discusses what's new with Neural Text to Speech with Qinying Liao
• On the Azure blog, The Azure updates team highlights the Custom Translator upgrade and Regional data residency

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

• On the endjin blog, Ed Freeman (@edfreeman_) explains how to Deploy an Azure Synapse Analytics workspace using an ARM Template
• On the MSSQL Tips site, Fikrat Azizov explains how to Create Azure Data Factory inventory using Databricks
• The Azure updates team highlights some name changes in Azure Analytics Data Bricks Meters
• Also on the MSSQL Tips site, Koen Verbeeck (@Ko_Ver) discusses how to Copy Data from and to Snowflake with Azure Data Factory

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

• Thomas Maurer (@thomasmaurer) explains how to Add ISO DVD Drive to a Hyper-V VM using PowerShell
• Praveen Kumar Sreeram (@PrawinSreeram) discusses Azure Functions, Timer Triggers and Configurable Scheduled Expressions

Containers

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

• Steve Buchanan (@buchatech) explores Kubernetes resource view Preview in AKS
• On the Azure blog, The Azure updates team annnounces that Kubernetes resource view is in public preview

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

• The Azure updates team has made a host of announcements:
  Azure SQL Database gateways changes effective September 2020,
  Backup storage cost savings for Azure SQL Database and Managed Instance,
  Large storage for Azure Database for MariaDB,
  No downtime indexing updates in Azure Cosmos DB,
  SQL Server FCI on Shared Disks for SQL Server on virtual machines,
  Azure Cosmos DB Management with PowerShell cmdlets is in public preview,
  Azure Cosmos DB: Azure CLI support for autoscale
  and Additional Azure SQL Database gateways changes effective September 10, 2020
• On Channel 9, Anna Hoffman (@AnalyticAnna) gives an Introduction to Azure SQL for beginners with Bob Ward and, also with Bob Ward, Anna Hoffman and Marisa Brasile talk about Learning How to Transition Your SQL Server Skills to Azure SQL
• Mike Donnelly (@SQLMD) talks about why Cosmos DB SQL is Not SQL
• On the Azure SQL Database blog, Dimitri Furman writes about the Compute-optimized Fsv2 hardware in Azure SQL Database
• Also on the Azure SQL Database blog, Davide Mauri (@mauridb) walks through Building a REST API with Python, Flask and Azure SQL
• On the Azure blog, Gayle Sheppard announces some New Azure SQL Learning Tools help reduce the global technology skills gap
• And, on the Azure SQL Database blog, Marisa Brasile delves further into the New Azure SQL Learning Tools

Developer Tools

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

• The Azure updates team highlights that The Azure IoT Node.js SDK has released a new long term support LTS branch

DevOps

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

• On the MSSQL Tips site, Ron L'Esteve discusses Using Azure DevOps CI CD to Deploy Azure Data Factory Environments
• On the Microsoft DevOps blog, Matt Cooper (@vtbassmatt) talks about how Azure Devops now allows you to update your Azure Repos default branch name
• Also on the Microsoft DevOps blog, Steven Murawski (@StevenMurawski) lists the Top Stories from the Microsoft DevOps Community
• On Channel 9, Abel Wang (@abelsquidhead) talks about Performance in a DevOps World with Tim Koopmans
• Sacha Barber walks through Restoring from an Azure Artifacts NuGet feed from inside a Docker Build

Hybrid

Covering: Azure Arc, Azure Stack

• On Channel 9, Scott Hanselman (@shanselman) introduces The next generation of Azure Stack HCI with Cosmos Darwin
• On the Azure SQL Database blog, urmilano walks through Configuring backup storage redundancy in Azure SQL Managed Instance

Identity

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

• On .NET Rocks, Carl Franklin and Richard Campbell (@carlfranklin and @richcampbell) discuss Adding Identity to Your Applications with Christos Matskas and John Patrick Dandison
• Matthew Soucoup (@CodeMillMatt) writes: Let's Talk About Azure AD and Microsoft Identity Platform

Integration

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

• On the Azure blog, Ashish Chhabria (@ashishc1) announces a preview of Java Message Service 2.0 over AMQP on Azure Service Bus
• The Azure updates team highlights updates which can Simplify and Modernize your Java and Spring workloads with Azure Service Bus
• Sacha Barber discusses Azure Event Hubs With Kafka

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

• On the Azure SQL Database blog, Dimitri Furman describes Scaling up an IoT workload using an M-series Azure SQL database

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, Sceduler

• The Azure updates team has made a lot of announcements:
  Azure Monitor for containers with Azure Portal now supports Kubernetes resource view,
  Audit Logs of Azure Monitor logs queries now available,
  Azure Advisor Quick Fix is now available,
  Upcoming billing changes to Azure Bandwidth,
  Configurable backup storage redundancy option for Azure SQL Managed Instance,
  Azure France has achieved GSMA accreditation
  and Selective disks backup for Azure Virtual Machine is in public preview
• Adam Listek blogs about Microsoft Azure for Free
• On the DEV site, Jay Gordon (@jaydestro) discusses Azure Regions, AZ's and SLAs with Chloe Condon
• Daniel Neumann (@neumanndaniel) explains how to Deploy an AKS cluster using managed identity and managed Azure AD integration on Terraform
• Tobias Zimmergren & Jussi Roine (@CtrlAltAzure) discuss how to Optimize your workloads with the Azure Well-Architected Framework
• Tao Yang (@MrTaoYang) highlights a Video on integrating Terraform Enterprise with CI/CD Pipeline

Media

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

• Adam Listek describes How to Set Up a WordPress Blog in Microsoft Azure
• Pixel Robots. highlights that Azure Icons Are Now Available To Download
• Dave Ruijter (@daveruijter) walks through Working with Azure icons in draw.io (diagrams.net)

Migration

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

• The Azure updates team announces that Azure Data Explorer LightIngest now supports actual creation time for historical data migration
• On the Azure podcast, Levi Romandine discusses CSAs and the challenges these customers encounter when moving to Azure
• On the Azure blog, Jeremy Winter describes why you should Prioritize datacenter discovery and readiness assessments to accelerate cloud migration

Mobile

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

• The Azure updates team announces that App Service: .NET Framework 4.8 Support is now available

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

• No content this week

Security

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

• The Azure updates team walks through the Azure Security Center News and updates for July 2020

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 New regions added for Azure Blob storage object replication public preview and that you can now Configure backup for Azure file shares directly from the file share blade
• Charbel Nemnom (@charbelnemnom) talks about how to Backup Azure File Shares Snapshots to a Separate Storage Account for Disaster Recovery
• On the DEV site, Jay Gordon (@jaydestro) has released two AzureFunBytes episodes on: How to setup Azure Blob Storage and Azure Storage
• The Azure updates team announces that Azure Data Lake Storage lifecycle management is now generally available

Web

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

• Also on the DEV site, Jay Gordon (@jaydestro) covers How to create a static web site using blob storage
• Matthew Soucoup (@CodeMillMatt) explains how to Authenticate a ASP.NET Core Web App With Microsoft.Identity.Web
• On the DEV site, Jen Looper (@jenlooper) has released the Azure Maya Mystery Part II: The Mysterious Cenote
• On the Azure Developer Community Blog, Morgan Mitchell (@livelovegeek) blogs about The Secrets of Popular APIs

Learning

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

• On the DEV site, Jay Gordon (@jaydestro) highlights that you can now view all of the Azure Fundamental Tutorials
• Gregor Suttie (@gregor_suttie) shares a study guide for DP-900 Azure Data Fundamentals
• Adam Marczak (@MarczakIO) talks about AZ-900 - Resources, Resource Groups & Resource Manager
• Radu Vunvulea (@RaduVunvulea) describes a QA and Testers learning path for Cloud - Microsoft Azure version

Windows Virtual Desktop

Covering: Windows Virtual Desktop

• Christiaan Brinkhoff (@Brinkhoff_C) explains how to Optimize your Windows 10 single and multi-session images with the new Windows Virtual Desktop Optimization Tool
• Travis Roberts (@Ciraltos) blogs about Monitoring Windows Virtual Desktop Spring Update with Log Analytics

Useful Links

• 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!
• Azure Quickstart Templates - Learn how to deploy to Azure using ARM Templates. Over 850 examples in this repo.
• 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.
• A-Z of the Azure ecosystem - a slide deck outlining current Azure services.
• 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"!