News


Microsoft Priming Windows 10 'Redstone 4' for AI Advances

The next major release of Windows 10, code-named "Redstone 4," will feature a new machine learning platform to help developers add artificial intelligence (AI) features in their apps.

Microsoft Touts Active Directory Security, Shares Best Practices

Microsoft this week shared some best practices for Windows Server Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) and Azure Active Directory (AD) that are aimed at protecting user identities against "password spray attacks."

Microsoft's VMware-to-Azure VM Migration Tool Goes Live

Organizations can now tap Microsoft's Azure Migrate tool to help migrate their on-premises virtual machines (VMs) and applications to Azure datacenter infrastructure.

Microsoft Releases Azure ATP Security Service

Microsoft this week announced the general availability of Azure Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), its new cloud-based service for detecting and analyzing security incidents.

Microsoft Teams Guest Access Extended to Consumer E-Mails

People with consumer e-mail addresses will soon be able to join an organization's collaboration spaces via an upcoming feature upgrade in Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft Launches Solution To Extend StorSimple Data to Azure

Microsoft this week announced the "general availability" of StorSimple Data Manager, a solution that converts data stored by StorSimple into a format that can be used with various Azure services.

Microsoft Brings AI-Based Security to Intune with Pradeo Deal

A newly announced pact between Microsoft and mobile security firm Pradeo will bring additional security protections to businesses using Microsoft's Intune mobile device management (MDM) solution for iOS and Android devices.

Windows 10 Enterprise May Be Only Licensing Option for Orgs: Analyst

Businesses may have little choice but to purchase Windows 10 Enterprise edition licensing, according to a recent analyst presentation.

Microsoft Releases New Tools for Compliance, Information Protection

Microsoft 365 product licensees can now take advantage of Microsoft's Compliance Manager dashboard and the Azure Information Protection Scanner, both of which became generally available (GA) this week.

Microsoft Drops Clues About Paid Windows 10 Servicing Option

Microsoft is readying a new "paid supplemental servicing" option for volume licensing customers using the Education or Enterprise editions of Windows 10 version 1607, but details are still scarce.

More Hardware Partners, Mobile Operators Back ARM-Based Windows 10

More original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and mobile service providers are throwing their support behind Snapdragon-based Windows 10 PCs, dubbed "Always Connected PCs."

Microsoft Readying Previews of New SharePoint Online WebParts

Office 365 subscribers will begin seeing previews of new and updated SharePoint Online WebParts in about two weeks' time, according to Microsoft.

Study: Azure in 'Dead Heat' with AWS Among New Cloud Adopters

Microsoft's Azure cloud platform still has a lot of ground to make up before it can catch market leader Amazon Web Services (AWS), but a recent report from RightScale Inc. bodes well for the challenger.

Azure Backup Improvements and ExpressRoute Monitoring Go Live

Microsoft greenlit various Azure services this month, including Azure ExpressRoute monitoring, additions to the Azure Storage service and Azure Backup service, and the Azure Redis Cache Geo-Replication service.

Microsoft's Active Directory Team Taps Blockchain for Identity Security

The Microsoft team responsible for Active Directory development has been ramping up its use of blockchain in a bid to improve digital identity security.

System Center Joins Microsoft's 'Semiannual Channel' Release Model

Microsoft recently issued System Center version 1801, the first release under the company's "semiannual channel" update framework.

Microsoft Brings Windows 10's Breach-Detection Service to Older OSes

Originally introduced two years ago for Windows 10 clients, Microsoft's Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) service will soon be available to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 machines, as well.

Face of 'Windows as a Service' at Microsoft Moves to Deployment Side

Michael Niehaus, the public face of much of Microsoft's "Windows as a Service" effort, is now a principal program manager on the company's "modern deployment team."

After Delay, Dynamics 365 Marketing App Hits Public Preview

Microsoft's new Dynamics 365 for Marketing app is now available for small and midsized businesses (SMBs) to test out.

Microsoft To Keep Standard Edition for Skype for Business 2019

Microsoft has reportedly walked back its earlier plans to kill the Standard edition of the upcoming Skype for Business Server 2019 product.