Kurt Shintaku's Blog

The Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 AMA is coming up on November 29th at 9AM PT.

Check it out here:
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Exchange-AMA/Announcing-a-Microsoft-Exchange-Server-2019-AMA/m-p/286928#M1

Wow.  Big news!

Soon-to-be introduced Microsoft sync technology will replace the current proprietary APIs & translator component currently used & enable Outlook for iOS and Android to take advantage of native Office 365 features it does not support today, such as S/MIME, Microsoft Information Protection labeling, and shared mailboxes. These and more Office 365 features will roll out soon after the architecture update.

Today, the vast majority of accounts using Outlook for iOS and Android connect via a Stateless Protocol Translator component that is built and run in Azure. This component routes data and translates commands, but it doesn’t cache user data. The app is coded with the Outlook device API, a proprietary API that syncs commands and data to and from the app. Exchange Online data is accessed via the publicly available REST APIs. The protocol translator enables communication between Outlook and Exchange Online.

Beginning in December 2018, Microsoft will migrate customers to a native Microsoft sync technology that removes the Stateless Protocol Translator component from the Office 365-based architecture. With the native Microsoft sync technology, Outlook for iOS and Android connects directly to Office 365 for data connections ensuring the data is protected by an HTTP TLS-secured connection end-to-end.

Read more about the transition here:

• Outlook for iOS and Android in Exchange Online
  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/clients-and-mobile-in-exchange-online/outlook-for-ios-and-android/outlook-for-ios-and-android

Here’s a great resource that aggregates a ton of Microsoft Azure information, announcements, and other resources from official Microsoft sources.

Introducing the Azure InfoHub:

There are 5 tabs at the top that provide you with additional information regarding:

Azure Services:

Free eBooks

Whitepapers:

Tools:

Checkout the site here:

• INFO: Azure InfoHub–News, Docs, Videos, Online Training about Microsoft Azure
  https://azureinfohub.azurewebsites.net/

Also, if you’re looking to subscribe to the official Microsoft Azure Newsletter, visit:

• INFO: Subscribe to the Microsoft Azure Newsletter
  https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/community/newsletter/subscribe/

So you already know about Azure Hybrid Use Benefit & Azure Reserved Instances ‘eh?

Here’s 8 additional ways to save on Azure spend!

• BLOG: “Cost Optimization in Azure aka 10 ways to Optimize Costs in Microsoft Azure"
  https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/cloud_solution_architect/2018/02/23/cost-optimization-on-azure/

Taken from the blog post:

Microsoft has pioneered intelligent content services in Microsoft 365 to help our customers achieve more. And the industry has taken note. Today, we are honored that for the second year in a row Gartner has recognized Microsoft as a Leader in the Content Services Platforms Magic Quadrant for 2018. Once again, Microsoft placed highest in Ability to Execute.

Download your own complimentary copy of the Gartner Content Services Magic Quadrant, free of charge, here:

• WHITEPAPER: Gartner Content Services Platforms Magic Quadrant.
  https://resources.techcommunity.microsoft.com/gartner-magic-quadrant-for-content-services-platforms-2018/

For a view of the Magic Quadrant for 2018, read the original post here:

• BLOG: Microsoft again recognized as a Leader in Gartner Magic Quadrant for Content Services Platforms
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2018/10/29/microsoft-again-recognized-as-a-leader-in-gartner-magic-quadrant-for-content-services-platforms/

The goal of the BlueHat Security Conference is to educate both external security researchers and partners, as well as Microsoft engineers and executives, on current and emerging security threats, to help them address security issues in Microsoft products and services, and to protect our customers. BlueHat is a unique opportunity for Microsoft engineers and the security community to come together learn about the current threat landscape and challenge the thinking and actions we do in security. BlueHat is open to all Microsoft full time employees and a limited number of invite-only external attendees from the security community.

Taken from the Microsoft BlueHat blog:

Last month we wrapped up another great BlueHat event. As an organizer, it is great to hear that the content is so strong that we have participants have to make hard choices on what to attend. BlueHat is about the community we build and the experiences we share. To further support that we are making slides and videos of presentations available publicly.

For the general audience portion of the conference, the slides can be found here: https://www.slideshare.net/MSbluehat. The video recordings of the sessions are being uploaded over the next six weeks to our YouTube channel. You can see the latest content in our BlueHat v18 playlist here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RCH0vFxWT4&list=PLXkmvDo4MfuugCoJZaNhWZjgEXeXZgaQR.

With this first upload of video content, we are excited to share with you the Keynote address, On the Frontier track, and Mitigating Attack Classes track.

The original post is located here:

• BlueHat v18 Content Now Available
  https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/bluehat/2018/10/26/bluehat-v18-content-now-available/

In the recent Thousand Eyes “2018 Public Cloud Performance Benchmark Report”, Azure has the best global WAN – all of it Microsoft’s own private network – of the three major public cloud providers.

The 2018 Public Cloud Performance Benchmark Report measures and compares network performance between the top three public cloud providers—Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform.
The industry’s first report of its kind breaks the mold of survey-based research and vendor-led reporting to provide a unique, unbiased third-party and metric-based perspective on public cloud performance as it relates to end-user experience.

Get the report here:

• DOWNLOAD: Thousand Eyes “2018 Public Cloud Performance Benchmark Report”
  https://www.thousandeyes.com/research/public-cloud

Microsoft has a great solution that empowers technicians to solve problems faster the first time. With heads-up, hands-free video calling on Microsoft HoloLens, technicians can collaborate with remote experts on PC or mobile to troubleshoot issues in context.

It’s called “Dynamics 365 Remote Assist”.

Here’s a list of some of the capabilities Remote Assist delivers:

• Hands-free audio and video calling*
• Compatible with Microsoft Teams: Remote experts can initiate and receive calls using Teams
• Mixed reality annotations: 2-way inking and arrow insertion anchored to the real world
• In-call text chat: Instant message during calls
• OneDrive integration, file sharing, and display: HoloLens users’ and remote experts can insert documents (PDF) and images (JPG, PNG, TIFF, and BMP) into their shared view
• Enterprise-level identity and security: AAD authentication and single sign-on
• Mixed reality streaming: HoloLens users can share their view of another app by running Remote Assist in the background
• Mixed reality capture: HoloLens users can capture mixed reality photos during calls
• Screen sharing: Experts can project their desktop screen to HoloLens users’ view
• Automatic volume adjustment: Automatically adjusts based on the noise level of your environment
• Integration with Dynamics 365 for Field Service**: HoloLens users can view work orders, call designated experts, and view Power BI dashboards linked to work orders in Remote Assist

For more information on the solution, check out the following references and videos:

• Teams-On-Air Podcast – June 21, 2018: “Remote Assist: A HoloLens app for HoloLens & Microsoft Teams”
  Live demonstration of the Remote Assist applications for Microsoft HoloLens in assisting with troubleshooting issues from remote locations.
  https://attend-noam.broadcast.skype.com/en-US/72f988bf-86f1-41af-91ab-2d7cd011db47/09106e04-498b-42a0-8fb1-808847360371/player?cid=fl5rjs6qqzocpdgasz7wimr5u7fnbbupcp3p7uuxbm5647vpyzga&rid=NOAM
  
1. Connect over audio or video
2. Show video of remote assistant – move video window or pin to physical location
3. Annotate what is remotely see using Surface pen
4. Place holographic arrows to anchor to physical locations
5. Bring up files from remote assistant’s OneDrive to augment conversation (documentation. Diagrams, reference material)

• Video Scenario: Remote configuration/installation Video using HoloLens “Remote Assist”
  “Remote Assist” enables you to collaborate remotely with heads-up, hands-free video calling, image sharing, and mixed reality annotations. Firstline Workers can share what they see with an expert, while staying hands on to solve problems and complete tasks together, faster.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpmolMrf5HQ
   
• Video Case Study: “Chevron uses Dynamics 365 Remote Assist and HoloLens to improve performance”
  Microsoft and Chevron are building on their partnership to accelerate the application of advanced technologies by deploying Microsoft Dynamics 365 Remote Assist and Microsoft HoloLens within Chevron’s global facilities including oil refineries, lubricants plants, and off-shore locations. The technology is revolutionizing the first line worker experience and generating a measurable impact on Chevron’s bottom line, improving performance and speed of global collaboration.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbL8H2lyC8Q
   
• Requirements:
  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/mixed-reality/remote-assist/requirements
• Product Site:
• https://dynamics.microsoft.com/en-us/mixed-reality/remote-assist/
• Download:
• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/microsoft-dynamics-365-remote-assist/9p77qgw10k9m?activetab=pivot:overviewtab
• Documentation
• Dynamics 365 Remote Assist Library
  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/mixed-reality/remote-assist/ 
• Dynamics 365 Remote Assist Users Guide
  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/mixed-reality/remote-assist/user-guide
• Dynamics Remote Assist FAQ
  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/mixed-reality/remote-assist/faq

The free Microsoft Connect() online event is coming, December 4, featuring the latest announcements for Azure & Visual Studio & live demos for developers looking to build next Gen apps using C#, Java, Python, Node.js, and more —live from the Microsoft Azure and AI Conference.

Here’s some of the rockstar speakers from Microsoft that will be coming to you from this event:

DATE/TIME:
December 4, 2018
Opening keynote starts 8:30AM & goes on throughout the entire day!

UPDATE NOTIFICATIONS:
https://info.microsoft.com/Microsoft-Connect-2018-get-updates.html

EVENT SITE:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/connectevent/

ADD TO CALENDAR:
https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RE2GG77

Co-produced by DEVIntersection & Microsoft – featuring Scott Guthrie – the Microsoft Azure+AI Conference is where Microsoft’s top executives will speak about what’s on the horizon for development. cloud, and artificial intelligence.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to attend the first ever Microsoft Azure and AI conference. You will hear from Microsoft Executives on their exciting Azure and AI future. You will have the opportunity to train and network with the Microsoft engineers and Azure & AI industry experts.

Registrants who sign up for the conference and workshops will take home some great hardware such as a Surface Go, XBOX and more. Please see the registration page for details. Space is limited so don’t hesitate.

Logistics below:

• DATE
  December 3-6, 2018
• LOCATION
  MGM Grand
  Las Vegas, NV
• REGISTRATION
  https://azureaiconf.com/