This month, Microsoft introduced a series of significant updates to Azure management services. Through this monthly series of articles, the aim is to provide an overview of the most relevant updates, keeping you informed of these developments and equipping you with essential insights to explore these topics further.
The diagram below shows the various management areas covered in this series:
Figure 1 – Overview of Management Services in Azure
Configure
Azure Automation
Service and Subscription Limits for Azure Automation (Private Preview)
Starting January 7, 2025, Azure Automation will introduce a revision of service and subscription limits. This change aims to ensure fair distribution of cloud resources among all customers, optimizing usage and improving the overall service experience. Interested users can consult the current service and subscription limits for Azure Automation on the official site to prepare for these changes and plan any necessary adjustments to their cloud resources.
Govern
Azure Cost Management
Microsoft Cost Management: 2024 Highlights
2024 has been a year full of innovations for Microsoft Cost Management, with significant improvements aimed at optimizing cloud expenses and enhancing FinOps capabilities. Here are the main updates introduced:
- Cost Visibility A new tabbed interface for cost analysis in the Azure portal simplifies switching between views, creating reports, and analyzing expenses. Additionally, loading times have been improved, ensuring a smoother experience.
- Data Export New datasets related to reservations, price lists, and combined cost formats have been added. The Parquet format with file compression reduces storage and network costs. Integration with Microsoft Fabric (preview) enables advanced analytics and reporting.
- Copilot Enhancements AI has been further integrated with Cost Analysis to provide detailed cost insights. New features include estimating Azure OpenAI costs in simulation scenarios.
- Azure OpenAI Costs New visualizations allow monitoring deployments based on tokens and PTUs, along with reservations.
- Cost Allocation Billing tags with inheritance have been launched for more efficient cost management. Tagging functionalities have also been introduced for billing sections and payment profiles.
- AKS Cost Views Kubernetes namespace cost tracking is now available, enabling application-specific cost allocation.
- Cost Optimization One-month and one-year reservations for Azure OpenAI are now available, offering significant savings. New RBAC roles have been introduced to manage Azure savings plans.
- Cloud Sustainability In preview, Azure’s carbon optimization tool helps monitor emissions data and propose eco-friendly and cost-effective actions.
Thanks to these updates, Microsoft Cost Management has enhanced FinOps efficiency, improved cost visibility, and supported sustainability initiatives, positioning itself as a key tool for cloud expense management in 2025.
Secure
Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Sensitivity Scanning Now Available for Azure File Shares
The “Sensitivity Scanning” feature in Microsoft Defender for Cloud, designed for security posture management (CSPM), now includes Azure file shares, available in General Availability. Previously, enabling the Defender CSPM plan on a subscription allowed automatic scanning of blob containers within storage accounts to identify sensitive data. This extension now includes file shares, improving risk analysis and protection for sensitive storage accounts.
Defender for Cloud CLI Integration with CI/CD Tools (Preview)
The CLI integration feature for Microsoft Defender for Cloud with CI/CD tools is now available in public preview. This integration allows CLI usage in CI/CD pipelines to scan and identify security vulnerabilities in containerized source code. Scans help development teams detect and resolve vulnerabilities during pipeline execution without disrupting workflows. Results are uploaded to Defender for Cloud, enabling security teams to correlate data with containers in container registries.
Use Cases:
- Pipeline Scanning: Securely monitor all pipelines using the CLI.
- Early Vulnerability Detection: Results are displayed in the pipeline and sent to Defender for Cloud.
- Continuous Security: Improved visibility and quick response capabilities during development cycles without compromising productivity.
Defender for Cloud Configuration Experience
Microsoft Defender for Cloud introduces a new configuration experience that simplifies the initial setup for connecting cloud environments, including cloud infrastructure, code repositories, and external container registries. This feature allows for advanced security plan protection, quick actions to improve coverage at scale, and notifications about connectivity issues or new security features.
Updated Cloud Environment Scan Interval Options
The scan interval options for cloud connectors associated with AWS, GCP, Jfrog, and DockerHub have been updated. Scanning intervals can now be set to 4, 6, 12, or 24 hours when adding or modifying a cloud connector. By default, new connectors continue to use a 12-hour scan interval.
Defender for Endpoint Client Update for File Integrity Monitoring
To continue leveraging the File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) functionality in Microsoft Defender for Cloud, the Defender for Endpoint (MDE) client must meet specific minimum versions.
Protect
Azure Backup
Vaulted Backup for AKS
Azure Backup introduces support for vaulted backups for AKS, now generally available. This new feature enables cross-regional disaster recovery, long-term data retention, and immutability for backups, improving resilience and simplifying compliance for cloud-native applications. Customers can protect AKS clusters during regional disaster recovery events, store backup data for up to 10 years to meet regulatory requirements, and secure data in an offsite location to safeguard against ransomware threats.
Azure Evaluation
For those who wish to explore and personally evaluate the services offered by Azure, a unique opportunity is available: by accessing this page, you can test various features and services for free. This will allow you to better understand how Azure can adapt and improve your IT operations, while ensuring security and innovation.
