This blog post series highlights the key announcements and major updates related to Azure Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Azure Stack, as officially released by Microsoft in the past two weeks.
Azure
General
Microsoft Named a Leader in 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Strategic Cloud Platform Services
Microsoft has once again been recognized by Gartner® as a Leader in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Strategic Cloud Platform Services (SCPS), noted for its excellence in Completeness of Vision. Microsoft’s Azure platform stands out for its robust suite of AI and cloud services, supporting organizations in fostering innovation across diverse IT scenarios. Offering both IaaS and PaaS solutions, Azure empowers businesses to seamlessly unify their on-premises, multicloud, and edge environments within the cloud. As AI accelerates transformative capabilities across industries, Azure’s adaptive platform equips businesses with the strategic infrastructure and tools they need to operate efficiently across hybrid, multicloud, and edge environments, and to develop intelligent applications that harness extensive data processing and computing capabilities.
Update on Retirement of TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 Versions for Azure Services
In alignment with Microsoft’s November 10, 2023 announcement, Azure continues its phased transition to TLS 1.2 or later, set to complete by August 31, 2025. This move aims to enhance security across all connections to Azure services, although some services will maintain temporary support for TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 to minimize disruption for customers. Azure’s TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 implementations are not known to be vulnerable; however, the adoption of TLS 1.2 or later introduces stronger security measures, including perfect forward secrecy and more robust cipher suites. Customers who currently rely on TLS 1.0 or 1.1 should prepare to update their workloads to TLS 1.2 or later to ensure seamless service continuity on Azure.
FinOps Toolkit 0.6
The latest release of the FinOps toolkit, version 0.6, was made available, bringing multiple enhancements for optimized financial operations on Azure. Key updates include a new FinOps best practices library and Power BI reports designed to enhance governance and workload optimization. Users can now leverage customizable promoted tags within Power BI, alongside improved ingestion capabilities for prices, reservation details, recommendations, and transactions within FinOps hubs. Performance and scalability of Power BI reports have also been optimized. Additionally, the toolkit introduces a consolidated FinOps workbooks template, updates to the Azure Optimization Engine for security and troubleshooting, and FOCUS 1.1 ServiceSubcategory mapping in the Services open data file. Minor improvements and bug fixes are also included across the toolkit, further refining the user experience.
Storage
Edit Network Features for Azure NetApp Files with No Downtime (Public Preview)
The latest public preview introduces the ability to edit network features for Azure NetApp Files volumes without downtime, providing greater flexibility and enhanced networking for users. With Standard Network Features now available in select regions (Australia East, Central India, North Central US, and Switzerland North), users can seamlessly upgrade from Basic to Standard network features, maintaining service continuity. Standard Network Features introduce several improvements, including increased IP limits in VNets with Azure NetApp Files, meeting enterprise security needs with Network Security Groups (NSGs) on delegated subnets, and improved network control through User-defined routes. The feature also supports enhanced connectivity via Active/Active VPN gateway setups and enables high-performance ExpressRoute FastPath connectivity, ensuring low latency and high-bandwidth connectivity between on-premises networks and Azure.
Live Resize for Azure Premium SSD v2 and Ultra Disks
Azure has announced the General Availability of Live Resize for Premium SSD v2 and Ultra Disks, a capability that enables users to dynamically increase storage capacity without application disruption. This feature allows organizations to start with smaller disks and expand their storage as needed, supporting cost management while providing flexibility. With this new feature, Azure customers can adjust resources efficiently without experiencing any downtime.
Expansion of Azure Premium SSD v2 Disk Storage to New Regions
Azure Premium SSD v2 Disk Storage is now accessible in additional regions, including Germany West Central, Israel Central, Italy North, Spain Central, and Mexico Central. This advanced storage solution offers a blend of price performance and ultra-low disk latency, ideal for I/O-intensive workloads like SQL Server, Oracle, SAP, and other enterprise applications. Azure Premium SSD v2’s expansion provides more organizations across the globe with access to reliable, high-performance storage for critical workloads, meeting the needs of industries ranging from big data analytics to gaming and containerized applications.
Azure Stack
Azure Stack HCI
Microsoft Recognized as a Leader in 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure
Microsoft has once again been named a Leader in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure (DHI), marking its second consecutive year in this position. Microsoft earned top placement for both Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute. Azure’s adaptive cloud approach and comprehensive infrastructure, spanning cloud and edge, address a wide array of customer requirements that drive digital transformation across industries. Examples such as Coles and Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA) underscore the impact of Azure in various sectors. Coles leverages GPU-enabled Azure Stack HCI and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) through Azure Arc for AI-driven video inferencing in-store, enhancing customer experience. EGA’s smart crane operations rely on low-latency, local AI models, optimized for real-time adjustments essential to aluminum casting. These examples highlight Azure’s versatile infrastructure, meeting the performance needs of both retail and manufacturing through advanced AI and machine learning capabilities.
Figure 1 – Magic Quadrant for Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure
Conclusion
Over the past two weeks, Microsoft has introduced a slew of updates and announcements pertaining to Azure Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Azure Stack. These developments underscore the tech giant’s unwavering commitment to enhancing its cloud offerings and adapting to the ever-evolving needs of businesses and developers. Users of Azure can anticipate improved functionalities, streamlined services, and enriched features as a result of these changes. Stay tuned for more insights as I continue to monitor and report on Azure’s progression in the cloud sphere.
