Datascape Podcast Episode 48: Recapping the Spring 2021 Microsoft Ignite Virtual Conference

Episode 48: Show Notes

Spring Microsoft Ignite 2021 Conference Recap

Today we are joined by Warner Chavez to hear about all the new updates in the Microsoft ecosystem that were discussed at the 2021 Microsoft Ignite Conference. We kick the discussion off by hearing about the resource moving support offered by Azure Resource Mover and the ability to offer compatible vendors to clients with Private Azure Marketplace.

Next, we get into new machine learning services in Azure Arc as well as developments that will allow for zone redundant storage. Warner then talks about new additions to the Cloud Adoption Framework that will make migrating into Azure even easier. After that, we talk about the available preview for the Windows 2022 server and wonder when we will hear about a new SQL server. Warner weighs in on the new Synapse pathway feature which will help migrate existing data warehousing workloads into Synapse Analytics. We then explore Stream Analytics updates that will allow a native streaming service inside Synapse and move on to the updates to Azure Purview offering the ability to scan and classify data on S3 buckets and more.

Our conversation turns to the ability to make a global Redis cache using Azure Cache for Redis before focusing on updates to Cosmos DB allowing point-in-time restore, global near real-time analytics querying and more. Warner then explains the new ability to run a native Cassandra Service in Azure using Azure’s Managed Instance for Cassandra. Moving onto AI updates, Warner talks about semantic search capabilities and form recognition before sharing some exciting and daunting developments heralded by the mixed reality platform for Microsoft Mesh. Finally, we talk about the new open-source low code programming language, Power Fx!

Tune in and get all your Microsoft updates today!

Key points from this episode:

• Moving resources more easily with Azure Resource Mover and Site Recovery.
• Selecting vendors that are compatible with you through Private Azure Marketplace.
• Updates to Azure Arc in the form of new machine learning services.
• New disk-related storage capabilities via SSDs on zone-redundant storage.
• Making migration easier with updates to the Cloud Adoption Framework.
• There is a new Windows server 2022 available in preview.
• Helping people migrate into Azure Synapse Analytics with a new pathway feature.
• Stream Analytics updates: Deployment of Stream Analytics clusters and more.
• Microsoft is putting its own streaming engine for analytics into Synapse.
• Updates to Azure Purview: New scanning and searching capabilities.
• Cross-region redistributions of Redis instances in Azure Cache for Redis.
• Updates to Cosmos DB including the new MongoDB API and point-in-time restore.
• Azure’s managed instance for Cassandra and the old limitations this takes away.
• AI updates: Semantic search capabilities and a form recognizer.
• The mixed reality platform for Microsoft Mesh and the educational capabilities it offers.
• The introduction of Power Fx, Microsoft’s open-source low-code programming language.

Links mentioned in today’s episode:

• Warner Chavez on LinkedIn
• Warner Chavez on Twitter
• Azure Resource Mover
• Private Azure Marketplace
• Azure Arc
• Cloud Adoption Framework
• Azure Synapse Analytics
• Azure Purview
• Azure Cache for Redis
• Cosmos DB
• Azure Managed Instance for Apache Cassandra
• Microsoft Mesh
• Power Fx