Microsoft Ignite 2024 Book of News

Microsoft Ignite 2024 event completed last week with lot of great announcements and new innovations that would shape the future of Technology. 

You can access this Book of News post to understand all the key updates in detail: Microsoft Ignite 2024 Book of News 

Recorded Keynote and other key sessions are now available on demand access them to know more.

If you are specifically looking for Microsoft 365 Copilot Sessions you can access the below post to review the sessions and understand the latest updates through the available on-demand videos 

Access here: Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft Ignite 2024 Event Guide

Get ready to Upgrade to Exchange Server SE !

 Microsoft Exchange Team recently published a blog post outlining the timeline when the next version of On-Premises Exchange Server 2025 aka Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE) will be available, and how you can prepare your organization to prepare for this upgrade journey.

As of today, most of the large Enterprise Customers still has Exchange Hybrid deployment in their environment, and the existing Exchange Server 2016 (Currently on Extended support) and Exchange Server 2019 will go completely out of support next year October 2025, so to stay supported with Hybrid deployment these Organizations need to start their upgrade plan asap and the article clearly explains the supported deployment model like with which version Co-existence is supported when RTM gets released and when CU1 gets released etc. 

The blog post also answers most of the FAQs and upgrade guidance, if you are using Legacy Version of Exchange Server, it's now time to start reviewing your landscape and plan for the upgrade journey.

Access the Blog post here: Upgrading your organization from current versions to Exchange Server SE

Microsoft Ignite 2024 Registrations now open!

 Its time for Microsoft Ignite 2024 and registrations are now open, this time you will have more AI innovations showcased with lot of exciting announcements a head,  and a great opportunity for Networking if you are attending in person and you have Online registration available for virtual participation.

Access here to know more and register: https://ignite.microsoft.com/en-US/home

Stay tuned for more updates...

New Whitepaper: GDPR & Generative AI – A Guide for Customers

 Microsoft team recently published a Whitepaper on GDPR Compliance in the context of using Generative AI services. This is an essential guide for Organizations adopting Microsoft AI technologies.

You can download the Whitepaper here: GDPR & Generative AI – A Guide for Customers

More details is available in the official blog post here: Introducing Our New Whitepaper: GDPR & Generative AI – A Guide for Customers

Microsoft 365 Community Conference Videos on Demand !

 Microsoft 365 Community Conference event was completed earlier this month with lot of great announcements on Microsoft 365 product line powered by latest AI capabilities. 

Now Microsoft team has shared some of the great content presented in this conference on-demand under the Microsoft 365 Community Conference Youtube Channel.

You can access the Channel here: Microsoft 365 Community Conference

Also Microsoft team has launched the new Community News Desk on the Microsoft Tech Community, your one stop resource for engaging with Community experts, events and get to know latest updates to stay updated on the Microsoft products.

The above on-demand content is part of the Community News Desk initiative and more updates are on the way.

Access here to know more: Introducing the Community News Desk with essential content from Microsoft 365 Community Conference

You can pre-register for next year event here : https://m365conf.com/#!/

Exchange Server Roadmap Update Just Released !

Microsoft Exchange Team published a new update today on the Exchange Server Roadmap, this brings the update on the last CU For Exchange Server 2019 and availability of the Exchange vNext aka Exchange Server Subscription Edition (Exchange Server SE) in 2025.

As of today most larger Organizations follow the Hybrid Exchange deployment Model, and keeping the On-Premises Exchange Server under the supported version becomes essential to stay supported, and if you are still on Legacy Exchange Versions, its time to upgrade your environment to supported 2019 version and plan for the vNext upgrade accordingly.

You can view the below table specified in the blog post for the update path based on your current environment.

Exchange Server Subscription Edition follows the new modern Lifecycle Policy and more details are available in the blog post.

Access here to know more: Exchange Server Roadmap Update

Microsoft Modern Collaboration Architecture (MOCA)

Microsoft has diversified products when it comes to Collaboration and Productivity, and we could see new products being launched very often in this space and there is alway a  dilemma in understanding which tool to use when, and in today's Modern world with various types of work cultures and organizational structure utilizing the right tool is essential for work efficiency and to enhance productivity. 

Microsoft team has designed Modern Collaboration Architecture (MOCA) to address the aforesaid challenge and provide guidance on how the Collaboration products of Microsoft 365 suite are aligned and when to use which tool for efficient Personal productivity and Organizational productivity.

With the latest advancement of new Tools like Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365, Microsoft Loop etc. Microsoft team has updated the MOCA guidance to include these tools and you have dedicated guidance available for Larger Enterprise Organization and Small Business Organization.

Access the Official MOCA site to know more: Modern Collaboration Architecture (MOCA)

Exchange Online New External Recipient Rate Limit Changes

Microsoft Exchange team has announced that beginning in January 2025, Exchange Online will begin enforcing an external recipient rate limit of 2,000 recipients in 24 hours. 

This External Recipient Rate limit changes will imply in 2 phases as below,

• Phase 1 - Starting Jan 1, 2025, the limit will apply to cloud-hosted mailboxes of all newly created tenants. 
• Phase 2 - Between July and December 2025, we will start applying the limit to cloud-hosted mailboxes of existing tenants.

Organizations who are sending bulk External emails via Exchange Online should be aware about this upcoming changes and Microsoft team recommends to use Azure Communication Services Email Service solution for the same.

Access here to know more: Exchange Online to introduce External Recipient Rate Limit

You can access the below articles for information on Azure Communication Services Email Service and Azure Communication Services Email's SMTP as a Service.

Overview of Azure Communication Services email

Email SMTP support in Azure Communication Services

Couple of Essential articles on how to use ACS Email Service SMTP and SDK.

Send emails via SMTP relay with Azure Communication Service

Quickstart: How to send an email using Azure Communication Services

More details on the way on the upcoming Microsoft Build 2024: Azure Communication Services at Microsoft Build 2024

Also review the new service announced public preview of High-Volume Email (HVE) for Microsoft 365, which will aid Organizations to send bulk emails internally beyond the Exchange online limits.

More details available here: Public Preview: High Volume Email for Microsoft 365

Follow Exchange Team Blog Tech community Space for more updates.

Free Practice Assessments on Microsoft Learn

Microsoft team has announced free practice assessments today to support your Certification Journey via MS Learn.

Access the Official blog here: Prep for certification exams with free Practice Assessments on Microsoft Learn

Follow @MicrosoftLearn for latest updates.

Microsoft Exam Sandbox

Microsoft has created a Sandbox Microsoft Exam demo environment which is designed to help you become familiar with the exam interface and the different types of questions you'll come across in Microsoft Certification exams.

For people who are new to Microsoft Certification Exam and would like to get first hand Exam demo experience this is a great tool.

Access the Sandbox here: Microsoft Exam Sandbox 

You can get more information on the various available certifications, Study guides, Self- Paced Training Modules etc. and also take the free Practice tests available for few of the Certifications from here: Microsoft Certifications

How to migrate from Azure AD Connect to Azure AD Cloud Sync

Azure AD Cloud Sync is the new Synchronization tool and Microsoft team has published detailed guidance on how to migrate from your existing Azure AD Connect environment to Azure AD Cloud Sync.

Access and download here: Cloud Sync: Migrate from AD Connect

Documentation here: Migrating from Azure AD Connect to Azure AD Connect cloud sync

Access Tutorial here: Migrate to Azure AD Connect cloud sync for an existing synced AD forest

Register for upcoming Event this March 28, 2023. 8:00-9:00 AM, PDT : How to migrate from Azure AD Connect to Azure AD Cloud Sync

Exchange Server 2013 End is Near !

Exchange Server 2013 reaches end of support in next 60 days on 11th April 2023, its now time for your Organization to move your Exchange Server On-premises to a supported version and Microsoft has provided detailed guidance on the same.

If you are an Hybrid Organization ensure you are updating your On-premises environment to be in supported state for hybrid.

If you are planning to migrate your Environment to Exchange Online you have detailed guidance on the same including detailed steps to decommission the last Exchange 2013 server.

You can access the guidance here: Microsoft Exchange guides

Access the Exchange Team blog post here : Exchange Server 2013 End of Support Coming Soon

New Blog post here: Exchange Server 2013 End of Support Approaching Fast

Latest Blog post here: Exchange Server 2013 Reaches End of Support Next Month

Microsoft 365 guides

Microsoft has provided us with one stop solution to access all Microsoft 365 guides which provides key guidance on installation, configuration, and management of your Microsoft 365 tenants, apps, and services.

You can access the guides here: All Microsoft 365 guides

Microsoft 365 Certification Changes a head !

Microsoft team has recently announced the upcoming changes for the existing Microsoft 365 Certifications, Some of the existing certifications are getting renamed and some are being retired.

Timeline to complete the existing certifications and renewal path details are provided in the below blog post.

Review the blog post here: Evolving Microsoft 365 certifications help keep you in sync with the new era of work

Microsoft Ignite 2022 - Book of News

Microsoft Ignite 2022 has begun with some great announcements and Microsoft team published the Book of News to showcase the various announcements.

Access here : Microsoft Ignite 2022 - Book of News 

Microsoft Ignite 2022

Microsoft Ignite 2022 is coming this October 12-14,  get yourself registered soon. 

Event site : Microsoft Ignite 2022

Follow @MS_Ignite twitter handle for more updates.

Basic Authentication Deprecation in Exchange Online Update !

Starting October 1st  Microsoft will start to turn off basic authentication for specific protocols in Exchange Online for customers who are still using them .

Many Organizations following the last announcement started to make recommended changes in their environment, but some of the organizations are not yet prepared and few Organizations are on the journey and still need time to accommodate the changes,  and to aid this Microsoft team published the updated article this week providing option for one time re-enablement , with this option customers will be able to use the self-service diagnostic to re-enable basic auth for any protocols they need, once per protocol starting this month so that in October Microsoft will not not disable the  Basic Auth for the protocols and they can use until December 2022, and during the first week of calendar year 2023, those protocols will be disabled for basic auth use permanently.

Refer the below article for more details : Basic Authentication Deprecation in Exchange Online – September 2022 Update

Microsoft Exchange Community Airlift

MEC is back, its now called Microsoft Exchange Community Airlift and starts next Month, ensure to register soon.

Register here : Microsoft Exchange Community Airlift 

Exchange Server VNext Comes in 2025 !

Microsoft Exchange Team announced the news regarding next version of Exchange Server that would be made available in the second half of 2025, which gives us hope that On-premises Exchange Server will still be available, and also shared more details regarding their support policy changes with much more exciting news including the come back of  Microsoft Exchange Community Conference which is now called as “Microsoft Exchange Community (MEC) Technical Airlift 2022” 

Access the blog post here to know more: Exchange Server Roadmap Update

How to protect against Microsoft Exchange Server threats

Securing Exchange Server Environment has become a Critical Priority today post the recent Zero day Exploit - HAFNIUM and Microsoft team taken required action to address this security threat and adviced organizations running Exchange Servers to take remediation steps outlined in their MSTIC update. 

As a part of their ongoing support guidance Microsoft Published new support videos to protect against Exchange Server threats in their Microsoft SecurityYoutube Channel. These videos cover essential threats against Exchange server and recommended remediation.

Access here:  How to protect against Microsoft Exchange Server threats