Updates Archives
Monthly updates for March 2021
Azure Data Explorer performance update (EngineV3) is now generally available
Azure Data Explorer (Kusto) is announcing the general availability of it's performance update (EngineV3) which provides unprecedented performance in Big Data Logs and telemetry scenarios.
Public preview: App Service Managed Certificates now supports apex domains
Create apex domains on your Linux and Windows web app at no additional cost.
Service Broker message exchange for Azure SQL Managed Instance in public preview
Service Broker message exchange between Azure SQL Managed Instances (public preview) allows you to build reliable distributed applications with asynchronous message processing functionality by leveraging SQL Server engine’s native support for messaging/queuing.
General availability: Azure Data Explorer (ADX) Performance Updates
The next version of Azure Data Explorer (ADX) with performance updates is now available.
Machine Learning Services on Azure SQL Managed Instance now generally available
Use machine learning capabilities on a Managed Instance of Azure SQL Database for ease of moving your data, packages, and models to a cloud ready environment fully configured for machine learning.
General availability: Dynamic data masking granular permissions for Azure SQL and Azure Synapse Analytics
Control who can access your SQL data by using dynamic data masking granular permission on your Azure SQL Database, Azure Synapse Analytics and Azure SQL Managed Instance.
Azure Monitor SQL insights for Azure SQL in public preview
Get a single monitoring experience for all your cloud-based SQL deployments with Azure Monitor SQL insights
Long-term backup retention (LTR) for Azure SQL Managed Instance in public preview
Configure long-term backup retention for SQL Managed Instance databases and retain database backups beyond the 35 days provided by Azure SQL Managed Instance automated backups, for up to 10 years.
Generally available: Monitor your spending through forecasted cost alerts with Azure Cost Management and Billing
Prevent cost overruns with Azure budget alerts on forecasted costs
Azure API Management support for request and response validation policies has reached general availability.
Protect your APIs from several OWASP API Security Top 10 vulnerabilities without requiring an add-on solution.
Limited preview: Make workloads on AMD-backed virtual machines confidential without recompiling code
Azure and AMD announce landmark in confidential computing evolution -- it is now even easier to extend your protection of data at rest and data in transit to protect data in use.
Azure Storage Explorer v1.18.0 is now generally available
New release of Azure Storage Explorer (v1.18.0) will decrease time to load, connect, and transfer data to Azure Storage.
General availability: Media Services adds new "StandBy" mode for Live Events to speed up start times from warm state
Media Services Live Events now support a lower-cost "StandBy" mode to allow you to pre-allocate live streaming at a lower cost. You can now use the new standby mode to transition quickly to a "Running" state faster than starting from cold creation and reduces your operational costs.
General availability: Media Services introduces new security features
Media Services introduces new security features available in the 2020-05-01 version of the Azure Media Services API allowing you to now bring your own encryption keys, and configure trusted storage using System Managed Identities.
Azure IoT Central new and updated features—February 2021
February updates include device model, API, dashboard, and documentation improvements.
Brazil South Availability Zones now generally available
Azure Availability Zones are now generally available in the Brazil South region. These three new zones provide customers with options for additional resiliency and tolerance to infrastructure impact.
Azure expands PCI DSS certification
You can now leverage Azure’s Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) certification across all live Azure regions.
General availability: Azure Media Services – HEVC encoding support in Standard Encoder
You can now use High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) or H.265 in the Standard Encoder. This new feature is available for Content Aware encoding, Adaptive Bitrate encoding, and creating your own custom transforms. Using HEVC along with supported decoding devices will provide you with the ability to deliver streaming content at reduced bitrates while maintaining the same video quality compared to H.264/AVC. This in turn will help reduce overall delivery costs through a CDN, and allow your viewers to receive higher quality streams on constrained networks.
General availability: Azure Log Analytics in Australia Central 2
Log Analytics, a feature of Azure Monitor, is now generally available for customers to start collecting telemetry and analyzing their services for health and usage in Australia Central 2.
General availability: Application Insight in Australia Central 2
Application Insight, a part of Azure Monitor, is now generally available in Australia Central 2 region for customers to collect telemetry and analyze their service health in production environments.
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