Yitzhak Kesselman, Vice President at Microsoft, discusses the power of real-time intelligence in enhancing business decisions. He explains how Microsoft Fabric integrates data sources into a real-time hub, enabling organizations like call centers to cut down wait times and improve efficiency. The conversation dives into making analytics accessible, emphasizing case studies that show rapid transformations. Yitzhak also highlights the importance of addressing data silos and maintaining data quality during projects, ensuring businesses can harness valuable insights seamlessly.

Angela Dugan, a cloud solution architect manager at Microsoft with expertise in government technology, shares insights on the upcoming deployment of M365 Copilot across various government levels. She discusses the challenges of data governance and security faced by agencies, emphasizing the potential for cost-effective services. The conversation highlights the balance between enhancing productivity with AI while managing compliance and technical debt. Dugan also addresses misconceptions around SharePoint and the need for tailored education to maximize the benefits of Copilot.

Rick Claus and Joey Snow return to share their top gadget picks for sysadmins, blending humor with practical advice. They dive into quirky gift ideas from a D&D anniversary celebration to the 50th anniversary of imaginative tech. Learn about unique items like a versatile 3D printing pen, innovative cooking tools, and fun online resources for cybersecurity. Also discussed are holiday must-haves like the Ember Baby Bottle System and the Leatherman Wave Plus, perfect for enhancing both creativity and connectivity this festive season.

How does your organization respond to incidents? While at NDC Porto, Richard chatted with Mandi Walls about her experiences with different incidents, from corrupted files to data center failures. Mandi talks about detecting and determining the scope of an incident, whether it is specific to a customer (or group of customers), or possibly system wide. The conversation ranges over external attacks, bad software updates, unique configuration problems, and more. Keeping good records during the incident helps clean up after the event and provides for an effective retrospective.LinksPagerDutyRecorded October 17, 2024

How do you test your database? While at NDC Porto, Richard chatted with Dan Mallott about building unit tests for transactional databases like SQL Server. Dan talks about using testing frameworks constructed for the purpose, like TSQL-T, to make it easier to test individual database elements, from stored procedures to column constraints. The conversation digs into the challenges around testing, tolerating the changes to the database, and tweaking how you write your T-SQL code to be more testable. But the power of getting database tests into your CI/CD pipeline is enormous - catch more problems in testing before they become problems in production!LinkstsqltDbFitRecorded October 17, 2024

What's happening with SQL Server Management Studio? Richard chats with Erin Stellato, now at Microsoft, about the big jump coming for SSMS. Erin talks about how folks felt SSMS was a bit neglected when the reality is that there was a push to catch up with its parent codebase in Visual Studio. However, the next version of SSMS makes that jump, which opens the door to some excellent extension models. The conversation dives into the role of the Copilots in SQL Server through SSMS - helping you understand databases, write queries, and diagnose problems - eventually!LinksSQL Server Management StudioAzure SQL DatabaseSQL Server Integration ServicesSQL Server Data ToolsSQL FormatterRecorded September 26, 2024

Aidan Finn, an Azure MVP and principal consultant with InnoFactor Norway, dives into the world of Software-Defined Networking within Azure. He discusses the key differences between Azure Firewall SKUs and shares best practices for configuration. Aidan highlights the importance of user feedback in shaping security features and addresses the challenges of cloud migration, advocating for modern security approaches. He also emphasizes the benefits of software-defined networking, making Azure Firewall accessible through abundant educational resources.

In this engaging discussion, Aria Hanson, a program manager at Microsoft specializing in Windows updates, shares insights on managing updates for ARM devices like the new Snapdragon Copilot+ PCs. She highlights the seamless integration of ARM in the Windows update process and the impressive battery life advantages. The conversation dives into the various channels of the Windows Insider program and touches on the significance of ARM architecture for efficiency and security. Expect a peek into the future of AI-driven PCs and their benefits over traditional workstations!

How can you secure your company information with Azure Virtual Desktop? Richard talks to Jim Duffy about his work helping companies comply with NIST SP 800-171 security standards. These are the new standards required for Department of Defense contracting - including all subcontractors and suppliers. The security standard is thorough, with over 100 requirements. And you have to be audited to show that you comply! Even if you don't work with the government, the NIST security standard is excellent, and Jim talks about how you can use AVD to create a secure enclave for protecting data. And if you need help complying with NIST 800-171, Island Systems can help!LinksAzure Virtual DesktopNIST SP 800-171 Rev 3Secure Future InitiativeIsland SystemsRecorded August 12, 2024

Paula Januszkiewicz, founder of Secure Academy, shares her cybersecurity expertise, encouraging proactive vulnerability assessments. She highlights common oversights organizations make, particularly with PKI servers. The discussion delves into effective penetration testing tools while warning about the risks of unreliable sources. Paula emphasizes the need for ethical considerations in cybersecurity, balancing automated methods with manual assessments. She also touches on the importance of security awareness and services like 'Have I Been Pwned' to help prevent breaches.