Azure Stack HCI cluster is a hybrid solution that successfully units on-premises infrastructure with Azure cloud services, managing both Windows and Linux workloads relatively easily. However, it isn’t without its problems, and most come from incorrect network configurations that decrease performance and increase latency.
Temporary Access Pass (TAP) can be used to register another authentication method during new-user onboarding or to recover a lost or forgotten stronger authentication method. TAP is a time-limited passcode, issued by admins, that satisfies strong authentication requirements. You can use a TAP password for new users who can then register their passwordless authentication method.
Azure Active Directory (AD) allows managing connections so that users from certain countries can’t access your services. However, sometimes, VIPs can travel to one of such countries. To address that, you can deny access to all users in a country, allow connection from that country to certain users, or establish an approval workflow to allow travel with an access package.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps collects information from Firewall log inputs or traffic redirected from Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. As a result, it can help you identify users, accessing your systems, who are using applications that are not included in your compliance. That way, you can detect such shadow IT activity and prevent breaches.
Remote work is continuing to penetrate the fabric of the regular workflow ever more. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) that functions as a gatekeeper between your users and cloud resources they have access to. Among others, it allows to tap into Shador IT and app use to prevent malicious behavior.
Security is at the forefront of IT infrastructure now, perhaps, even more so than performance. Azure AD provides identities to various applications and can be used to manage authentication. Of course, multi-factor authentication is the standard now. However, passwordless options are available as well, with another set of steps.
Managing user access to resources during their working lifecycle can be quite a hassle. Luckily, with Access Package, you handle the onboarding, cross-boarding, or offboarding of a user with ease. Just create a self-service catalog of resources to which a user can request access themselves, — all that’s left for you is approval.
Windows 365 is Microsoft’s recent twist on virtual desktop infrastructure. Microsoft also calls it “your PC in the cloud.” Initially, Windows 365 wasn’t able to work with only Azure Active Directory (AD), requiring Hybrid AD Join. Now, this has been simplified, so you can easily connect your Windows 365 “PCs in the cloud” to “Azure AD only” in just a few steps.
Previously, we discussed how to backup Microsoft 365 using Druva, a backup software as a service from Dell that leverages Amazon cloud. While Druva proves a bit fussy in terms of configuration and backup, it is rather simple when it comes to data restore, regardless of whether it’s OneDrive, Teams, Sharepoint, or whatever you want to restore.
Dell Druva is among the newer players when it comes to data management as a service. Essentially, Dell Druva is a backup SaaS for other SaaS, such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Amazon Web Services. Apart from a great GUI and useful features, what’s great is that Druva stores data in AWS, not in Azure.
