Lavinia Spatariu | November 1st, 2021
Microsoft Technical Updates
- Public Preview: Management Group Scope for Azure Reservations
- Windows 11 is now available across the world!
- Microsoft Caps Unlimited Archive for Exchange Online at 1.5 TB from November 1st
- Public Preview of Visual Studio Code for the Web
- General Availability: Pre-purchase Plans for Azure Synapse Analytics
- Public Preview: Azure Hybrid Benefit for SQL Server (enabled for Azure Accounts and Azure Subscriptions)
- General Availability: Windows 11 on Azure Virtual Desktop
- General Availability: HX Enterprise Edition for Azure VMware Solution
- General Availability: Azure Purview
- General Availability: Enable Hierarchical Namespace for exisitng Azure Storage accounts
- General Availability: Azure Policy for Key Vault
- General Availability: Azure Backup now supports Archive Tier through Azure Portal
- Public Preview: Multiple Backups per Day for Azure Files
- General Availability: Privacy Management for Microsoft 365
- Public Preview: Azure AD Verifiable Credentials
- Introducing the Network Security Dashboard for Azure Security Center
Microsoft Certification Updates
Microsoft Certification Poster (October 2021)
- With the introduction of Exam AZ-305 (available in Beta on November 16th, 2021), Microsoft announced the retirement of Exam AZ-303: Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies and Exam AZ-304: Microsoft Azure Architect Design, effective March 31, 2022.
- Microsoft announced that Microsoft Certified: Azure Cosmos DB Developer Specialty will be available mid-November.
- AZ-700 Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions is out of Beta! This is the only required exam for the Azure Network Engineer Associate Certification.
- The new Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Support Engineer Specialty certification is now in general availability. To earn this certification, you must pass Exam MS-740: Troubleshooting Microsoft Teams.
- There is a new M365 Expert certification: Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Voice Engineer, Expert. To earn this certification, candidates must pass Exam MS-700: Managing Microsoft Teams as well as the MS-720: Microsoft Teams Voice Engineer exam (currently in beta).
Microsoft Licensing Updates
- Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise (the former Office 365 ProPlus) is now considered an Enterprise Online Service. This new designation applies to User, Device and From SA SLs and only to EA/EAS enrollments started after July 1st, 2021. This change also means that this product does not need to be purchased Enterprise-wide and organizations have the option to start an Enterprise Online-Services-only agreement with 500 licenses.
- On November 1st, Microsoft introduces Microsoft 365 A1 per Device licensing. This new Education offering will provide all Microsoft 365 applications, Teams, Minecraft and cloud management capabilities for $38 per device.
- Office Home & Student 2021 and Office Home & Business 2021 are now Available. Home & Business includes commercial use rights. Both editions include Microsoft Teams.
Other Updates
There is a new MVP Award Category for Windows 365! See all award categories here.
