Bulletin: CPU vulnerability

An industry-wide, hardware-based security vulnerability was disclosed yesterday.The problem affect many processor types, covering Xeon, AMD and ARM variants.

So far, there are three known variants of the issue:

• Variant 1: bounds check bypass (CVE-2017-5753)
• Variant 2: branch target injection (CVE-2017-5715)
• Variant 3: rogue data cache load (CVE-2017-5754)

Besides physical/private cloud systems, this issue affects public cloud providers, and as such they have taken appropriate steps for risk mitigation.Refer to the enclosed links for additional information.


Project Zero: https://googleprojectzero.blogspot.mk/2018/01/reading-privileged-memory-with-side.html

Microsoft Security Tech Center: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/ADV180002

Microsoft Azure: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/securing-azure-customers-from-cpu-vulnerability/
 

Workshop: Microsoft Azure Expert Technical Training (20-21 December, Brussels, Belgium)

Wrapped up the last (this year:), 2 days technical training on Azure (Dec 20th - 21st), organized by Ingram Micro Belgium. I got excellent group of experienced IT Pros attending this course. Primary focus is on Infrastructure-as-a-Service model, with demos and hands on labs focusing on predefined scenarios in operating, planning, creating and configuring the infrastructure and services.

Day 1 was focused on Azure Fundamentals: Welcome and introduction, Azure Portal, Resource Groups, Storage Accounts, Virtual networks and Network Interfaces (incl PIP, VPN, Gateways and Peering), Network Security Groups, Virtual Machines, VM Extensions, Scale and Availability Sets, Load Balancer, Traffic Manager.

We finished strong with deploying WordPress Multi-tier app and Acronis Backup Blueprints.

Day 2, after the wrap up of Day 1 and discussion, was reserved for more Blueprints - Remote Desktop Services (Small Business Server Replacement) and Barracuda Blueprints.
 
Had quite a few discussion on solution designs, real world problems, and did quite a brainstorming with the group. From technical perspective, they were a great bunch of people. Looking forward on seeing them progress further in the Azure model and mapping their clients needs to specific workloads and solutions.

Well, that was it for this year.

Can't wait what will 2018 bring. I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST!!! :)

Released: December 2017 Quarterly Exchange Updates

Hot "off the press", Exchange (onPrem) Quarterly Updates, December 2017. The release covers Exchange 2016, 2013 and 2010, as currently supported versions of the products.

Feature wise, they introduce Hybrid Model Authentication (HMA) for Exchange 2013/2016, support for .NET 4.7.1 as well as few fixes/updates.

KB articles that describe the fixes in each release are available as follows:

• Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 8 (KB4035145), Download, UM Lang Packs
• Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 19 (KB4037224), Download, UM Lang Packs
• Exchange Server 2010 Update Roll-up 19 (KB4035162), Download

Event: "The future of business is digital" (December 13th, Tirana, Albania)

In the course of continuous technological developments and the so-called industrial revolution, business faces every day more with the demand to optimize operational costs as well as the immediate need for the use of new technology solutions in business service.

Technology is a disruptive force – enabling new business models, opening new sources of revenue and shaping entire industry landscapes. Ensuring security, privacy, and compliance is key to enabling digital transformation. As people bring in devices, apps, and data into organizations today, protecting company data requires a new approach.

As part of this future vision of Ingram Micro and Microsoft, I will be conducting an cloud session, covering Microsoft Azure and Office 365 portfolio with specific business scenarios.

Agenda:
09:00 – 09:30   Registration

09:30 – 09:40   Welcome and introduction
Sokol Vladi, General Manager, Microsoft Albania

09:40 – 10:15   Culture eats digitization for breakfast
Oskar Goschl, Managing Director CEE HQ Digital Advisory Services, Microsoft

10:15 – 10:45   Break

10:45 – 11:45   Microsoft Cloud 101
Dimitar Grozdanov, Sales Engineer/Trainer, Datacenter and Cloud Services (CEE), Ingram Micro
    
11:45 – 12:45   Cyber security in cloud
Marko Kavcic, SAM and Compliance Lead, Microsoft

12:45 – 13:00   Questions and Answers (Q&A session)

Webinar: EasyAzure - Protection & Monitoring

As part of "web based activities" with colleagues from Ingram Micro Croatia, we have scheduled two Microsoft Azure Webinars, focused on EasyAzure Blueprints.

EasyAzure offers free downloadable instructions on how to build single solutions within Azure. The instructions are formatted in Blueprints: Ready-to-use and easy-to-understand product offerings, fine-tuned to be cost effective. they can be combined, as per usage scenario to achieve enterprise grade solution. EasyAzure covers three solution areas - Protection, Management and Expansion, and includes over 25 free downloadable Blueprints. New material is constantly developed, and its available as soon as it gets verified.

The specific webinars are based on Protection and Monitoring Blueprints, both in Croatian language:

- Protection (Backup): December 6th, 10:30-11:30

- Monitoring (OMS): December 11th, 14:00 -15:00

The webinars are invitation based, aimed towards local partners. 

Workshop: Microsoft Azure Expert Technical Training (13-16 November, Warsaw, Poland)

Wrapped up the 3 days training on Azure (Nov 13th - 16th), in organized by Ingram Micro Poland. I got excellent mix of IT Pros and Sales people attending this course, including couple of Ingram Micro colleagues. Primary focus is on Infrastructure-as-a-Service model, with demos and hands on labs focusing on predefined scenarios in operating, planning, creating and configuring the infrastructure and services.

Day 1 was focused on Azure Fundamentals: Welcome and introduction, Azure Portal, Resource Groups, Storage Accounts, Virtual networks and Network Interfaces (incl PIP, VPN, Gateways and Peering), Network Security Groups, Virtual Machines, VM Extensions, Scale and Availability Sets, Load Balancer, Traffic Manager.

We finished strong with deploying WordPress Multi-tier app and Acronis Backup Blueprints.

Day 2 was reserved for more Blueprints - Remote Desktop Services (Small Business Server Replacement) and CheckPoint Blueprints.

Day 3 was focused more on Business Development Managers Track, focused on the business side of partner transformation, driving business transformation and its impact on the partners, pricing model and how to calculate the cost (Azure Pricing Calculator), as well as comparison with other licensing programs.

Event: Thrive conference (November 8th - 9th), Rimske Terme, Slovenia

We just wrapped up Day 1 of the event. It was a busy day, packed with activities and sessions. It all started this morning with the keynote, hosted by Branka Slinkar, backed up with Eoin Bailey, Paolo Pialorsi, and Spencer Harbar. 

It is an combined CxO, IT Pro, Dev and End User event, happening in Rimske Terme (Slovenia). The event gathered pretty large group of speakers (33), from different locations around the world, in front of the local attendees. The tracks are divided by interest, and they vary between: SharePoint PRO and DEV, CxO, BI, Exchange, End User, Cloud, and Development. It is a great place to learn about technologies; connect with people and build your network; share the knowledge and ideas; get answers to your questions; and just enjoy being here.

The first day I did a session titled "Migration to Office 365 - Step by Step", and enjoyed the Q&A and discussion during it.

During the second day, we had a full day ahead. Lots of sessions, from old friends (Adis Jugo, Dubravko Marak), but also from new friends (Aleksandar Draskovic, Brett Londsdale, Pennelope Coventry, Todd Klindt and few more).

I did a follow up session on "Exchange 2016 and Office 365 in a Hybrid World" with a Q&A session on specific business scenarios and samples from the audience.

It was a privilege to be a part of this event. Lots of great speakers, topics, meetups and discussion with the attendees.

 
More info can be obtained at:


https://www.facebook.com/ThriveITConf/
http://www.thriveconf.com/en-us/Pages/thrive.aspx

Event: Macedonian IT Pro User Group Meet up - November 2017

Together with my fellow IT Pro's - Vladimir Meloski, and Gorana Koevska-Jankoska, we held another monthly user group meetup, on November 1st @Microsoft Macedonia offices.

We did an overview of past and upcoming conferences, followed by my session on "Microsoft Azure Updates & Road-map", based on analysis and review of sessions from this years Microsoft Ignite. You can download the PDF from here.

We wrapped up with Vladimir's session on Microsoft 365.

Event: Ingram Micro Days (26-27 October, Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

Just wrapped up my session at Ingram Micro Days, in Cluj-Napoca (Romania). It  was 2 days event, supported from different vendors and our local Ingram Micro teams. First day was focused on sales aspect, where Microsoft Cloud was covered on a high level, by a joint session done by Marius Danescu (Microsoft Romania) and Mihalea Babeanu (Ingram Micro Romania).

The second day was all about technical stuff and demos. I did one hour technical session titled "Azure Fundamentals and implementation scenarios", with demos and interactive chalk talk segment.

Event: Macedonian IT Pro User Group Meet up - November 2017

Its time for our monthly IT Pro User Group meeting.Its scheduled for November 1st @ Microsoft Macedonia Office (starting from 15:00 till 16:00).

You will have a chance to get first hand infro from Microsoft Ignite 2017, what was announced and what we should expect in near future. As well as info on regional events that occur.

The event is co-organized with my colleagues Vladimir and Gorana.

Please refer to the following link for additional information and register for seat allocation: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/517399318618127

Workshop: Microsoft Azure IaaS

It was inspiring and intense 3 days (Oct 16th - 18th) in our Utrecht Office, during our Microsoft Azure European Team meeting and workshop. Both of our sales and technical team members, in one room, discussing, brainstorming, and sharing experience and knowledge on Microsoft Azure IaaS.

I did a Microsoft Azure Security session, covering the Security, Trust, Privacy and Data Protection models within Azure, with discussion on customer/partner concerns that they might face.

Looking forward for our next workshop ....