Microsoft Support & Discussions

When we talk about the differences between Pre-Training and Supervised Fine-Tuning (SFT), the goals, datasets used, and number of GPUs required are all different. However, if we are to explain the difference from the essence of deep learning training, it is: Pre-training involves randomly initializing model parameters, constructing the model, and then training it on a large amount of unlabeled data to learn general features of the corpus; whereas fine-tuning loads parameters from the pre-trained model, retains the general features learned during pre-training, and trains the model on a small amount of high-quality labeled data to enhance the model's capability and p…

If you’ve ever engaged with the content on the Microsoft Learn platform, it's highly likely that the material you used was written or co-authored by dedicated contributors. These contributors, often volunteers, generously offer their time and expertise to fill knowledge gaps within our portfolio and ensure the content remains up to date. In this Contributor Stories interview series, we aim to acquaint ourselves with some of these valuable contributors. Through these conversations, we seek to understand their motivations for sharing their knowledge and gain insights into their experiences. We are excited to have Sean Killeen here with us today. Originally fro…

Azure API Management has a developer portal that can be customized and deployed by any customer. Today, we are now providing another option for our customers who want a highly customizable developer portal with advanced features such as localization, collapsible and expandable menus, custom stylesheet etc. These customers can now leverage the power of a Content Management System such as WordPress to build and host their developer portal. [ATTACH type=full" alt="portal-wordpress (1).png]62959[/ATTACH] WordPress is an open-source Content Management System (CMS) used by over 40% of the web to create websites, blogs, and other applications. It can be deeply cus…

For customers it is key to understand that software vendors use safe deployment practices that help them build resilient processes that maintain productivity. This blog addresses Microsoft Defender for Endpoint’s architectural design and its approach to delivering security updates, which is grounded in Safe Deployment Practices (SDP). Microsoft Defender for Endpoint helps protect organizations against sophisticated adversaries while optimizing for resiliency, performance, and compatibility, following best practices for managing security tools in Windows. Security tools running on Windows can balance security and reliability through careful product design, as…

Azure Function Apps Function Apps) offer a convenient way to execute functions in a server-less environment. They allow users to write functions in C#, Java, JavaScript, PowerShell, Python and Typescript which can then be called using several trigger options. One of the most common triggers is the HTTP trigger allowing functions to be called like a REST API. Microsoft Copilot for Security (Copilot) is a large language model (LLM) based generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) system for cybersecurity use cases. Copilot is not a monolithic system but is an ecosystem running on a platform that allows data requests to be fulfilled from multiple sources using a unique…

This capability simplifies the migration to SQL Managed Instance and unblock the migration of legacy applications that are tied to windows logins. This feature plays a vital role for SQL Managed Instance link. Managed Instance link enables near real-time data replication between SQL Server and SQL Managed Instance, the read-only replica in the cloud prevents creation of Microsoft Entra principals. The Windows authentication metadata mode allows customers to use an existing Windows login to authenticate to the replica if a failover happens. Watch on Data Exposed Resources: Authenticating Microsoft Entra ID using windows principal metadata - Public Preview…

The new inline PowerShell action, now in preview, adds flexibility to Logic Apps by enabling users to embed PowerShell scripts directly into workflows. This feature unlocks new possibilities for complex integrations, and I'm excited to demonstrate its potential with a bank reconciliation workflow demo. [HEADING=2]What is the Inline PowerShell Action?[/HEADING] Just like the inline C# action recently released, the inline PowerShell action enables you to embed custom PowerShell scripts directly into your Logic Apps Standard workflows, allowing you to write and execute scripts within the workflow designer and eliminating the need for additional services. The ac…

We are pleased to announce that Microsoft Copilot for Security is now listed and covered by a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), which is crucial for healthcare providers subject to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations. This ensures that all Protected Health Information (PHI) managed by Copilot for Security receives the highest levels of security and confidentiality. Healthcare providers can confidently integrate Copilot for Security into their operations, knowing it meets HIPAA's rigorous PHI protection requirements. Under HIPAA compliance, Copilot for Security employs comprehensive administrative, physical, and technical safeg…

Next month, we are making several updates to the free Microsoft Copilot service for users with a Microsoft Entra account to enhance data security, privacy, and compliance and simplify the user experience. For users signed in with an Entra account, Microsoft Copilot will offer enterprise data protection (EDP) and redirect users to a new simplified, ad-free user interface designed for work and education. Enterprise data protection For users signed in with an Entra account [1], Microsoft Copilot will offer enterprise data protection. EDP will be available for these users at no additional cost. EDP refers to controls [2] and commitments, under the Data Protection Add…

[HEADING=1]Introducing the Azure Policy Community Repo[/HEADING] [HEADING=2]What is the Azure Policy Community Repo?[/HEADING] The Azure Policy Community Repo is a collaborative space for Azure customers and Microsoft teams to share and create custom policies, enhancing cloud governance and compliance. [HEADING=2]Benefits of Contributing to the Community Repo[/HEADING] Direct Impact: Support organizations in enforcing standards and assessing compliance at scale. Recognition: Share innovative solutions to gain visibility within the Azure community. Enhanced Resource Pool: Access and contribute to a growing repository, amplifying the success of the Azure ecosys…

[ATTACH type=full" alt="justinroyal_1-1723745387839.png]62915[/ATTACH] In this monthly blog series focused on M365, we will be sharing product updates, notable reads, and other new resources that can be leveraged by developers who are building apps for the commercial marketplace. Spotlight Streamline your journey through the extensibility options for Microsoft Copilot with our developer decision guide. View now. Get a quick overview of the ways you can build Copilot extensions from custom engine copilots to declarative copilots. View the infographic. Learn how Microsoft Teams apps use the Azure Bot framework for more than just bots. . Explore the Doo…

Recently, we introduced Insights support for Azure Logic Apps Standard, offering curated visualizations as a foundation for monitoring Azure services. These visualizations enable you to monitor Logic Apps Standard applications and workflows effectively. In integration scenarios, where multiple systems and services interconnect, monitoring is crucial. Azure Logic Apps often serves as the backbone of these integrations, orchestrating complex workflows. Whether you’re a developer, IT operations team member, or product owner, ensuring that systems run smoothly is essential. This release helps you gain a clear view of data flows, quickly detect and resolve issues…

As cyberattacks become increasingly frequent, sophisticated, and damaging, safeguarding your digital assets has never been more critical. In October 2024, Microsoft will begin enforcing mandatory multifactor authentication (MFA) for the Microsoft Azure portal, the Microsoft Entra admin center, and the Microsoft Intune admin center. Services administered through the Microsoft Intune admin center, such as Windows 365, this enforcement will also impact admin access to administer these services. You can apply to postpone the enforcement prior to October 15th. We published MC862873 to all Intune customers this week. We’ve included the Message center post below. […

[ATTACH type=full" alt="GettyImages-1473399452.jpg]62900[/ATTACH] For more than a decade, I didn’t own a car, and I relied on the bus to go to work. My bus stop was in front of a bakery, and every morning I would watch delivery trucks come and go. Around me, I saw vehicle fleets of all types: vans delivering freshly baked goods in front of my stop, trailers and trucks bringing large goods, garbage collection, police cars, postal services, and installation vans. Waiting for a bus (and smelling fresh bread) gave me time to look around and appreciate the importance of the movement of people, goods, the delivery of services, and the great potential of optimizing operat…

[ATTACH type=full" alt="justinroyal_1-1723736273689.png]62899[/ATTACH] New extensible blueprint templates are available to help accelerate your app development. Each of these templates is fully working and ready to deploy reusable infrastructure and proof-of-concept code through Azure Developer CLI to GitHub Codespaces or VSCode. Azure AI Studio starter template: Get started in Azure AI Studio to work on any template Contoso Chat Retail with Azure AI Studio and Prompt Flow: Build a retailer chat agent with RAG for data-grounded customer support ChatGPT-like app with your data using Azure OpenAI and Azure AI Search (Python): Create ChatGPT-like apps with your…

On a crisp July morning, Durban's Umhlanga Ridge became the center of technological innovation, as the Coastlands Umhlanga Hotel and Convention Centre opened its doors to over 200 eager attendees for the Data & AI Community Day. Dubbed the Season of AI, this event was more than just a gathering; it was a catalyst for the future of data and artificial intelligence in South Africa. The event, co-organized by Microsoft MVP Niels Berglund and former MVP Lawrance Reddy, marked a significant moment for the local tech community. The vibrant atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as experts, developers, and AI enthusiasts from across the region converged to share knowledg…

We continue to expand the Microsoft AppSource ecosystem. For this volume, 213 new offers successfully met the onboarding criteria and went live. See details of the new offers below: [TABLE width=95%] [TR] [th width=100%] [HEADING=2]Get it now in our marketplace[/HEADING][/th] [/TR] [TR] [td width=15%][ATTACH=full]62814[/ATTACH][/td] [td width=85%]1Vision IoT: 1Vision365 IoT transfers IoT signals to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central for further processing. Signals are stored in an IoT Event Hub table and can be subscribed to by a per-tenant-extension for data handling.[/td] [/TR] [TR] [td width=15%][ATTACH=full]62815[/ATTACH][/td] [td width=85%]Acumens e-…

[ATTACH type=full" alt="Screenshot of the Tenants page in Microsoft 365 Lighthouse showing multi-tenant insights, including Microsoft Secure Score and apps and services usage.]62813[/ATTACH]Screenshot of the Tenants page in Microsoft 365 Lighthouse showing multi-tenant insights, including Microsoft Secure Score and apps and services usage. Boost customer health with multi-tenant insights in Microsoft 365 Lighthouse Prioritize the insights that matter most As a Managed Service Provider (MSP), you want to provide your customers with exceptional service. You want to help them adopt new features, optimize their security posture, and troubleshoot…

Localizing GitHub Repositories with LLMs Many established software teams work across multiple locations, basing their work on GitHub repositories. Such teams consist of people across different languages and cultures. It is common practice for large repositories to undergo localization procedures, which involves translating documentation files in such a way that preserve the context of work. This article discusses an application developed by a group of Students studying at Imperial College London who have been working in collaboration with Microsoft for translating Markdown files in GitHub repositories using Large Language Models (LLMs) from OpenAI. The application…

[ATTACH type=full" alt="VeskuPaananen_0-1723708925193.png]62803[/ATTACH] [HEADING=1]NIS2-materiaaleja kumppaneille[/HEADING] NIS2:n käytäntöönpano lähestyy kovaa vauhtia. Olemme koonneet kumppaneille kokoelman NIS2-materiaalia webinaariesityksistä Microsoftin teknologiamäppäyksiin ja myyntimateriaaliin. Kumppani voi hyödyntää näitä materiaaleja oman tarjoamansa kehityksessä ja osaamisen nostamisessa. NIS2 Kumppanimateriaalikokoelma: https://partner.microsoft.com/en-US/asset/collection/network-and-information-security-2-directive-series#/ Lue myös Security Blogin NIS2-postaus tästä. Microsoftin omien pilvipalveluiden Business Continuity ja Di…

By Peter Pan, Xi Wang, Gang Wang, Garfield He, Binggong Ding, Sheng Zhao, Lei He, Bing Liu, Huaiping Ming, Shaofei Zhang, Zhihang Xu, Songrui Wu, Nicolas Kasha, Don Diekneite, Laura Parra Rangel We are thrilled to announce the release of new realistic multilingual voices optimized for conversations and various domains. This update features 16 brand new voices and enhancements to 14 existing ones, brings the total number of available multilingual voices to 61. All of multilingual voices can speak 50+ languages with accent support up to 91 variants by using SSML. Our multilingual voices allow for seamless communication across languages, enabling everyone to connect …

With the introduction of PowerShell and C# scripting capabilities, we have made it easier to identify errors during development and compile time. The Log Stream feature in Logic Apps, powered by Application Insights, helps you catch syntax and compilation errors in real-time, directly within the designer. [HEADING=2] [/HEADING] [HEADING=2]Detecting Script Issues[/HEADING] Log Stream can identify any issues with your scripts. Here’s how: Configure Application Insights: If not already set up, you'll be prompted to configure it when accessing "Log Stream." Author and Test Your Scripts: Use Log Stream to spot compilation or syntax errors as you build your Powe…

[HEADING=1][ATTACH type=full" alt="server capacity reservation for high throughput- no alphanumeric characters.png]62795[/ATTACH][/HEADING] [HEADING=1]Introduction[/HEADING] Microsoft recently launched Azure Essentials to provide guidance for managing your cloud investments efficiently by choosing the pricing offers that best meet your needs, paying only for what you use, and managing your cloud spend as your business evolves, whether you’re migrating your first workload or optimizing complex deployments. In alignment with the launch of Azure Essentials, the Microsoft team is thrilled to announce meaningful changes to provisioned deployments for Azure OpenAI Ser…

With public IPv4 addresses nearing full allocation, the costs and effort of maintaining IPv4 public IPs for your workloads will only increase. Using IPv6 public addresses can resolve this; there are more of them, and they are more affordable to acquire. Doing so also improves compatibility any IPv6-primary clients, such as IoT devices. With Application Gateways now supporting dual-stack configuration, you can use an IPv6 address as your front-end for web applications in Azure. Making this change only impacts the front-end; you do not need to assign any internal IPv6 address space to use this, and you can continue to use an IPv4 front-end where needed.. This document…

Are you hoping to learn new technical skills to excel in your current job or prepare for a new career? Is your organization looking to upskill employees in AI and other critical technologies? Microsoft Learn’s 30 Day Plans are a great option for skilling up quickly in a variety of specific fields and topics, including AI, data science, security, and more. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in all sectors of the economy, expanding your portfolio of skills is a smart investment. In fact, professionals with AI skills earn 21% more on average than those without. Curated by Microsoft subject matter experts, 30 Day Plans are designed to be completed in one month or les…