The annual Microsoft Build conference is a unique event and experience for developers by developers. This year’s virtual event featured several speakers from Microsoft—including Satya Nadella, Kevin Scott, Amanda Silver, Scott Guthrie, and Kathleen Mitford—and included a slew of announcements, product updates, and releases. Now that we’ve had about a month to digest all the exciting news, here is a roundup of the highlights. If you haven’t already, I would recommend checking out Microsoft’s Book of News detailing everything covered at the conference this year, and you can also catch up on key moments and watch all the on-demand content here!
Azure Migration and Modernization
Microsoft announced the addition of features to streamline cloud migration and modernization, such as:
- Agentless discovery and grouping: This feature is generally available and ensures all components are identified and included in a move to Azure.
- Azure SQL assessment improvements: This feature is in preview and will help to improve customer experience. New assessments include recommendations and support.
- Pause and resume of migration function: This feature is also in preview and allows users to have control in scheduling migrations during slower periods.
Azure API Management Updates
The wonderous hybrid and multicloud Azure API Management platform that has the capacity to manage APIs across all environments also received the following updates:
- GraphQL passthrough support: In addition to the Azure API Management benefits like security, observability, and reduced latency for their Graph APIs, customers can also access GraphQL-specific features like easily adding GraphQL services as APIs and running text queries in the Azure and developer portals.
- Synthetic GraphQL and Token Store are both in preview.
Teams
Live Share in Teams Meetings creates a collaborative environment, allowing meeting participants to co-create, co-watch, and co-edit things during the meeting—thereby extending the passive screen-sharing experience into a rich collaborative environment. Using the power of Fluid Framework, developers can now use new preview extensions to the Teams SDK to extend the Teams app and create Live Share experiences. Developers from Frame.io, Hexagon, Skillsoft, MakeCode, Accenture, Parabol, and Hexagon are early partners building Live Share experiences.
The Power App Collaboration Controls go live this summer enabling developers to drag and drop collaboration features in Teams and Microsoft 365, such as chat, meetings, task, files, and approvals, into Power Apps—thereby streamlining and simplifying the flow of work and building custom collaborative experiences.
Microsoft Teams Collaboration Controls in Power Apps Live Session
OneNote
New features will be added to OneNote, such as an updated draw tab, page sorting, and a new share window. OneNote will also be given the Windows 11 treatment with a visual refresh including rounded corners and revamped animations in the navigation section, full-screen mode, section tabs, and notebook dropdowns.
Microsoft Intelligent Data Platform
Microsoft Build also included the introduction of Microsoft Intelligent Data Platform! This is a seamless data platform that boasts the ability to integrate databases, analytics, and governance, so you can spend more time creating value in your organization than managing and integrating your data estate.
Microsoft Learn
New enhancements were made to the Microsoft Learn platform, including the Exam Readiness Zone on Learn TV, which provides everything you need—training, study guides, Microsoft Official Practice Tests, and more—to ensure that you are ready to pass your Microsoft Exam and/or certification. Microsoft Learn Cloud Games is also now available! Connect with your peers to role-play through real-world tech problems by implementing Microsoft technologies and solutions in a risk-free, simulated environment. It’s a great way to level up your knowledge, technical skills, and experience.
Datamart in Power BI
Now in preview, the new Datamart capabilities in Power BI Premium allow for all users, regardless of coding experience, to build datamarts that can be centrally managed with workloads up to 100GB. This powerful addition both lessens the load on IT and enables users to discover their own insights from independent and dependent data sets.
Windows and Edge
With the recent retirement of Internet Explorer 11, Microsoft Edge now provides backwards compatibility in Internet Explorer mode for users that still need access to Internet Explorer based apps. This is huge for Web and app developers, as it means no longer needing to work backward for IE11 compatibility and the continued support embedding Web content on the MSHTML (Trident) engine.
Because Windows is an open platform, developers can design Windows apps using the software of their choice. Several updates and improvements have been made across Windows developer technologies:
- The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is now available in the Microsoft Store. As an essential tool for many developers, engineers, and others with Linux workflows for the cloud and Web, this addition to the Microsoft Store makes it easier to install and update.
- Windows Subsystem for Android is currently in preview and available in the Microsoft store. The new updates include windowing and resizing improvements, a robust app catalog, developer tool integration, and enhanced networking.
- Windows App SDK 1.1 Update includes new features such as Fluent visual materials, updated desktop windowing APIs, and performance improvements.
- Tooling Updates include Template Studio, updated Edge developer tools, and .NET Upgrade Assistant.
- Widgets for Windows 11 is a fresh view into app content for users.
- Hybrid Loop is used for building AI experiences across cloud and edge.
For more information on anything Microsoft Build, please visit the official Microsoft Build site. I can’t wait to start seeing some of these new features and tools in action! You can also visit the Microsoft showcase page to see the latest solutions or to contact a Connection Account Manager.
Makayla Mota
Makayla Mota is a Partner Marketing Specialist at Connection with a background in educational technology training on Microsoft solutions in the classroom. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, antiquing, hiking, and watching movies.
