News and announcements:
- AWS Direct Connect Announces Native 100 Gbps Dedicated Connections at Select Locations
https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2021/02/aws-direct-connect-announces-native-100-gbps-connections-select-locations/
- Amplify Flutter is Now Generally Available: Build Beautiful Cross-Platform Apps
https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/amplify-flutter-is-now-generally-available-build-beautiful-cross-platform-apps/
- Amazon Keyspaces (for Apache Cassandra) now supports PCI DSS compliance to help you run payment processing workloads more easily
https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2021/02/amazon-keyspaces-for-apache-cassandra-now-supports-pci-dss-compliance/
- Amazon S3 on Outposts adds a smaller storage tier
https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2021/02/amazon-s3-on-outposts-adds-a-smaller-storage-tier/
- AWS Fargate increases default resource count service quotas to 1000
https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2021/02/aws-fargate-increases-default-resource-count-service-quotas-to-1000/
- Amazon EKS and EKS Distro now supports Kubernetes version 1.19
https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2021/02/amazon-eks-supports-kubernetes-version-1-19/
- Amazon Redshift Query Editor now supports clusters with enhanced VPC routing, longer query run times, and all node types
https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2021/02/amazon-redshift-query-editor-supports-clusters-with-enhanced-vpc-routing-query-run-times-node-types/
- Amazon Elasticsearch Service adds Trace Analytics, a new feature for distributed tracing
https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2021/02/amazon-elasticsearch-service-adds-trace-analysis-new-feature-distributed-tracing/
- Standard Load Balancer and IP addresses metadata now available through Azure Instance Metadata Service (IMDS)
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/standard-load-balancer-and-ip-addresses-metadata-now-available-through-azure-instance-metadata-service-imds/
- Azure role-based access control (RBAC) for Azure Key Vault data plane authorization is now generally available
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/azure-rolebased-access-control-rbac-for-azure-key-vault-data-plane-authorization-is-now-available/
- Cross Region Restore of Azure VMs now generally available
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/cross-region-restore-of-azure-vms-now-generally-available/
- Azure Dav4-series VMs are available in Azure HDInsight
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/azure-dav4series-vms-are-available-in-azure-hdinsight/
- Announcing general availability for Java Message Service (JMS) 2.0 API on Azure Service Bus Premium
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/messaging-on-azure/announcing-general-availability-for-java-message-service-jms-2-0/ba-p/2073151
- Azure Front Door enhances secure cloud CDN with intelligent threat protection
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/azure-front-door-enhances-secure-cloud-cdn-with-intelligent-threat-protection/
- .NET Core support for Analysis Services client libraries is generally available
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/net-core-support-for-analysis-services-client-libraries-is-ga/
- Azure IoT Edge 1.1.0 release is now generally available
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/iot-edge1-1-0/
- Machine Learning on Azure SQL Managed Instance now available
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/machine-learning-on-azure-sql-managed-instance-now-available/
- More ways to use composite indexes in Azure Cosmos DB now generally available
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/more-ways-to-use-composite-indexes-in-azure-cosmos-db-now-generally-available-2/
- New disk bursting metrics
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/new-disk-bursting-metrics/
- Generally available: Application Insights synthetic monitoring SLA report template
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/generally-available-application-insights-synthetic-monitoring-sla-report-template/
- General availability: Azure Machine Learning updates for native terminal
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/general-availability-azure-machine-learning-updates-for-native-terminal/
- General Availability: Azure Red Hat OpenShift support for OpenShift 4.6
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/general-availability-azure-red-hat-openshift-support-for-openshift-46/
- Customers unify hybrid and multicloud IT operations with Azure Arc
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/customers-unify-hybrid-and-multicloud-it-operations-with-azure-arc/
- Apache Spark Connector for SQL Server and Azure SQL now compatible with Spark 3.0
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/apache-spark-connector-for-sql-server-and-azure-sql-now-compatible-with-spark-30/
- Azure SDK Release (February 2021)
https://devblogs.microsoft.com/azure-sdk/february-release-2021/
- Service Directory is generally available: Simplify your service inventory
https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/networking/service-directory-is-ga-and-adds-automatic-service-registration
- Introducing Cloud Domains: Easily register and manage custom domains
https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/networking/introducing-cloud-domains
- Google to Open First Office in Minnesota, Deepening Collaboration with Mayo Clinic
https://cloud.google.com/press-releases/2021/0218/google-minnesota-office
- Ingersoll Rand Selects Google Cloud to Accelerate IoT Innovation Across Its Global Industrial Portfolio
https://cloud.google.com/press-releases/2021/0218/ingersoll-rand-google
- Google and J.B. Hunt Announce Strategic Alliance to Accelerate Innovation in Transportation and Logistics
https://cloud.google.com/press-releases/2020/0217/google-jbhunt-strategicalliance-transform-transportation
- Oracle Adds Roving Edge Infrastructure to Hybrid Cloud Services
https://www.itprotoday.com/hybrid-cloud/oracle-adds-roving-edge-infrastructure-hybrid-cloud-services
- Announcing multiple encryption domain support for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure IPSec VPNs
https://blogs.oracle.com/cloud-infrastructure/announcing-multiple-encryption-domain-support-for-oracle-cloud-infrastructure-ipsec-vpns
Trends and opinions:
- Survey: Open Source Cloud Technologies Fit Devs Like a Glove
https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/open-source/survey-open-source-cloud-technologies-fit-devs-glove
- How Hyperscale Cloud Platforms are Reshaping the Submarine Cable Industry
https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/networks/how-hyperscale-cloud-platforms-are-reshaping-submarine-cable-industry
- The Race To Put Cars In The Cloud Is … Confusing
https://go.forrester.com/blogs/the-race-to-put-cars-in-the-cloud-is-confusing/
- Cloud and analytics are finally becoming integrated into one tool
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/cloud-and-analytics-are-finally-becoming-integrated-into-one-tool/
- Gartner Shares the Cloud Skills for Infrastructure and Operations Teams of the Future
https://www.cloudhealthtech.com/blog/gartner-cloud-skills-infrastructure-and-operations-teams
- CTO Headaches: Top 5 cloud-to-cloud migration woes (and how to solve them!)
https://elastisys.com/top-5-cloud-to-cloud-migration-woes-and-how-to-solve-them/
Cost Management:
- The Most Powerful & Practical Write-up on Cloud Cost Optimization
https://www.cuelogic.com/blog/cloud-cost-optimization-the-most-comprehensive-guide
- Have Cloud Sticker Shock? Here Are 5 Steps To Manage Cloud Costs
https://redmondmag.com/articles/2021/02/16/cloud-sticker-shock.aspx
- Theoretical cost optimization by Amazon ECS launch type: Fargate vs EC2
https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/containers/theoretical-cost-optimization-by-amazon-ecs-launch-type-fargate-vs-ec2/
- AWS EBS: Amazon Cloud Storage Pricing Explained
https://www.cloudhealthtech.com/blog/aws-ebs-amazon-cloud-storage-pricing
Security Related:
- CISO's Guide to Security Transformation
https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/ciso-guide-to-security-transformation.pdf
- How to continuously audit and limit security groups with AWS Firewall Manager
https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/how-to-continuously-audit-and-limit-security-groups-with-aws-firewall-manager/
- KeyVault Secrets Rotation Management in Bulk
https://dev.to/azure/keyvault-secrets-rotation-management-in-bulk-5fl1
- Manage Certificates on your Hybrid Servers using Azure Arc Key Vault Extension
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/itops-talk-blog/manage-certificates-on-your-hybrid-servers-using-azure-arc-key/ba-p/2142265
- 6 cloud vulnerabilities that can cripple your environment
https://searchcloudcomputing.techtarget.com/tip/6-cloud-vulnerabilities-that-can-cripple-your-environment
- Braced for Impact: Fostering Good Cloud Security Posture Management
https://securityintelligence.com/articles/cloud-security-posture-management-braced-for-impact/
- Cloud Malware: 5 Types of Attacks and 3 Security Measures
https://cloud.netapp.com/blog/blg-cloud-malware-5-types-of-attacks-and-3-security-measures
- Cloud Ransomware: Solving 3 Key Challenges
https://cloud.netapp.com/blog/cloud-ransomware-solving-3-key-challenges
- Cloud is native, but security isn’t: Shift your app sec testing approach
https://www.checkmarx.com/blog/cloud-is-native-but-security-isnt-shift-your-app-sec-testing-approach/
Training and Certifications:
- The Unofficial Guide to AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty Exam
https://dev.to/aws-builders/the-unofficial-guide-to-aws-certified-data-analytics-specialty-exam-2ak3
- What is the brand new AWS SysOps Administrator Associate exam (SOA-C02) all about?
https://dev.to/aws-builders/what-is-the-brand-new-aws-sysops-administrator-associate-exam-soa-c02-all-about-d90
- AWS Certifications - 5 Reasons to Obtain Them
https://dev.to/guyett92/aws-certifications-5-reasons-to-obtain-them-1n45
- Level up with Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-learn-blog/level-up-with-microsoft-certified-azure-solutions-architect/ba-p/2147283
- New to Google Cloud? Here are a few training options to help you get started
https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/training-certifications/free-resources-to-help-you-get-started-with-google-cloud
- Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect Exam Guide
https://levelup.gitconnected.com/google-cloud-professional-cloud-architect-exam-guide-588fcf41b172
