Microsoft Announces a Number of Intelligent Cloud Services

At its Ignite Conference, Microsoft announced a number of Intelligent cloud services. Following is a highlight of these new services:

In preview this summer, Microsoft Azure Stack brings the Azure user experience and both infrastructure and platform-as-a-service capabilities into customers’ datacenters. With Azure Stack IT teams can blend enterprise applications with modern, distributed applications and services while maintaining centralized oversight. 

The next preview of Windows Server 2016 is now available, providing a platform for enterprise and cloud applications, with technologies such as Nano Server, a lightweight installation option. Also available now is Microsoft Operations Management Suite (OMS), a cloud-based solution that extends System Center capabilities for management across almost any hybrid cloud, including Azure, third-party clouds such as Amazon Web Services, Windows Server, Linux, VMware or OpenStack. OMS extends System Center 2016, which is also available in preview.

SQL Server 2016, in preview this summer, will offer a database and analytics platform that provides performance for mission-critical applications and insights on any data across on-premises and cloud. Key capabilities include enhanced in-memory technologies with real-time operational analytics, new security and encryption technologies, built-in advanced analytics with the R language, and mobile BI for on-premises data. The new Stretch Database capability allows for cost-effective access to historical data by dynamically stretching data to Microsoft Azure.

Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics (ATA), technology based on the recent acquisition of Aorato, is available now in preview. ATA helps IT security professionals identify security breaches and threats, using behavioral analysis and machine learning to provide clear, actionable information.

New Office 365 transparency and control enhancements give customers enhanced visibility and security of their data residing within Office 365, including Customer Lockbox that provides customers with explicit approval rights for Microsoft interaction with their data. Office 365 is the only productivity service to provide this level of customer control.