Informatica announces joint Modern Cloud Analytics program with Microsoft

Informatica announces joint Modern Cloud Analytics program with Microsoft

At Microsoft Ignite 2021, Informatica announced a joint Modern Cloud Analytics program with Microsoft on Azure. To provide customers with fast, low cost and low-risk paths to modernize PowerCenter ETL and on-premises data warehouses to Informatica’s Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC) on Azure and Azure Synapse Analytics. This offering is available on the Azure Marketplace. Helping customers streamline procurement and enabling them to fulfil their financial commitments with Informatica solutions on Azure.

Microsoft and Informatica share a cloud-first vision and are committed to helping our customers accelerate their cloud migration journey,” said Scott Guthrie, Executive Vice President, Cloud + AI, Microsoft. “With the alliance of Informatica’s rich data integration capabilities and Microsoft Azure’s unified analytics platform, customers have a faster path to the benefits of cloud analytics.”

The Modern Cloud Analytics program is available to joint Microsoft and Informatica PowerCenter customers migrating their on-premises data warehouse and ETL workloads to IDMC on Azure and Azure Synapse Analytics. It includes:

  • Informatica’s Migration Factory for Informatica PowerCenter customers that automates 90% plus of existing data integration mappings to IDMC on Azure and Azure Synapse Analytics. 
  •  No cost access to cloud data warehousing and cloud data management experts from both Microsoft and Informatica to guide customers with best practices and ensure successful migrations.
  • Financial incentives from Microsoft and Informatica for software and professional services that significantly reduce the cost of migration.
  • The ability to purchase IDMC through Azure Marketplace, enabling customers to apply their entire IDMC subscription to their Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment agreement.

We are thrilled to elevate our Microsoft integration with our new joint modern cloud analytics program and offer our customers a seamless, streamlined and financially compelling program to migrate and modernize mission-critical data workloads to the cloud with Microsoft,” said Amit Walia, CEO, Informatica. “As we continue to help our customers in their digital transformation, we’re focused on delivering a cloud data management platform that helps our customers reimagine their business in incredibly innovative ways.”

Sign up to receive additional information on the Modern Cloud Analytics Joint Program here.

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Microsoft to open Garage sites in Nigeria and Kenya

Microsoft to open Garage sites in Nigeria and Kenya

Microsoft Garage Africa Lagos Nairobi

Microsoft is bringing The Garage program to Africa with sites to be located in Kenya and Nigeria. The company says The Garage Nigeria, in Lagos, is currently in advanced planning stages, as are other Garage locations in Africa. New information reaching us including the search for a Senior Program Manager to lead the program confirms it is close.

The Garage is an extracurricular Microsoft resource for employees to connect, experiment and be creative outside of their day job. But that is not all, it will also be a creative space for hacking and making for the local tech ecosystem and Microsoft customers. Running hackathons, engineering internships, and an experimental outlet for its local students and tech communities.

There are 12 garage sites across the globe with the Africa sites to increase this number to 14. Microsoft could yet still increase this number with possible sites in South Africa, Senegal and Egypt.

I expect each Microsoft Garage site in Africa to have three dedicated lab sections just like all the other global sites. The lab sections will consist of a collaboration hub for hackathons and workshops, a Makerspace and an Advanced Makerspace. The advanced Makerspace will have an electronic workbench, 3D Printers, laser cutter, PCB milling machine for creating prototypes. A Reality Room dedicated to working in the space of Augmented Reality (AR) Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality applications and dedicated space and equipment for doing work on Deep Learning.

Every person at Microsoft has the ability to come up with a good idea. The Garage is here to help.

Jeff Ramos, GM The Garage

The Microsoft Garage in Africa

The Garage is a program designed to support our employees’ creative ambitions and innovative instincts,” says Jeff Ramos, general manager of The Garage. “Every person at Microsoft has the ability to come up with a good idea. The Garage is here to help our great people shape and develop those ideas. We need a place for people to feel confident to take creative liberties, and that place is The Garage.”

Ramos says Microsoft is going to learn how to do business better worldwide by learning in Africa. Noting that in Lagos, Microsoft sees a tremendous opportunity to learn as a company and as a culture.

For Gafar Lawal, principal group manager at Microsoft ADC Nigeria it will be essential to both tantalize and satisfy employees’ creative curiosities. Adding that the Garage will support employees as they continue to learn at every stage of their careers.

Through the Garage, employee projects have gone on to become full Microsoft branded products or features. Notable ones are Kaizala, Microsoft launcher, Seeing AI, FarmBeats, Mouse without Borders and the Xbox Adaptive Controller.

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5 smartphones to expect in the upcoming months

5 smartphones to expect in the upcoming months

Numerous smartphones have been released in the last ten months, each with its cutting-edge technology that caters to its target audience. If you thought we were done, you are wrong. The game is not finished yet, as we have been promised a few more smartphones from some of the world’s most powerful tech companies, including Huawei, Sony, and Nokia. Keep scrolling to find out what you can anticipate in the remaining months of 2021. 

Huawei Nova 9 

Huawei Nova 9 smartphones
Source: consumer.huawei.com/en/phones/nova9/

First up is the Huawei Nova 9, which was officially released in late September. The phone is now available for pre-order and what makes it different from others is that it is powered by a Snapdragon 778G processor, as well as a large battery and it supports 66W wired charging. The rear quad camera is led by a 50Mp RYYB sensor, with the other three lenses like ultrawide, macro and depth sensor, all largely there to fill in the gaps. 

Other than that, the panel is an OLED capacitive touchscreen with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The phone is also powered by the HarmonyOS 2.0 operating system making it one of the best Huawei smartphones available. Unfortunately, Google mobile services and 5G support are not available on this phone. But if you can live without these features, there is no doubt that this is the best mid-range device available. 

vivo Y71t 

vivo Y71t
Source: gizmochina.com

vivo has joined the battle as well, with its latest Y71t smartphone available since last month. The vivo phone has a 6.44-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1,080 x 2,400 px. It is powered by a Dimensity 810 chipset with 5G support making it easier for network efficiency. The Y71t model has 8GB of RAM including 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. 

With a 4,000mAh battery and rapid charging support, you can charge to 70% in less than an hour. The Android 11 and OriginOS 1.0 operating systems power the vivo Y71t. In terms of cameras, the vivo phone features a dual back camera with autofocus for a better photography experience. It sports a single front-facing camera with a 16-megapixel sensor, making it ideal for selfies. 

Honor 50  

honor 50 and 50 lite price buy
Source: hihonor.com

Following the business’s separation from Huawei, the Honor 50 series was among the first phones released by the company. The Honor 50 and 50 Lite are the first smartphones to be released globally in the coming months. But no exact dates have been set. There is also a 50 Pro and 50 SE, but those two models are likely to be limited to China exclusively. 

This Honor 50 operates on the latest Snapdragon 888+ processor and includes a 6.57-inch curved OLED display with 1.07 billion colours, resulting in exceptional visual quality. It also boasts a one-of-a-kind camera setup, with a quad rear camera led by a 108MP main lens. The collection is completed with a 32MP selfie lens, as well as an ultrawide, depth sensor, and macro camera. More good news is that Google Mobile Services will be available on the phone’s international version. 

Nokia 10 

Nokia 10 price
Source: gsmarena.com

Tech enthusiasts have been anticipating the Nokia 10 for quite some time. So much so that it has gone by various names since it was first rumoured. But we do know that Nokia is working on a successor to the 9 PureView, which was released in 2019. The Nokia 10 is expected to be a flagship device, with rumours claiming that it will include an in-screen selfie camera, a Penta-lens camera, and a 108MP or 200MP primary sensor. 

Additional features such as the use of Snapdragon 888 chipset, a sapphire glass display and a 6,000mAh battery certainly get everyone excited to see the final product. The release date of Nokia’s next Android phone has not yet been revealed. But a corporate executive has reportedly stated that it will arrive before November 11.  

Sony Xperia Pro-I 

Sony Xperia Pro-I smartphones price
Source: sony.com

Finally, there is the Sony Xperia Pro-I. A new camera-first 5G phone with three 12-megapixel rear cameras and one 8-megapixel front camera. These cameras might appear to be low-resolution but Sony quickly pointed out that each pixel captures more details, has a larger dynamic range and has a deeper depth of field. 

Furthermore, Sony claims that the same lenses can snap burst photos at up to 2fps and record 4K films at 120fps. It is obvious that this is a camera phone but the 6.5-inch OLED display and Snapdragon 888 chipset will not disappoint. There’s 12GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a 4,500mAh battery that charges swiftly at 30W. The Xperia phone has been available for pre-order since the end of October and is expected to be shipped in December 2021.  

Header/featured image Source: pexels.com/@cottonbro

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Microsoft ventures into the metaverse with Mesh

Microsoft ventures into the metaverse with Mesh

metaverse mesh for teams microsoft

Mesh for Teams is how Microsoft is planning to keep up with the Metaverse space. For Microsoft though, it will only mark the beginning of its Metaverse solutions which will cut across a host of its products. Mesh for Teams is an immersive 3D meetings experience enabled by the integration of Mesh and Teams. It is the next evolution of Microsoft’s mixed-reality product Mesh and collaboration tool Microsoft Teams. Preview will start rolling out in the first half of 2022.

Microsoft says Mesh will enable users to meet in traditional Teams meetings and immersive virtual spaces using personalized avatars. Using either a Personal Computer, mobile device, HoloLens or virtual reality headset. The avatars will enable participants to maintain a presence without turning on their cameras. Employees will also be able to collaborate using all of the Microsoft 365 productivity tools even in immersive spaces.

I can’t overstate how much of a breakthrough this is.

Satya Nadella

Microsoft metaverse, Mesh for Teams announced

Speaking at the Keynote event of Microsoft Ignite 2021, Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, announced the company’s plan on the metaverse space. Introducing two new solutions; Microsoft Dynamics 365 Connected Spaces and Mesh for Teams.

He noted that “as the digital and physical world come together we [Microsoft] are creating an entirely new platform layer which is the metaverse. The metaverse is not just transforming how we see the world, it’s changing how all of us
actively participate in it
“, he adds.

We are bringing people, places and things together with the digital world in both the consumers space as well as in the enterprise. When we talk about the metaverse we are describing both the new platform and new application types. We are building the metaverse platform for you to build upon.
In a sense, the metaverse enables us to embed computing into the real world and to embed the real world into computing, bringing real presence to any digital space.
I can’t overstate how much of a breakthrough this is. It’s no longer just looking at a camera view of a factory floor, you can be on the floor. It’s no longer just video conferencing with colleagues, you can be with them in the same room. It’s no longer just playing a game with friends, you can be in the game with them.

Satya Nadella

Microsoft says Mesh builds on the Together mode and Presenter mode features to keep meetings engaging and fun. It will roll out with a set of pre-built immersive spaces including meetings to social mixers. Organizations will get the opportunity to customize the spaces in future.

Facebook metaverse compared to the Microsoft metaverse

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Illusive introduces Identity Risk Management solution for Microsoft Azure Active Directory

Illusive introduces Identity Risk Management solution for Microsoft Azure Active Directory

Identity Risk Management Azure active directory Microsoft

Illusive, winner of the Identity Trailblazer award category at the second annual Microsoft Security 20/20 award event is announcing the Illusive Identity Risk Management for Microsoft Active Directory. The integrated solution combines the discovery, automated mitigation and protection of exploitable privileged identities.

Research from the Identity Defined Security Alliance shows that in the last two years 79% of organizations have had an identity-related breach. And Brendan O’Connell, chief product officer, Illusive, says despite significant investments in the current threat landscape to protect identity, the reality is that every organization has exploitable privileged identities.

Illusive Identity Risk Management provides a much-needed solution to address a common gap in organizations’ security stack. Allowing them to avoid identity-related security incidents through the enablement of zero trust principles.”

Brendan O’Connell

Illusive’s integration with Microsoft Azure Active Directory will enable organizations to discover privileged identities that are at risk of exploitation. Then mitigate these risks by dynamically stepping up Conditional Access policies. That will provide customers with the peace of mind that these most sensitive credentials are secure,” says Sue Bohn, VP Identity and Network Access division, Microsoft.

Benefits of protecting Azure Active Directory (AAD) with Illusive Identity Risk Management offering

  • Security & threat visibility on Active Directory and Azure
  • Visualize and automate the discovery of critical assets in AAD
  • Detect AAD misconfigurations for rapid remediation before attackers can take advantage
  • Detect insider threats attempting to leverage policy gaps between AD and AAD
  • Expose connections between privileged users on premise and in the cloud
  • Create AAD deceptions that provide high-fidelity threat detection

The integrated solution is now available for purchase from both Illusive and Microsoft. Through the Microsoft Azure Marketplace and from select, mutual value-added resellers and system integrators. 

Illusive has other collaborative security solutions with Microsoft. These include Active Defense Solution with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Illusive Networks for Microsoft 365 E5.

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Microsoft, Texas A&M University Qatar to educate engineers with future-ready skills

Microsoft, Texas A&M University Qatar to educate engineers with future-ready skills

Texas A&M University

Microsoft signs a Memorandum of Understanding with Texas A&M University, Qatar, to empower its engineering students with future-ready skills. The partnership with the Qatar Foundation partner university will provide students with the tools and experiences necessary to drive innovation and succeed in the workforce. As part of the agreement, the university will leverage Microsoft tools and platforms to achieve their common goal.

Texas A&M will pilot activities such as the Microsoft Learn, Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador Community and Microsoft Azure for Students in the 2021-2022 academic year. Microsoft Learn provides self-paced, digital learning resources to build skills and a foundational understanding of technology. Microsoft Learn will complement classroom learning and study materials. Students will get to join the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador Community which will help students learn and lead. By giving them access to free tools, events and activities and unlocking exclusive benefits through learning. Through Microsoft Azure for Students, students will gain hands-on experience with Microsoft technologies to start building apps, explore artificial intelligence (AI) and big data.

The faculty and teaching staff at Texas A&M University, Qatar, will also have access to Azure Development Tools for teaching. This will give them access to tools commonly used in STEM programs. It will also give them the opportunity to participate in the Microsoft Learn for Educators Institution Program, which gives eligible educators access to additional teaching and learning benefits.

Texas A&M is proud to partner with Microsoft as we work together to educate engineering leaders in Qatar. We are grateful to share this vision with Microsoft and we look forward to the future successes of this partnership. Especially of our graduates says Dr. César Octavio Malavé, Dean Texas A&M.

Our partnership with Texas A&M at Qatar comes in line with our commitment to provide higher education institutions in Qatar with the resources and tools needed to build the next-generation workforce that will accelerate the country’s transition into a knowledge-based economy and innovation hub.

Lana Khalaf, country manager of Microsoft Qatar

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