Mikkel Hegnhoj, a Principal PM in the AKS team, shares the details about running Windows Containers in AKS, which is now GA. He gives us guidance on how to design an AKS cluster than run Windows workloads and advice on how to go about migrating our applications to this platform.

Media file: https://azpodcast.blob.core.windows.net/episodes/Episode334.mp3

Resources:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/windows-container-cli

Other updates:

Azure Cosmos DB Java SDK 4.0 for Core (SQL) API release now in general availability
Published date: June 10, 2020
Azure Cosmos DB Java SDK for Core (SQL) API enables interaction with Azure Cosmos DB from Java applications. This latest SDK version 4.0 allows sending requests to Azure Cosmos DB via the recommended Core (SQL) API. The release of Azure Cosmos DB Java SDK 4.0 for Core (SQL) API includes improvements to performance, bundles Sync and Async APIs, and incorporates Paged Flux APIs. It also has built-in support for autoscale containers and analytical containers, and supports DISTINCT queries.

From <https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/azure-cosmos-db-java-sdk-40-for-core-sql-api-release-now-in-general-availability/>

Azure Policy support for Azure Cosmos DB is now available
Published date: June 10, 2020
Azure Cosmos DB resource governance can now be implemented with Azure Policy. Use this capability to create Azure Policy assignments based on built-in or custom policy definitions to enforce rules and effects on Azure Cosmos DB resources.
Example policy assignments include—requiring features such as Advanced Threat Protection to be enabled on Azure Cosmos DB accounts; auditing Azure Cosmos DB resources for compliance with organizational standards on throughput or other properties; or securing data by enforcing network access safeguards such as IP filter rules, virtual network endpoints, or limiting the amount of throughput (RU/s) that can be provisioned.

From <https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/azure-policy-support-for-azure-cosmos-db-is-now-available/>

Azure Kubernetes Service—Integrated application gateway feature now available
Published date: June 10, 2020
The Application Gateway ingress controller (AGIC) is now available in  preview as an add-on in Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). Use it to easily create or attach an existing Application Gateway instance to your AKS clusters.  Use the standard Kubernetes ingress API to define your routing rules, then implement those rules using the managed Application Gateway service. Application Gateway is a scalable, reliable, and secure L7 load balancer. By using Application Gateway as the entry point to the AKS applications you won’t have to self-manage a networking tool like Nginx.

From <https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/azure-kubernetes-service-integrated-application-gateway-feature-now-available/>

Azure Kubernetes Service upgrade improvements are now in preview
Published date: June 10, 2020
Upgrading is a common operation required for all Kubernetes workloads. Two new Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) upgrade capabilities that will improve the granularity and efficiency of regular Kubernetes upgrade operations are now in preview.
• Node image upgrade enables you to update node-level components such as the container runtime or OS updates without going through a full Kubernetes upgrade. Use this capability to initiate a targeted upgrade to agent nodes for a given node pool to pull the latest available node updates and patches without requiring a full cluster upgrade.
• Max surge enables faster upgrades by taking advantage of multiple new buffer nodes to concurrently replace older nodes. Instead of replacing a single node at a time, you can now customize your own max surge value per node pool to define how many concurrent replacements occur.

From <https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/azure-kubernetes-service-upgrade-improvements-are-now-in-preview/>

Plan ahead! Starting June 15, 2020, the Windows Virtual Desktop service will reject connections from unsupported clients and unsupported versions of supported clients.
 
Make sure your users are using the following versions or newer of each client.
 · Windows Desktop Client (MSRDC): 1.2.247
 · Android: 10.0.6
 · macOS: 10.3.9.1767
 · iOS: 10.1.0
 
Unsupported clients that will be blocked starting June 15th:
 · Remote Desktop Connection (MSTSC)
 · RemoteApp and Desktop Connections (RADC)

ION – Booting up the network
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/identity-standards-blog/ion-booting-up-the-network/ba-p/1441552

Azure Spring Cloud updates

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/azure-spring-cloud-updates/