There are a set of features I would like to see implemented:
1 – Possibility of classifying the choice possibilities in multiple choice questions. Example:

2 – Possibility of making the total available per section after submitting the questionnaire;
3 – Drag-and-drop questions;
4 – Possibility of classifying the options in “linkert” type questions and obtaining the result of the question, which may be the sum or the average.

5 – Education Teams the possibility of creating a question bank to create random questionnaires.

​There are a set of features I would like to see implemented:1 – Possibility of classifying the choice possibilities in multiple choice questions. Example:2 – Possibility of making the total available per section after submitting the questionnaire;3 – Drag-and-drop questions;4 – Possibility of classifying the options in “linkert” type questions and obtaining the result of the question, which may be the sum or the average.5 – Education Teams the possibility of creating a question bank to create random questionnaires.  Read More

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Hi,

I’ve seen some similar posts but not sure if what I am looking for is correct. But here goes.

Because it involves work, I’ll say Workbook A and B.

The idea is taking Tab 1 of Workbook A and linking it into Tab 3 in Workbook B and then have it automatically refresh when we update Workbook A Tab 1.

Now I understand that this has to be a workbook link source. I did try and highlight all of Tab 1 Workbook A and then Pasted it into the Tab 3 of Workbook B and I was able to do Paste > Link Source and click on automatic refresh. But all I got was #Connect in all the cells of that tab.

So I’m not sure if I was on the right track and I simply need whoever created Workbook A’s permission to do this or I need to do something else.

​Hi, I’ve seen some similar posts but not sure if what I am looking for is correct. But here goes. Because it involves work, I’ll say Workbook A and B.The idea is taking Tab 1 of Workbook A and linking it into Tab 3 in Workbook B and then have it automatically refresh when we update Workbook A Tab 1. Now I understand that this has to be a workbook link source. I did try and highlight all of Tab 1 Workbook A and then Pasted it into the Tab 3 of Workbook B and I was able to do Paste > Link Source and click on automatic refresh. But all I got was #Connect in all the cells of that tab. So I’m not sure if I was on the right track and I simply need whoever created Workbook A’s permission to do this or I need to do something else.  Read More

​

We recently setup Exchange Hybrid on Classic mode. Completed without errors.

During setup we ensure that the Transport Certificate is valid and we assigned our 3rd party cert.

We checked on IIS that “Default Front End” certificates are assigned with 3rd party cert.

IIS ‘Exchange Back End’ is using the private “Exchange Server” certificate.

When checking Exchange online connectors and validating the O365-Onprem connector, it errors with

“450 4.4.317 Cannot connect to remote server [Message=SubjectMismatch Expected Subject: …… Thumbprint:######”

When troubleshooting and Checking the certificate thumbprint from the error message on the server.  Determined that the thumbprint belonged to the private certificate used in the ‘Exchange Back End’

Not sure why it’s presenting the wrong certificate and not the front-end certificate?

Normal email flow is still working.

Appreciate anyone’s feedback.

​We recently setup Exchange Hybrid on Classic mode. Completed without errors.During setup we ensure that the Transport Certificate is valid and we assigned our 3rd party cert. We checked on IIS that “Default Front End” certificates are assigned with 3rd party cert.IIS ‘Exchange Back End’ is using the private “Exchange Server” certificate. When checking Exchange online connectors and validating the O365-Onprem connector, it errors with “450 4.4.317 Cannot connect to remote server [Message=SubjectMismatch Expected Subject: …… Thumbprint:######” When troubleshooting and Checking the certificate thumbprint from the error message on the server.  Determined that the thumbprint belonged to the private certificate used in the ‘Exchange Back End’ Not sure why it’s presenting the wrong certificate and not the front-end certificate? Normal email flow is still working. Appreciate anyone’s feedback.  Read More

​

Trusted Signing addresses the signing issues faced by individual developers by providing a comprehensive and affordable solution. It ensures the authenticity and integrity of code through a modern identity validation process, which is crucial for securing code signing certificates.  

One of the key advantages of Trusted Signing is its cost-effectiveness. Trusted Signing offers two pricing tiers, starting at $9.99/month: Basic and Premium. Both tiers are designed to provide optimal cost efficiency and cater to various signing needs. The costs for identity validation, certificate lifecycle management, and signing are all included in a single offering, ensuring accessibility and predictable expenses. This eliminates the need for individual developers to invest in additional infrastructure and operations required to manage and store private keys securely. 

Trusted Signing Identity Validation Process 

Trusted Signing leverages Microsoft Entra Verified ID (VID) for performing Identity Validation for individual developers. This ensures that developers get VID that lives on the Authenticator app.  The verification process typically involves the following steps: 

1. Submission of Government-Issued Photo ID: The first requirement is to provide a legible copy of a currently valid government-issued photo ID. This document must include the same name and address as on the certificate order.
2. Biometric/selfie check: Along with the photo ID, applicants need to submit a selfie. This step ensures that the person in the ID matches the individual applying for the certificate. 
3. Additional Verification Steps: If the address is missing on the government issued ID card, then additional documents will be required to verify the address of the applicant. 
4. Got an existing VID? Make sure it meets the onboarding criteria for your desired service, and you can effortlessly reuse it across multiple services! 

 This is how a successfully procured VID would appear in Azure portal. 

Best Practices for a Smooth Validation Process 

To ensure a smooth and successful identity validation process, individual developers should adhere to the following best practices: 

• Accurate Documentation: Ensure that all submitted documents are accurate and up to date. 

• Stay Informed: Keep abreast of any changes in the validation requirements or processes. 

Conclusion 

Identity validation is a critical step for individual developers seeking code signing certificates. By understanding the process, preparing in advance, and following best practices, developers can successfully navigate the validation process and secure their code signing certificates. The plan is to extend the same level of robust identity validation process to make Trusted Signing available for organizations incorporated less than 3 years ago.  

Try out Trusted Signing today by visiting the Azure portal.

​Microsoft Tech Community – Latest Blogs –Read More 

A New Dawn of Software Defined Networking (SDN) in Windows Server 2025

Today is an exciting day as we unveil extensive new features and improvements for Software Defined Networking (SDN) in Windows Server 2025. We deeply appreciate your fantastic feedback and requests which have driven our team forward.

We hope you are as thrilled as we are, and we can’t wait to hear how you leverage these new features. We’ve categorized our updates into three major areas: Manageability, Security, and Scalability.

Manageability

“Native” SDN Infrastructure: The long-awaited feature is finally here! Traditionally, the Network Controller, a crucial part of SDN infrastructure, has been hosted in virtual machines (VMs), requiring multiple VMs for high availability. This setup consumes computing resources that could otherwise be used for applications, posing a significant issue for small-scale and single node Failover Clusters. With Windows Server 2025, we have transitioned the Network Controller from VMs to being hosted directly as Failover Cluster services on Windows Server 2025 hosts. This change not only conserves resources but also simplifies deployment and management, eliminating the need to deploy, manage, and update VMs. Yes, no more patching or installing agents from various teams on these VMs. You can use PowerShell cmdlets or Windows Admin Center to deploy and manage the “native” SDN infrastructure.  Native SDN empowers you to have advanced VM network security features in less than ten minutes.

Figure: Differences between Network Controller in VMs and “native” Network Controller

Simplified SDN Load Balancers (Coming Soon): Previously, setting up the SDN load balancer service involved setting up Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) peering between the load balancer virtual machines and the top-of-rack network switches to achieve external network connectivity. This process was cumbersome and incurred additional operational costs, consuming both resources and energy. This is particularly valuable for SMBs and smaller edge deployments, where advanced networking knowledge and know-how may be limited. The upcoming updates will make BGP optional, streamlining both the deployment and management process.

Security

Network security is a paramount concern for organizations today, given the rise in breaches, threats, and cybersecurity risks. SDN Network Security Groups (NSGs) offer Azure-consistent network security for Windows Server customers, protecting against both external and lateral threats. With Windows Server 2025, we are introducing new NSG capabilities to further enhance the security of your workloads.

Tag-based Segmentation: Instead of depending on cumbersome and unreliable methods for specifying IP ranges for NSG control, administrators can now use custom service tags to associate NSGs and VMs for access control. No more remembering and retyping IP ranges for your production and management machines; you can now use simple, self-explanatory labels. This allows you to tag your workload VMs with labels of your choice and apply security policies based on these tags. You can use PowerShell cmdlets or Windows Admin Center to deploy and manage network security tags. You can read more about tag-based segmentation here.

Figure: Network Security tags in Windows Admin Center

Default Network Policies: We are bringing Azure parity to our existing Network Security Groups (NSGs) on Windows Server 2025. Default Network Policies now enable you to reduce lateral attacks for workloads deployed through Windows Admin Center, offering options such as “Open some ports,” “Use existing NSG,” or “No protection.”

• No protection: All ports on your VM are exposed to networks, posing a security risk.
• Open some ports: The default policy denies all inbound access, allowing you to selectively open well-known inbound ports while permitting full outbound access from the VM.
• Use existing NSG: Utilize an NSG you have already created.

With these options, you can ensure that your newly created VMs and applications are always protected with NSGs. You can read more about Default Network Policies here.

Figures: Default network policies in Windows Admin Center during VM creation

Scalability

SDN Multisite: Many of you deploy applications across multiple locations and need the flexibility to move parts of these applications freely without reconfiguring the application or networks. Traditionally, Windows Server only partially supported this scenario and required additional components for deployment and management. SDN Multisite addresses this by providing native Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity between applications across two locations without any extra components. It also offers unified network policy management for workloads, eliminating the need to update policies when a workload VM moves from one location to another. You can use PowerShell cmdlets or Windows Admin Center to deploy and manage SDN Multisite. You can read more about SDN Multisite here.

Figure: Native connectivity for workload VMs across California and Norway WS 2025 clusters with SDN multisite

High Performance SDN Gateways: SDN Layer 3 gateways are essential for SDN infrastructure, providing connectivity between workloads on SDN networks and external networks by acting as routers. Many of you have requested performance improvements for these gateways. With Windows Server 2025, we have significantly enhanced the performance of SDN Layer 3 gateways, achieving higher throughputs (~15-30% improvement) and reduced CPU cycles (~25-40% improvement). These improvements are enabled by default, so you will automatically experience better performance when you configure a SDN gateway Layer 3 connection through PowerShell cmdlets or Windows Admin Center.

Learning

Exciting news! We’ve just rolled out fresh learning content tailored to empower our customers and support engineers with in-depth knowledge and practice on SDN. All self-guided content is comprised of a lecture and a hands-on lab aimed to provide actionable knowledge that drives success for our customers. You can access the learning content here: Technical reference for Software Defined Networking (SDN)| Microsoft Learn.

We are excited to share all these innovations with you. Upgrade to Windows Server 2025 to try out these features, we look forward to your feedback. For any suggestions, opinions, or issues, please reach out to us at sdn_feedback@microsoft.com.

​Microsoft Tech Community – Latest Blogs –Read More 

In an era where seamless network management and enhanced performance are paramount, the release of Network ATC, Network HUD, and AccelNet for Windows Server 2025 marks a significant milestone. These groundbreaking innovations are designed to optimize the way we manage, monitor, and accelerate network operations, promising unprecedented efficiency and reliability.

Network ATC

Historically, deployment and management of networking for Failover clusters has been complex and error prone. The configuration flexibility with the host networking stack means there are many moving parts that can be easily misconfigured or overlooked. Keeping up with the latest best practices is also a challenge as improvements are continuously made to the underlying technologies. Additionally, configuration consistency across failover cluster nodes is vital for reliability.

Network ATC simplifies the deployment and network configuration management for Windows Server 2025 clusters. It provides an intent-based approach to host network deployment. Customers specify one or more intents (management, compute, or storage) for a network adapter, and we automate the deployment of the intended configuration.

Network ATC helps to:

• Reduce host networking deployment time, complexity, and errors
• Deploy the latest Microsoft-validated and supported best practices
• Ensure configuration consistency across the cluster
• Eliminate configuration drift

One of the greatest benefits of Network ATC is its ability to remediate configuration drift. Have you ever wondered “who changed that?” or said, “we must have missed this node.” You’ll never worry about this again with Network ATC at the helm. Expanding the cluster to add new nodes? Simply install the feature on the new node, join the cluster and within minutes, the expected configuration will be deployed.

For more details about deploying and managing Network ATC on Windows Server 2025, please check here: Deploy host networking with Network ATC. You can manage Network ATC through Powershell cmdlets or Windows Admin Center.

Figure: Network ATC management in Windows Admin Center

Network HUD (Coming Soon)

Network HUD is an upcoming Windows Server 2025 feature that will proactively identifies and remediates operational network issues.

Managing a network for business applications is challenging. Ensuring stability and optimization requires coordination across the physical network (switches, cabling, NICs), host operating system (virtual switches, virtual NICs), and the applications running in VMs or containers. Each component has its own configurations and capabilities, often managed by different teams. Even with a perfect setup, a bad configuration elsewhere in the network can degrade performance.

The complexity of managing these components has reached an all-time high, with numerous tools and technologies involved. Windows Server OS provides a wealth of information through event logs, performance counters, and tools, but analyzing this data when issues arise requires expertise and time, often after the problem has occurred.

Network HUD excels by analyzing real-time data from event logs, performance counters, tools like Pktmon, network traffic, and physical devices to identify issues before they happen. In many cases, it prevents issues by adjusting your system to avoid exacerbating problems. When prevention isn’t possible, Network HUD alerts you with actionable messages to resolve the issue.

Network HUD leverages capabilities in the physical switch to ensure that your configuration matches the physical network. For example, it can determine whether the locally connected switchports have the correct VLAN settings and the correct data center bridging configuration required for RDMA storage traffic to function.

Network HUD is built as a true cloud service that runs on-premises. It will ship as an Arc extension and will be part of Windows Server Azure Arc Management (WSAAM) services. This allows us to bring in more capabilities and make these available to you as soon as they are ready.

AccelNet

Accelerated Networking simplifies the management of single root I/O virtualization (SR-IOV) for virtual machines hosted on Windows Server 2025 clusters. SR-IOV provides a high-performance data path that bypasses the host, which reduces latency, jitter, and CPU utilization for the most demanding network workloads. This is particularly useful in High Performance Computing (HPC) environments, Real-time applications such as financial trading platforms, and virtualized network functions.  

The following figure illustrates how two VMs communicate with and without SR-IOV.

Without SR-IOV, all networking traffic in and out of the VM traverses the host and the virtual switch. With SR-IOV, network traffic that arrives at VM’s network interface (NIC) is forwarded directly to VM.

SR-IOV has been available in Windows Server since 2012 R2 days. So, what benefit does AccelNet provide?

1. Prerequisite checking: Informs users if the Windows Server cluster hosts support SR-IOV, checking for OS version and hyperthreading status among other things.
2. Host Configuration: Ensures SR-IOV is enabled on the correct vSwitch that hosts virtual machine workloads and allows configuration of reserve nodes in case of failover to prevent resource over-subscription.
3. Simplified VM performance settings: It can be overwhelming to identify how many queue pairs may be needed for a VM that is being enabled through SR-IOV. AccelNet abstracts performance settings into “Low,” “Medium,” and “High” to simplify configuration.
4. Health Monitoring and Diagnostics: Leverages Network HUD to identify and remediate configuration/performance related issues. Examples include NIC SR-IOV support, Live migration management, etc. (Coming Soon)
5. Simplified management with Windows Admin Center: All AccelNet management functionality is available through Powershell and with an easy-to-use UI through Windows Admin Center (Latter coming Soon).

AccelNet is part of Windows Server Azure Arc Management (WSAAM) services. To learn more about Accelnet, please check here.

As organizations continue to navigate the challenges of an ever-evolving digital landscape, the integration of these advanced features into Windows Server 2025 ensures they are equipped with the tools needed to achieve excellence in network management and performance. Embrace the future of networking with Windows Server 2025 and experience the transformative power of Network ATC, Network HUD, and AccelNet.

We are excited to share all these innovations with you. Upgrade to Windows Server 2025 to try out these features, we look forward to your feedback. For any suggestions, opinions or issues, please reach out to us at edgenetfeedback@microsoft.com.

​Microsoft Tech Community – Latest Blogs –Read More 

Is there an option to embed the Viva insight’s Praise in SharePoint site? Currently there is only limited options like conversation, community etc that you can add in SharePoint but how to add the Viva Praise option? So that the Praise is visible in the Intra-SharePoint site for all to see basically who praised who for what.

​Is there an option to embed the Viva insight’s Praise in SharePoint site? Currently there is only limited options like conversation, community etc that you can add in SharePoint but how to add the Viva Praise option? So that the Praise is visible in the Intra-SharePoint site for all to see basically who praised who for what.  Read More

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جـلب الـحبيب بالخضوع (010.40.581.277 002 -) شيـخ روحانـي متمـكن

​جـلب الـحبيب بالخضوع (010.40.581.277 002 -) شيـخ روحانـي متمـكن  Read More

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I have a list with a lookup column. The lookup column brings back the ID from the linked list. I can use the list tools to sort the list by this column into descending order and use the group by option and it works fine (see below). But if I save this view it reverts the sort order to ascending. Anyone have any idea how to resolve this?

​I have a list with a lookup column. The lookup column brings back the ID from the linked list. I can use the list tools to sort the list by this column into descending order and use the group by option and it works fine (see below). But if I save this view it reverts the sort order to ascending. Anyone have any idea how to resolve this?    Read More

​

Microsoft Defender XDR Monthly news November 2024 Edition
This is our monthly “What’s new” blog post, summarizing product updates and various new assets we released over the past month across our Defender products. In this edition, we are looking at all the goodness from October 2024.  Defender for Cloud has it’s own Monthly News post, have a look at their blog space.
Legend: Product videos Webcast (recordings) Docs on Microsoft Blogs on Microsoft GitHub External Improvements Previews / Announcements

Unified Security Operations Platform: Microsoft Defender XDR & Microsoft Sentinel

(Preview) In advanced hunting, Microsoft Defender portal users can now use the arg() operator for Azure Resource Graph queries to search over Azure resources. You no longer need to go to Log Analytics in Microsoft Sentinel to use this operator if you are already in Microsoft Defender. Learn more on our docs. Microsoft Unified RBAC roles are added with new permission levels for Microsoft Threat Experts customers to use Ask Defender experts capability. Demystify potential data leaks with Insider Risk Management insights in Defender XDR. Microsoft Purview Insider Risk Management adds significant value by identifying and mitigating potential insider risks — such as data leaks or intellectual property theft, covering key scenarios including detecting unusual employee behavior, managing data exfiltration risks from insiders performing riskier activities, and differentiating between external and internal attacks. This blogs details how the integration into Defender XDR empowers SOC teams to detect and respond more effectively to insider threats, enabling them to better distinguish between external and internal attacks We published an updated version of the short training video “How to use the Alert page“. Watch these 3:40 minutes to get the most out of the alert page during your investigations. New filter option on the Ninja Show page. You can now filter all our session on-demand by products to easier find relevant content for you.

Microsoft Sentinel (Preview) Use matching analytics to detect threats. Take advantage of threat intelligence produced by Microsoft to generate high-fidelity alerts and incidents with the Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence Analytics rule. This built-in rule in Microsoft Sentinel matches indicators with Common Event Format (CEF) logs, Windows DNS events with domain and IPv4 threat indicators, syslog data, and more. Learn more on our docs. Introducing the Use Cases Mapper workbook. Read this blog to see how Use Case Mapper Workbook is an invaluable tool for identifying gaps in your Sentinel environment and the established Content-Hub-Solutions Level Up Your Security Skills with the New Microsoft Sentinel Ninja Training! The Microsoft Sentinel Ninja Training has been completely updated, and the individual knowledge checks will now point to official MS Learning path so you can earn the official badge after completing successfully.   Save money on your Sentinel ingestion costs with Data Collection Rules. This blog post outlines a strategy you can use to reduce your data volume while also collecting and retaining the information that really matters.  Cowrie honeypot and its integration with Microsoft Sentinel. Cowrie is an advanced honeypot designed to emulate SSH (Secure Shell) and Telnet services to attract, detect, and analyze malicious activities. Learn in this blog post how this cybersecurity tool is used, how possible attackers activities are logged, and providing valuable insights into their methods and motives. Deploy Microsoft Sentinel using Bicep. This blog post walks you through the deployment process of Microsoft Sentinel using Bicep. Webinars We have the following two upcoming webinars: Data Tiering Best Practices (Oct 29 2024, 09:00 AM – 10:00 AM (PT)) Mastering API Integration with Sentinel & Unified Security Platform (Dec 5 2024, 09:00 AM – 10:00 AM (PDT)) Last month, these two webinars have been presented and the recordings are now available: Deep Dive: Moving from the Log Analytics Agent to the New Azure Monitor Agent Building Microsoft Sentinel integrations – Part 2: Creating data connectors

Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management Guidance for handling CUPS remote code execution vulnerability using Microsoft Security capabilities. In this blogpost we will demonstrate how you can easily discover if your organization is vulnerable to this critical unauthenticated RCE flaws in CUPS printing systems and view guidelines on remediation.  Microsoft Security Exposure Management Ninja Show: In this 2 episodes, we explore Microsoft Security Exposure Management, learning how it quantifies risks, generates reports for key stakeholders, unifies the security stack, and optimizes attack surface management. Watch the recordings of Part 1 and Part 2. Microsoft Security Experts Phish, Click, Breach: Hunting for a Sophisticated Cyber Attack. Since April 2024, we have observed a significant increase in Teams phishing attacks, which have led to endpoint-related incidents, particularly through the abuse of Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tools such as Quick Assist (Ref : Threat actors misusing Quick Assist in social engineering attacks leading to ransomware | Microsoft …), and other tools such as Any Desk, and Team Viewer. In this blog, we will walk through one of the observed scenarios and discuss hunting approaches for detecting such attacks.   Microsoft Unified RBAC roles are added with new permission levels for Microsoft Threat Experts customers to use Ask Defender experts capability. Learn more on our docs. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps We released various new data in advanced hunting via the CloudAppEvents table – Anomaly data – Conditional Access app control / inline data – OAuthAppId We published a new short training video (6 minutes) for App Governance.  Threat actors are using non-human app identities as an attack vector and unfortunately this isn’t as well understood as it should be. Customers who own Defender for Cloud Apps can turn on app governance with a few simple clicks and light up powerful capabilities. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Use community queries to hunt more effectively across email and collaboration threats. One of the most valuable and insightful resources within advanced hunting is the community queries feature. This collaborative repository can enhance your threat-hunting capabilities, streamline investigation processes, and empower your security operations center (SOC) team members with easily accessible shared knowledge. Check out this blog to learn about the benefits of using community queries. Tenant Allow/Block List in Microsoft 365 now supports IPv6 address. Learn more on our docs. Watch this short4 minutes training video on “How to investigate email messages in Microsoft Defender for Office 365″.  Ninja Show episode: In-depth defense with dual-use scenario: We are joined by Senior Product Manager Manfred Fischer and Cloud Solution Architect Dominik Hoefling to explore the built-in protection mechanisms in Defender for Office 365. Tune into this episode as we dive deep into a dual-use scenario demonstration to learn how customers using third-party email filtering services can still leverage the powerful features and controls of Defender for Office 365. Bulk Sender Insights in Microsoft Defender for Office 365: In this episode, Senior Product Manager Puneeth Kuthati explains the importance of bulk sender insights within Defender for Office 365. Discover how these insights help differentiate trustworthy bulk senders from potential threats, tackle the challenges of fine-tuning bulk email filters, and strike the right balance to ensure important emails reach your inbox without overwhelming it. By analyzing sender behavior and trends, organizations can strengthen email security, reduce unwanted bulk traffic, and minimize false positives. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Troubleshoot Network Extension (NetExt) issues in Defender for Endpoint on Mac. Learn more on our documentation. Microsoft Defender for Identity (Preview) Defender for Identity is expanding coverage with new 10 Identity posture recommendations. Read the details on our documentation to learn how these new recommendations can help you improve your posture.  Copilot Identity Summary released to Public Preview. Read this blog to see how Copilot for Security can simplify SOC teams’ investigation with the new Identity Summary feature within Defender XDR. Copilot for Security Identity Summary (Preview) Sensor management (add, remove, list …) through new public API. Check out our documentation to learn more about this API. Microsoft Security Blog File hosting services misused for identity phishing.  New macOS vulnerability, “HM Surf”, could lead to unauthorized data access.

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