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In this article we’ll cover the essential SQL Server data types and discuss their common usage. Data is at the core of all relational database systems and SQL Server supports many different types of data and each data type represents a specific category of data. Each of the different data types have different uses and…

Microsoft introduced today a new Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat experience for commercial customers. This service extends the existing free AI chat functionality with an option to use pay-as-you-go AI agents that will be accessible directly from the chat conversation. Microsoft 365 commercial customers will have access to a secure and reliable chat experience backed by…

Microsoft released yesterday the January 2025 Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 11 and Windows 10. This month’s Patch Tuesday updates include fixes for 159 vulnerabilities in Windows, Office, Hyper-V, SharePoint Server, Azure, and more. “This is the largest number of CVEs addressed in any single month since at least 2017 and is more than double…

Microsoft has announced the general availability of the new unified contacts experience in Microsoft Teams and Outlook. This new feature is currently available to all Outlook users and will be gradually rolled out to Microsoft Teams users by April 30, 2025. The new unified contacts experience aims to improve collaboration by allowing Microsoft Entra ID…

Microsoft has filed a lawsuit against a group of cybercriminals accused of creating malicious tools to bypass the security safeguards of its generative AI services. These tools were allegedly designed to produce harmful content, with the perpetrators profiting by selling access to other malicious actors. In the court filings, Microsoft mentioned that a foreign-based threat…

At the device and user level, the Intune Company Portal serves as powerful application that allows end users to install approved apps, securely access resources, and stay compliant with organizations policies.  In the modern workplace, ensuring that company-owned devices remain secure and compliant is essential. Without proper oversight, these endpoints can quickly become a conduit for security…

Microsoft Entra ID has introduced support for issuing Temporary Access Passes (TAPs) for internal guest users. These passcodes are time-limited and help onboard and recover accounts without relying on traditional passwords. What is a Temporary Access Pass (TAP)? A Temporary Access Pass (TAP) in Microsoft Entra ID is a time-limited passcode designed to help users…

Microsoft is preparing to roll out an update that will automatically install the new Outlook for Windows client on Windows 10 PCs. The company announced in a message on the Microsoft 365 admin center that the rollout will take place in two different phases. The new Outlook for Windows will be automatically installed on Windows…

In this episode of First Ring Daily, Brad Sams and Paul Thurrott discuss some of the biggest news of CES 2025 including Dell’s simplified PC portfolio, new CPUs from Intel and AMD, and Nvidia’s new GPUs and AI tools for PCs.

Effective governance is essential in today’s multi-cloud, hybrid IT ecosystems. Azure Policy provides a comprehensive framework for defining, enforcing, and automating compliance across Microsoft Azure resources, on-premises workloads, and third-party clouds via Azure Arc. Azure Policy ensures your resources align with business, security, and compliance requirements—without adding operational overhead. By leveraging initiatives, built-in policies, custom…

Microsoft will officially drop support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Additionally, the company has announced plans to retire several key Microsoft 365 features and products by the end of this year, urging customers to prepare for these upcoming changes (via AdminDroid). First off, Microsoft has detailed some important changes coming to the Teams…

Microsoft is gearing up for another wave of job cuts, this time targeting employees deemed underperforming. According to a new report from Business Insider, the layoffs will span multiple departments, including the critical security division. Microsoft has been conducting performance evaluations across the company over several months in order to identify areas for improvement. The…