Tuesday, September 26, 2017

ICYMI : Microsoft 365 for Firstline Workers & other Ignite Updates

o   On Monday MS introduced a software bundle for so-called front-line workers like cashiers, truck drivers and factory employees, HCM software has been on Microsoft's public roadmap
o   Microsoft 365 F1, the new offering includes StaffHub, a recently launched app for managing shifts so that employees don't need to call in or stop by the main office to check a weekly schedule printed on a piece of paper – Deskless workers
o   F1 comes with the Office 365, Windows 10 and MS Enterprise Mobility and Security suite
o   StaffHub is a cloud-based platform designed for employees whose job requires them to be on their feet or on the go. Examples include retail staff, baristas, factory floor workers, site workers, and so on. It helps you create and manage work shifts, share files, and communicate important information with team members
o   StaffHub teams split into managers and users. Managers have read-write access to create and publish schedules for their teams through a browser app. Users can only read schedules and cannot update them without manager intervention. Once managers make changes to schedules like adding new shifts or accepting requests for time off, workers receive relevant updates that affect their schedule. The online schedule for a team is always up-to-date, a major advantage over traditional paper-based schedules            
  
o   MS Teams is becoming the default communications client in Office 365. Microsoft announced that the team collaboration app will replace the current Skype for Business client in Office 365 “over time,” though the company did not provide an exact timeframe
o   Bing for Business for Microsoft 365 and internal company search use. The native search tool uses machine learning (ML) and the Microsoft Graph to deliver personalized search results on company data, documents, people sites, locations, and public web search results
o   Windows 10 device can now be joined to on-premises Active Directory (AD) and Azure AD at the same time. Co-management takes advantage of this improvement and enables the device to be managed by both ConfigMgr agent and Intune MDM. This allows organizations to move parts or workloads of their management to the cloud. For eg, customers can transition device compliance check, resource access profile deployment, or update management from ConfigMgr to Intune while continuing to use ConfigMgr for other workloads such as software distribution and deep device security configuration.
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Monday, May 15, 2017

Automation Architect

·       There is no one tool that will automate your entire data center and there is no tool that will devise automation strategy or deal with the policy and organizational implications of an automation project
·       IT organizations at the largest enterprises have already begun to appoint automation architects
·       Automation projects will encounter both technical and non-technical challenges. You need an architect empowered to address both
·       As you devise your automation strategy, an automation architect will help your enterprise address a number of key technical decisions:
o   Which tools will be used, and for what purposes?
o   What is the best way to implement the tools?
o   Who will be in charge of maintaining each?
·       They will also consider the following business process realities:
o   How will corporate policies be decided and enforced?
o   To what extent should technical requirements drive business decisions, and vice versa?

o   How can the IT organization best collaborate with the business it serves?

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Windows 10 S - All you want to Know

o   Windows 10 Cloud is here in the form of Windows 10 S targeted @ Education Market as an Option to Chromebook

o   Traditional apps will work on Windows 10 S only if it’s packaged as a Windows Store app, try to run an app not from store & you see below message

o   Microsoft is bringing the full desktop Office apps to the Windows Store to support the Windows 10 S release,
o   Apps are run in secure containers that can’t access other parts of the operating system
o   You won’t be able to buy Windows 10 S by itself, only on devices that come with it preloaded
o   Windows S a pared down version of Windows Pro cannot:
x   Run Non Store Apps
x   Join Domain
x   Run any other Browser except Edge
x   Have any other search integrated except Bing


Windows S Vis a vie Chromebook competitor is a thin client, a low or mid-range laptop, and has MDM (read Intune) & modern management aspects. Like WinRT it does not run regular Windows apps. Differentiator with RT is Windows S will support real Office apps, it runs on x86
Assuming there are enough apps that level the playing field with Chromebooks, it could make a dent in that space. There could not be a huge enterprise play but as time goes by and UEM picks up steam, perhaps it can catch on there, another use case could be using Win10 S device as a thinclient.
It’s a cheap Platform / Device combo as a segment companies are looking to address: Google with Chrome has been very successful in the space, HP and now Samsung pushing phones that turn into desktops, Apple campaigning to position the iPad as a laptop replacement and now MS with windows S. It will be a divided market.

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