03Aug2017
08Sep2016
2016 Essentials Integration: Azure Virtual Network, part 2
In the previous post, we enabled the Windows Server Essentials integration with Azure Virtual Network, and configured a virtual network in the cloud with a Site-to-site VPN right from our Dashboard. While we wait for the connection to become active, we can deploy a virtual machine into that network. Step 5:...
06Sep2016
2016 Essentials Integration: Azure Virtual Network, part 1
This is one of the new features I am most excited about in Windows Server 2016 Essentials Experience. Today we are going to setup a connection to an Azure Virtual Network. With this technology, we have the ability to extend our on-premises server and domain infrastructure into the Microsoft Azure cloud, and run...
02May2016
Get Rid of My Servers!
If the cloud is supposed to be so great, then why do so many small businesses still have servers? It is a fair question. The truth is, you probably do not need to maintain servers on-premises, but that doesn't mean you won't still want to. The majority of small businesses (the "S" in...
10Mar2016
Azure AD Premium vs. Azure AD with Office 365
If you have an Office 365 subscription, then you already rely on Azure Active Directory. If you have DirSync or Azure AD Connect enabled, then that means your on-premises user identities and passwords are being synchronized to your Azure Active Directory tenancy in the cloud. I recommend this configuration, especially if you...
07Mar2016
Azure Rights Management with EMS vs. RMS with Office 365
The purpose of Azure Rights Management Services is to allow users to encrypt certain files and messages for sharing safely only with those colleagues and business associates whom they choose. You can obtain Azure RMS licensing separately or with an EMS subscription, but if you have an Office 365 E3 plan...
03Mar2016
My Top 5 Favorite Microsoft Cloud Solutions for the SMB
1. Office 365 (Even if you thought "I already use it") Office 365 is, to put it quite bluntly, the new gold standard in productivity at every level of the Enterprise. In the SMB space especially, this is so much the case that I cannot emphasize it strongly enough. If you aren't already using...
29Feb2016
Why we tend to focus on IaaS Solutions
IaaS is an area of extreme interest to SMB customers, probably because it is the easiest way for them to translate what they are accustomed to working with (e.g. on-premises servers) into a cloud-based equivalent. In other words, for better or worse, we are in the habit of thinking about our applications and...
25Feb2016
What is the Azure Cloud?
It would be quite literally impossible to list all of the Azure-based products and their corresponding feature sets, since the list would be out of date as soon as I hit "Publish." Microsoft is constantly releasing new features into Azure everyday--some are all new products, while others build on existing ones....
22Feb2016