Before joining Directions on Microsoft, Rob worked at Microsoft for 14 years where he designed technologies for Microsoft products and services, including Exchange Server, BizTalk Server, and Xbox Live.
Rob received a B.S. in electrical, computer, and systems engineering from Harvard University.
Latest Content by Rob Sanfilippo
Analyst Report
October 16, 2026 · by Rob Sanfilippo
What Is an Agent: Executive Overview
The word “agent” now refers to a program that uses AI to reason over problems, plan, and execute solutions; however,...
Analyst Report
Updated: October 13, 2026 · by Rob Sanfilippo
Service Provides Hosted Windows Dev Boxes
Microsoft Dev Box is a service that provides developers with hosted Windows hardware and software tailored for development tasks.
Analyst Report
October 12, 2026 · by Rob Sanfilippo
Transitioning Visual Studio from an EA to an MCA
The largest impact of switching from an EA to an MCA relative to Visual Studio is the loss of software...
Analyst Report
October 2, 2026 · by Rob Sanfilippo
Agent 365 for GCC Is Available, but It Has Security, Compliance, and Other Gaps
Several Purview and Defender protections in Agent 365 aren’t available for GCC customers, and missing audit, DLP, threat-detection, and runtime...
Analyst Report
September 22, 2026 · by Rob Sanfilippo
Understanding Copilot Studio Harnesses and Their Costs
Copilot Studio supports multiple AI harnesses with different capabilities and purposes, and harness selection affects costs of building and using...
Roadmap
September 21, 2026 · by Multiple Authors
Compute, Networking, and Infrastructure Roadmap
Describes the components and services of Azure and on-premises datacenter components, including virtual machines, networking, and storage. It discusses the...
Analyst Report
September 14, 2026 · by Rob Sanfilippo
GitHub Copilot Brings Another AI Consumption Unit to Track
GitHub Copilot has revised purchase options and metered usage units that arrived mid-2026, and dashboard updates could help determine GitHub...
Infographic
September 14, 2026 · by Rob Sanfilippo
Microsoft’s Units for Metered AI Consumption Costs
Numerous AI metering units are employed across Microsoft offerings. They may apply to PAYG or pre-purchasing.
Analyst Report
September 8, 2026 · by Rob Sanfilippo
Power Platform’s Final Release Wave and How Updates Will Now Be Delivered
The final release “wave” delivered enhancements to Power Platform offerings, such as new vibe-coding, automation, and security features, and updates...
Analyst Report
Updated: August 31, 2026 · by Rob Sanfilippo
Azure Copilot Agents Simplify Azure Operation, Optimization
Azure Copilot is being revamped with agents that simplify many elements of operation for administrators and developers, including an optimization...