Analyst Reports
Our experts meticulously cut through the haze of Microsoft information so you don’t have to. Analyst Reports provide the clearest, most accurate, and up-to-date information anywhere, free of hype or complexity. Each report delivers clear, actionable insights to help you plan, evaluate, and decide with confidence. New reports are published every week on a variety of topics that will help you reduce risk and save both time and money.
M365 Companion Apps to Be on by Default in Windows 11
August 21, 2025
Organizations should preview the Microsoft 365 Calendar, File Search, and People companion apps for Windows… more
Sentinel Data Lake Eases Storage of Logs
August 18, 2025
Sentinel data lake (in preview) helps customers use Sentinel as their default long-term log storage… more
Defender Threat Intelligence Coming to Sentinel and Defender XDR at No Additional Cost
August 18, 2025
Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence, previously constrained to an exceedingly expensive per-user license, will be retired… more
Who’s Who on a Microsoft Account Team
Updated: August 15, 2025
Understanding the roles of the Microsoft account team can help with problems in contract negotiation,… more
HDInsight Stagnates: Time to Migrate
August 9, 2025
HDInsight has reached a critical point where aging components and lack of investment indicate customers… more
Microsoft Researcher Agent Can Speed Decision-Making, But Check Your Work
August 8, 2025
Microsoft Researcher, included with Microsoft 365 Copilot, can accelerate strategic planning but requires verification to… more
Windows 11 SE Support Ends Oct. 2026
August 8, 2025
Schools should shut down Surface SE and other Windows 11 SE devices by Oct. 2026,… more
SharePoint Alerts Retiring: What You Need to Know
August 7, 2025
SharePoint alerts are retiring next year, and users may be disrupted more than anticipated.
How to Choose Azure SQL Configurations That Meet Requirements and Control Costs
August 5, 2025
Azure offers three primary SQL Server database hosting options with varying and limited configuration options…. more
VMware Rapid Migration Plan: Some Benefits for Commitment
Updated: August 4, 2025
A Microsoft promotion offers benefits for customers who migrate VMware workloads to Azure VMware Solution.
Understanding Microsoft’s Licensing for Entra ID Governance for External Users
August 2, 2025
Entra ID Governance is now available for external users, but under a new, confusing licensing… more
Azure AI Content Safety: Pricing
July 31, 2025
Azure AI Content Safety is a set of services that aim to help developers protect… more
Windows Backup for Organizations Is Not Real Backup
Updated: July 31, 2025
Deciphering Power Pages Licensing
Updated: July 28, 2025
Power Pages licensing is based on the number of authenticated and anonymous users that access… more
The Data Factory Showdown: Azure vs. Fabric
July 28, 2025
Azure Data Factory and Fabric Data Factory are distinct offerings with unique capabilities that prevent… more
Sentinel Integrated into Defender XDR
July 27, 2025
Microsoft Sentinel is now integrated into the Defender XDR portal and tool set, allowing security… more
Windows 11 Enterprise Hotpatching Available
July 27, 2025
Windows 11 Enterprise hotpatching, which enables security update patches with fewer reboots for that edition… more
How Azure AI Content Safety Protects AI Systems from Bad Actors
Updated: July 26, 2025
Azure AI Content Safety is a set of services that aim to help developers protect… more
Places Ready for Evaluation, but Future Unclear
Updated: July 25, 2025
Microsoft Places is a set of advanced work-scheduling features for Teams and Exchange Online, intended… more
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