Microsoft Ignite 2022 Highlights: Transforming Businesses to be more Efficient and Productive

As Microsoft 2022 wrapped up for another year, let’s take a look at some of the major announcements made this year and what it means for businesses.

Microsoft Ignite 2022, the annual conference for technology giant Microsoft, took place this month with both in-person and virtual attendees. Primary emphasis was given to this year’s goal of “Doing more with less in Microsoft Cloud”. Here are the key takeaways from this conference.

The keynote started with five main areas of the Microsoft Cloud that businesses should focus on currently.

1. Be Data Driven and Optimise with Azure

Cloud for collaboration comes with a range of benefits that allow users to do more with less and Microsoft Azure enables cost and operational efficiencies. Microsoft Azure Arc extends services that run across the edge, on-premises, and multi-cloud environments. Azure Kubernetes can be applied to run containerised applications enabling a consistent experience from cloud to edge.

New Azure VMs with ARM-based processors help you operate at the highest clock speed of any processor available without compromising on performance. Azure Arc, which is an extension of the Azure platform, allows organisations to build apps that can run across Edge, on-premises, and multi-cloud environments.

For analytics, organisations can use Azure Synapse and put their data to work in a more secure, productive and quicker way, generating insights from various data sources. Many link connectors are also available for Azure SQL, Cosmos DB, and Dataverse for the more multi-cloud data sources.

Closing the Azure segment at Microsoft Ignite 2022, Satya Nadella drilled down on its security capabilities. Azure makes use of Azure confidential computing to protect data wherever it rests or is in use. Hence, organisations can utilise this confidential computing for everything right from mitigating risks to protecting customer details.

2. Deliver efficiency with automation and AI

Today’s technology space is more fueled by Artificial Intelligence (AI) than ever before, and application development is no different. AI has a hand in the application design, the building of apps, delivering and allowing engineers to do more with less. Microsoft Ignite 2022 focused on Azure Machine Learning which can rapidly train models, deliver solutions and operate at scale and innovate securely in a hybrid platform.

Microsoft Ignite 2022 also announced how it is working closely on OpenAI where they have invested in GTP for human-like languages such as DALL-E for realistic image generation and Codex for code generation.

Such AI advances are being brought into augmenting creativity, imagination and curiosity with the newly announced Microsoft Designer. This designer is based on personal design generated through AI models and creates new designs that the world has ever seen.

3. Innovate with Cloud Developer Platform

Microsoft Ignite 2022 addressed the goal of developing an intuitive cloud platform with GitHub Copilot. In Copilot codex is being utilised to suggest code and entire functionality in real-time, turning the natural language we use into coding suggestions. Such AI-assisted coding will change the nature of software development and give developers a new platform to code better and faster.

With the express design and Power Apps, similar capabilities are being brought where one can upload a hand-drawn sketch which can be converted into a working app within seconds. Similarly, Power Automate is governed by AI where you can describe what you want to automate and generate the suggested flow to kickstart flow creation.

Furthermore, several new AI builder enhancements are being added to the Power Platform including:

• Feedback Loop
• Multi-page table and multi-line fields
• Ability to co-edit AI models
• Unstructured document processing
• New languages for invoice processing

Microsoft Syntex was also announced as a new addition to the Microsoft 365 service. Syntex uses advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning processes to provide end-to-end intelligent document solutions for your organisation.

4. Reenergising the Workforce

Organisations need better systems to build human, social and knowledge capital across the entire business and tools that can connect people across each other to get the job done and work in harmony. That is what Microsoft enables with Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Viva and Microsoft 365. A complete cloud solution that provides teams with the required tools for a connected distributed workforce. Teams provide a way to collaborate and work together and Viva supports all of this.

Microsoft Teams Premium and Microsoft places were the major announcements at Microsoft Ignite 2022 along with some smaller additions like Edge Workspaces and new features for Windows 11. Premium is the new Teams SKU that offers Intelligent Recap using AI to assign tasks during the meeting and note important points from the meetings with advanced protection. Places on the other hand is a solution that coordinates where work happens and optimises space based on the changing needs of employees.

Metaverse is also set to be integrated into Teams bringing fully customised personal Mesh avatars for Teams meetings.

Microsoft Ignite 2022 also saw the announcement of Teams Rooms to help people stay connected and participate anywhere with devices and space configurations. Microsoft Teams Room will be run by Cisco as a Microsoft-certified device partner.

5. Protect Everyone, Everything, Everywhere

As security is becoming a major concern throughout all industries with cyber-attacks, major emphasis was given to enhancing the security posture at Microsoft Ignite 2022. Microsoft’s array of security solutions was highlighted (as below), to know more about Exigo Tech’s security offerings get in touch with our team.

• Microsoft Defender for DevOps: To help teams integrate and manage DevOps security and minimise vulnerabilities
• Microsoft Entra Identity Governance: To ensure that only the right people have access to the right resources
• Microsoft Purview: To protect businesses from within their organisations
• Microsoft Intune: To enhance endpoint security and improve user experience

An automatic attack disruption feature was announced for Defender which aims to limit the lateral movement of hackers and stop ransomware before it encrypts your data. Also announced was Microsoft Entra Identity Governance, which enables greater control over digital identities so that only the right people can access them.

Looking forward to a brighter 2023

In one post, it’s impossible to cover everything that Microsoft Ignite 2022 had to offer since it was packed with the latest technology and too many products and features. With the future of working at the forefront of Microsoft’s thinking, it doesn’t sit still and continues to innovate. It appears that 2023 will be a year of transformation in terms of how we work, communicate and ensure our well-being. Learn more about our Modern Workplace solutions here.

Is your Microsoft license being utilised to its full potential?

At Exigo Tech, we ensure that organisations make the most out of their Microsoft License. With FY 2023 just around the corner, we have more ways of supporting your business with our Microsoft services. If you want to make the most of your Microsoft 365 or Teams, get in touch with one of our experts at 1300 EXIGOTECH (394 468) or write to us at .

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