Author: Chief Contributor

What is new in Teams Administrator and Power BI Data Analyst exam materials?

Greetings to all #CloudMarathoner members!

I had a chance to renew my lates two Microsoft exams and I would like to take an opportunity to share it with you. So, in this post, I would like to share my experience with the renewal process and as well as two Microsoft exams that I had a chance to renew.

What is the Microsoft exam renewal?

Renewing your Microsoft certification is a straightforward and stress-free process designed to keep your skills up-to-date with the latest technology changes. Here’s a simple breakdown:

1. Eligibility and Timing

Eligibility: You can renew your associate, expert, or specialty certification for free.
Timing: You have a six-month window before your certification expires to complete the renewal assessment.

2. Renewal Assessment

Format: The renewal assessment is shorter than the original exam and focuses on recent technological updates.
Convenience: It’s an open-book assessment that you can take online. Flexibility: You can retake the assessment as many times as needed within the six-month window.

3. Steps to Renew

Connect Profiles: Link your Microsoft Learn profile with your certification profile and look for the renew button.
Prepare: Use free, self-paced learning modules available on your certification renewal page to refresh your skills.
Pass the Assessment: Complete the online assessment before your certification expires

Benefits you get

Career Advancement: Validates your expertise and helps advance your career. Free: There’s no cost to renew your certification.
Up-to-date Skills: Ensures your skills remain current with evolving technology.

What are the changes in the Teams Administrator exam?

Let’s look into the list of renewal exam objectives that you are going to be measured on. I liked the fact that all the modules and materials are presented to learners to study before taking the renewal exam. Moreover, you have a chance to take your renewal exam 6 month before your renewal date expires

✔ Implement compliance for Microsoft Teams
✔ Implement lifecycle management and governance for Microsoft Teams
✔ Manage access for external users
✔ Configure, deploy, and manage Teams devices
✔ Manage collaboration experiences for chat and channels
✔ Manage apps for Microsoft Teams
✔ Plan for Teams Phone
✔ Configure auto attendants and call queues

What are the changes in the Power BI Data Analyst exam?

Same rules on renewal exam do apply to the Power BI Data Analyst Associate exam, PL-300. I would strongly recommend checking the modules on the following renewal exam objectives:

✔ Clean, transform, and load data in Power BI
✔ Design a semantic model in Power BI
✔ Add measures to Power BI Desktop models
✔ Optimize a model for performance in Power BI
✔ Design Power BI reports
✔ Enhance Power BI report designs for the user experience
✔ Perform analytics in Power BI
✔ Create and manage workspaces in Power BI
✔ Implement row-level security

Call to Action

How did your last exam renewal go ❓

Please, share in the comments 💬 of this post or in my LinkedIn post 👉
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/elkhanyusubov_sharingiscaring-cloudmarathoner-tag-activity-7272641560964485120-UgCQ

Achieving new milestone with #CloudMarathoner community members and Bicep contributors!

Hello my dear friends!

Thank you to everyone 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 who joined the #CloudMarathoner community and always support us in this great learning journey to empower learners ⛅🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️!

We are continuing sharing awesome Cloud knowledge, skills and experiences in 2024 with a great contribution from all of you 💪

Latest stats on members

Our #CloudMarathoner #community has grown into more than 2000+ members!
Huge Thanks for #sharing posts and making this happen 🙌 🎉🎈

🎯 The fact is that in the last month alone, we added 81+ new members to our growing #cloudcommunity. Our reach to the new learners is just accelerating every week and month due to your shadings.

Highlight on some community members

Our strong team members like Hugo Barona Katerina Chernevskaya Dwayne, Jackson Felden, Kasun Rajapakse, Anuradha Samaranayake, Maria Ashby, Martin Dimovski, John Lokerse, John Hart, Dan Rios, 🚀Dries V.., Ahmad KANAAN, Akshay Arun Mandlik, Janusz Nowak, Luke Murray, Sam Cogan, Christopher Maneu, Matt Willson, @kewalaka, Sarah Lean,
Ahmad Abdalla, @RehabAbotalep, Sebastian Gräf, Joseph Thompson, Ravikanth Chaganti, Evgeny R., and Andrii Molchanov stepped up the game with numerous contributions👏

Bicep and Iac Resources

Check out a curated list of blogs, videos, tutorials, code, tools, scripts, and anything useful to help you learn Microsoft #AzureBicep 💪 language 👉 https://lnkd.in/e58nEfbd SharingIsCaring ❤️️

Subscribe to a #CloudMarathoner hashtag on LinkedIn platform 👏👀
Stay tuned for more Cloud, Automation & Security-related posts.

Check the Modern Data Architecture – Gen AI empowered session with Sanchit Srivastava

Hello my dear #Cloudmarathoners!

This week, we had another interesting session to explore the Modern Data Architecture – Gen AI empowered solutions with a guest speaker Sanchit.

SESSIOn agenda details

Our guest speaker, Sanchit, started with introduction into the Modern Analytics Data Architecture, aka MADA, followed by diving into the core components of MADA. Then our session followed with identifying the best practices of MADA Core Components and how to enable Gen Ai within this architecture.

In addition, he deep dive into common questions on where to start with Gen AI, some products and services to consider, and what pitfalls to avoid.

Thank you, Sanchit!

Sanchit Srivastava is a seasoned data strategist with a distinguished career spanning over 18 years. With a deep understanding of advanced Data Analytics, Data Engineering, Generative AI, Data Observability and modern Data Architecture, he has successfully delivered transformative data solutions across diverse industries, including consumer packaged goods, manufacturing, pharmacy, and retail. His motto, “make data easier, faster and more reliable” encapsulates his belief in the transformative power of data.

Thus, feel free to connect with him on LinkedIn if you have any inquiries.

what is next?

If you would like further to explore this topic then you are encouraged to check with Sanchit on his LinkedIn page.

Recorded Session

If you are intrigued to watch the entire session, then please visit the following YouTube link below on our Cloud Lunch and Learn channel.

Our #CloudMarathoner community is growing!!!

Hello dear Cloud Marathoners!

I would like to “Thank You” ALL the community members in the #cloudmarathoner for their support and continued contributions in 2024 🙌 🎉 🎈

Your continued dedication to learning, sharing, and excelling at cloud knowledge has a great impact on everyone.

Our community is growing

Thank you again for your continued feedback and support!
Our community has grown to 1935+ members and we can reach and empower more people now than ever before 💪.

Again and again, “HUGE THANK YOU!” to everyone who has #shared and contributed to the #CloudMarathoner posts on social media.

We are having “GREAT” progress that will continue to provide the power of #knowledge to empower and elevate the people.

IN SUMMARY

Thank you for being a true “trailblazer of the cloud” by being the #cloudmarathoner!

Please, actively check our #CloudMarathoner #tag on LinkedIn. Share and tag information with the community.

Check out the Building Privacy-Enhancing Cloud Workflows with Confidential Computing session with Ridwan Badmus

Greeting to all #Cloudmarathoners!

In this first week of October, we had an interesting session to explore privacy and confidential computing from an engineering perspective.

FOCUS OF THE SESSION

Our speaker focused on some hidden details of Implementing Confidential Computing, namely learn how to leverage Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) to build secure and privacy-conscious cloud workflows. Ridwan also emphasized aligning Governance with Privacy Regulations, as well as discovering strategies to ensure your cloud governance practices comply with evolving data privacy regulations.

In addition, he expanded topic with optimizing Cloud Investments by exploring how enhanced data security and minimized compliance risks can optimize outputs from your cloud investments.

Thank you, Ridwan!

Ridwan Badmus is a lawyer and privacy engineer who is interested to help customers. He has legal and as well as engineering experience to help in these matters. Thus, feel free to connect with him on LinkedIn if you have any inquiries.

what is next?

If you would like further to explore this topic then you are encouraged to check the following resources:

Recorded Session

If you are intrigued to watch the entire session, then please visit the following YouTube link below on our Cloud Lunch and Learn channel.

Join the session on How to secure small business in an hour with Cloud Marathoner and Tomasz

Hello Cloud Marathoner friends,

This week, we had an exciting session about what steps you could take in securing your environments for small businesses.

What was the focus of the session?

In this session, we had a conversation with Tomasz, who spoke and demonstrated tips and tricks for making significant and essential changes to secure your environments since the early days of inception.

Several Microsoft and Azure services have been used effectively in this session, which covered; Microsoft Entra ID, Intune, and Defender for Endpoint as your best friends when securing a small business company.



the Question that every SMB asks

A common question is: What is the critical setup to get the best result as soon as possible?

“In the beginning, we don’t need to build sophisticated solutions; there are some standard settings and recommendations to put in place to make significant steps forward for a good, secure posture.”

Thank you, Tomasz!

Tomasz Szulczewski is an ORS Microsoft 365 Cybersecurity Architect with extensive experience with Microsoft products and services. He has been in love with information technology for over 25 years, but still has an IT passion and feels like a geek.

He is a Microsoft 365 architect/cyber security guy and a curious problem solver who thinks that not all people must be IT experts.

Recorded Session

If you are intrigued to watch the entire session, then please visit the following YouTube link below on our Cloud Lunch and Learn channel.

Summer Skills Challenge to Level Up with Microsoft AI Skills Challenge!

Hello #CloudMarathoner friend!!!

Did you know that the Microsoft Learn AI 🚀 Skills Challenge starts on September 24th. You will have a couple of weeks till November 1st to complete this challenge. You will learn the advanced AI technology with the following six curated topics designed to elevate your skills.

Registration

The registration details are detailed in this website 👉 https://lnkd.in/eGt97_cd

Once you register and complete the challenge, you’ll receive a 📛 digital badge via email to add to your Microsoft Learn profile 😍

What are the Challenges?

You have the following 6 challenges to choose from #Microsoft AI Skills Challenges event:

1️⃣ Introduction to Azure AI and Document Intelligence
Unlock the potential of your data! With hands-on experience in the foundations of Azure AI, you’ll be at the forefront of innovation by crafting intelligent document processing solutions that set you apart.

2️⃣ Build Intelligent Apps with Microsoft Azure
Explore cloud-native intelligent app development using AI and cloud-scale data. Engage in hands-on learning experiences and collaborative activities to get started with Azure Kubernetes Service, Azure Cosmos DB, and Azure OpenAI.

3️⃣ Build and extend copilots with Microsoft Copilot Studio
Get started creating conversational AI solutions with Microsoft Copilot Studio and create Copilot Studio actions that extend the knowledge and capabilities of Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365.

4️⃣ Microsoft Fabric
Accelerate your career as a data analytics professional! Connect, ingest, store, analyze, and report on data with Microsoft Fabric while preparing for Exam DP-600 and your future as a Microsoft Certified Fabric Analytics Engineer.

5️⃣ Accelerate Developer Productivity with GitHub and Azure for Developers Build all the skills you need to start coding in the cloud with GitHub Copilot! GitHub Copilot can help you understand code from others, create documentation, debug problems, and upskill in new technologies.

6️⃣ Secure your data in the age of AI
Gain hands-on experience in utilizing Microsoft technologies—including Microsoft Purview, Microsoft Sentinel, and Microsoft Copilot for Security—to effectively manage, protect, and govern sensitive information in AI-driven environments.

Call to Action

Now, you are well informed to take your AI Skills into next level with this challenge. What are you waiting for?
Make your registration and get started now 👉 https://lnkd.in/eGt97_cd

Please, subscribe to a #CloudMarathoner LinkedIn #hashtag today👏👀
Stay tuned for more Cloud, Automation & and Security-related posts.

LinkedIn announcement URL 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/elkhanyusubov_sharingiscaring-microsoft-cloudmarathoner-activity-7244540223890558977-PaAT

Book Giveaway: “Solution Architect’s Handbook” ruffle results for the #CloudMarathoner community

Hi, my dear Cloud Marathoner community!

A few weeks ago, I received an AWS book from Packt – “Solution Architect’s Handbook”, authored by Saurabh Shrivastava and Neelanjali Srivastav. This post will share my review with the #CloudCommunity.

The third edition of the Solutions Architect’s Handbook is an invaluable resource for cloud engineers, developers, and architects. The book provides much-needed guidance on embracing cloud-native architectures and microservices. It addresses the urgent need for operational resiliency, disaster recovery, and business continuity, making it a must-have for professionals navigating the complexities of today’s cloud-centric environment.



The book’s comprehensive coverage spans from cloud migration and modernization to the cutting edge of machine learning and GenAl. It skillfully bridges the gap between legacy modernization, including mainframe considerations, and the latest in GenAl foundation models and tools. This deep dive into the trends shaping the future of architectural design is both enlightening and practical.

What sets this book apart?

What sets the Solutions Architect’s Handbook apart is its holistic approach. It covers a wide range of crucial aspects, from functional architectures and integration to extensibility, reusability, usability, accessibility, cost management, and security. The breadth of topics and practical insights make it a must-read for both aspiring and seasoned architects.

About Author

Authored by Saurabh and Neelanjali, who bring their rich experience to the table, this handbook provides much-needed guidance for those striving to excel in the evolving landscape of solution architecture. It offers a forward-looking perspective on distributed application development and the rapid embrace of cloud-native solutions, reflecting the shifting paradigms in technology architecture and evolving project needs.

📌 Check out my social media post on LinkedIn page here.
#SharingIsCaring ❤️

As I already announced, the lucky 🤞 5️⃣ readers of this post will be notified via LinkedIn message.

As always, subscribe to the #CloudMarathoner LinkedIn #tag 👏👀
Stay tuned for more Cloud, Automation & and Security-related posts.

Join our session with Radu Vunvulea – a Microsoft RD and MVP to learn about Cloud re(patriation) and Hybrid Cloud

Hello Cloud Marathoner friends!

This week we had a very informative session about pros and cons on staying in cloud or moving back from cloud to your on-premises systems. Thus, if you are you ready to learn about Cloud (re)patriation and Hybrid Cloud, this session is for you.

why this topic?

As you might already know, the cloud has revolutionized how businesses operate, providing agility, efficiency, and scalability. However, in recent years, cloud repatriation has emerged as a trend in which businesses are moving data or workloads back to on-premises.

Meetup link > https://www.meetup.com/azuredublin/events/301133455/

Radu will tell us all about pros and cons of cloud re(patriation) and hybrid cloud including the hidden costs in this session.

Thank you to speaker

Radu Vunvulea is a technology enthusiast working as Group Head of
Cloud Delivery for Endava. He has a vast experience in different technologies and industries. Most of his time is spent working with the cloud, helping companies to innovate and finding solutions to their business problems.

He enjoys building bridges between people and helping others to grow. He shares his knowledge on his personal blog and at different events where he is invited as a speaker. In his spare time, he drives an IT community and he is also a Microsoft Regional Director and Microsoft Azure MVP.

Recorded Session

If you are intrigued to watch the entire session, then please visit the following YouTube link below on our Cloud Lunch and Learn channel.

Join the Automating Golden Image Creation with AWS Image Builder session with Cloud Marathoner and Amit

Hello Cloud Marathoner freinds!

Last week, we had an engaging session with our speaker guest – Amit Tidke an AWS Community Builder. This session was helpful for everyone who wanted to learn more about building and managing images using AWS Image Builder.

Golden VM images ensures consistency, security, and efficiency across your AWS infrastructure. In this session, we have explored how to leverage AWS Image Builder to use compliant golden VM images. The agenda of this session includes:

1. Importance of Hardened Golden Images:
2. Creating an Image Recipe
3. Infrastructure Configuration
4. Components and Pipelines
5. Distribution and Lifecycle

Without any further due, I would encourage you to check our recording in the Cloud Lunch and Learn (CLL) YouTube channel below.