The Top 12 New Solutions Presented in Microsoft Ignite 2022

Microsoft Ignite is one of the most important TI events. This year, the event focused on the flexibility of the cloud environment, artificial intelligence, security and new work environments. Don't miss the top 12 new solutions presented in Microsoft Ignite 2022!

A few weeks ago a new edition of Microsoft Ignite 2022 took place, one of the most important annual TI events, which brings together industry professionals, business leaders and Microsoft partners. 

This year, Microsoft Ignite 2022 focuses on the challenges related to business digitalization and the development of a data-driven culture. During the event, held between October 12 and 14, Microsoft presented more than 100 new solutions, innovations and updates that aim to solve the major challenges faced by companies, focusing on 4 main aspects: 

• Flexibility and adaptability
• Artificial intelligence
• Security
• New work environments

The last four years have been a period of drastic economic, social and political changes that have impacted the business world and transformed the way organizations work. In this context, technology and workflow streamlining tools are positioned as the key for companies to move towards more sustainable business models in the long term and optimize their ability to adapt. According to Microsoft, Ignite 2022 aims to help companies do more with less.

But what solutions are involved in this process of change and how can they help companies emerge stronger from it?  

Top 12 New Solutions Presented in Microsoft Ignite 2022

Cloud flexibility and adaptability

1. Microsoft Intelligent Data Platform: integration of databases, analytics and governance

Microsoft took advantage of Ignite to announce the expansion of the Microsoft Intelligent Data Platform, a cloud data platform that integrates databases, data analytics and data governance into a single platform. The ecosystem is now expanding its capabilities with the addition of 12 new partners: MongoDB, Yugabyte, Informatica, Qlik, Confluent, Fivetran, Striim, dbtLab, Profisee, CluedIn, Delphix and OneTrus. 

Microsoft's approach aims to solve one of the biggest challenges in data processing: analysts and data scientists spend most of their time preparing and integrating data. Microsoft Intelligent Data Platform aims to enable professionals to spend their time transforming data into value, rather than integrating data. 

2. Azure Cosmos DB: greater scalability and speed

Microsoft also announced the extension of the geographic availability, scalability and distribution of the Azure Cosmos DB distributed database. 

This year, the company focuses on the expansion of its cloud services to provide greater flexibility, scalability, speed and adaptability capabilities to organizations. 

3. Integration of PostgreSQL and Azure Cosmos DB

Microsoft has also announced the integration between PostgreSQL and Azure Cosmos DB so that developers can take advantage of the scalability, flexibility and speed of the Azure Cosmos DB distributed database when working in PostgreSQL.

4. Expansion of hybrid and multicloud cloud possibilities

In recent years, the buzz around hybrid and multicloud environments has multiplied, with more and more companies investing in these environments. According to a 2022 Microsoft report, 86% of enterprises plan to increase investment in hybrid or multicloud environments in the upcoming years.

Microsoft is expanding its hybrid cloud and multicloud offer with Azure private multi-access edge compute (MEC) and new functionality to deploy Azure Kubernetes Service on-premises or on the Edge via Azure Arc.

On the other hand, Visual Studio images become available in Microsoft Dev Box to speed up developers' work.

The new possibilities of artificial intelligence

5. Personalized images using natural language

Microsoft has announced that Azure OpenAI Service users will have invitation-only access to DALL-E 2, a system that combines artificial intelligence with text analytics for generating personalized images using natural language or images. 

6. Workflow creation by voice

Another of Microsoft's proposals in terms of artificial intelligence is the new Power Automate capability, which allows users to create workflows in the cloud using voice requests. Thus, Microsoft leverages AI capabilities to simplify and democratize workflow creation and task automation without the need to write code.

7. Microsoft Syntex: Automatic content indexing

Microsoft has also launched Microsoft Syntex, a solution that tags and indexes large amounts of content automatically and enables it in the contexts in which it may be necessary —queries, apps...— for its reuse.

Higher security and control

Microsoft has long focused its efforts on providing its customers with the highest level of security, management and control. 

8. Microsoft Defender for DevOps: Strengthening code security

Microsoft Defender for DevOps is intended to address one of the most overlooked data security issues in the technology world: code security. Code, both legacy and new, is highly susceptible to exploitation by cybercriminals. 

Defender for DevOps ensures code security by protecting enterprise applications from the time they are being built.

9. Microsoft Entra: Identity protection

Microsoft is also focusing on identity control with Microsoft Entra. Microsoft wants to make of this solution the identity system of the future: "a connected network that enables real-time access decisions around people, organizations and even smart devices."

In addition, Microsoft Entra includes the Microsoft Entra Identity Governance module, which enables companies to manage employees' access to the right resources. 

New times, new work environments

It is no secret that the last two years have completely transformed work environments. Microsoft is committed to developing solutions that multiply productivity and expand participatory communication in increasingly digital, remote and automated work environments.

10. Microsoft Places: Leveraging the physical environment in an hybrid world

Following Covid-19, teleworking is now firmly established in many companies. According to data from the Work Trends Index 2022, more than 80% of workers go to the office to communicate with their co-workers.

In this context, Microsoft launches Microsoft Places, a tool that aims to optimize the use of the physical environment by companies through information on employee attendance at the office or which meetings should be face-to-face.

11. Intelligent Recap: Virtual assistant for business meetings

Intelligent Recap is another new solution designed to increase the performance of hybrid work. It is an artificial intelligence solution applied to work meetings in Teams. Intelligent Recap acts as a virtual assistant, automatically assigning tasks during meetings, sharing personalized information from the meeting recording and displaying specific information to each participant.

The new solution will be offered as part of the new Microsoft Teams Premium, which will include more advanced features.

12. Microsoft Edge Workspaces: Workspaces in Edge

Finally, during Ignite, the company also presented Microsoft Edge Workspaces, which enables collaborative work also from the browser. It is a shared group of tabs designed for workgroups to share and archive web pages and documents in the Microsoft Edge browser.

Conclusion

In this article we have listed the 12 most outstanding innovations of Ignite 2022. Once again this year, the event gives us a glimpse of what the technology and business landscape will look like in the years to come.

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