Purview Webinars
REGISTER FOR ALL WEBINARS HERE Upcoming Microsoft Purview Webinars JULY 8 (8:00 AM) Microsoft Purview | Unlock the Power of Data Security Investigations with Microsoft Purview Explore how Microsoft Purview Data Security Investigations (DSI) empowers your organization to detect, investigate, and respond to data security incidents with precision. Join our product team for a walkthrough of the key capabilities of DSI and provide a practical, step-by-step guide to getting started. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to turn AI-driven insights into action and strengthen your organization’s data protection strategy. JULY 15 (8:00 AM) Microsoft Purview | How to Improve Copilot Responses Using Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management Join our non-technical webinar and hear the unique, real life case study of how a large global energy company successfully implemented Microsoft automated retention and deletion across the entire M365 landscape. You will learn how the company used Microsoft Purview Data Lifecyle Management to achieve a step up in information governance and retention management across a complex matrix organization. Paving the way for the safe introduction of Gen AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot. 2025 Past Recordings MAY 8 Data Security - Insider Threats: Are They Real? MAY 7 Data Security - What's New in DLP? MAY 6 What's New in MIP? APR 22 eDiscovery New User Experience and Retirement of Classic MAR 19 Unlocking the Power of Microsoft Purview for ChatGPT Enterprise MAR 18 Inheriting Sensitivity Labels from Shared Files to Teams Meetings MAR 12 Microsoft Purview AMA - Data Security, Compliance, and Governance JAN 8 Microsoft Purview AMA | Blog Post 📺 Subscribe to our Microsoft Security Community YouTube channel for ALL Microsoft Security webinar recordings, and more!Introducing Kairos: A New Era of Case Management for Nonprofits
Why Kairos, Why Now? Nonprofits have long struggled with fragmented systems, manual processes, and limited access to enterprise-grade technology. Kairos changes that. Built on Microsoft Azure and designed specifically for nonprofits, Kairos offers: Streamlined Case Management: From intake to closure, every step is digitized and intuitive Data-Driven Insights: Real-time dashboards and analytics help teams make smarter decisions. Custom Workflows: Tailored to the unique needs of each organization, not the other way around. Collaboration at Scale: Seamless coordination across departments, partners, and service providers. And it’s not just theory. During the recent soft launch, over 70 Urban Leaguers from 30 affiliates joined a live demo led by the Urban League of Broward County's own Daela Holness, showcasing how Kairos is already transforming service delivery. Built by the Community, for the Community This isn’t a top-down tech deployment. It’s a co-creation effort led by voices from across the nonprofit ecosystem. Our team recognized a critical need: nonprofits must own their data. Through deep conversations with nonprofit leaders and frontline staff, we envisioned a system that wouldn’t just manage cases—but empower entire organizations. Kairos was designed to serve every department, every program, and every team—so they can serve their communities faster, smarter, and more collaboratively. With Kairos, nonprofits can track families and services across programs, not in silos. That’s why we call it an impact management system—not just case management. It’s about seeing the full picture, breaking down barriers, and building stronger, more connected communities. What’s Next? This blog is just the beginning. We have published a series of deep dives into the technologies powering Kairos—from Azure services and Power BI dashboards to secure document management. Whether you're a nonprofit leader, a technologist, or a curious changemaker, there’s something here for you. Explore the Series Below is a link to over 20 blogs that will talks about the tech behind Kairos and how it fits into the broader nonprofit tech landscape. If you are just getting started in understanding technology, these will explain resources required for the application especially if you're considering the deployable model. Kairos IMS Blog Resources Take a look at the Kairos website to learn more.Azure Storage Options - A Guide to Choosing the right storage option
At the heart of this post is Kairos IMS, an innovative Impact Management System designed to empower human-serving nonprofits and social impact organizations. Co-developed by the Urban League of Broward County and our trusted technology partner, Impactful, Kairos IMS reduces administrative burdens, enhances holistic care, and enables organizations to leverage data for increased agility and seamless service delivery. In this blog series, we’ll take a closer look at the powerful technologies that fuel Kairos IMS, from Azure services to security frameworks, offering insight into how modern infrastructure supports mission-driven impact. Click here to learn more. Provided in this guide is a nonprofit-friendly breakdown of the main Azure Storage types, what they’re good for, and how to choose based on your needs and budget. The 4 Main Types of Azure Storage Azure offers four primary types of storage: Storage Type What It Stores Best For Blob Storage Unstructured data: images, videos, PDFs Media files, documents, backups File Storage Shared files accessible via SMB protocol Team file shares, legacy apps, migrations Table Storage NoSQL key-value data Lightweight data like logs or sensor data Queue Storage Messages for task automation Background tasks, app-to-app communication Let’s break them down in more detail, with nonprofit use cases. 🟣 1. Azure Blob Storage (Binary Large Object) What it is: A flexible place to store unstructured data—like documents, images, and videos. Use case for nonprofits: Uploading program videos or workshop recordings for your community Storing scanned forms, reports, or grant applications Keeping secure backups of sensitive files Cost tip: You can save money using Cool or Archive tiers for files you rarely access. 🔵 2. Azure File Storage What it is: A cloud-based shared file system that acts like a network drive. Use case for nonprofits: Replacing on-premise file servers Collaborating across teams in remote or hybrid environments Making legacy nonprofit software cloud-accessible Bonus: It integrates easily with Windows using standard SMB protocols, so your team won’t need to learn anything new. 🟢 3. Azure Table Storage What it is: A NoSQL storage option for simple key-value pairs. Use case for nonprofits: Storing lightweight data like newsletter sign-ups or app usage logs When you need a low-cost alternative to a full database Note: It’s not for complex queries—this is basic storage, great for lightweight scenarios. 🟡 4. Azure Queue Storage What it is: A messaging system that lets apps send and receive messages asynchronously. Use case for nonprofits: Automating tasks, like sending thank-you emails after an online donation Managing volunteer registration workflows You probably won’t use this directly, but if your IT team or a consultant is building an app for you, it might be part of the backend. How to Choose: A Quick Guide for Nonprofits Need Best Option Store and access documents, images, or videos Blob Storage Share files across staff or locations File Storage Store structured data (like a simple database) Table Storage Automate tasks between services Queue Storage Long-term storage or backups (low cost) Blob Storage (Archive Tier) Replacing an on-site file server File Storage 💡 Cost-Saving Tips for Nonprofits Use your Azure credits: Eligible nonprofits get $3,500 in free Azure credits annually via Microsoft for Nonprofits. Pick the right tier: Blob storage offers Hot, Cool, and Archive tiers based on how often you access data. Turn on auto-delete or lifecycle rules: Save money by setting old files to auto-delete or move to a cheaper tier. Final Thoughts Azure Storage offers powerful tools to help your nonprofit stay secure, organized, and scalable. Choosing the right option ensures your team has access to the files and data they need—without overspending. Whether you’re working with an IT volunteer, a cloud consultant, or just learning it yourself, knowing the basics of Azure Storage puts your organization in a stronger position to grow and serve your community.What Nonprofits Need to Know About Cloud Storage Redundancy
At the heart of this post is Kairos IMS, an innovative Impact Management System designed to empower human-serving nonprofits and social impact organizations. Co-developed by the Urban League of Broward County and our trusted technology partner, Impactful, Kairos IMS reduces administrative burdens, enhances holistic care, and enables organizations to leverage data for increased agility and seamless service delivery. In this blog series, we’ll take a closer look at the powerful technologies that fuel Kairos IMS, from Azure services to security frameworks, offering insight into how modern infrastructure supports mission-driven impact. Click here to learn more. What Is Azure Storage Redundancy? Azure storage redundancy refers to how your data is copied and stored across multiple physical locations to keep it safe and accessible—even if hardware fails or a data center goes offline. Think of it as creating backup copies in real-time, so if one server goes down, another one picks up right where it left off. Azure offers several redundancy options, each with a different level of protection and cost: Locally Redundant Storage (LRS): Data is replicated three times within a single data center. Great for budget-conscious orgs. Cheapest option. Zone-Redundant Storage (ZRS): Data is stored across three different availability zones in the same region. Offers higher resilience. Mid-tier pricing. Geo-Redundant Storage (GRS): Data is copied to a secondary region hundreds of miles away. Ideal for disaster recovery. Higher cost. Read-Access Geo-Redundant Storage (RA-GRS): Like GRS, but you can read from the secondary region even if the primary one is down. Why Redundancy Matters for Nonprofits Nonprofits are often targets of cyberattacks and also operate in environments where internet outages or power failures can occur. Redundancy ensures that: You don’t lose important grant or donor data. Services like SharePoint or hosted databases stay online. You can continue serving your community even in unexpected situations. Using Your $2,000 in Azure Credits Wisely Microsoft offers approved nonprofits $2,000 in Azure credits each year through its Microsoft for Nonprofits program. Here’s how you can use those credits for storage redundancy: Start small with LRS or ZRS for frequently used files or backups. Use GRS for mission-critical data like financial or compliance documents. Back up virtual machines or databases with geo-redundancy for restore-anywhere capabilities. Pair with Azure Backup or Site Recovery for additional resilience. Tip: Monitor your credit usage in the Azure Cost Management and Billing dashboard so you don’t overspend. Getting Started If your nonprofit already has an Azure subscription through Microsoft's grant, you're ready to go! Here’s what to do next: Log into the Azure portal with admin credentials. Navigate to Storage Accounts > + Create. Choose your region and desired redundancy level. Configure Advanced, Networking, Data protection, Encryption, and Tag settings and then select Review + create to go over your configuration. Select Create to make your storage account. Start uploading files or connecting services like Microsoft 365 or backup tools. If you’re unsure which redundancy level is right for your nonprofit, a good starting point is to use LRS for general storage and reserve GRS for the most critical data. Storage redundancy isn’t just a technical term—it’s peace of mind. With Azure and your nonprofit credits, you can build a more resilient and secure digital foundation without spending out of pocket. Not sure how to get started? Microsoft has nonprofit partners and tech support that can help you make the most of your credits. Your mission is too important to risk downtime—let’s make sure your data is always safe and accessible.Protecting Your Mission: How Azure’s Point-in-Time Restore Keeps Nonprofit Data Safe
At the heart of this post is Kairos IMS, an innovative Impact Management System designed to empower human-serving nonprofits and social impact organizations. Co-developed by the Urban League of Broward County and our trusted technology partner, Impactful, Kairos IMS reduces administrative burdens, enhances holistic care, and enables organizations to leverage data for increased agility and seamless service delivery. In this blog series, we’ll take a closer look at the powerful technologies that fuel Kairos IMS, from Azure services to security frameworks, offering insight into how modern infrastructure supports mission-driven impact. Click here to learn more. As nonprofits continue to embrace cloud technology to enhance their day-to-day and better serve their communities, protecting critical data becomes more important than ever. Whether it’s donor records, program data, or volunteer tracking, the risk of accidental deletion or corruption is real. That’s why features like Point-in-Time Restore (PITR) in Microsoft Azure play a vital role in ensuring your data stays safe—and your mission stays on track. What Is Point-in-Time Restore? Point-in-Time Restore is a feature in Azure that allows you to recover a database to a specific moment in the past—down to the second. Think of it like hitting "rewind" on your database. Whether it's due to human error, application issues, or malicious activity, PITR provides a safety net by allowing you to restore data to a time before the incident occurred. Services in Azure that support Point-in-Time Restore: Azure SQL Database This is the most common use case. PITR allows you to restore a database to any second within the retention period (up to 35 days by default). Azure Database for PostgreSQL – Single Server Supports PITR with up to 35-day retention. Azure Database for MySQL – Single Server Also supports PITR for recovering from accidental changes. Azure Cosmos DB (with Continuous Backup) PITR is available if you enable continuous backup. You can restore to any point within the past 30 days. What PITR is not available for (as of now): Azure Blob Storage (uses versioning and soft delete instead) Azure Files Azure Virtual Machines (use backup snapshots and recovery services vault) Azure Key Vault or Azure App Services (require other recovery strategies) Why Nonprofits Should Care About PITR Nonprofits often operate with limited IT staff and budgets, making automated and reliable data protection solutions essential. Here’s how PITR benefits your organization: Peace of Mind: Mistakes happen. PITR ensures you can recover from accidental deletions or changes without major downtime. Minimal Disruption: Restore your Azure SQL Database or other supported resources without disrupting other parts of your cloud environment. Compliance Support: If you handle donor information or health records, maintaining recoverability helps with data protection regulations. How Does PITR Work in Azure? Azure automatically creates full database backups every week, differential backups every 12-24 hours, and transaction log backups every 5-10 minutes. With PITR, you can choose any point within your retention period (up to 35 days by default) and restore your data to that exact moment. The restored database is created as a new copy—so you don’t overwrite the existing data unless you choose to. Use Case Example Imagine your nonprofit is using an Azure SQL Database to track volunteer hours. One day, someone accidentally runs a script that deletes an entire table. With PITR, you can restore the database to just before the incident—recovering your data without losing more than a few minutes’ worth of work. Steps to Perform a Point-in-Time Restore Go to the Azure portal and type in SQL Database into the Azure search bar. Navigate to your SQL Database. Click Restore from the toolbar. Select Point-in-time. Choose the desired restore point time. Provide a new name for the restored database. Configure other desired settings, review + create. Select Create. That’s it—Azure takes care of the heavy lifting. Tips for Nonprofits Review retention settings: Ensure your database's PITR retention period aligns with your backup and compliance policies. Test your restores: Regularly verify that you can perform a PITR to reduce surprises during real emergencies. Educate your team: Train staff on best practices for data entry and deletion to reduce the risk of needing restores. Data loss doesn’t have to be catastrophic. Azure’s Point-in-Time Restore is a powerful, low-effort way for nonprofits to stay resilient and mission-focused. It enables you to recover swiftly from setbacks and continue serving your community without unnecessary delays. Happy Restoring!
Securing VNet-Integrated Azure Functions with Blob Triggers: Private Endpoints and No Public Access
Azure Blob Trigger in Azure Functions enables automatic function invocation based on changes in Blob Storage, streamlining serverless integration with cloud storage. To ensure reliability, it handles failures by using poison blob queues and configurable retry mechanisms.April 2025 Recap: Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server
Hello Azure Community, April has brought powerful capabilities to Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server, On-Demand backups are now Generally Available, a new Terraform version for our latest REST API has been released, the Public Preview of the MCP Server is now live, and there are also a few other updates that we are excited to share in this blog. Stay tuned as we dive into the details of these new features and how they can benefit you! Feature Highlights General Availability of On-Demand Backups Public Preview of Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server Additional Tuning Parameters in PG 17 Terraform resource released for latest REST API version General Availability of pg_cron extension in PG 17 General Availability of On-Demand Backups We are excited to announce General Availability of On-Demand backups for Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server. With this it becomes easier to streamline the process of backup management, including automated, scheduled storage volume snapshots encompassing the entire database instance and all associated transaction logs. On-demand backups provide you with the flexibility to initiate backups at any time, supplementing the existing scheduled backups. This capability is useful for scenarios such as application upgrades, schema modifications, or major version upgrades. For instance, before making schema changes, you can take a database backup, in an unlikely case, if you run into any issues, you can quickly restore (PITR) database back to a point before the schema changes were initiated. Similarly, during major version upgrades, on-demand backups provide a safety net, allowing you to revert to a previous state if anything goes wrong. In the absence of on-demand backup, the PITR could take much longer as it would need to take the last snapshot which could be 24 hours earlier and then replay the WAL. Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server already does on-demand backup behind the scenes for you and then deletes it when the upgrade is successful. Key Benefits: Immediate Backup Creation: Trigger full backups instantly. Cost Control: Delete on-demand backups when no longer needed. Improved Safety: Safeguard data before major changes or refreshes. Easy Access: Use via Azure Portal, CLI, ARM templates, or REST APIs. For more details and on how to get started, check out this announcement blog post. Create your first on-demand backup using the Azure portal or Azure CLI. Public Preview of Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a new and emerging open protocol designed to integrate AI models with the environments where your data and tools reside in a scalable, standardized, and secure manner. We are excited to introduce the Public Preview of MCP Server for Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server which enables your AI applications and models to talk to your data hosted in Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible servers according to the MCP standard. The MCP Server exposes a suite of tools including listing databases, tables, and schema information, reading and writing data, creating and dropping tables, listing Azure Database for PostgreSQL configurations, retrieving server parameter values, and more. You can either build custom AI apps and agents with MCP clients to invoke these capabilities or use AI tools like Claude Desktop and GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Code to interact with your Azure PostgreSQL data simply by asking questions in plain English. For more details and demos on how to get started, check out this announcement blog post. Additional Tuning Parameters in PG17 We have now provided an expanded set of configuration parameters in Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server (V17) that allows you to modify and have greater control to optimize your database performance for unique workloads. You can now tune internal buffer settings like commit timestamp, multixact member and offset, notify, serializable, subtransaction, and transaction buffers, allowing you to better manage memory and concurrency in high-throughput environments. Additionally, you can also configure parallel append, plan cache mode, and event triggers that opens powerful optimization and automation opportunities for analytical workloads and custom logic execution. This gives you more control for memory intensive and high-concurrency applications, increased control over execution plans and allowing parallel execution of queries. To get started, all newly modifiable parameters are available now through the Azure portal, Azure CLI, and ARM templates, just like any other server configuration setting. To learn more, visit our Server Parameter Documentation. Terraform resource released for latest REST API version A new version of the Terraform resource for Azure Databases for PostgreSQL flexible server is now available, this brings several key improvements including the ability to easily revive dropped databases with geo-redundancy and customer-managed keys (Geo + CMK - Revive Dropped), seamless switchover of read replicas to a new site (Read Replicas - Switchover), improved connectivity through virtual endpoints for read replicas, and using on-demand backups for your servers. To get started with Terraform support, please follow this link: Deploy Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server with Terraform General Availability of pg_cron extension in PG 17 We’re excited to announce that the pg_cron extension is now supported in Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server major versions including PostgreSQL 17. This extension enables simple, time-based job scheduling directly within your database, making maintenance and automation tasks easier than ever. You can get started today by enabling the extension through the Azure portal or CLI. To learn more, please refer Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server list of extensions. Azure Postgres Learning Bytes 🎓 Setting up alerts for Azure Database PostgreSQL flexible server using Terraform Monitoring metrics and setting up alerts for your Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server instance is crucial for maintaining optimal performance and troubleshooting workload issues. By configuring alerts, you can track key metrics like CPU usage and storage etc. and receive notifications by creating an action group for your alert metrics. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up alerts using Terraform. First, create an instance of Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server (if not already created) Next, create a Terraform File and add these resources 'azurerm_monitor_action_group', 'azurerm_monitor_metric_alert' as shown below. resource "azurerm_monitor_action_group" "example" { name = "<action-group-name>" resource_group_name = "<rg-name>" short_name = "<short-name>" email_receiver { name = "sendalerts" email_address = "<youremail>" use_common_alert_schema = true } } resource "azurerm_monitor_metric_alert" "example" { name = "<alert-name>" resource_group_name = "<rg-name>" scopes = [data.azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server.demo.id] description = "Alert when CPU usage is high" severity = 3 frequency = "PT5M" window_size = "PT5M" enabled = true criteria { metric_namespace = "Microsoft.DBforPostgreSQL/flexibleServers" metric_name = "cpu_percent" aggregation = "Average" operator = "GreaterThan" threshold = 80 } action { action_group_id = azurerm_monitor_action_group.example.id } } 3. Run the terraform initialize, plan and apply commands to create an action group and attach a metric to the Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server instance. terraform init -upgrade terraform plan -out <file-name> terraform apply <file-name>.tfplan Note: This script assumes you have already created an Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server instance. To verify your alert, check the Azure portal under Monitoring -> Alerts -> Alert Rules tab. Conclusion That's a wrap for the April 2025 feature updates! Stay tuned for our Build announcements, as we have a lot of exciting updates and enhancements for Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server coming up this month. We’ve also published our Yearly Recap Blog, highlighting many improvements and announcements we’ve delivered over the past year. Take a look at our yearly recap blog here: What's new with Postgres at Microsoft, 2025 edition We are always dedicated to improving our service with new array of features, if you have any feedback or suggestions we would love to hear from you. 📢 Share your thoughts here: aka.ms/pgfeedback Thanks for being part of our growing Azure Postgres community.Bringing the Cloud to Your Cause: A Nonprofit's Guide to the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework
What Is the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework? The Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure is a set of best practices, documentation, and tools designed to help organizations plan and implement their cloud journey efficiently and securely. Think of it as a blueprint for cloud transformation, helping you avoid common pitfalls while aligning your IT strategy with your mission. It’s not just for big corporations—CAF is scalable, flexible, and perfectly suited for nonprofits of any size looking to make the most of Microsoft Cloud. Who Is the Cloud Adoption Framework For? The Cloud Adoption Framework is designed to support nonprofits at every stage of their cloud journey, including: Organizations still primarily using on-premises servers and considering cloud migration for the first time. Nonprofits with a hybrid setup, blending on-prem and cloud solutions but lacking a cohesive long-term strategy. Teams using Microsoft 365 or Azure in silos, wanting to unify their technology under a structured governance model. Growing nonprofits looking to scale operations, improve data security, and enable more remote or global collaboration. Mission-driven organizations interested in leveraging data, AI, or cloud-native services to expand their impact. Whether you’re just starting to explore the cloud or are looking to optimize and innovate on your current infrastructure, the CAF provides a tailored path forward—rooted in security, cost-efficiency, and strategic alignment. Why Should Nonprofits Care About Cloud Adoption? Nonprofits face unique challenges: Limited IT budgets Small or part-time IT teams The need to demonstrate impact and transparency to donors Data privacy and compliance needs Moving to the cloud can: Reduce costs with pay-as-you-go models Improve collaboration using tools like Microsoft 365 Enhance data security Enable remote work and virtual volunteering Scale your programs faster CAF ensures you don’t take this journey alone—or without a plan. What You’ll Find on the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework Site Microsoft provides a comprehensive online resource designed to guide organizations through every stage of cloud adoption. You can explore it here: Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework Here’s what your nonprofit can find on the site: Step-by-step guidance across each phase of the cloud adoption lifecycle—from defining your strategy to driving innovation. Templates, checklists, and tools to help with planning, governance, migration readiness, and implementation. Scenarios and reference architectures for common workloads, such as CRM systems, websites, and remote collaboration platforms. Security and governance models built to support compliance needs, especially important for nonprofits handling sensitive data. Learning paths and role-based training for IT administrators, decision-makers, and program leads. Partner and support resources to help you connect with experts who can support your cloud journey. Whether you’re just starting or looking to optimize your existing Azure environment, this site is a central hub for practical, actionable guidance tailored to real-world needs. The 7 Stages of the Cloud Adoption Framework (and What They Mean to You) Strategy – Define how the cloud supports your mission and long-term goals. Plan – Assess your current digital environment and map out a clear roadmap. Ready – Set up cloud foundations, including identity, security, and governance. Adopt – Begin migrating systems and applications, starting with low-risk workloads. Govern – Establish policies and controls to manage risks and maintain compliance. Manage – Monitor and optimize performance, security, and cost-efficiency. Innovate – Use advanced tools like AI and analytics to enhance programs and services. How Microsoft Supports Nonprofits Microsoft offers a range of resources to help nonprofits succeed in the cloud, including: Azure credits and grants for eligible organizations Microsoft 365 for Nonprofits, including collaboration and productivity tools Security solutions like Microsoft Defender and Purview Through the Microsoft Tech for Social Impact initiative, organizations can also access support, training, and partners who understand the nonprofit sector. Tips for a Smooth Cloud Adoption Journey Start small. Focus on a single system or use case to begin with. Engage your team. Communicate the benefits and strategy clearly to all stakeholders. Work with a trusted partner. Look for certified Microsoft partners with nonprofit experience. Prioritize security. Use Microsoft’s built-in compliance and data protection tools. The Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework isn’t just a technical manual—it’s a strategic roadmap that empowers your nonprofit to use cloud technology in a way that aligns with your mission. By following the framework and leveraging Microsoft’s nonprofit offerings, you can modernize your operations, improve service delivery, and ultimately do more good—securely and efficiently. Ready to get started? Explore the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure - Cloud Adoption Framework and begin your journey with confidence.Your Guide to Azure Storage Options
Storage Made Simple Nonprofits often manage sensitive and crucial data, ranging from donor information to financial records and program details. Azure Storage offers a plethora of options that cater to the unique needs of nonprofits, ensuring that their data is stored securely and efficiently. By leveraging Azure's diverse storage solutions, nonprofits can benefit from scalable storage accounts, various tier options that optimize cost, and advanced lifecycle management to streamline data retention and deletion processes. Azure's robust encryption and security measures further protect data integrity, ensuring compliance with regulations. Nonprofits can ensure that their valuable data is not only safe but also accessible and manageable, helping them focus on their mission-driven work without worrying about data-related issues. Types of Storage Azure Storage offers various types of storage solutions to meet different requirements. These solutions are designed to support different use cases. Below is a brief description of the different types of storage: Blob Storage: Ideal for storing unstructured data such as documents, images, and media files. It supports massive amounts of data with easy access. File Storage: Provides fully managed file shares in the cloud that can be accessed via the SMB protocol. Perfect for lift-and-shift applications. Queue Storage: Enables message queuing for large workloads and is useful for decoupling application components, ensuring smooth communication between services. Table Storage: Stores large amounts of structured data with a NoSQL key-value store. Suitable for flexible datasets and rapid development scenarios. Disk Storage: Offers high-performance block storage for virtual machines. Ensures data durability and supports a wide range of I/O demands. Azure Container Storage: The perfect solution for Kubernetes orchestration and management for container applications. Utilizing rapid scale out of pods. Ideal for scalability and stateful applications. To maximize cost efficiency, nonprofits can leverage the following: Utilize tiered storage options to balance cost and performance based on data access patterns. Implement lifecycle management policies to automate data retention and deletion, reducing storage costs. Take advantage of scalable storage accounts to avoid over-provisioning and only pay for what they use. Encryption & Security Security and encryption are paramount for safeguarding sensitive information in Azure storage. Azure provides robust encryption mechanisms to ensure data protection across all storage types. File Storage, Queue Storage, Table Storage, Disk Storage, and Azure Container Storage all support encryption at rest, using Microsoft-managed keys or customer-managed keys for added control. Advanced features such as Azure Key Vault integration enhance security by allowing centralized management of encryption keys and secrets. Transport Layer Security (TLS) is also utilized to secure data in transit, ensuring that all communications are encrypted and secure. Organizations must ensure that their data is not only accessible but also protected from unauthorized access and tampering. Implementing encryption and security measures helps in maintaining compliance with regulatory standards and safeguarding the integrity of critical information. When planning for storage solutions, it's crucial to factor in these security aspects to develop a comprehensive strategy that includes encryption, secure access protocols, and regular audits to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities. Lifecycle Management Lifecycle Management is a crucial strategy for organizations seeking to optimize their data storage solutions. It involves the automatic transitioning of data through various storage tiers based on predefined policies, which are tailored to the access patterns and retention requirements of the data. By implementing lifecycle management policies, organizations can ensure that frequently accessed data remains on high-performance, costlier storage, while infrequently accessed data is moved to more economical storage options. This approach not only reduces storage costs but also enhances the efficiency of data retrieval processes. Furthermore, lifecycle management includes automated deletion policies for obsolete data, thereby freeing up storage space and ensuring compliance with data retention regulations. By adopting a comprehensive lifecycle management plan, organizations can effectively manage their storage resources, maintain data integrity, and ensure that their storage infrastructure scales with their evolving needs. Conclusion In conclusion, optimizing Azure storage solutions requires a balanced approach that integrates cost-effective strategies, robust security measures, and efficient lifecycle management. By leveraging tiered storage, automating data retention and deletion policies, and ensuring comprehensive encryption, organizations can achieve a secure, scalable, and economical storage environment. Through strategic planning and implementation, they can not only meet their current needs but also adapt to future demands, thereby ensuring that their data remains accessible, protected, and efficiently managed. Hyperlinks Azure Storage Documentation Hub | Microsoft Learn Introduction to Azure Storage - Cloud storage on Azure | Microsoft Learn Storage account overview - Azure Storage | Microsoft Learn Describe Azure storage services - Training | Microsoft LearnLeveraging Azure Storage for Nonprofits: A Path to Efficiency and Impact
Nonprofits face unique challenges in managing their data efficiently while keeping costs low. Microsoft Azure Storage offers a robust, scalable, and cost-effective solution that can significantly enhance the operational capabilities of nonprofit organizations. Here's how Azure Storage can be a game-changer for nonprofits: 1. Cost-Effective Storage Solutions Nonprofits often operate on tight budgets, making cost-effective solutions essential. Azure Storage provides a pay-as-you-go model, allowing organizations to only pay for the storage they use. This flexibility ensures that nonprofits can scale their storage needs without incurring unnecessary expenses. 2. Scalability and Flexibility Azure Storage is designed to handle massive amounts of data, making it ideal for nonprofits of all sizes. Whether you're a small local charity or a large international organization, Azure's scalable infrastructure can grow with your needs. This flexibility ensures that as your organization expands, your storage solution can seamlessly adapt. 3. Enhanced Security and Compliance Data security is paramount for nonprofits, especially those handling sensitive information. Azure Storage offers advanced security features, including encryption, access controls, and compliance certifications. These features help protect your data from unauthorized access and ensure compliance with various regulatory requirements. 4. Improved Collaboration and Accessibility Azure Storage enables nonprofits to store and share files easily, facilitating better collaboration among team members, volunteers, and stakeholders. With Azure's global network of data centers, your data is accessible from anywhere in the world, ensuring that your team can work efficiently, regardless of their location. 5. Disaster Recovery and Backup Solutions Nonprofits cannot afford to lose critical data due to unforeseen events. Azure Storage provides robust disaster recovery and backup solutions, ensuring that your data is safe and can be quickly restored in case of an emergency. This reliability gives nonprofits peace of mind, knowing that their data is protected. 6. Integration with Other Azure Services Azure Storage seamlessly integrates with other Azure services, such as Azure AI, Azure Machine Learning, and Azure Analytics. This integration allows nonprofits to leverage advanced technologies to analyze their data, gain insights, and make data-driven decisions to enhance their impact. 7. Support for Diverse Data Types Nonprofits often deal with various types of data, from documents and images to videos and databases. Azure Storage supports a wide range of data types, making it a versatile solution for storing all your organization's data in one place. Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Azure Storage Step 1: Create a Storage Account In the Azure portal, click on "Create a resource" in the upper left corner. Select "Storage account" from the list of available resources. Fill in the required details: Subscription: Choose your subscription. Resource group: Create a new resource group or select an existing one. Storage account name: Provide a unique name for your storage account. Region: Select the region closest to your location. Performance: Choose between Standard and Premium based on your needs. Replication: Select the replication option that suits your data redundancy requirements (e.g., LRS, GRS, RA-GRS). Step 2: Configure Advanced Settings Click on the "Next: Advanced" tab. Configure additional settings such as security, networking, and data protection based on your organization's requirements. Click "Review + create" to review your settings. Step 3: Create the Storage Account After reviewing your settings, click "Create" to deploy your storage account. Azure will take a few moments to create the storage account. You’ll receive a notification once it’s ready. Step 4: Access and Manage Your Storage Account Navigate to "Storage accounts" in the Azure portal. Click on your newly created storage account to access its dashboard. From here, you can manage various aspects of your storage account, including containers, file shares, tables, and queues. Step 5: Create Containers and Upload Data In your storage account dashboard, click on "Containers" under the Blob service section. Click "Add container" to create a new container. Provide a name for your container and set the access level (private, blob, or container). Click "Create" to finalize the container. To upload data, click on your container, then click "Upload" and select the files you want to store. Step 6: Set Up Access and Permissions Click on Access Control to grant access the resource. Click on add role assignment. Step 7: Monitor and Optimize Storage Usage Use the monitoring tools available in the Azure portal to track your storage usage and performance. Set up alerts and notifications to stay informed about your storage account’s status and optimize usage based on your needs. Conclusion Azure Storage offers a comprehensive, secure, and scalable solution for nonprofits looking to optimize their data management. By leveraging Azure Storage, nonprofits can reduce costs, enhance collaboration, ensure data security, and ultimately focus more on their mission and impact. Embracing Azure Storage is a step towards a more efficient and effective nonprofit organization. Additional resources Introduction to Azure Storage - Cloud storage on Azure | Microsoft Learn Create Your Azure Free Account Today | Microsoft Azure
