News

Microsoft Active Directory Design and Administration

• May 13, 2020 13 May'20

  May Patch Tuesday brings a bevy of SharePoint fixes

  Microsoft delivers corrections for 111 unique vulnerabilities with a significant number aimed at SharePoint, which may signal growing interest from attackers.

• April 15, 2020 15 Apr'20

  3 zero-day fixes in heavy April Patch Tuesday release

  Complications arising from the coronavirus pandemic could slow the rollout of this month's Microsoft security updates as IT teams deal with an influx of remote workers.

• March 11, 2020 11 Mar'20

  Mammoth March Patch Tuesday lands on Windows admins

  Microsoft delivers corrections for 115 unique vulnerabilities, including 26 bugs rated critical in one of its largest Patch Tuesday releases in recent memory.

• February 12, 2020 12 Feb'20

  February Patch Tuesday resolves IE zero-day

  Microsoft released security updates for 99 unique vulnerabilities, including an Internet Explorer flaw the company had notified customers about last month.

• January 16, 2020 16 Jan'20

  Battle lines over Windows Server 2008 migration drawn

  Microsoft and AWS stepped up their ongoing battle promoting a variety of Windows Server 2008 migration tools in hopes of luring users over to their respective ecosystems.

• January 15, 2020 15 Jan'20

  January Patch Tuesday fixes cryptography bug found by NSA

  The U.S. National Security Agency shared information with Microsoft about a significant spoofing vulnerability in Windows that enterprises should make a patching priority.

• December 11, 2019 11 Dec'19

  December Patch Tuesday resolves Windows zero-day

  Microsoft delivers the final batch of security fixes for the year with a Windows zero-day vulnerability getting top billing for administrators.

• November 27, 2019 27 Nov'19

  Microsoft's history and future strategy beyond 2020

  Microsoft's history over the past 20 years is marked by the pivot from closed software models to support for open source and cloud. Quantum computing will shape the next decades.

• November 13, 2019 13 Nov'19

  Microsoft closes IE zero-day on November Patch Tuesday

  Security updates for the month also include corrections for bugs in the Hyper-V virtualization platform, Excel for Mac systems and Exchange Server.

• November 13, 2019 13 Nov'19

  Microsoft Ignite 2019 conference coverage

  Expect Microsoft to continue its cloud push at its annual conference for IT pros to get more organizations moving to Azure and its Office 365 collaboration platform.

• October 09, 2019 09 Oct'19

  October Patch Tuesday resolves 59 vulnerabilities

  Microsoft attempts to stamp out printing issues that originated from a faulty out-of-band patch for an Internet Explorer zero-day.

• September 11, 2019 11 Sep'19

  September Patch Tuesday addresses 2 Windows zero-days

  Microsoft issues fixes for 79 unique vulnerabilities, including three public disclosures, as part of its monthly security updates.

• August 14, 2019 14 Aug'19

  August Patch Tuesday corrects new 'wormable' exploits

  Administrators weighed down by news of the BlueKeep vulnerability will have to contend with a similar bug some are calling DejaBlue.

• July 10, 2019 10 Jul'19

  Microsoft patches two Windows zero-days in July Patch Tuesday

  Microsoft fixed two Windows zero-day flaws as part of the July 2019 Patch Tuesday release, which also saw the remediation of 75 other vulnerabilities across Microsoft products.

• June 12, 2019 12 Jun'19

  Microsoft plugs 4 zero-day exploits for June Patch Tuesday

  Despite multiple warnings from Microsoft, the threat of the BlueKeep RDP vulnerability to unpatched Windows systems continues to loom following its May Patch Tuesday disclosure.

• May 14, 2019 14 May'19

  May Patch Tuesday fixes zero-day, new Intel CPU bugs

  Microsoft fixed 23 critical vulnerabilities in its latest monthly security updates, as well as patches for supported and unsupported Windows systems to ward off a worm that has the potential to be the next WannaCry.

• April 09, 2019 09 Apr'19

  April Patch Tuesday closes 2 zero-day exploits

  In addition to Microsoft's fixes, administrators should patch holes in several Adobe products to keep attackers from creating havoc in their systems.

• March 12, 2019 12 Mar'19

  March Patch Tuesday shuts down two zero-day exploits

  In addition to the March Patch Tuesday updates, Microsoft's attempts at improving performance following Spectre variant 2 patches backfire for some users on Windows 10.

• February 12, 2019 12 Feb'19

  Microsoft zero-day vulnerability closed on Patch Tuesday

  Administrators should prioritize patching systems affected by a zero-day vulnerability resolved by the February Patch Tuesday updates.

• January 08, 2019 08 Jan'19

  Light January Patch Tuesday follows IE out-of-band security update

  Administrators should prioritize an out-of-band patch that addresses an Internet Explorer zero-day before tackling the 47 vulnerabilities corrected by the January Patch Tuesday fixes.

• December 11, 2018 11 Dec'18

  December Microsoft security patches bring a light end to 2018

  Microsoft resolved a zero-day and a public disclosure this December patch Tuesday, while experts revisit 2018 in patching and what needs improvement.

• November 13, 2018 13 Nov'18

  Windows zero-day fix highlights November Patch Tuesday

  In addition to the November Patch Tuesday updates, Microsoft offered assistance to combat a new side-channel attack and rereleased a Windows 10 update and Windows Server 2019.

• October 09, 2018 09 Oct'18

  October Patch Tuesday grounds JET Database Engine flaw

  Administrators have a relatively light workload for October Patch Tuesday, but IT workers should pay attention to multiple workstation fixes and issues with older patches.

• September 26, 2018 26 Sep'18

  Windows Admin Center unlocks Server 2019 features

  Not just for troubleshooting, Windows Admin Center helps admins unlock the full potential of the latest Windows Server offering.

• September 11, 2018 11 Sep'18

  Microsoft shuts down zero-day exploit on September Patch Tuesday

  Administrators should prioritize patching systems affected by four public disclosures resolved by the Patch Tuesday updates.

• August 14, 2018 14 Aug'18

  August Patch Tuesday closes CPU bug, two zero-day exploits

  Administrators have their work cut out for them, with more than 60 vulnerabilities to handle for August Patch Tuesday, after reeling from the effects of a bad batch of July updates.

• July 10, 2018 10 Jul'18

  July Patch Tuesday brings three public disclosures

  Microsoft resolved three public disclosures and updated its Spectre and Meltdown advisory this July Patch Tuesday. In total, Microsoft addressed about 54 vulnerabilities.

• June 12, 2018 12 Jun'18

  Adobe zero-day fix precedes June Patch Tuesday

  Adobe closed a zero-day vulnerability last week, which Microsoft added to its June Patch Tuesday updates. Administrators have a lighter workload, with about 50 exploits to address.

• May 08, 2018 08 May'18

  Zero-day exploits resolved by Microsoft on May Patch Tuesday

  Microsoft resolved two zero-day exploits and two public disclosures, amid more than 65 exploits affecting operating systems, browsers and Microsoft Office this May Patch Tuesday.

• April 10, 2018 10 Apr'18

  Windows out-of-band patches overshadow April Patch Tuesday

  Microsoft delivered out-of-band security patches to address the Total Meltdown and malware engine exploits as a precursor to its regularly scheduled April Patch Tuesday fixes.

• March 26, 2018 26 Mar'18

  Windows Server 2019 preview draws Azure closer

  Windows Server 2019 will come with a number of enhancements to cater to administrators who want a tighter connection to the Azure cloud platform, Microsoft said.

• March 13, 2018 13 Mar'18

  Intel microcode updates complicate admin patching duties

  March Patch Tuesday adds several more mitigations for the Spectre and Meltdown exploits, this time for 32-bit server and client operating systems.

• March 08, 2018 08 Mar'18

  IT shops find their reasons to upgrade to Windows Server 2016

  Selected technical features and technical support twilight inspires more Windows Server 2008 and 2012 IT shops to upgrade to Windows Server 2016.

• February 13, 2018 13 Feb'18

  CPU bugs add to IT stress as February Patch Tuesday drops

  Administrators who rushed out fixes in January for the Meltdown and Spectre flaws then had to unwind some of those corrections after additional problems occurred.

• January 09, 2018 09 Jan'18

  Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities dominate January Patch Tuesday

  Complications surrounding the fix for the Meltdown and Spectre microprocessor architecture flaws will make the patching process more difficult for administrators.

• December 12, 2017 12 Dec'17

  December Patch Tuesday closes year on a relatively calm note

  Windows Server administrators should focus their patching efforts on a Remote Procedure Call vulnerability that could allow an attacker to stake his claim to company data.

• November 14, 2017 14 Nov'17

  Light workload awaits admins on November Patch Tuesday

  Microsoft said there were no critical vulnerabilities for Windows Server this month, but it issued patches for exploits that could be more damaging in the long run.

• October 31, 2017 31 Oct'17

  Microsoft puts a new face on remote server management

  Microsoft's Project Honolulu puts the GUI back in the spotlight for systems administrators who felt left behind by the company's focus on advanced initiatives.

• October 10, 2017 10 Oct'17

  Microsoft cumulative updates bring security, frustration

  One year in, Microsoft's cumulative updates model has made enterprise IT systems more secure, but forced administrators to adjust their patching process.

• September 21, 2017 21 Sep'17

  Microsoft's VS Code embrace prompts PowerShell editor debate

  IT admins can build scripts with PowerShell ISE, VS Code or PowerShell Studio. Think about what platforms and functions you need before deciding which is right for you.

• September 12, 2017 12 Sep'17

  DHCP server exploit highlights September Patch Tuesday

  Microsoft patched 76 vulnerabilities on September Patch Tuesday, but Windows Server administrators only have a few critical updates that require immediate attention.

• August 31, 2017 31 Aug'17

  PowerShell Core's march ahead gives pause for IT admins

  As Microsoft's PowerShell Core open source project progresses, some question the future of Windows PowerShell in the company's cloud-focused strategy.

• August 15, 2017 15 Aug'17

  Expect service providers to ease Azure Stack deployment

  Azure Stack will be ready in September. But given the product's complexity, early customers might think about working with a service provider.

• August 08, 2017 08 Aug'17

  No patch for zero-day SMB exploit for August Patch Tuesday

  Security researchers uncovered a new SMB vulnerability in July, but Microsoft feels most administrators who follow network security best practices are already protected.

• July 11, 2017 11 Jul'17

  Microsoft spotlights exploit connected to SMB on July Patch Tuesday

  Administrators should prioritize yet another vulnerability associated with the SMB protocol that could allow attackers to overtake Windows systems.

• June 13, 2017 13 Jun'17

  Microsoft stitches up Windows Server 2003 on busy June Patch Tuesday

  A month after Microsoft issued updates to protect unsupported Windows systems from the WannaCry ransomware, the company repeats the act to protect these systems from a new threat.

• May 09, 2017 09 May'17

  Microsoft shuts down critical exploit ahead of May Patch Tuesday

  Microsoft didn't wait until May Patch Tuesday to issue an update on a critical Malware Protection Engine vulnerability discovered by Google's Project Zero.

• April 20, 2017 20 Apr'17

  Microsoft and Docker collaboration puts Linux containers on Windows

  Microsoft's project to run Linux containers on Windows bridges a technical divide, but developers who work on the open source operating system may not be swayed so easily.

• April 11, 2017 11 Apr'17

  Microsoft unveils update guide, fixes Hyper-V on April Patch Tuesday

  Microsoft dropped its security bulletin format on April Patch Tuesday and switched to its Security Update Guide. Windows Server admins should be aware of a Hyper-V host patch.

• March 14, 2017 14 Mar'17

  Microsoft plugs zero-day SMB vulnerability on March Patch Tuesday

  After Microsoft skipped February Patch Tuesday, it released 17 updates in March, including a long-awaited patch for a zero-day Server Message Block vulnerability.

• March 02, 2017 02 Mar'17

  Microsoft open source efforts draw praise

  Industry observers are buying into Microsoft's attempts to reach new users, as the company builds support for Linux and other open source technologies in its offerings.

• February 15, 2017 15 Feb'17

  Microsoft pushes pause on February Patch Tuesday

  Despite a known zero-day flaw, Microsoft delays February's security bulletins for an unspecified reason.

• January 10, 2017 10 Jan'17

  Microsoft rings in new year with light January Patch Tuesday

  Microsoft starts 2017 with just three bulletins, but administrators who manage Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 should pay close attention to one exploit.

• December 13, 2016 13 Dec'16

  On December Patch Tuesday, Microsoft unwraps more changes to patching

  Microsoft delivers 12 patches and adjusts its operating system servicing model for administrators who want security-only updates separate from the monthly quality rollup.

• November 08, 2016 08 Nov'16

  Microsoft closes zero-day exploit in November Patch Tuesday

  Microsoft's November Patch Tuesday seals a zero-day vulnerability, while Windows administrators seem to be taking October's debut of the new rollup servicing model in stride.

• October 11, 2016 11 Oct'16

  Server admins get off easy on October Patch Tuesday

  Despite patches for several zero-day vulnerabilities, Windows Server admins get a light workload as Microsoft changes its servicing model.

• October 11, 2016 11 Oct'16

  Views mixed on new Microsoft patch rollup model

  Microsoft's plan to move its older operating systems to a cumulative update model may help make its updates more reliable, but some administrators see more headaches on the horizon.

• September 27, 2016 27 Sep'16

  Microsoft Azure Stack tweaks causing delays, IT pros still hopeful

  Improvements to Microsoft's Azure Stack hybrid cloud platform are coming slower than anticipated, but IT shops still hope to get their hands on it sooner rather than later.

• September 27, 2016 27 Sep'16

  Microsoft slates Windows Server 2016 availability for mid-October

  Microsoft dedicated its opening keynote to the benefits of Azure, but IT pros say the company's on-ramp to the cloud still needs some work.

• September 20, 2016 20 Sep'16

  Microsoft Nano Server: A lighter OS for heavy workloads

  Microsoft offers a refactored Windows Server 2016 option called Nano Server that fills the need for speed in today's data centers. Here's how it works.

• September 13, 2016 13 Sep'16

  September Patch Tuesday plugs critical Exchange Server exploit

  Atop the list of 14 security bulletins issued in Microsoft's September Patch Tuesday is a critical update to close a significant exploit in Exchange Server.

• August 25, 2016 25 Aug'16

  Microsoft Ignite 2016 conference coverage

  Find all the independent reporting and analysis from the Microsoft Ignite conference 2016 in one place.

• August 09, 2016 09 Aug'16

  Server admins get light workload for August Patch Tuesday

  Of the nine security bulletins released for August Patch Tuesday, Windows Server operating systems are only affected by six.

• July 12, 2016 12 Jul'16

  July Patch Tuesday plugs hole in .NET framework

  Security analysts say an important bulletin to shut down a .NET framework vulnerability should get top patching priority on Windows Server systems.

• June 17, 2016 17 Jun'16

  With June Patch Tuesday, users need a fix for the fix

  Patch Tuesday usually relieves sys admins' headaches but the June edition handed out a few, as a patch designed to improve security for Group Policy actually took it away.

• June 14, 2016 14 Jun'16

  June Patch Tuesday addresses DNS, SMB Server vulnerabilities

  June's batch of security bulletins included a number of updates to close Windows Server vulnerabilities, including a remote code execution flaw in DNS server.

• May 10, 2016 10 May'16

  May Patch Tuesday brings critical updates for browsers, Microsoft Office

  Microsoft issued 16 security bulletins for May's Patch Tuesday, including critical updates for its Internet Explorer and Edge browsers, as well as Microsoft Office.

• April 12, 2016 12 Apr'16

  Adobe zero-day update gets top billing in April Patch Tuesday

  An Adobe zero-day update received top billing as Microsoft released its April Patch Tuesday fixes.

• April 05, 2016 05 Apr'16

  Exchange 2016 CU1 overshadowed when mailbox anchor drops

  Microsoft released updates for all supported versions of Exchange Server. The updates cover issues with mailbox anchoring in Exchange 2013 and improvements to lagged database copies.

• March 08, 2016 08 Mar'16

  March Patch Tuesday closes holes in IE, Edge browsers

  Despite ending support for Internet Explorer 9 in January, Microsoft continued to issue patches for the older browser.

• February 10, 2016 10 Feb'16

  February Patch Tuesday plugs holes in Adobe Flash, Office

  Microsoft, taking a cue from Google, elevates fixes for Adobe Flash with a security bulletin in February.

• January 26, 2016 26 Jan'16

  Windows Server 2016 licensing tweak could cause big headaches

  Get ready to pay more, experts warn, when Windows Server licensing fees shift from per-processor to per-core starting with Windows Server 2016.

• January 13, 2016 13 Jan'16

  Microsoft E5 plan supports new ATP, Skype functionality

  Microsoft's new Office 365 E5 plan offers features applicable across the organization. But some of the new functionality isn't useful to all, and some features bring controversy.

• January 12, 2016 12 Jan'16

  January Patch Tuesday closes support for IE versions, Windows 8

  Administrators with machines on Windows 8 and unsupported versions of Internet Explorer will need to update after this month.

• December 21, 2015 21 Dec'15

  Should admins consider an Exchange 2016 upgrade?

  Microsoft released Exchange 2016, but older versions may win out. No matter the version, admins should prioritize Exchange security in 2016.

• December 17, 2015 17 Dec'15

  Surprise changes in the Exchange 2016 release

  Exchange 2016 brought mixed feelings for admins who felt like the release was more of an Exchange 2013 Service Pack than a new version. See which changes made it to the final release.

• December 08, 2015 08 Dec'15

  Microsoft delivers 12 fixes for December Patch Tuesday

  Microsoft ended the security cycle of 2015 by releasing eight critical bulletins, including details on a font exploit.

• December 07, 2015 07 Dec'15

  The new rules for becoming a Microsoft MVP

  The MVP program highlights technical concentration in 10 broad Microsoft categories, changing some MVP statuses and eliciting concern over expertise.

• November 10, 2015 10 Nov'15

  November Patch Tuesday closes gaps in Internet Explorer, Windows

  Microsoft releases 12 security bulletins covering a wide range of applications, including Skype.

• November 03, 2015 03 Nov'15

  Azure AD PowerShell supports MFA to protect authentication

  The preview of the Azure AD PowerShell module flexes its muscles by supporting MFA and device management.

• October 27, 2015 27 Oct'15

  Office 2016 features update the mail client for more collaboration

  In addition to design changes, Office 2016 offers new applications such as Clutter and Modern Attachments to make collaborating in the Exchange mail client much easier. Should you upgrade?

• October 22, 2015 22 Oct'15

  How DLP, MFA and other features influence Office 2016 security

  Data loss prevention, multifactor authentication and document sharing all get a security boost in Office 2016, but you might want to consider holding off on upgrading.

• October 15, 2015 15 Oct'15

  Skype for Business vanishes after Office 2016 upgrade

  Customers who recently upgraded to Office 2016 were in for an unpleasant surprise after Skype for Business was uninstalled from their machines.

• October 13, 2015 13 Oct'15

  October Patch Tuesday plugs holes in IE, Edge browsers

  Windows administrators have a relatively light month, as Microsoft releases only six security bulletins for October.

• September 08, 2015 08 Sep'15

  Office, IE bugs get sprayed with Patch Tuesday fixes

  The bad news: Microsoft had to issue Patch Tuesday fixes for Office and IE. The good news: no patches for Windows 10 or Adobe Flash.

• August 24, 2015 24 Aug'15

  Microsoft shops get native Docker tools, Windows Containers

  Windows containers are now available in preview as the native Docker tools come to Microsoft for the first time.

• August 18, 2015 18 Aug'15

  Office 365 roadmap signs point to collaboration

  Office 365's new features encourage workplace collaboration with upgrades to file sharing in email and telephony services.

• August 12, 2015 12 Aug'15

  Azure and Docker CTOs muffle container security 'noise'

  In part two of this Q&A, Docker and Microsoft Azure CTOs address container security and how it will play out with Windows and Hyper-V containers.

• August 12, 2015 12 Aug'15

  Russinovich and Hykes talk Windows Containers, Docker

  In this Q&A, Docker co-founder and CTO Solomon Hykes and Microsoft Azure CTO Mark Russinovich discuss the development of Docker containers for Windows Server.

• August 11, 2015 11 Aug'15

  Windows 10 gets its first Patch Tuesday updates

  Microsoft wastes no time delivering its first critical Windows 10 Patch Tuesday fixes, along with critical updates for its Edge and IE browsers.

• August 03, 2015 03 Aug'15

  July in review: The most popular Exchange Server content

  In our monthly feature, we take a look at the most popular pieces of content with our readers in the previous month and recap it for you. Exchange 2016 continues to be a hot topic, and readers want ...

• August 03, 2015 03 Aug'15

  A first look into the Exchange 2016 Preview

  Microsoft rolled out the Exchange Server 2016 Preview with productivity and collaboration changes. But is it actually a new version of Exchange?

• July 08, 2015 08 Jul'15

  Overcome Exchange 2013 storage sizing issues

  Properly sizing an Exchange 2013 deployment protects it from future performance issues resulting from storage bottlenecks.

• July 01, 2015 01 Jul'15

  June in review: the most popular Exchange Server content

  In our monthly feature, we take a look at the pieces of content that were most popular with our readers in the previous month and recap it for you. In June, our readers were interested in learning ...

• June 17, 2015 17 Jun'15

  Exchange 2013 CU9 adds little in new functionality

  With the upcoming Exchange 2016 release, don't be surprised at the lack of new features or functionality in the recent Exchange 2013 cumulative update.

• June 09, 2015 09 Jun'15

  Patch Tuesday fixes focus on Office, IE, Exchange Server

  June proves less buggy for Microsoft as Redmond issues only two critical patches targeting Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player.

• June 02, 2015 02 Jun'15

  The top Windows Server tips and news of May 2015

  For our monthly feature, we look at the most popular stories on SearchWindowsServer.com the previous month and share it with you. In May, our readers were curious about the lack of containers in ...

• June 02, 2015 02 Jun'15

  The top Exchange Server content of May 2015

  In our monthly feature, we look at the most popular Exchange content from the previous month and share it with you. For May, readers wanted to learn more about Exchange Server 2016, which is ...

• May 21, 2015 21 May'15

  Microsoft releases preview of Outlook.com updates

  Microsoft delivered an Outlook.com update with a host of new features and capabilities this week to a small group of end users. The update is a part of a plan to upgrade Outlook.com to a new ...

• May 18, 2015 18 May'15

  Why it will be easier to deploy Exchange Server 2016

  There are three new deployment experiences admins should prepare for in the upcoming Exchange 2016 release.