Directions on Microsoft
@directionsonmicrosoft.com
Independent IT planning and EA negotiation service focused exclusively on Microsoft since 1992.
New podcast: Microsoft Licensing and Negotiation: A Year in Review -- featuring Directions' lead negotiator Dean Bedwell and @maryjofoley.bsky.social : www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/mic... #MSLicensing #MSTech
December 22, 2025 at 3:13 PM
New podcast: Microsoft Licensing and Negotiation: A Year in Review -- featuring Directions' lead negotiator Dean Bedwell and @maryjofoley.bsky.social : www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/mic... #MSLicensing #MSTech
Directions' annual Microsoft Roadmap webinar is free for everyone to watch/listen to. We look back at the biggest MSFT tech events of 2025 and make some 2026 predictions. Check it out here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Xn... #MSTech
Microsoft Roadmap Update: What's New, What's Next.
YouTube video by Directions on Microsoft
www.youtube.com
December 22, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Directions' annual Microsoft Roadmap webinar is free for everyone to watch/listen to. We look back at the biggest MSFT tech events of 2025 and make some 2026 predictions. Check it out here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Xn... #MSTech
As Microsoft transitions more customers off EAs and onto MCAs, orgs need to be aware of some potentially costly changes they may incur. Directions' lead negotiator Dean Bedwell shares with @maryjofoley.bsky.social the biggest gotchas: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/mov... #MSLicensing
December 16, 2025 at 6:26 PM
As Microsoft transitions more customers off EAs and onto MCAs, orgs need to be aware of some potentially costly changes they may incur. Directions' lead negotiator Dean Bedwell shares with @maryjofoley.bsky.social the biggest gotchas: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/mov... #MSLicensing
New podcast for you: As similar AI strategies proliferate, are there still reasons to choose Azure over AWS (or vice versa)? Duckbill's @quinnypig.com joins Directions' @getwired.com and @maryjofoley.bsky.social to debate the topic: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/is-... #MSTech #MSLicensing
December 10, 2025 at 10:05 PM
New podcast for you: As similar AI strategies proliferate, are there still reasons to choose Azure over AWS (or vice versa)? Duckbill's @quinnypig.com joins Directions' @getwired.com and @maryjofoley.bsky.social to debate the topic: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/is-... #MSTech #MSLicensing
In 2026, Microsoft will put into effect first substantial price increase for Microsoft 365 and Office 365 commercial suites since 2021. Here's what to expect: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsoft-to... #MSLicensing #MSTech
Microsoft to increase Office suite prices across the board starting July 2026
Microsoft will be increasing pricing for its commercial Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites beginning July 1, 2026. Company officials attributed the increase to the inclusion of AI capabilities suc...
www.directionsonmicrosoft.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:24 PM
In 2026, Microsoft will put into effect first substantial price increase for Microsoft 365 and Office 365 commercial suites since 2021. Here's what to expect: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsoft-to... #MSLicensing #MSTech
Want an explainer on Microsoft's recently announced Fabric IQ, Foundry IQ and Work IQ -- and why they matter? Directions analyst @barryb.bsky.social has you covered: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/cio-talk-mic... #MSTech
CIO Talk: Microsoft Gets IQ
By Barry Briggs Let the semantic-layer wars begin! A little over a month ago, I made the less-than-prescient claim that “Microsoft has done little to nothing about a semantic layer.” But – in fairness...
www.directionsonmicrosoft.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Want an explainer on Microsoft's recently announced Fabric IQ, Foundry IQ and Work IQ -- and why they matter? Directions analyst @barryb.bsky.social has you covered: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/cio-talk-mic... #MSTech
The annual Directions webinar on Microsoft's roadmap is coming up next week. It's open to anyone interested in Microsoft products and trends. Our analysts will take questions live.
Dec. 10 from 1-2 pm ET. Register for free: register.gotowebinar.com/register/533...
Dec. 10 from 1-2 pm ET. Register for free: register.gotowebinar.com/register/533...
December 3, 2025 at 8:02 PM
The annual Directions webinar on Microsoft's roadmap is coming up next week. It's open to anyone interested in Microsoft products and trends. Our analysts will take questions live.
Dec. 10 from 1-2 pm ET. Register for free: register.gotowebinar.com/register/533...
Dec. 10 from 1-2 pm ET. Register for free: register.gotowebinar.com/register/533...
What's going to be big at Microsoft's Ignite conference this week? Here are Directions' Top 10 picks -- the announcements that could impact enterprise customers and partners moving forward into 2026: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsoft-ig... #MSTech #MSLicensing
Microsoft Ignite 2025: Ten Things You Need to Know
Microsoft’s annual Ignite conference for IT professionals, developers and partners, is kicking off this week in San Francisco. CEO Satya Nadella is not the lead keynoter this year; instead, the newly ...
www.directionsonmicrosoft.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:06 PM
What's going to be big at Microsoft's Ignite conference this week? Here are Directions' Top 10 picks -- the announcements that could impact enterprise customers and partners moving forward into 2026: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsoft-ig... #MSTech #MSLicensing
Microsoft is expected to take the next step toward its promise of agents becoming digital workers with its 'Agent 365' platform: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsofts-a... #MSTech #MSLicensing
Microsoft's Agent 365 digital 'employees' are coming for your business
Ahead of Microsoft’s Ignite conference next week, rumors are swirling about Microsoft launching an “Agent 365” platform. If the tips pan out, Agent 365 could become a way for Microsoft to unify how th...
www.directionsonmicrosoft.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Microsoft is expected to take the next step toward its promise of agents becoming digital workers with its 'Agent 365' platform: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsofts-a... #MSTech #MSLicensing
Starting in Sept. 2026, Configuration Manager is moving from a semi-annual to an annual release schedule: techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/configu... #MSTech
Announcing the Annual Release Cadence for Microsoft Configuration Manager | Microsoft Community Hub
Starting with version 2609, Microsoft Configuration Manager will transition to an annual release cadence. This change is a formalization of the direction...
techcommunity.microsoft.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Starting in Sept. 2026, Configuration Manager is moving from a semi-annual to an annual release schedule: techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/configu... #MSTech
New Directions podcast is now available. Everything you wanted to know (or SHOULD want to know) about Microsoft ESUs with Directions' @jimgaynor.bsky.social , Rob Helm and @maryjofoley.bsky.social: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/mic... #MSTech #MSLicensing
October 30, 2025 at 7:37 PM
New Directions podcast is now available. Everything you wanted to know (or SHOULD want to know) about Microsoft ESUs with Directions' @jimgaynor.bsky.social , Rob Helm and @maryjofoley.bsky.social: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/mic... #MSTech #MSLicensing
Here's Microsoft's preliminary post-incident review for the Oct. 29 multi-hour Azure outage. It was not a good day for Azure Front Door and all the Azure services it touched: azure.status.microsoft/en-us/status... #MSTech
Azure status history | Microsoft Azure
Check the status history of Microsoft Azure services here.
azure.status.microsoft
October 30, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Here's Microsoft's preliminary post-incident review for the Oct. 29 multi-hour Azure outage. It was not a good day for Azure Front Door and all the Azure services it touched: azure.status.microsoft/en-us/status... #MSTech
Microsoft is dropping support for Office Online Server as of Dec. 31, 2026. Microsoft's recommended replacement (no surprise): Microsoft 365, which includes web-based versions of Word, Excel, PPT, OneNote: www.theregister.com/2025/10/22/m... #MSLicensing
Microsoft puts Office Online Server on the chopping block
: The end is nigh, now get thee to 365
www.theregister.com
October 23, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Microsoft is dropping support for Office Online Server as of Dec. 31, 2026. Microsoft's recommended replacement (no surprise): Microsoft 365, which includes web-based versions of Word, Excel, PPT, OneNote: www.theregister.com/2025/10/22/m... #MSLicensing
That plan for rolling out Auto-archiving for Exchange Online starting Oct. 15 -- which Microsoft postponed due to negative customer feedback -- is back on again, but not until Jan. 2026. Public preview to start Nov. 15, 2025: techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchang... #MSTech
Auto-Archiving for Exchange Online | Microsoft Community Hub
We are happy to announce the time-based archiving feature for Exchange Online users with archives.
techcommunity.microsoft.com
October 22, 2025 at 8:46 PM
That plan for rolling out Auto-archiving for Exchange Online starting Oct. 15 -- which Microsoft postponed due to negative customer feedback -- is back on again, but not until Jan. 2026. Public preview to start Nov. 15, 2025: techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchang... #MSTech
The product formerly known as "Copilot for Finance" (and also later as "Finance Agents") is now generally available. The newest name might be Finance solution for M365 Copilot (?): www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynami... #MSTech
Finance in Microsoft 365 Copilot is now generally available
Built with Microsoft 365 Copilot, this role-based AI solution brings ERP-connected data and workflows directly into the flow of work
www.microsoft.com
October 22, 2025 at 8:42 PM
The product formerly known as "Copilot for Finance" (and also later as "Finance Agents") is now generally available. The newest name might be Finance solution for M365 Copilot (?): www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynami... #MSTech
What's happening with Microsoft Exchange? Get caught up with our new podcast now out with special guest Tony Redmond @office365itpros.com
Directions analyst Rob Helm and @maryjofoley.bsky.social
directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/wha... #MSTech
Directions analyst Rob Helm and @maryjofoley.bsky.social
directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/wha... #MSTech
October 17, 2025 at 8:25 PM
What's happening with Microsoft Exchange? Get caught up with our new podcast now out with special guest Tony Redmond @office365itpros.com
Directions analyst Rob Helm and @maryjofoley.bsky.social
directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/wha... #MSTech
Directions analyst Rob Helm and @maryjofoley.bsky.social
directionsonmicrosoft.com/podcasts/wha... #MSTech
New post from Directions analyst
@barryb.bsky.social: Enterprise Semantic Layer: The Missing Link for AI (and Microsoft)? www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/cto-talk-the...
@barryb.bsky.social: Enterprise Semantic Layer: The Missing Link for AI (and Microsoft)? www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/cto-talk-the...
CIO Talk: The Enterprise Semantic Layer: The Missing Link for AI (and Microsoft)?
This blog post is a little different. I’m not going to tell you about the pros and cons of a Microsoft technology – rather, I’m going to talk about a missing Microsoft piece of the puzzle. Maybe it’s ...
www.directionsonmicrosoft.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:36 PM
New post from Directions analyst
@barryb.bsky.social: Enterprise Semantic Layer: The Missing Link for AI (and Microsoft)? www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/cto-talk-the...
@barryb.bsky.social: Enterprise Semantic Layer: The Missing Link for AI (and Microsoft)? www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/cto-talk-the...
With Windows 10 hitting end of support this week, Microsoft is trying to make Windows 11 more appealing by adding more AI features. If you loved "Hey Cortana," you might love "Hey Copilot." And if not, probably not... blogs.windows.com/windowsexper... #MSTech
Making every Windows 11 PC an AI PC
New Copilot and agentic experiences make powerful AI easy on Windows 11
Today, we’re taking an exciting step forward with a new wave of updates that make every Windows 11 PC an AI PC – with Copilot at...
blogs.windows.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:32 PM
With Windows 10 hitting end of support this week, Microsoft is trying to make Windows 11 more appealing by adding more AI features. If you loved "Hey Cortana," you might love "Hey Copilot." And if not, probably not... blogs.windows.com/windowsexper... #MSTech
New M365 Copilot offering for academic customers (educators, staff, students) coming in Dec. 2025 at $18 per user per month (instead of the usual $30 for M365 Copilot): www.microsoft.com/en-us/educat... #MSLicensing
New AI experiences and academic offering for Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft Education Blog
Explore new AI-powered experiences at no additional cost for educators and students—plus an academic offering for Microsoft 365 Copilot.
www.microsoft.com
October 16, 2025 at 4:51 PM
New M365 Copilot offering for academic customers (educators, staff, students) coming in Dec. 2025 at $18 per user per month (instead of the usual $30 for M365 Copilot): www.microsoft.com/en-us/educat... #MSLicensing
CIO Talk: Compliance in the world of AI -- Are you ready? www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/cto-talk-com... #MSTech #MSLicensing
CTO Talk: Compliance in the World of AI: Are You Ready?
By Barry Briggs Compliance covers an ever-increasing, absolutely mandatory spectrum of activities, processes, and technologies with which your enterprise must concern itself. The Compliance Imperative...
www.directionsonmicrosoft.com
October 2, 2025 at 8:05 PM
CIO Talk: Compliance in the world of AI -- Are you ready? www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/cto-talk-com... #MSTech #MSLicensing
For those needing a refresher (or introduction), here's a bit on Microsoft's newest CEO, Judson Althoff, who now heads up the giant Microsoft commercial business: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/know-your-mi... #MSTech
Know Your Microsoft Execs: Meet Judson Althoff
He’s not a household name like Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer or Satya Nadella. But Judson Althoff — Microsoft’s latest exec to get a “CEO” title — now runs the entirety of Microsoft’s Commercial business....
www.directionsonmicrosoft.com
October 2, 2025 at 7:58 PM
For those needing a refresher (or introduction), here's a bit on Microsoft's newest CEO, Judson Althoff, who now heads up the giant Microsoft commercial business: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/know-your-mi... #MSTech
Reposted by Directions on Microsoft
Beginning on October 1, 2025, Microsoft will be renaming its Microsoft 365 E5 mini-suites:
- Microsoft 365 E5 Security → the Microsoft Defender Suite.
- Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance → the Microsoft Purview Suite.
//As Microsoft rebrands go, this is surprisingly well done and logical.
- Microsoft 365 E5 Security → the Microsoft Defender Suite.
- Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance → the Microsoft Purview Suite.
//As Microsoft rebrands go, this is surprisingly well done and logical.
October 2025 announcements - Partner Center announcements
October 2025 announcements for Microsoft Partner Center including new capabilities, promotions, offers, markets, or changes to existing offers.
learn.microsoft.com
October 1, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Beginning on October 1, 2025, Microsoft will be renaming its Microsoft 365 E5 mini-suites:
- Microsoft 365 E5 Security → the Microsoft Defender Suite.
- Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance → the Microsoft Purview Suite.
//As Microsoft rebrands go, this is surprisingly well done and logical.
- Microsoft 365 E5 Security → the Microsoft Defender Suite.
- Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance → the Microsoft Purview Suite.
//As Microsoft rebrands go, this is surprisingly well done and logical.
For clarity's sake: M365 Premium is NOT M365 E7. M365 "Premium," the just announced $20 per user per month subscription aimed at ChatGPT Plus, is a new consumer bundle: www.microsoft.com/en-us/micros... #MSTech #MSLicensing
Meet Microsoft 365 Premium: Your AI and productivity powerhouse | Microsoft 365 Blog
Microsoft is taking a big step forward with major updates to our individual subscription lineup, combining the best of AI and productivity at an unbeatable price.
www.microsoft.com
October 1, 2025 at 4:37 PM
For clarity's sake: M365 Premium is NOT M365 E7. M365 "Premium," the just announced $20 per user per month subscription aimed at ChatGPT Plus, is a new consumer bundle: www.microsoft.com/en-us/micros... #MSTech #MSLicensing
ICYMI: Microsoft is making Anthropic’s Claude a new option in Microsoft 365 Copilot. It also is starting to make good on more of its agent promises: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsoft-be... #MSTech #MSLicensing
Microsoft Begins Rolling Out More Model and Agent Options for M365 Copilot and Beyond
Microsoft is adding Anthropic’s models to Microsoft 365 Copilot, alongside the existing OpenAI models that are already at the heart of it. Microsoft is kicking off this process by adding Anthropic’s C...
www.directionsonmicrosoft.com
September 26, 2025 at 2:42 PM
ICYMI: Microsoft is making Anthropic’s Claude a new option in Microsoft 365 Copilot. It also is starting to make good on more of its agent promises: www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/microsoft-be... #MSTech #MSLicensing
Microsoft is rolling out the net phase of its app-marketplace strategy by unifying AppSource, its Agent Store and Azure Marketplace into a new unified storefront called Microsoft Marketplace: blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2025/09... #MSTech
Introducing Microsoft Marketplace — Thousands of solutions. Millions of customers. One Marketplace. - The Official Microsoft Blog
A new breed of industry-leading company is taking shape — Frontier Firms. These organizations blend human ambition with AI-powered technology to reshape how innovation is scaled, work is orchestrated ...
blogs.microsoft.com
September 26, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Microsoft is rolling out the net phase of its app-marketplace strategy by unifying AppSource, its Agent Store and Azure Marketplace into a new unified storefront called Microsoft Marketplace: blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2025/09... #MSTech