The ITAM Roundup: 10/29/23
US surprises Nvidia by speeding up new AI chip export ban (Ars Technica)
Nvidia, a prominent chip designer, reported on Tuesday that US export restrictions on its advanced AI GPU chips to China have been implemented sooner than originally anticipated. These export restrictions, initially set for 30 days post their October 17 announcement, aim to prevent nations like China, Iran, and Russia from procuring cutting-edge AI chips.
Following the Biden administration's AI chip export ban in September 2022, Nvidia launched new chips, the A800 and H800, adhering to these rules for the Chinese market. Yet, recent curbs now restrict the export of these newly developed chips. Despite these changes, Nvidia anticipates no immediate financial ramifications, citing strong global product demand.
Microsoft 365 Copilot is still a week out, but Azure AI services already growing (Directions on Microsoft)
Microsoft is gearing up to expand its AI offerings, with its advanced AI assistant, Microsoft 365 Copilot, set to be available for purchase to business customers on November 1.
This release comes amidst Wall Street analysts eagerly digging into Microsoft's earnings to gauge the traction of their AI tools. However, Microsoft's rollout plan for the AI tools remains staggered, with components like SharePoint Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot in Excel slated for general availability in early 2024.
Cisco brings Webex to Apple Watch and Apple TV (ComputerWorld)
In a hurry? You'll be able to use your Apple Watch and AirPods to make a Webex meeting —- or hold a videoconference using Apple TV.
Cisco's recent optimization of its Webex video conferencing platform showcases the power of partnership and innovation. Collaborating with Apple since 2015, both giants aimed to enhance the user experience in the enterprise realm.
The new Webex app on Apple TV, which supports Apple's Continuity Camera technology, is a testament to this collaboration, converting the TV into an efficient conferencing tool. Furthermore, for mobile professionals, the Webex app's compatibility with Apple Watch and AirPods offers a discrete means to attend meetings.
9 ways to speed up your Microsoft 365 migration (Quest)
Microsoft 365 migrations are a crucial operation for businesses worldwide, but they often present numerous challenges; there's a multitude of applications and vast amounts of data involved. To streamline the process, there are several best practices to consider. These range from pre-migration steps like preventing major alterations in the source tenant and provisioning 24 hours in advance, to refining what gets migrated, like only moving the latest file version or excluding OneDrive permissions. Quest's article has some practical tips your teams can use to make this effort less painful.
How No/Low Code CIAM Enhances Security and User Engagement (Spiceworks)
Rishi Bhargava of Descope discusses the significance of no/low code approaches in Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) in enhancing both security and user engagement. In an era where customer experience (CX) is pivotal and where 86% of basic web app attacks involve stolen credentials, proper management of user identities is crucial. No/low code solutions can assist in this area - some use cases being progressive profiling, bot and fraud prevention, identity verification, and identity orchestration.
Microsoft Products Reaching End-of-Life in or by March 2024 (Miro Consulting)
Miro has highlighted upcoming end-of-life (EOL) dates for various Microsoft products, with a particular focus on Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2. These servers will start their Extended Security Updates (ESU) in October 2023, available for three years but at a potentially steep cost of up to $77,000 annually for 20 licenses (depending on your volume licensing agreement). Organizations have options: they can migrate to Azure virtual machines for free ESU, upgrade to the latest release for enhanced security and performance, or maintain the status quo, accepting the limitations of unsupported software.
Critical RCE Vulnerability Fixed in VMware vCenter Server (Lansweeper)
A new patch for a vCenter server exploit has been released. If successfully exploited this vulnerability could allow an unauthenticated attacker to execute remote code in low-complexity attacks that don't require user interaction. Using a tool like Lansweeper, you can identify out of date deployments that might need targeting for patching.
