Blue Ridge Technology

Don’t sleep on this simple, effective security booster Microsoft is making waves once again with some of its customers with a security change. We think it’s a good one — in fact, we think every business should implement this change anywhere they can. Here’s what you need to know, both about the specific change in requirements for some Microsoft users and for why your business should make the switch regardless of whether you’re technically required. What’s Changing: Azure Accounts Must Switch to MFA Microsoft is changing the way Azure users will log into their accounts . Eventually every Azure product will require all accounts to log in using multi-factor authentication, or MFA. MFA is a more secure method of authenticating, or logging into an account. Instead of providing just a username and password combination, logging in using MFA requires an additional factor (method) of authentication (establishing that you are who you claim to be and that you are authorized to use the account you...

Microsoft takes the pain out of updates If you’ve been a Windows user for a few upgrade cycles, you may know that Microsoft has made quite a few changes to the way it issues updates to its operating system. Many of us remember the bad old days when the dreaded Windows Update meant no more work was happening for hours — and that’s assuming the update was installed successfully! When one failed, well— it wasn’t good. Around a decade ago, Microsoft started working on fixing the problems that contributed to “Windows Update dread,” making updates less bulky and time-consuming. Now the company is changing the way it updates Windows once more, and this time it’s good news. Still, any change to the way your business’s computers operate is a big deal. Here’s what you need to know. The (Old) Problem with Windows Updates Back in the day, those massive Windows Updates were problematic in all sorts of ways. Because they were so big, they took forever to download (and even longer to actually install...

Lost for words? Draft with Copilot can help Microsoft Copilot is Microsoft’s business version of those generative AI tools (think ChatGPT and DALL-E and the like) that can seemingly create something out of nothing — or close to it. Now, the next big Copilot feature is here. It’s called Draft with Copilot, and it has the potential to help some users save time and even improve their writing in ways that go beyond what we’ve seen before. Here’s what you need to know about this new feature — what it is, where to access it, and what it can (and can’t) do. Draft with Copilot Is Part of Microsoft Edge (or Is Coming Soon) Let’s start with where to find this new capability: it’s right there in your browser. (Probably.) First, you have to be using Microsoft Edge to benefit from this one. Sorry, Chrome aficionados! Second, it’s a question of timing and permissions. Depending on when you’re reading this and how up to date your browser and OS is, you may already have access to Draft with Copilot. I...