TOP STORIES #125

Welcome to TOP STORIES, which has been published for more than 22 years!

It has now been more than 2 years since we have been publishing weekly.

As a user of Microsoft technologies, you are receiving this publication to stay informed about critical topics such as Microsoft licensing, price increases, end-of-life dates, technical updates, security notices, and more.

I recommend you scan through "Don't Forget" which is now a separate document for you to download - it was making TOP STORIES too long to read through.

Reminder that you can access TOP STORIES AI ("TSAI") to search for anything in the archive. You can read more about TSAI in TOP STORIES #108.

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Check out the official movie release dates in South Africa for all studios at the bottom of this email.

The schedule provides you with releases four weeks in advance. It is accurate! I believe this is the only place in South Africa where you can find a comprehensive list of all the upcoming movies.

There are some really interesting announcements in the "What's up at FTG" section this week, with some new events and a major bombshell from our CyberSecurity division - go take a look below....

Last week's TOP STORIES #124 is here

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Upcoming Shows

With summer holidays in the northern hemisphere, the number of large shows slows down, but there are still a few worth paying attention to.

Black Hat USA 2025

This is a major security conference for 2-7 August that is a "Must Attend" for everybody who is serious about security.

CEDIA Expo - Denver CO - 3-6 September

This is the premier event where System Integrators for residential and commercial customers come together to see the latest technologies. You can read more about the show here.

It is likely that these shows will fade into the background of the bigger shows like Computex, CES, NAMM etc... as the technologies to transmit audio and video merge with the same tech to transfer data - see the story in TOP STORIES #120 of the frog starting to boil.

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Hardware

Laptop CPU's explained.

CNET has published a guide on how to decide which CPU to include in your new laptop if you need to buy one in 2025. Although it is not discussed because it focuses on making a choice now, if you have the option to wait until 2026, then wait - especially if it is for your personal machine that may also be used for gaming.

If you read through the article, you will see that it attempts to simplify the decision-making process.... however, it remains confusing.

When it comes to buying notebooks for the enterprise, it is VERY important ot keep getting regular updates from our hardware specialists on what is shipping and will be shipping soon - especially with the Arrow Lake refresh expected any day now, but still there are confusing rumours relating to what NPU capability the refreshed Arrow Lake will have. You can read the guide here.

Please contact your First Technology account manager to connect you with our hardware specialists to help ensure that your procurement roadmap is up to date.

Our Earpieces are going to get an upgrade!

New ultrasonic beamforming technology will soon be available, allowing us to enjoy sound beamed directly into our ears without the need for headphones and without disturbing anyone around us.

Imagine a private experience without the need for earpieces or headphones?

This technology is going to start being available in the next few years, and will be a game-changer!

Reproducing deep bass will be the toughest of all, so don't completely give up on your traditional headset yet!

Microsoft

End of SQL Server Reporting Services

Microsoft has announced that Power BI Report Server will be the default solution, though SQL Reporting Server will still be supported to January 11 2033. Any customer with a license for SQL Server 2025, with or without SA, will be able to use the keys to install either version.

The official Microsoft announcement can be found here, and a handy FAQ here.

Please contact your First Technology account manager to connect you with our Power BI experts to look at how you can take more advantage of the features in Power BI instead of making any further investments in Reporting Server, as with this announcement, Microsoft will no longer be putting any effort into adding features to SQL Reporting Server.

New Purview Licensing Guidance document July 2025

A new guidance document has been published here, with the most notable addition being the table on pages 4/5 listing the components in the compliance mini-suites.

It is always essential to remember that these documents are guides only (see the bottom of the last page). Therefore, it is crucial to consult your First Technology licensing specialist to verify that the guide accurately addresses your needs, as they often contain errors.

New Power Platform Licensing guide updated July 2025

The guide has been updated to include a purchasing options table on Page 3, along with a few corrections in the remainder of the document. You can download the latest guide here.

This guide spans 31 Pages, and can get quite complicated to understand the most efficient licensing options for your requirements, so if you are looking at any of the Microsoft technologies that fall under this banner, please contact your First Technology account manager to connect you with our specialists to guide you in the best way to license these products.

Excel gets a highly requested Feature

Microsoft has announced a feature that has long been requested - Auto-Refresh for Pivot Tables

This feature has been rolled out to insiders in the beta channel for you to start testing. You can read more about this new feature here.

Please contact your First Technology account manager to connect you with our experts to assist in testing this feature today!

Microsoft Connected Cache (MCC) is now available for enterprises

Microsoft has announced that MCC is now available from this week to deploy in Enterprises. MCC operates by caching content from the Microsoft Content Delivery networks allowing external bandwidth consumption to be reduced. You can read more about how it works here.

This feature can save a significant amount of bandwidth, making it a good idea to implement. Please contact your First Technology Account Manager to connect you with our experts, who will assist in activating this feature.

Security

New Phishing Attack Mimics Facebook Login

A new attack is rolling out that uses a Browser in the Browser (BitB) overlay to impersonate Facebook's login and hoover up your credentials.

This first surfaced on July 24 and is propagating globally, successfully evading existing countermeasures. You can read more here. This highlights the importance of being cautious with login authentication requests.

Many steps need to be taken to prevent these attacks, starting with enabling MS Defender anomaly detection......

BitB overlays are the sleight‑of‑hand magicians of the phishing world; they make the padlock vanish before you notice it was missing!

Please contact your First Technology account manager to connect you with our security specialists. They will help assess your environment to determine if your current security measures are adequate, suggest additional ones if necessary, and arrange training for your users to enhance their awareness of these stealthy attacks.

THE SharePoint hack - the aftermath

SharePoint’s latest global on‑prem meltdown is a MAJOR wake-up call!

Slapping on a patch is like putting a sticking plaster on a sinking ferry!

If you’re still running 2016 or 2019 on rusty tin, you’re babysitting ageing kit, open‑door vulnerabilities and a July 2026 support cliff‑edge (that's ONE YEAR AWAY) – plus the "joy" of spiralling power, patching and people costs.

It is critical to map an exit route to SharePoint Online and the Power Platform where you get enterprise‑grade security, anywhere collaboration, low‑code apps and dashboards that actually tell you something useful.

Unfortunately, with this emergency patch, you have only bought a breather.... the next major problem is waiting in the wings - it just does not have a CVE assigned to it yet!

Please contact your First Technology account manager to connect you with our Security AND SharePoint specialists to start working on your migration strategy, AND to ensure your environment is really secure and to carefully scan the environment to see if the bad guys have not already gained a foothold.

Cloud & AI

OpenAI readies GPT-5 for August

Sam Altman has indicated that GPT-5 is going to launch soon as a unified model with "magical" intelligence that will be a single system incorporating different models, reducing the need for users to switch between different models for various tasks.

As with all of OpenAI's releases, these models will be available for free and via Microsoft CoPilot, but with higher intelligence only available with paid subscriptions.

It is important to note that "free" is just a demo - it is NOT the real deal!

The gap between those who are experimenting with AI and those who are not is widening on a monthly basis. It is crucial to begin experimenting with how AI can add value to you and your business. If you do not experiment with it, you may miss out on opportunities, BUT you need to do it securely - you also need to know what data the AI can access (or not) before you let it loose!

Please contact your First Technology account manager to connect you with our Security experts and AI specialists to help start this journey.

What's up at FTG

First Digital Makes AI History

First Digital just became the first SA-headquartered company to earn Microsoft’s Advanced Specialisation for Building AI Apps on Azure.

This confirms what we already knew: our AI isn't hype. It works. And now Microsoft agrees!

Please contact your First Technology account manager to explore what we can do for you.

The AI you use to query the TOP STORIES archive(TSAI) is one of those apps!!

BUI Just Dropped a Bombshell: South Africa’s First Cyber Warranty

While other companies are saying you should have this, BUI has done it!

BUI, FTG's Cloud and Security division, has become the first Microsoft Cloud Solutions Partner in South Africa to launch a Cyber Security Warranty.

That’s right — they’re so confident in their security operations, they’re backing it with a financial warranty.

Think of it as putting your money where your Security is. If you suffer a cybersecurity incident, they will assist your organisation up to the value of R1,000,000.00.

It’s the kind of assistance customers didn’t even know they needed — until now.

You can read more about the announcement on ITWeb here.

Please contact your First Technology Group Account manager to connect you with the BUI team to discuss how you can take advantage of this new level of protection.

Cloud costing you more than expected?

First Technology Group is stepping up your cloud financial management game with Umbrella (formerly Anodot Cost) — our preferred platform for FinOps and Cloud Cost Management. Umbrella unlocks faster innovation, deeper insights, and robust cost optimisation, empowering you to proactively manage your cloud spend and enhance financial efficiency.

As a Platinum preferred partner across Africa, FTG brings you unmatched expertise and tailored support, ensuring a smooth integration of Umbrella into your current systems with minimal operational disruption.

Here's what Umbrella means:

Enhanced Cost Management: Full visibility of your cloud expenses to pinpoint savings.
Improved Financial Efficiency: Powerful analytics to guide smarter cloud investments.
Seamless Integration: Effortlessly combines with your existing infrastructure.

Please contact your First Technology account manager to connect with our SAM or FinOps teams to see how they can help you optimise your cloud costs. Even if you may think you have your costs under control, there is no harm in asking somebody else to take a look.... just in case!

Free Microsoft Support Ends

Microsoft has ended free technical support for Azure.

The only free support you now get is for billing and subscription issues.

Microsoft now charges $650 per support incident - NB! Not a typo!!

BUI, FTG's Cloud and Security division has introduced a new support model that mitigates some of this impact - you can read more and sign up for more information here.

Please contact your First Technology account manager to discuss your support requirements, as First Technology group can provide GLOBAL SUPPORT 24/7/365 for a wide range of vendors, including Microsoft.

New Asset Visibility Assessment Available

The most certified SAM team in the country has announced a new service, which every company should be interested in, even if it is to validate inventories that you already have.

• One scan, full picture of every on-prem, cloud, HW & SW asset

• Block64 tech → shows what’s installed, licensed and actually used

• Pin-point over/under-licensing & the real cloud cost drivers

• Built-in FinOps actions to kill idle spend, right-size, reserve & save

• Results land in a single Power BI dashboard

You can also contact the SAM division to participate in a 7-10-day PoC with First Intel and apply Real World FinOps practices.

Please contact your First Technology account manager to connect you with our SAM specialists to see how their service can best be applied to the challenges in your business, to gain insight into all assets.

Pitfalls with Dynamics 365

The CRMTeam, the same Team that does the Monday.com workflows have published a document on ITWeb about avoiding the pitfalls of a D365 Customer engagement implementation.

If you are looking to dive down the D365 rabbit hole, this is a good article to read. Then, contact our Dynamics 365 specialists on the CRM Team website or through your First Technology account manager.

What does a World Class SoC look like, and how does it work?

You are invited to book a tour of one of our SoC (Security Operations Center) nodes (and there are still parts we can't show you). You can book for the tour here.

BUI blog - 8th, 9th and 10th Videos Available

FTG's Cloud and Security Division, BUI's Video Blog, has posted 3 new videos focusing on Entra ID. It is highly recommended that you review these videos as they give you an understanding of how to squeeze value out of the Microsoft suites as opposed to buying alternative products which may not be necessary.

No. 8: Streamlining employee onboarding

No. 9: Modernise Remote Access

No. 10: Secure Internet access based on business requirements.

Joint Standard 2 on Cyber Security and Resilience

BUI has published a 1-page guide for you to gauge your compliance and, if you have concerns, to reach out to the BUI specialists for assistance. The guide is available here.