Episode 404: The Microsoft 365 Landing Page Shake-Up

Episode 404: The Microsoft 365 Landing Page Shake-Up

Welcome to Episode 404 of the Microsoft Cloud IT Pro Podcast. In this episode, Ben and Scott discuss the latest change Microsoft has rolled out to the Microsoft 365 user experience, redirecting users from the familiar portal.office.com to a new Copilot-centric landing page. This shift has caught many IT professionals off guard, rendering existing training documentation obsolete and creating user confusion across organizations.

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Episode 403 – Catching up on all the news from Microsoft Build 2025

Episode 403 – Catching up on all the news from Microsoft Build 2025

Welcome to Episode 403 of the Microsoft Cloud IT Pro Podcast where Ben and Scott catch up on some of their favorite announcements and news from Microsoft Build 2025.

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Episode 402 – Declarative Agents with Andrew Connell

Episode 402 – Declarative Agents with Andrew Connell

Welcome to Episode 402 of the Microsoft Cloud IT Pro Podcast. In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to have Andrew Connell (AC) joining us once again. If you’ve been with us for a while, you’ll recognize AC as a repeat guest and one of the early voices who encouraged us to launch this podcast. In this episode, we’re diving deep into the world of Microsoft Copilot agents from a bit of a developer’s perspective . We expand on insights from Episode 400 and helping us understand some additional intricacies of how Copilot works under the hood. We’ll break down the different billing models and some limitations in what they provide and why having at least one $30 license is key to unlocking the semantic index. We’ll also explore how Copilot uses semantic indexing to ground responses in your organization’s data, and how it respects user permissions through access control lists. But it’s not all smooth sailing—AC also walks us through some of the current limitations, like missing metadata and large file indexing. He also shares a potential workaround using Azure AI Search for those needing more comprehensive coverage. Finally, we this weeks Microsoft Build Conference and tease a potential future episode where ACw will return to talk about custom Copilot development.

 

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Episode 401 – Zero Trust in Microsoft 365

Episode 401 – Zero Trust in Microsoft 365

Welcome to Episode 401 of the Microsoft Cloud IT Pro Podcast. In this episode, Ben Stegink and Scott Hoag dive into the intricacies of implementing Zero Trust principles within Microsoft 365 environments. They explore the foundational aspects of Zero Trust, starting with identity management and the importance of Entra ID. They also cover:

  • Identity Management: The critical role of identity in Zero Trust, including MFA, password policies, and least privilege access.
  • Endpoint Security: Strategies for verifying and managing devices, including compliance checks and the balance between corporate and BYOD devices.
  • Networking: The complexities of securing network traffic in a SaaS environment, including conditional access policies and the emerging Global Secure Access feature.
  • Application Management: The role of Defender for Cloud in monitoring shadow IT and ensuring data security across various applications.
  • Data Protection: Techniques for safeguarding sensitive information, including DLP policies and the upcoming network-level DLP capabilities.
  • Join us as we unpack these topics and provide practical insights for enhancing your organization’s security posture with Zero Trust.

 

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Episode 400 – Microsoft 365 Copilot Declarative Agents and Copilot Studio Agent Builder

Episode 400 – Microsoft 365 Copilot Declarative Agents and Copilot Studio Agent Builder

Welcome to Episode 400 of the Microsoft Cloud IT Pro Podcast. In this episode, Ben and Scott explore how IT professionals and developers can leverage Microsoft 365 Copilot’s declarative agents and the Copilot Studio Agent Builder to enhance productivity and streamline workflows within their organizations. Declarative agents allow you to define specific tasks and workflows, enabling Copilot to assist users more effectively. With the Copilot Studio Agent Builder, creating these agents becomes a streamlined process, even for those with minimal coding experience. Listen and learn how to build, deploy, and manage these agents, licensing considerations, and best practices to maximize their impact in your organization.

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