Microsoft Entra Backup and Recovery entered preview on March 19, 2026, bringing native rollback for users, groups, Conditional Access policies, and other critical directory objects. After testing a real recovery against a cloud-only user with a single attribute change, the restore itself took seconds. The difference report that preceded it took over an hour. This article explains why that timing is expected, what the five-day retention window actually means for your recovery posture, and where the feature falls short of being a complete answer.
Microsoft just introduced cloud-managed remote mailboxes for directory-synced users. In plain English: you can manage Exchange attributes for synced mailboxes directly in Exchange Online without keeping an on-prem Exchange server for recipient admin. This post explains what that means for your business, the most valuable use cases, when not to enable it, and a 7-step pilot you can run this week. If “the last Exchange server” has been blocking your roadmap, this is the feature that finally moves you past it.
A Modern SMTP Relay for Post-Exchange Environments As more organizations retire their last on-premises Exchange server, and as Microsoft Defender for Office 365 introduces more aggressive email throttling, many customers are facing the challenge of finding a new reliable SMTP relay. Azure Communication Services (ACS) with Email capabilities is emerging as a modern, scalable alternative. …
Microsoft will retire legacy multifactor authentication (MFA) and self-service password reset (SSPR) policies on September 30, 2025. Organizations must switch to the unified Authentication Methods policy in Microsoft Entra ID before this date. This guide explains how to: Understanding Legacy Authentication Methods Legacy methods include MFA and SSPR policies managed separately in Microsoft Entra ID. …
