Staying informed is a constant challenge. There’s so much to do, and so little time. But we have you covered. Grab a coffee and take five while you nibble on these tidbits.
Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 and .NET 6 now GA
This week Microsoft announced that Visual Studio 2022 and .NET 6 are now generally available for download. Visual Studio 2022 is the first 64-bit version of the product; this allows it to make better use of system resources when developing complex projects. Microsoft’s blog provides links to a recording of the launch event and a product download link; the release notes are here.
In addition, Microsoft’s blog announcing .NET 6 includes download links and more details about the product, which includes performance improvements, hot reload, and first-ever native support for Apple Silicon.
Kyndryl inks global deal with Microsoft
One week after its split from IBM, Kyndryl has established a global strategic partnership with Microsoft which it says will provide incremental multi-billion dollar revenue opportunities for the two companies. Microsoft becomes Kyndryl’s only Premier Global Alliance Partner. The partnership will include:
- Bringing to the market solutions built on the Microsoft Cloud to drive digital transformation for existing and new customers.
- Accelerating hybrid cloud adoption, introducing AI innovations and other IT modernization, helping transfer more mission-critical workloads to the cloud with top levels of security, and further enabling modern work experiences for customers.
- Creating a co-innovation lab to rapidly bring new customer capabilities built on the Microsoft Cloud; Kyndryl will make joint solutions available on Microsoft’s AppSource and on the Azure Marketplace.
- Microsoft will also make the Kyndryl-Microsoft solutions available via its global enterprise sales force.
- Microsoft will create a training program for Kyndryl’s nearly 90,000 employees – the Kyndryl University for Microsoft – designed to ramp and maintain the highest level of subject matter expertise on MS Cloud.
IHSE acquires kvm-tec
IHSE, which provides KVM (keyboard, video, and mouse) products supporting long-distance signal extenders and switching for DVI, HDMI, VGA, SDI, USB, audio, and RS-232 serial data, has acquired kvm-tec, which develops and distributes flexible, high-security KVM-over-IP solutions (KVMoIP) to extend and switch computer signals. IHSE’s IT security-specialized proprietary KVM solutions are used in mission-critical applications such as air traffic control, in control rooms, and in the utilities and transport sectors. The companies say that KVM solutions over the standard IP protocol are increasingly being deployed in industrial applications, broadcasting, post-production, and the public sector as the more flexible, lower-cost solution that can be implemented faster, and with the acquisition of kvm-tec, IHSE is accessing a worldwide KVMoIP customer base that will benefit from the international IHSE distribution network going forward.
BlackBerry hosted email ending
BlackBerry hosted email addresses (such as john.doe@telcoZ.blackberry.com or name@myblackberry.com) will cease to work on January 4, 2022, as part of BlackBerry’s retirement of its device services. The company notes that BlackBerry devices running BlackBerry 7.1 OS and earlier, BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1 and earlier, running on the BlackBerry infrastructure will no longer reliably function for data (including internet and email), phone calls, SMS messaging or emergency services functionality. In addition, in its end-of-life notice it said, “The termination of these service offerings and infrastructure will also impact functionality for applications such as Enhanced Sim Based Licensing (ESBL) / Identity Based Licensing (IBL), BlackBerry hosted email addresses, BlackBerry Link, BlackBerry Desktop Manager, BlackBerry Blend, BlackBerry Protect (allows consumers to lock, locate or wipe BBOS, BlackBerry 10 devices remotely. There is no impact to the new BlackBerry Protect which is an AI-based endpoint security solution).”
RingCentral partners with Mitel
Communications and collaboration solution provider RingCentral has announced a partnership with Mitel in which RingCentral becomes exclusive unified communications as a service (UCaaS) partner to Mitel’s customer base of over 35 million users. Integration of RingCentral Message Video Phone (MVP) with Mitel’s CloudLink technology will provide Mitel’s user base with an easy migration path from on-premises private branch exchange (PBX) telephony to the MVP cloud communications platform.
RingCentral says it will pay Mitel US$650 million (approximately CA$815.5 million) to acquire intellectual property rights and patents covering network and call management, security, and infrastructure, and Mitel’s existing investor group will invest US$200 million (approximately CA$250.9 million) in equity in RingCentral as part of the transaction.