Tag: Azure

Microsoft Azure: UEFI-based boot VMs available

~ hucktech ~ Leave a comment

Good new, the long awaited UEFI-based boot support for Azure virtual machine is now available in preview. The UEFI-based boot support was added to on-premises Hyper-V since Windows Server 2012 R2, quite long time ago and since then we have been waiting for this on Azure. The new generation (aka generation 2) of Azure virtual machine introduces this support alongside of: […] and off course, support of SecureBoot and vTPM (virtual trusted platform module). Unfortunately, the support for VHDX is still not there. […] Complete list of support and limitations is available here https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/generation-2 (side note, it seems the documentation is not completely correct at the time of writing as SecureBoot and vTPM are still listed as unsupported).[…]

https://www.hametbenoit.com/2019/05/21/azure-uefi-based-boot-virtual-machine-now-available-in-preview/

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/generation-2

Azure IoT automatic device management helps deploying firmware updates at scale

~ hucktech ~ Leave a comment

Automatic device management in Azure IoT Hub automates many of the repetitive and complex tasks of managing large device fleets over the entirety of their lifecycles. Since the feature shipped in June 2018, there has been a lot of interest in the firmware update use case. This blog article highlights some of the ways you can kickstart your own implementation.

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/azure-iot-automatic-device-management-helps-deploying-firmware-updates-at-scale/

Microsoft Ephemeral OS: limited public preview

~ hucktech ~ Leave a comment

Last week at Microsoft Ignite, we launched Ultra SSD, a new industry leading high-performance disk type for IO intensive workloads. Adding to that, today we are delighted to share the limited preview of Ephemeral OS Disk, a new type of OS disk created directly on the host node, providing local disk performance and faster boot/reset time. Ephemeral OS Disk is supported for all virtual machines (VM) and virtual machine scale sets (VMSS). This offering is based on your feedback to provide a lower cost, higher performant OS disk for stateless applications, which enable them to quickly deploy the VMs and reset them to its original state.[…]

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/ephemeral-os-disk-limited-public-preview/

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/announcing-ultra-ssd-the-next-generation-of-azure-disks-technology-preview/

 

Inside Microsoft’s Azure Sphere hardware for secure IoT

~ hucktech ~ Leave a comment

Simon BIsson of InfoWorld has an article on Microsoft Azure Sphere, about various security components, and a bit on Sphere OS, their Linux distro.

https://www.infoworld.com/article/3276607/internet-of-things/inside-microsofts-azure-sphere-hardware-for-secure-iot.html#tk.twt_ifw

Microsoft seeks senior embedded Linux firmware engineer

~ hucktech ~ Leave a comment

The Cloud Server Infrastructure Firmware Development (CSI-FW) team is responsible for server hardware definition, design and development of Server and Rack Infrastructure engineering for Microsoft’s online services.
This role will be for a highly-motivated Firmware Engineer with a solid background in embedded system design using embedded Linux.
* 5+ years professional experience in one or many of: designing, developing embedded solutions using ARM SoCs and Linux, extensive u-boot customization, Linux kernel internals and adding new hardware drivers.
* 2+ years proven and demonstrable programming skill in C/C++ for resource constrained embedded platforms.
* Experience with debugging tools such as JTAG, oscilloscopes and bus analyzers.

https://careers.microsoft.com/jobdetails.aspx?jid=321602&job_id=1070761

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/ecosystem-momentum-positions-microsoft-s-project-olympus-as-de-facto-open-compute-standard/

Microsoft Azure seeks senior UEFI engineer

~ hucktech ~ Leave a comment

Senior UEFI / FW Development Engineer – CSI / Azure – Cloud Server Infrastructure

The Azure Cloud Server Infrastructure development team (CSI) is seeking a talented FW development engineer with UEFI based BIOS/FW development experience. Candidate will be a member of the MSFT Azure CSI/UEFI FW team and will be responsible for design and development of UEFI FW solutions for MSFT Cloud Platforms. The Senior BIOS/Firmware Developer candidate must have relevant industry experience in the development of UEFI firmware solutions. Candidate must demonstrate skills and experiences from early planning/concept architecture, platform bring-up, UEFI FW features development, board manufacturing support and field issues debug/servicing support.[…]

https://careers.microsoft.com/jobdetails.aspx?jid=320991&job_id=1070474&utm_source=Indeed&show_desc=0

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/ecosystem-momentum-positions-microsoft-s-project-olympus-as-de-facto-open-compute-standard/

Microsoft Azure introduces confidential computing

~ hucktech ~ Leave a comment

[…]With Azure confidential computing, we’re developing a platform that enable developers to take advantage of different TEEs without having to change their code. Initially we support two TEEs, Virtual Secure Mode and Intel SGX. Virtual Secure Mode (VSM) is a software-based TEE that’s implemented by Hyper-V in Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016. Hyper-V prevents administrator code running on the computer or server, as well as local administrators and cloud service administrators from viewing the contents of the VSM enclave or modifying its execution. We’re also offering hardware-based Intel SGX TEE with the first SGX-capable servers in the public cloud. Customers that want their trust model to not include Azure or Microsoft at all can leverage SGX TEEs. We’re working with Intel and other hardware and software partners to develop additional TEEs and will support them as they become available.[…]

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/introducing-azure-confidential-computing/

Microsoft seeks U-Boot Linux firmware Engineer

~ hucktech ~ Leave a comment

Senior Software Engineer, Linux Firmware – CSI / Azure – Cloud Server Infrastructure
The Cloud Server Infrastructure Firmware Development (CSI-FW) team is responsible for server hardware definition, design and development of Server and Rack Infrastructure engineering for Microsoft’s online services. […] This role will be for a highly-motivated Firmware Engineer with a solid background in embedded system design using embedded Linux. […] Required Qualifications:
[…]
* Extensive knowledge of u-boot customization, Linux kernel internals and adding new hardware drivers
[…]

https://careers.microsoft.com/jobdetails.aspx?jid=282596