Operations | Monitoring | ITSM | DevOps | Cloud

Try Ubuntu confidential VMs with Intel TDX today: limited preview now available on Azure

On behalf of the Canonical confidential computing team, I am happy to announce the limited preview of Ubuntu Confidential VMs with Intel TDX on Microsoft Azure. As part of the DCev5-series and ECesv5-series VMs, they’re available for you to try today! This exciting development is an important milestone in Ubuntu’s journey to power the confidential public cloud of the future.

Monitor your Linux web apps on Azure App Service with Datadog

Azure App Service is a fully managed platform-as-a-service (PaaS) solution for deploying web applications, event-driven functions, RESTful APIs, and more. Azure App Service enables developers to quickly build and release services that scale dynamically—without worrying about provisioning and maintaining infrastructure. Last year, we released the Datadog extension for Azure App Service for deep visibility into your Windows.NET applications.

How we designed the new Ubuntu Desktop installer

Back in 2021, Ubuntu Desktop engineering manager Ken VanDine talked about Canonical’s investment in Flutter support for Linux. To demonstrate the versatility of the Flutter toolkit, we committed to redesigning the Ubuntu installer experience as part of a larger overhaul of the underlying technology behind the Ubuntu installer. Up until now, the Ubuntu Server and Desktop installers had two separate underlying code-bases.

Azure AD Authentication for Ubuntu

Ubuntu Desktop 23.04 is the first and only Linux distribution to provide native user authentication with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) enabling users on Microsoft 365 (M365) Enterprise plans to authenticate Ubuntu Desktops with the same credentials they use for M365 or Azure. This is possible thanks to aad-auth, our new cloud authentication client which makes use of Microsoft MSAL library.

Linux Patch Management Guide & 5 Best Practices

Since the number of Linux users currently sits at over 32.8 million, it’s clear that Linux is one of the most popular operating systems on the market. If your IT team uses or services Linux servers and devices, Linux patch management should be a top priority. Secure and update all your Linux devices with this comprehensive Linux patch management guide.

Azure AD authentication comes to Ubuntu Desktop 23.04

Ubuntu Desktop 23.04 is the first and only Linux distribution to enable native user authentication with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). The adoption of cloud-based identity providers in the enterprise is skyrocketing and this has been one of the most requested features. With Ubuntu Desktop 23.04 we decided to act on the feedback and offer a way to natively let enterprise users authenticate Ubuntu Desktops with the same credentials they use for Microsoft 365 or their Windows clients.

Ubuntu Desktop 23.04 release roundup

Every new release of Ubuntu Desktop comes packed with new features and functionality to enable developers, gamers, creators and tinkerers. Ubuntu 23.04 is no exception. Our focus, as always, has been improving quality, performance and enjoyment for all our users, whether that’s more elegant update handling for snaps, improved UI for installation and quick settings or a more accessible gaming experience.