Microsoft Cloud IT Pro Podcast

Ben Stegink, Scott Hoag

Your Microsoft Cloud News from a couple of IT Pros

  1. DEC 4

    Episode 416 – Microsoft Sentinel, Security, and Ignite with Henrik Wojcik

    Welcome to Episode 416 of the Microsoft Cloud IT Pro Podcast. In this week’s episode, Ben finally has a chance to sit down with Henrik Wojcik. Henrik has been a long-time listener as well as a fellow Microsoft MVP in Security and we finally had the chance to sit down and record an episode together, something we’ve talked about doing for years. As they sit down and enjoy a sunny afternoon in at Microsoft Ignite in San Francisco they discuss security in the financial sector, EU regulations (N2 and DORA), integrating Data Lake with Sentinel, optimizing log analytics, and the latest on Security Copilot and E5 licensing. They also spend some time chatting about some of their conference highlights, assisting as proctors in the hands-on labs, and the unique experience of Ignite in San Francisco. Your support makes this show possible! Please consider becoming a premium member for access to live shows and more. Check out our membership options. Show Notes Microsoft Ignite (with sessions on demand) Microsoft Ignite Book of News Catch up on Microsoft Security sessions and announcements from Ignite 2025 Microsoft Sentinel benefit for Microsoft 365 E5, A5, F5, and G5 customers Learn about Security Copilot inclusion in Microsoft 365 E5 subscription Microsoft Sentinel data lake: Unify signals, cut costs, and power agentic AI What is Microsoft Sentinel data lake? KQL and the Microsoft Sentinel data lake Henrik F. Wojcik Henrik has worked in the IT industry since 2003. He’s always had a passion for learning new technologies and expanding his knowledge through various means such as online courses, webinars, and reading up on the latest developments in the industry. Throughout his career, he’s gained experience in various areas of IT, making him a true jack of all trades. However, his latest interests lie in the security space, modern workplace and management in Azure, with a particular focus on cyber security. He has experience working with products such as Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Identity, Defender for Cloud Apps, Defender for Office 365, Conditional Access, Microsoft Sentinel, and Microsof t Entra ID. His primary focus is on security on Azure workloads and identity (Entra ID). He prioritizes security awareness and believe that learning never stops, which is why He’s always eager to expand my knowledge and skillset. In the past, He’s also worked with various tools and technologies such as Cisco, Citrix, Dynamics AX, Exchange, ITIL, Azure, SCCM & SCOM, Scrum & Kanban, VMware, Windows Servers, and Windows Desktops. About the sponsors Would you like to become the irreplaceable Microsoft 365 resource for your organization? Let us know!

    33 min
  2. NOV 20

    Episode 415 – Diving Into Ignite 2025 for IT Pros and AI Agent Management

    Welcome to Episode 415 of the Microsoft Cloud IT Pro Podcast. Ben and Scott discuss the major announcements from Microsoft Ignite 2025, focusing on the dominant themes of AI agents and security. The conversation centers on three key areas: Security Copilot updates, Agent 365 for governance, and the broader security and management implications for IT professionals. Key Discussion Topics Security Copilot Expansion to E5 Customers 12 new Security Copilot agents coming to Defender, Entra, Intune, and Purview 30+ partner agents being added to the ecosystem Major announcement: Security Copilot will now be available to all Microsoft 365 E5 customers Rollout begins with Frontier program (Microsoft’s insider ring for Copilot) Expanding in coming months to all E5 customers Security Copilot spans four pillars: Security Operations (Defender + Sentinel) Data Security (Purview) Identity & Access (Entra) Endpoint Management (Intune) Microsoft Agent 365 – The Control Plane for Agents Addresses the critical problem of agent sprawl and governance Think of it as “Entra ID for AI agents” Core capabilities: Registry: Complete inventory of all agents (registered, unregistered, and shadow agents Access Control: Conditional access policies and risk-based policies for agents Monitoring: Real-time visibility into agent behavior, performance, and organizational impact Security Integration: Defender protection, Purview data governance Key governance features: Approve pending agent requests Identify ownerless agents Apply DLP policies to agents Conditional access for agents Secure score for agents Available now through Frontier program in Microsoft 365 admin center Overarching Themes Agent security is the new frontier: All major product announcements (Purview, Entra, Defender) are focused on agent governance 100 trillion daily signals inform Microsoft’s threat intelligence Ignite’s evolution: Less about big product launches, more about storytelling and connecting features released throughout the year IT Pro focus: Understanding, managing, and securing AI agents is becoming a core competency Key Observations Ignite 2025 is heavily focused on AI and security – limited announcements for traditional products like SharePoint, Teams, or Loop The shift reflects Microsoft’s rapid release cadence in the cloud era Agent sprawl is real and Microsoft is proactively addressing governance needs IT professionals need to embrace this change: “The only way out is through” Your support makes this show possible! Please consider becoming a premium member for access to live shows and more. Check out our membership options. Show Notes About the sponsors Would you like to become the irreplaceable Microsoft 365 resource for your organization? Let us know!

    30 min
  3. SEP 11

    Episode 410 – Joy and Jay take over and talk Change Management

    Welcome to Episode 410 of the Microsoft Cloud IT Pro Podcast where hosts Jay Leask and Joy Apple are joined by special guest Ben Stegink for a discussion recorded live from the North American Cloud and Collaboration Summit in Branson. In this episode we focus on how organizations must adapt their change management approaches for the Microsoft 365 cloud environment.We discuss the fundamental shift from traditional IT operations, where organizations controlled software update timing, to cloud-based services with continuous updates outside of their control. Jay and Joy emphasize that successful modern IT requires cross-functional teams where IT partners closely with business units, communications, and training departments rather than operating in isolation. We then talk about the need for a shift in governance models to empower business users while requiring IT to balance user control with necessary oversight.Key themes include the importance of ongoing communication and adoption strategies, using tools like Viva Engage communities for peer-to-peer support, and adopting a “yes, and” approach to business requests rather than defaulting to “no.” The episode emphasizes treating technology deployment as an ongoing service relationship rather than a one-time project, which is essential for success in the rapidly evolving cloud environment. Your support makes this show possible! Please consider becoming a premium member for access to live shows and more. Check out our membership options. Show Notes Joy Apple Joy is a Microsoft MVP and Director of Success and Enablement at Orchestry. With years of experience as an information technologist, I’m dedicated to helping organizations implement technology with a purpose-driven, “human-first” approach, ensuring tools like Microsoft 365 empower people to do their best work. Teaching and knowledge-sharing are at the heart of what I do. Whether it’s through volunteering in the Microsoft Community, speaking at events, or writing as the “Joy of SharePoint,” I’m passionate about helping others unlock their potential with modern workplace solutions. Im also a cohost of the Guardians of M365 Governance podcast, where I explore the challenges and rewards of governance, and a columnist for She is Tulsa, a quarterly magazine celebrating impactful stories from my local community. Outside of work, you’ll often find me enjoying live music or discovering new spots in Tulsa, Oklahoma, combining my love of connection and creativity wherever I go. Jay Leask Jay is a Principal Technical Architect at the Washington DC Microsoft Innovation Hub specializing in Modern Work. Jay facilitates discussions on modern IT practices, using 20 years of IT experience to engage customers in solutions design with a focus on increased the value and decreased risk within collaboration investments. His focus over the last 15 years has been on public sector organizations including state, local, and Federal government, as well as education institutions. Links Joy Apple on LinkedIn Connect with Jay Microsoft 365 Change Guide Stay on top of changes in Microsoft 365 Microsoft 365 Roadmap About the sponsors Would you like to become the irreplaceable Microsoft 365 resource for your organization? Let us know!

    33 min
  4. AUG 28

    Episode 409 – Preparing for Copilot​- Securing Your Microsoft 365 Data and Beyond​

    Welcome to Episode 409 of the Microsoft Cloud IT Pro Podcast. In this episode, Ben and Scott explore the configuration decisions tenant administrators face when preparing their Microsoft 365 environment for Copilot deployment. They dive into the key questions every IT professional should be asking: How do you identify and remediate oversharing in SharePoint sites before Copilot can access that content? What governance controls should be in place to prevent sensitive data from being discoverable through organization-wide search? The hosts examine practical tools for identifying high-risk sites and content, how to control which sites appear in Copilot results, and other configuration options that allow you to optimize how Copilot processes organizational content. Your support makes this show possible! Please consider becoming a premium member for access to live shows and more. Check out our membership options. Show Notes Data, Privacy, and Security for Microsoft 365 Copilot Apply principles of Zero Trust to Microsoft 365 Copilot Get started with data explorer Data access governance reports for SharePoint sites Semantic indexing for Microsoft 365 Copilot Restrict discovery of SharePoint sites and content A glimpse into the future of file sharing in Microsoft 365 About the sponsors Would you like to become the irreplaceable Microsoft 365 resource for your organization? Let us know!

    40 min
4.8
out of 5
64 Ratings

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Your Microsoft Cloud News from a couple of IT Pros

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