Author: Oskar

In the fast-evolving world of AI, Microsoft has unveiled the public preview of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server for Azure Database for PostgreSQL. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between AI models and external data, making it easier to develop innovative AI applications without bespoke solutions. By offering a standardized method to integrate AI models with data and tools, MCP enables a secure, scalable approach to enriching AI applications with contextually relevant data. The introduction of the MCP Server is a game-changer for businesses looking to enhance their AI operations using the robust capabilities of large language models (LLMs) in personalized applications.

The Azure Database for PostgreSQL MCP Server allows seamless connectivity between AI applications and Azure-hosted databases through standardized communication. Through this integration, AI models can engage with databases, perform actions, and gain insights using predefined tools and templates that enhance user interactions. The initiative also supports password-based or Microsoft Entra authentication methods, ensuring a secure and structured process for data handling. Resources like GitHub provide detailed onboarding and implementation instructions, enabling users to start leveraging these tools using platforms like Claude Desktop and Visual Studio Code.

News: Introducing Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server for Azure Database for PostgreSQL
Documentation: Azure Database for PostgreSQL Documentation

Microsoft’s Fabric Community Conference, known as FabCon, recently concluded with resounding success. Drawing a record-breaking attendance of over 6,000 participants, the event boasted over 200 breakout sessions, 20 workshops, and collaborations with more than 70 sponsors. The excitement was palpable as the T-Mobile Arena hosted the Day 1 keynotes, where attendees eagerly gathered to explore the future of Microsoft’s unified AI platform. Although FabCon was an exclusive in-person event, those who missed out can now relive the experience through the release of the keynote recording.

This conference was not just a meeting of enthusiasts and professionals but a vital platform for learning and sharing insights into Microsoft’s latest advancements. Such a significant turnout reflects the growing interest and demand for AI and technology-driven innovations. The keynote, now accessible online, provides an opportunity for the broader audience to stay updated with Microsoft’s vision and developments around AI.

News: FabCon Las Vegas Keynote Recording Now Available
Documentation: Microsoft Fabric Documentation

Azure AI is quickly becoming a game changer for leading retail, consumer, and goods (RCG) companies. Brands like CarMax, Kroger, Coca-Cola, Estée Lauder, PepsiCo, and others are utilizing Azure’s comprehensive AI tools, including Azure OpenAI Service, Azure Machine Learning, and Azure AI Vision, among others, to optimize digital channel conversion, demand forecasting, and store operations. The reported benefits are significant, with up to a 30% uplift in search conversion and a 10% reduction in stock-outs, resulting in multimillion-dollar productivity gains. The partnership between Coca-Cola and Microsoft alone, which covers generative AI across various business areas, underscores the strategic value of Azure AI, validating its potential to streamline operations and boost profitability.

Moreover, Azure AI is enhancing customer experiences through AI-enhanced search and multilingual conversational commerce, while also improving supply-chain and merchandising processes with its Automated Machine Learning (AutoML) for time series analysis. Kroger, for instance, leverages Azure AI Vision and IoT to streamline store operations with dynamic pricing and inventory alerts, which contribute to more efficient store management. Additionally, companies like Estée Lauder are adopting Azure OpenAI for accelerated product innovation and effective marketing campaigns. These implementations point toward Azure AI as a unified and scalable platform that can deliver substantial growth and cost savings while maintaining governance and compliance through its Responsible AI framework.

News: Why Azure AI Is Retail’s Secret Sauce
Documentation: Retail Data Solutions Reference Architecture

Ruby on Rails has played a pivotal role in reshaping the landscape of web development since its introduction. Though not the first web framework, its impact was revolutionary for making web application development more streamlined and less painful. With its model-view-controller (MVC) architecture and emphasis on convention over configuration, Ruby on Rails paved the way for the practices widely adopted in modern web development. Even in 2025, its influence is evident, as many frameworks have borrowed its conventions to enhance productivity and efficiency. The original piece on Build5Nines celebrates these contributions and illuminates how Rails continues to inspire.

News: Software Innovation: Ruby on Rails – The Framework that Rewired The Web with MVC and Convention
Documentation: Ruby on Rails Guides

Azure App Service offers a comprehensive environment for deploying and hosting Strapi applications, providing numerous benefits including flexibility, scalability, and managed infrastructure. By leveraging Azure’s robust cloud infrastructure, Strapi users can enjoy enhanced customization controls and pre-built integrations with other Azure services, ensuring high availability and security. Deployment on Azure App Service not only simplifies infrastructure management but also facilitates setting up custom domains and enabling reliable email functionality through Azure Communication Services.

The platform accommodates a variety of databases such as MySQL and PostgreSQL, with options for customizing the deployment through ARM templates. Azure App Service provides essential tools for monitoring and debugging including App Service Logs and the Kudu dashboard, ensuring you have full control over application performance. The platform also supports continuous deployment setups with GitHub and Azure DevOps, enabling seamless transitions from development to production environments. To understand the full potential and functionality of hosting Strapi on Azure App Service, it’s crucial to explore the available documentation and resources that guide through setup, configuration, and optimization processes.

Azure App Service encourages scalability and performance enhancement through features like the Azure Front Door, CDN, and blob storage, while offering robust security technologies including VNET, Azure Key Vault, and Microsoft Defender for Cloud. For Strapi applications aiming for enterprise-grade deployment, Azure provides tools for CI/CD automation, custom SSL certificates, and backup solutions to ensure data integrity and availability. The ability to customize ARM templates or configure app settings further extends Azure’s adaptability to various project needs.

News: Strapi on App Service: FAQ
Documentation: Azure App Service Documentation

For those navigating the dynamic world of analytics, strategic planning can often be a daunting task. Enter the Microsoft Fabric SKU Estimator—an innovative tool designed to enhance your data infrastructure planning. By employing this estimator, users can precisely gauge their capacity needs and identify the optimal SKU for their specific workloads. This not only minimizes the risks of under-provisioning and overcommitment but also ensures efficient resource allocation. The Microsoft Fabric SKU Estimator is indispensable for both customers and partners aiming to streamline project planning and execution.

The tool’s utility in the rapidly shifting analytics environment cannot be overstated. Given the complexities associated with infrastructure planning, having such a precise estimator in your toolkit is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. In fact, it serves as a reliable guidepost, directing organizations toward data-driven decisions and resource-efficient processes. Relying on the Microsoft Fabric SKU Estimator enables users to navigate their analytics roadmaps with confidence and precision.

News: Mastering SKU Estimations with the Microsoft Fabric SKU Estimator
Documentation: Microsoft Fabric SKU Documentation

As of the latest update, Azure SQL Database and SQL databases in Microsoft Fabric now default to a database compatibility level of 170. This change aligns with Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to enhance database performance and capabilities. Key versions of SQL Server have always come with predetermined compatibility levels – from SQL Server 2008 with a level of 100, to SQL Server 2022 with a level of 160. Now, excitingly, level 170 has become the standard for both Azure SQL Database and Microsoft Fabric. However, for users desiring levels 160 or below, instructions for maintaining these settings are readily available. It’s recommended for new databases to adopt level 170 to benefit from the latest improvements. Meanwhile, existing databases can follow a detailed methodology for safely upgrading their compatibility level.

One major takeaway from this announcement is that the modification doesn’t automatically affect existing databases. Owners need to manually update compatibility levels for older databases, ensuring that transitions are seamless and beneficial. Even if a logical server was created before the compatibility level 170 became the default, new databases on that server will adapt to the latest level unless otherwise specified. Notably, when restoring databases from an older backup, the previous compatibility level remains unaffected, preserving original settings. For further insights, users can delve into Microsoft’s detailed documentation on compatibility levels and ensure their applications are consistently aligned with the most current standards.

News: Database compatibility level 170 in Azure SQL Database and SQL database in Microsoft Fabric
Documentation: View or Change the Compatibility Level of a Database

In a noteworthy development, Azure AI Search has been integrated with Haystack, enabling the creation of an interactive review agent tailored for retrieving and analyzing customer reviews. By leveraging the combined ability of Azure AI Search’s hybrid retrieval and Haystack’s modular architecture, users can delve deeper into customer insights using sophisticated tools for sentiment analysis and summarization. This collaborative effort between Khye Wei from Azure AI Search and Amna Mubashar from Haystack seeks to streamline evaluation processes and enhance the interpretability of customer data.

The functionality provided by Azure AI Search is robust, with an enterprise-focused retrieval system designed to accommodate high-performance GenAI applications. At its core, it blends keyword-based and vector-based search techniques to optimize search results, leveraging semantic ranking through deep learning models. Haystack augments these capabilities with its flexible pipeline design, enabling customizable AI applications adaptable across various uses and data flows. This collaboration is especially powerful due to Haystack’s tools that allow AI models to interact with external functions, facilitating complex and intelligent analyses.

For those eager to venture into AI-driven applications, detailed instructions and a working code example are available, utilizing an open-source dataset on Kaggle. The process involves converting datasets to Haystack Documents, indexing with semantic search configurations in Azure AI Search, and deploying a query pipeline enhanced with aspect-based sentiment analysis and summarization tools. This impactful collaboration exemplifies the power of combining search capabilities with AI-driven tools to refine customer review assessments.

News: Building an Interactive Feedback Review Agent with Azure AI Search and Haystack
Documentation: Azure AI Search Documentation

Strapi, an open-source and headless CMS known for its customizability and developer-friendly nature, can now be seamlessly integrated with Azure App Service. This quick start guide provides an overview of how to deploy Strapi on Azure App Service, highlighting essential prerequisites and deployment methods including Azure Portal, CLI, and PowerShell. The process leverages Azure’s robust infrastructure to provide scalable and reliable solutions, making Azure a top choice for hosting Strapi applications.

Azure’s integration involves several key services: Azure Database for MySQL or PostgreSQL, Azure Email communication service, Azure Virtual Network, Azure Blob Storage, and Azure Managed Identity. A key benefit of deploying Strapi on Azure is utilizing a fully managed platform, greatly simplifying the process of building, deploying, and scaling web apps. This guide offers instructions on setting up a Strapi site utilizing these resources along with guidance for transitioning from development to production environments, including setting up CI/CD, custom domains, and more. For an in-depth understanding, the provided documentation and source links offer expansive details.

News: Strapi on App Service: Quick Start
Documentation: Official Strapi Documentation