Microsoft 365 New Features: In-depth Review & Cloud Domain

by HubSite 365 about Microsoft

Software Development Redmond, Washington

Pro UserM365 AdminM365 Hot News

Explore Microsoft 365s new feature: Streamlining all cloud services under a single, consistent domain for a user-friendly experience.

New Microsoft 365: Migrating to a Unified Cloud Domain

Microsoft is kickstarting an ambitious initiative. The technology giant is beginning to rationalize the fragmentation that characterised its cloud services by migrating all user-facing Microsoft 365 apps and services to a single, consistent domain: cloud.microsoft.

This move to consolidate authenticated user-experiences on one domain offers several benefits. For users, it streamlines navigation across apps by reducing redirects, sign-in prompts, and delays. Administrators can anticipate considerable simplification of the required allow-lists, bolstering security while enabling seamless access to necessary apps and services. Finally, customers and developers alike will perceive a marked improvement in the integration and performance across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

The step invokes the ‘Dot brand’ top-level domains like .microsoft, a proven methodology to augment security, trustworthiness, and integrity of organization’s online exploits. This move mirrors the exclusivity, similar to the US Government's ownership of the .gov top-level domain. With sole ownership, Microsoft can bolster security protocols and governance controls and every experience on the .microsoft domain is deemed legitimate and authentic. It also helps in protection against domain spoofing as to spoof, intruders would have to go through Microsoft itself.

Selection of the term "Cloud" preceding the “dot” is vital to realize the full benefits of a unified domain. Cloud symbolizes a wide range of services that will now come under Microsoft 365’s umbrella. Initially, only new services will be deployed on the cloud.microsoft domain while existing services will transition later considering broader implications.

No action will be generally required from customers as *.cloud.microsoft has already been included in the official list of Office 365 URLs and existing links will eventually redirect users to the new domain automatically. In line with its commitment to a seamless transition, Microsoft will provide advanced notifications for any changes, focused communications about required customer actions, and long-term redirects to ensure connections with old domains continue to function.

Workloads beyond Microsoft 365 are currently not included in this transition, with plans for other services to be shared in future.
SaaS experiences will be isolated in their own domain space for security and simplified endpoint allow-list management for admins, hence Microsoft.com will not be used.
Microsoft.com will continue to be used for marketing, support, and e-commerce ensuring continuation of non-product experiences.

Digging Deeper: Narative on Unified Cloud Domain

Cloud technology has become the backbone of the modern digital world, the drive to optimize user's cloud-based experiences is a forward-thinking move by Microsoft. Understanding the wide range of services 'cloud' represents, Microsoft’s migration promises enhanced customer experience through the simplification of navigation and administration, better security controls, and improved cross-app performances. This initiative also illustrates an increased focus towards a streamlined and integrated development within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Future communications and actions around this project are anticipated to be of high significance, as Microsoft continues with its commitment to making this transition smooth for all its customers.

Read the full article New Features of Microsoft 365: Detailed Review on Cloud Domain

Learn about New Features of Microsoft 365: Detailed Review on Cloud Domain

The blog post focuses on the newly introduced features of Microsoft 365 and emphasizes on the new cloud domain. As Microsoft cloud services have been expanding over the years, they have spread across hundreds of domains. This fragmentation posed challenges regarding end-user navigation, administrative ease, and cross-app experiences.

Microsoft has decided to curtail this fragmentation by shifting the authenticated, user-facing Microsoft 365 apps and services onto a single consistent and cohesive domain, cloud.microsoft.
The outcome will reportedly streamline the user experience by reducing sign-in prompts, redirects, and delays when surfing across apps.
Furthermore, it will considerably lessen the complexity of the allow-lists required to assist your tenant to stay secure while enabling users to access necessary apps and services.
It will also create a foundation for better and closer integration across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

To delve deeper into this topic, there are various Microsoft learning pathways and training courses available, such as "Microsoft 365 Fundamentals" and specific training courses about cloud services, aimed at enhancing user understanding of the new features and the nutritive use of the Cloud domain.

Keywords

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