Well…it just keeps getting better with all the Office 365, SharePoint Online and OneDrive developments!

After tuning into last week’s Microsoft Ignite Conference 2016 sessions (and still more to catch up on!), following blogs and twitter updates, I managed to catch up on the latest announcements surrounding some of the key technologies that I am very much part of Office 365, SharePoint, OneDrive and other Office 365 services and applications.There is a lot to look forward to that will benefit and impact us in coming weeks and months.So I have tried to summarise these latest updates for easy reference on this one page.

If you are eager to jump to Ignite 2016 Slidedeck and Video downloader then head over to technet to download powershell script by Michel de Rooij – much appreciated and many thanks.

Some of the SharePoint Ecosystem key facts include:

• Over 200,000 organisations use SharePoint
• 9 of the 10 best intranets built on SharePoint
• 2 times usage growth and 5 times content growth in SharePoint Online

SharePoint

• Publishing sites (our intranet) enhancements in the first half 2017 which will affect the way content is managed
• Feedback driven updates to document libraries, lists, pages, sites and apps
• Team news for SharePoint Online modern team sites
• SharePoint mobile apps for Android and Windows 10 Mobile (in preview).
• News roll-up tab within the SharePoint mobile app for iOS
• Create a modern team site and an associated Office 365 group from the SharePoint home
• New contextual people experiences within SharePoint Online team sites, document libraries and lists, and OneDrive for Business
• Performance focused CDN integration with publishing sites
• SharePoint Framework worldwide release (sometime this quarter) – a substantial change for developers
• SharePoint Server 2016 Feature Pack 1 for on-premises version will be released in November 2016

SharePoint Updates between May and Mid September this year

Below is a quick guide to what Microsoft SharePoint team has done this year between May and mid-September and for those who are on first-release program will have noticed most changes already.

• Put simple and powerful file sharing at the centre of collaboration, throughout Office 365.
• Established the foundation for a modern, mobile and intelligent intranet.
• Enabled to take your intranet in your pocket with the SharePoint mobile app.
• Updated the experience of libraries, lists, pages and the Sites Content page.
• Delivered an updated team site experience for Office 365 Groups.
• Empowered you to create business solutions using innovative, rapid application development tools to connect with data sources and automate business processes.
• Announced the SharePoint Framework, so you can customise and extend SharePoint using the same modern, open frameworks used to build experiences. The SharePoint Framework is now in preview, as are SharePoint webhooks.
• Deployed innovative new features and controls, so you can govern, secure and manage your content and your service.
• Released SharePoint Server 2016 as a foundation for the future

OneDrive

• Sync SharePoint Online document libraries and OneDrive folders shared with you
• Ability to access and edit all your files in OneDrive and SharePoint Online from the OneDrive browser client (rolling out before the end of 2016)
• Capability to download multiple files as a .zip file (rolling out before the end of 2016)
• Notifications to your iOS or Android device when someone shares a OneDrive file with you (available today)
• Access to SharePoint Online files in the OneDrive app on Android (available today)
• Ability to see over time how many people have discovered and viewed your files in OneDrive for iOS
• Dedicated OneDrive administration console in Office 365 (rolling out before the end of 2016)
• SharePoint sync is being added to the OneDrive sync client – including the flexibility to select the specific folders you want to take offline

Office 365 and other services and applications

• The new Office 365 App launcher with tabbed menus
• New Office 365 Admin centre and service health dashboard
• Enhanced conditional access controls, encryption controls and site classification in SharePoint and OneDrive
• Threat Intelligence and Advanced Data Governance
• Yammer is integrating with Office 365 Groups –
• Create better work habits with MyAnalytics (formerly Delve Analytics) and new People Experience throughout Office 365
• Microsoft StaffHub— a new app that makes it easy for managers to create teams, manage shift schedules and provide relevant information to their workers
• Expanded FastTrack services and tools to support hybrid configurations and migration
• Launch of Windows Server 2016

Skype For Business

• New Skype for Business for Mac will be available in October. The new client has been written from the ground up using the modern Mac programming language
• Next generation Skype Room Systems – transforming the meeting experience in one place whether on site or remote location
• Skype for Business Advanced Analytics will be in preview by end of 2016 – provide an end-to-end view of the Skype for Business online environment

Azure

• Public preview of Azure Monitor – new service making inbuilt monitoring available to all Azure users
• Azure Networking announcements – Public preview of Accelerated Networking for high throughpit and reduce network latency
• General availability of Virtual Network Peering (VNet Peering) – VNet Peering connects Virtual Networks (VNets) in the same region, enabling direct full mesh connectivity
• General Availability of Azure DNS. you can now host domains in Azure DNS and manage DNS records using the same credentials, APIs, tools
• Azure Stack Technical Preview 2 – enabling you to deliver Azure services from your own datacenter.

Further Resources:

• Ignite conference keynotes and on demand sessions
• Ignite Conference Session slides and recordings
• Further details on the above news and updates items
• Microsoft Streamlines Technical Certifications

Published by Chirag Patel @techChirag

Chirag is an independent Microsoft 365 consultant at Patel Consulting, and Microsoft MVP (Office & Apps Services), based in UK with more than 20 years of industry experience. He is also a BCS (British Computer Society) Member & Chartered IT Professional, Microsoft 365 Certified Enterprise Administrator Expert, MCT (Microsoft Certified Trainer) and TOGAF9 Certified Architect. He works with a wide variety of clients in many sectors, designing and implementing business collaboration, data and information management solutions and services based on Microsoft Teams, SharePoint and Microsoft 365 technologies, Power Platform to create business value for both themselves and their customers, including UK Microsoft Gold Partners with deployment, upgrade and migration services delivery. Chirag is an active Microsoft 365 community participant, frequent speaker at local and international events including Microsoft 365 Saturdays, Power Saturdays, SharePoint Saturdays, Collab365, TeamsFest, Modern Workplace Summit and Scottish Summit. You can follow Chirag on twitter at @techChirag. View all posts by Chirag Patel @techChirag