Practical 365 Podcast - Microsoft 365, Copilot & Cybersecurity News & Discussions

Ignite 2025 delivered major updates across Microsoft 365. In this episode, we discuss: Agent 365 : Public preview now. Manage AI agents like identities with Entra Agent ID, renamed app registrations, and Teams app visibility. Copilot updates : Work IQ adds proactive personalization. Voice in Outlook Mobile for hands-free triage and scheduling (early access now). Natural-language meeting scheduling rolling out to Outlook and Copilot Chat. Sora 2 video generation available for Copilot Frontier users. SharePoint at 25 : Metadata reasoning, intranet page reasoning, and SharePoint Agents in Copilot Chat and the Agent Store. Listen for practical insights on what these changes mean for IT teams and how to prepare. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

In this episode of the Practical 365 Podcast, Steve Goodman and Paul Robichaux discuss major Exchange updates – including the fallout from a recent AWS outage, Microsoft’s new tools to finally remove your last on-premises Exchange server, the final patches for Exchange 2016/2019, and a new auto-archiving feature for Exchange Online. They also dive into the latest Microsoft 365 Copilot news: Copilot’s upcoming memory & personalization upgrade, an experimental =COPILOT function in Excel, an AI-powered “Retry with AI” feature in Power Automate, and the concept of “Agentic Users” – AI agents that might soon work alongside humans in Teams. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

Join Steve Goodman and Paul Robichaux as they discuss Microsoft’s latest AI updates – from Copilot Chat coming to all Microsoft 365 apps (no license required) to Teams getting AI agents in meetings, channels, and communities. They also warn about the rise of “AI-generated workslop” cluttering our workflows, and dig into why many Copilot pilot projects are struggling to reach production. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

Join Steve Goodman and Paul Robichaux as they unpack Microsoft’s latest Copilot Studio updates, including new licensing terminology, human-in-the-loop features, and real-time protection for AI agents. Plus, hear how Jan can help you test AI agents locally before deploying them in Microsoft 365, and get their take on Microsoft’s quiet reversal of its remote work stance. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

Join Steve Goodman, Paul Robichaux, and Bastiaan Verdonk as they delve into the critical security vulnerabilities affecting on-premises SharePoint servers, including the "ToolShell" exploit chain (CVE-2025-49704, CVE-2025-49706, CVE-2025-53770, CVE-2025-53771) which enables unauthenticated remote code execution. They discuss the scale of the problem, the threat actors involved, and the crucial need for immediate patching and robust operational practices for any remaining on-premises deployments. The conversation then shifts to the overwhelming challenge of managing the constant stream of updates and changes within Microsoft 365. Special guest Tom Arbuthnot shares insights from his work with Empowering Cloud and their "Change Pilot" service, detailing how they use AI and expert review to help organizations navigate the deluge of Message Center notifications, prioritize impactful changes, and manage the communication around them. Discover practical strategies for staying ahead of the curve in the fast-paced world of Microsoft 365. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

In Season 4, Episode 41 of the Practical 365 Podcast, hosts Steve Goodman and Paul Robichaud explore a range of pressing topics in the tech world. They kick off with a deep dive into the Microsoft 365 Copilot exploit, "Echo Leak," discussing its implications for AI safeguards and the future of agentic AI. The conversation then shifts to a recent global outage affecting Google and Cloudflare, highlighting the challenges of maintaining hyperscale services. The hosts also examine Microsoft's new initiative to offer containerized M365 instances in Europe, addressing concerns over data sovereignty. Finally, they discuss the latest advancements in Copilot agents, emphasizing the importance of understanding AI reasoning. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

In this episode, Steve Goodman and Bastiaan Verdonk interview Victor King from Quest on best practices for Active Directory security. They discuss identifying misconfigurations, managing privileged access, and continuous environmental monitoring. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

Steve and Paul dissect Microsoft's latest financial report, explore Viva Engage's future, and discuss the role of AI in project management. Adam Banks shares insights on cybersecurity, accountability, and the mindset shifts needed for IT leadership. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

Steve Goodman and Paul Robichaux dissect the latest Microsoft news, focusing on the sting of rising on-premises licensing costs. The team also explores Copilot Studio and the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Plus, Steve Goodman and Bastiaan Verdonk interview Microsoft's Janice Ricketts, to unravel the complexities of Global Secure Access (GSA) and Zero Trust security. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

Steve and Paul cut through the noise of a million Message Center notifications to bring you the need-to-know on Exchange Online's new sending limits. Plus, security expert Louis Mastelinck schools Steve & Bastiaan on practical Conditional Access – because let's face it, most deployments are a mess. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

Paul Robichaux and Steve Goodman discuss Exchange Server's 2025 H1 update and cut through the hype around AI agents, questioning whether they're living up to the marketing. Then, cybersecurity expert Paula Januszkiewicz shares fascinating red team stories, including modifying a water cooler to gain network access, and offers practical security advice for organizations of all sizes. Paula explains how AI is transforming both sides of the cybersecurity battlefield, warns about "productive script kiddies," and emphasizes why even small businesses need basic security measures like MFA. A must-listen for IT pros concerned about modern security threats. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

It's the last Practical 365 podcast starring Rich Dean, as he departs for pastures new in the next chapter of his career, but we aren't ending with a damp squid of an episode - on the show this week, we do a bit of a lessons learnt: We chat about some of the top guests we've had on the show, and what interesting nuggets of information are still relevant today, and in some cases what has changed. Rich also introduces Steve to our new co-host, Bastiaan Verdonk, and on the show you'll get to know Bastiaan a little better. Thankfully Steve got all manner of Bastiaan Host cybersecurity jokes out of the way prior to recording, so you can look forward to another enjoyable episode free from terrible jokes, and remaining as informative as ever. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

Join Steve Goodman and Paul Robichaux to discuss Microsoft's latest announcements, including the surprise move to make Copilot Chat free for all Microsoft 365 users, significant changes coming to Exchange Online audit logging, and the new Outlook's arrival via Windows Update. Plus, get their takes on Microsoft's major AI reorganization with the new CoreAI division, and what all these changes mean for IT pros as we start 2025. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

Join Steve Goodman and Paul Robichaux for the penultimate episode of 2024, where they discuss Microsoft's significant end-of-year announcements, including the retirement of Viva Goals, major infrastructure changes with cloud.microsoft domains, and the future of Outlook. Plus, get their takes on Microsoft's latest AI developments and what these changes mean for IT pros. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

In this week's show, Paul and Steve discuss the latest Microsoft Places announcements, debate whether Teams tries to be too many things at once, and examine the sometimes confusing world of Copilot integration across Microsoft 365 services. Plus, we share our thoughts on Microsoft Ignite logistics and what we hope for the future of the conference. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

In this episode of the Practical 365 Podcast, Steve Goodman and Rich Dean are joined by Merill Fernando, Principal Product Manager at Microsoft, for a deep dive into identity management and community-driven innovation. As we approach Microsoft Ignite, Merill shares insights on upcoming announcements in security and identity management, including the new Global Secure Access solution. Plus we discuss various tech Meryl contributes to with the community, in particular Maester.dev, an open-source PowerShell based security framework. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

In our first of two Practical 365 Podcasts before Ignite begins, Steve Goodman and Paul Robichaux dive deep into what was best in Microsoft's Wave 2 release and chat about Copilot Pages - is it a good move from Microsoft? In other crucial news, we address the approaching end of support for Exchange Server 2016 and 2019, and what organizations need to consider as they plan their migration strategy. Plus, we look at the latest Teams meeting features, including new Copilot controls, meeting recap integrations with Outlook and new device support. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

In the show this week, Steve Goodman and Rich Dean are joined by Rod Trent. Rod discusses his extensive background in content creation and his current role at Microsoft, focusing on the evolution of AI in cybersecurity, particularly through the lens of Copilot for Security. The discussion covers the challenges of AI adoption, the importance of asking the right questions, and the need for trust in data integrity. Trent emphasizes the role of plugins and integration with other tools, the skills gap in cybersecurity, and the future of security operations centers. He also highlights the balance between automation and human oversight, the importance of quick decision-making, and the resources available for learning about Copilot for Security. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

Cybersecurity expert Shinesa Cambric joing Steve Goodman to discuss the evolving landscape of IT. In this episode, we explore the parallels between AI adoption and the cloud revolution, and get into the changing nature of identity in our digital world. Shinesa shares insights from her 20+ years in IT and gives a sneak peek into her upcoming TEC 2024 keynote. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!

On the show this week, Steve Goodman is joined by IT industry veteran, Paul Thurrott to talk a variety of subjects he'll be speaking on in his keynote at TEC 2024 - namely Windows and Copilot. As Microsoft have had a turbulent year with both, we get Paul's take on it. Want to stay up to date on all things Practical 365? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Linkedin to stay up to date on all things Microsoft!