Weekly Cloud Info #W16 - 2025

Author

Walid LARABI
April 18, 2025

Hi!

From AWS launching Advance Pay in Europe to OpenAI unveiling its latest o3 and o4-mini models, this week brought some updates across all major cloud providers. Discover new logging controls in Lambda@Edge, static IPs for CloudFront, Azure’s enhanced event-driven features, Bigtable SQL improvements on GCP, and much more.

Have a great read. ☕

📰 Top picks of the week

AWS Launches Advance Pay in Europe: Prepay for Cloud Services and Simplify Invoices

AWS introduces Advance Pay for customers in Europe, allowing them to pay for cloud usage in advance and automate invoice payments. This feature enhances financial planning and reduces administrative tasks. Users can easily register and add funds through the AWS Billing and Cost Management console. More information is available in the user guide.

AWS Lambda@Edge Enhances Logging with New Controls for Better Monitoring

AWS Lambda@Edge has introduced advanced logging controls to enhance log management and analysis. Users can now utilize JSON structured logs, adjust log levels in real-time, and select specific CloudWatch log groups for better log aggregation. This improvement simplifies monitoring and issue resolution. Users can implement these controls through various AWS tools like the Lambda console and CLI.

AWS: CloudFront Introduces Anycast Static IPs for Simple Apex Domain Management

Amazon CloudFront now supports Anycast Static IPs for apex domains, allowing customers to use their root domain with just 3 static IP addresses instead of 21. This update simplifies DNS management and enables easy configuration of A records for apex domains. It ensures high-performance content delivery through optimized traffic routing. The feature is not available in AWS China regions and standard pricing applies.

AWS Enhances S3 Tables with Customer-Managed Key Encryption Support

Amazon S3 Tables now support server-side encryption with AWS KMS using customer-managed keys. Users can choose a default key for new tables, a specific key per table, or a mix of both. This enhancement includes cost optimization with S3 Bucket Keys and AWS CloudTrail logging for auditing. The feature is available for new tables across all AWS Regions where S3 Tables operate.

Azure SQL Trigger Now Available for Scalable Event-Driven Applications

Azure SQL trigger for Azure Functions is now generally available in the consumption plan, allowing scalable application logic driven by Azure SQL database changes. It supports nearly any SQL database with change tracking and can be used in all Azure Functions supported languages. With existing bindings, developers can efficiently create event-driven applications and facilitate low-code interactions. This enhances the experience for those migrating applications to Azure and adopting modern architectures.

Azure Durable Functions Extension v3 Now Available with Major Updates

Durable Functions extension v3 is now generally available, featuring improved cost efficiency with Azure Storage v2 accounts and updates to the latest Azure Storage SDKs. The Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs.Extensions.DurableTask v3.x package introduces a breaking change for C# apps using the in-process model. The updates also impact the .NET isolated package starting from version 1.2.x. Non .NET apps can access Durable Functions extension v3 in extension bundles from version 4.22.0.

Azure Backup: New Support for Data Lake Storage Backups in Vaults

Azure Backup now allows users to transfer Azure Data Lake Storage backups to a vault. This vault stores backups and recovery points, with options for daily or weekly schedules and customizable retention settings. The isolated backups ensure business operations can continue, even if the source data is compromised, by allowing seamless restores.

GCP: Bigtable SQL Enhancements Power Real-Time Applications

Google Cloud announced new SQL capabilities for Bigtable, including continuous materialized views, enhancing its utility for real-time applications. This update makes it easier for developers to manage data using familiar SQL syntax, unlocking new use cases like real-time dashboards and improved search features. Bigtable’s SQL support is now generally available, streamlining the development process and improving access for diverse industries. Companies like Augment and Equifax are already leveraging these advancements for enhanced data operations.

GCP: Vertex AI Enhancements for Building Multi-Agent Systems and $300 Credits for New Users

Google Cloud's Vertex AI introduces enhancements for building and managing multi-agent systems. The new Agent Development Kit (ADK) allows developers to create AI agents with ease, using under 100 lines of code. Vertex AI integrates seamlessly with enterprise data and workflows, supporting diverse frameworks for effective collaboration. New customers can access $300 in free credits to explore these capabilities.

OpenAI Launches o3 and o4-mini: New Models Boost Reasoning and Performance

OpenAI has launched the o3 and o4-mini models, featuring advanced reasoning capabilities and full tool integration, enhancing ChatGPT's problem-solving skills. The o3 model excels in coding, math, and science, reducing major errors by 20% compared to its predecessor. The o4-mini, a smaller version, provides quick, cost-effective reasoning and achieves impressive results on the AIME exams while outperforming earlier models in various tasks. Both models signify improved analytical abilities and performance across diverse academic benchmarks.

❤️ You might also like

  • TLS Certificate Lifetimes Will Officially Reduce to 47 Days LINK

  • Google next recap LINK

  • How Google Kubernetes Engine powers AI innovation LINK

  • OpenAI gets ready to launch GPT-4.1 LINK

  • ChatGPT will now remember your old conversations LINK

  • Nvidia plans to manufacture AI supercomputers in the US LINK

  • Meta says will resume AI training with public content from European users LINK

  • Hugging Face buys a humanoid robotics startup LINK

  • Anthropic is reportedly launching a voice AI you can speak to LINK

  • Grok can now generate documents, code, and browser games LINK

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