Weekly Cloud Info #W34 - 2025

Author

Walid LARABI
August 22, 2025

Hi!

AWS introduces new S3 features, Apache Flink encryption options, and OpenSearch AI capabilities. Azure enhances AKS access and Cosmos DB security, while Google Cloud boosts AI security and compliance management.

Have a great read. ☕

📰 Top picks of the week

Amazon S3 Launches Data Integrity Verification with Compute Checksum Feature

Amazon S3 has introduced a new feature that allows users to verify the integrity of stored datasets using S3 Batch Operations. This feature enables the computation of checksums for billions of objects without the need to restore or download data. Users can create a job to compute checksums using various algorithms and receive detailed reports for compliance and auditing purposes. This capability is available in all AWS Regions.

Amazon Managed Service for Apache Flink Introduces Support for Customer Managed Keys

Amazon Managed Service for Apache Flink now allows customers to use their own Customer Managed Keys (CMK) from AWS Key Management Service (KMS) for data encryption, enhancing control over data security. Previously, the service only supported encryption with AWS-owned KMS keys. This update simplifies real-time data stream processing while providing users with more flexibility in managing encryption.

AI-Powered Forecasts Now Available in Amazon OpenSearch 3.1+

Amazon OpenSearch 3.1+ now supports AI-powered forecasts and visualizations for time-series data, enabling users to predict changes in business metrics, website traffic, and system performance without needing data science expertise. This feature can be accessed through OpenSearch dashboards or the OpenSearch UI and is available in all regions that support OpenSearch 3.1 domains.

Amazon SageMaker AI Introduces P6e-GB200 UltraServers for Enhanced Model Training

Amazon SageMaker AI now supports P6e-GB200 UltraServers, featuring up to 72 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs within a single NVLink domain, enhancing training and deployment of large foundational models. These servers offer over 20x compute and 11x memory improvements compared to previous instances, with capabilities of 360 petaflops of FP8 compute and 13.4 TB of HBM3e memory. Available in two sizes, they are accessible through SageMaker Flexible Training Plans in the Dallas Local Zone.

AWS Simplifies Access to New OpenAI Models in Amazon Bedrock

AWS has introduced two new OpenAI models, gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b, in Amazon Bedrock, making them automatically available to all users without the need for manual activation. This change simplifies access and allows customers to use these models immediately via the Amazon Bedrock Console or unified API. Future serverless foundation models will also have default access, while account administrators can manage usage through IAM policies and Service Control Policies.

Azure Bastion Enables Secure Access to AKS API Server Without VPNs

Azure now allows users to establish a secure tunnel from their local machines to the AKS API server via Azure Bastion. This feature enables seamless access to both private and public clusters without the need for VPNs, jump boxes, or exposing public endpoints, simplifying secure access for developers and operators of private AKS environments.

Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB (vCore) Introduces Customer-Managed Key Encryption

Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB (vCore) now offers the option for customer-managed key (CMK) encryption in addition to service-managed key (SMK) encryption. This feature allows organizations to control their encryption key's lifecycle, permissions, and auditing, enhancing data security and enabling separation of duties in key management. CMK encryption applies to all data, including backups and logs, at the cluster level.

Google Cloud Enhances AI Security with New Capabilities at Security Summit 2025

Google Cloud has introduced new capabilities at the Google Cloud Security Summit 2025 to enhance the security of AI initiatives. Key updates include automated discovery of AI agents and Model Context Protocol servers for risk identification, advanced in-line protection against runtime threats, and proactive threat detection for AI agents using intelligence from Mandiant and Google. These features aim to help organizations secure their AI ecosystems effectively.

Google Cloud Launches Compliance Manager for Enhanced Security and Compliance Management

Google Cloud has introduced Compliance Manager in preview, integrated into Security Command Center, to enhance security and compliance management. This AI-powered tool automates monitoring, detection, and reporting, allowing organizations to configure, monitor, and audit their security and compliance obligations effectively. It supports customizable frameworks and provides near real-time visibility into compliance status, helping to prevent misconfigurations and streamline operations.

Google Cloud Database Center Expands Monitoring to Self-Managed Databases on Compute Engine

Google Cloud's Database Center now supports monitoring self-managed MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server databases on Compute Engine, enhancing security and performance oversight. Key features include automatic detection of outdated versions, auditing status, IP access ranges, root password settings, and unencrypted connections. Additionally, users can set custom alerts for new database resources and issue types, improving proactive management of their database environments.

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