The new year began with continued disruptions due to the pandemic, including new rounds of closures and lockdowns in many places. Nonetheless, with vaccines now available many are hopeful for a burgeoning economy and a slow but steady return to normal in the months ahead.

Microsoft issued only a few updates related to Azure in the early days of January,  reflecting the holiday atmosphere, as workers, users and partners across the globe take stock of the changes we've witnessed and where the cloud is headed next.