Stay Updated on Office365 URL Changes with CACI
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What the changing Microsoft URLs means for your internet gateway infrastructure
Microsoft is rolling out significant changes to their URL and FQDN structure, transitioning from "{xyz}.office365.com" and "{xyz}.microsoft.com" to "{xyz}.cloud.microsoft". This shift is gradually being implemented across their Office365 and Microsoft Cloud offerings such as Teams, SharePoint, Outlook and OneDrive.
For many organisations, this update could mean a substantial amount of manual work, including but not limited to:
- Updating internet-facing Firewall ACLs (e.g., Palo Alto EDL, FortiGate ISDB)
- Adjusting internet-facing SASE/SSE solutions (e.g., Zscaler, Cisco Umbrella)
- Modifying web proxy and related browser infrastructure (e.g., PAC file, WPAD, proxy auto-discover)
At CACI, we understand the challenges this can pose. That’s why we've developed automation solutions to help our clients stay ahead of these changes and manage the ever-evolving Microsoft address feeds and information sources efficiently - such as our freely available PAC File Performance Comparer, available on our Public GitHub.
Automating the changes: Our PAC File Performance Comparer
We've open-sourced our PAC File Performance Comparer on our GitHub pages, which can:
✔️ Unit test the expected behaviour of a URL (proxy or direct) against the processed behaviour (proxy or direct) of a given "before" and "after" set of PAC files.✔️ Display the PAC-processed behaviour of a URL (proxy or direct) of a given "before" and "after" set of PAC files.
✔️ Display the time taken by the browser engine to process the PAC to calculate the behaviour (proxy or direct) of a given "before" and "after" set of PAC files.
We've successfully used this with our expert network security engineers to optimise proxy performance for several of our high-profile media, telco, utilities and financial services clients, and have the battle-tested expertise to help you navigate these forthcoming changes quickly.
Book your Firewall Optimisation Assessment today!
Is your firewall truly secure and efficient?
Impact of cloud.microsoft TLD: What's changing?
In the interim, Microsoft is adding redirects to these services so they continue to work, for example:
- https://tasks.office.com redirects to
- https://planner.cloud.microsoft
While this might seem very easy, it has knock on impacts for your Enterprise, such as:
⛔ Changing your email security and anti-phishing campaigns to focus on cloud.microsoft instead of just microsoft.com
⛔ Updating your help desk knowledge base (KB) articles and service designs to cater to the redirects and cross-launches that occur between Office365 applications (for instance, when Teams redirects to SharePoint which hosts OneDrive).
⛔ Educating your users about the changes they'll see in their browser address bar before they deluge you with ServiceNow support tickets.
Book your Firewall Optimisation Assessment today!
Is your firewall truly secure and efficient?
How can CACI help?
We understand the challenges this will pose to your internet gateway, web proxy, PAC, WPAD and related estate. Our combined 20 years' experience stands behind you to assist with making these Office365 changes seamless within your mission-critical enterprise network:
- Expertise in network engineering and IT infrastructure: Our team of seasoned professionals is equipped with the latest tools and knowledge to ensure your network remains robust and secure.
- Tailored solutions: We offer customised solutions to meet your specific needs, ensuring a seamless transition to the new domain structure.
- Proactive support: Our network automation and network security engineers are ready to help you navigate these updates, preventing potential issues like "Teams running slow" or "SharePoint intermittency" before they arise.
We are trusted by the UK's most successful companies in financial services, telecommunications, utilities and the government to work closely with their systems thanks to our strict confidentiality and high standards of work. Get in touch with us today to help make these Microsoft Office365 changes happen seamlessly for your network.
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