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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas)

@ben.hybridby.design
1.2K followers 1.1K following 1K posts

Senior Solution Engineer @ Veeam | Microsoft #MVP | #VeeamVanguard 23-25 | Pure Geek | #S2D #AzureStackHCI #Powershell #Azure #Veeam | All opinions are my own | bcthomas.com | littlebeansbyt.es

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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 12/08/2026
Bringing the Veeam User Group back to Christchurch! It is VeeamOn Tour week, so a couple of visiting speakers might join us. Grab a free ticket if you are local: www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/beers-with... #VeeamUserGroup #Veeam100 #VeeamCommunity #Christchurch
eventbrite.co.nz
Beers with Engineers – Veeam User Group NZ (Christchurch)
Evening built for the technical community — where conversations are real, insights are practical, and there’s zero sales fluff.
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Reposted by Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas)
Veeam Software @veeam.com · 30/07/2026
Drive costs are up, lead times are longer, and cold data is still sitting on your most expensive storage. Veeam Vault Archive fixes that with automatic, low-cost archiving for trusted, long-term retention. Now available. bit.ly/4fLtQUY
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 18/07/2026
The native bulk options in the new #VSPC 9.2 Vault plugin are great for standard setups, but some providers need custom naming conventions for strict internal standards. I mapped out the 6-step REST API chain to show how to fully customize the workflow. buff.ly/cHelzHo #Veeam #Veeam100 #VDCVault
bcthomas.com
Bulk Provisioning VDC Vaults with the VSPC 9.2 Vault Plugin API
A REST API walkthrough for provisioning VDC Vault tenants and storage vaults with custom naming, bypassing the WebUI's bulk-provisioning limits.
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Reposted by Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas)
Tyler Jurgens @explosive.cloud · 17/07/2026
🪿 Between Two Geese 🪿 has a new nest Find our YouTube episodes, LinkedIn Lives, useful links, and next live: 2geese.com Take a look and honk back. What works, what is missing, and what should we improve? #BetweenTwoGeese
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 18/07/2026
#Veeam support for #Proxmox is solid, but we still need a way to automate recovery testing without native SureBackup. My mate Andre built a workaround using the REST APIs to spin up isolated test VMs. It verifies they actually boot. Part 1 is up. buff.ly/QNNTSbP #VeeamMVP #Veeam100 #VeeamCommunity
homelabpro.xyz
Proxmox Backup Verification – Part 1
Disclaimer: This is an unofficial personal passion project, not an official Veeam product, and it isn’t supported or endorsed by Veeam in any way. I’m also not a professional developer, so treat this…
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 16/07/2026
Year 9 in the MVP program! 🛠️ Started deep in Storage Spaces Direct when hybrid barely existed. Now it's Azure Local & Arc, but I still love getting under the hood of Windows Server/Azure. Thanks to the Microsoft PGs & Azure Local Slack crew. Cheers to year 10! #MVPBuzz
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Reposted by Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas)
LittleBeansByt.es @littlebeansbyt.es · 02/07/2026
littlebeansbyt.es
Force SOBR Offload
Did you know that if you press the “CTRL” key while right clicking on a Scale-out Backup Repository, you get additional menu options to proactively run a Tiering Job or kick off an extent rebalance?
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Reposted by Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas)
LittleBeansByt.es @littlebeansbyt.es · 02/07/2026
Well hello from LittleBeansByt.es! Another Blog? Yes, I’ve found my ability to quickly release posts day-to-day on bcthomas.com lacking, as I end up spending too much time debating over the level of technical detail and clarity and layout and I never get anything finished and published […]
littlebeansbyt.es
Original post on littlebeansbyt.es
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 01/04/2026
TUIs are back—Claude, nmtui, etc. Could terminal UIs be the next big thing for #VBR? Imagine opening your console, running a command, and keyboard-navigating your backup dashboard to inspect runs or repo storage. Reality? Or a bad April Fools joke? #Veeam100 #Keeah #Veeam
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 23/03/2026
Monday morning at the Microsoft MVP Summit and the shuttle lines are already massive. It is just the pre-day! I am going to need a lot more coffee to get through this week. ☕ ​#MVPBuzz Microsoft #MVPSummit
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 15/02/2026
Manual #Veeam audits for VDC Vault migrations are a total slog. I got tired of clicking through 100s of jobs to check encryption and retention, so I built a local analyzer tool to do it for me. Drop in a HealthCheck JSON and see your blockers. buff.ly/YibmAsg #VeeamCommunity #VDCVault
bcthomas.com
Introducing the VDC Vault Readiness Analyzer
A new pre-flight check tool to validate Veeam environments for VDC Vault migration readiness.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 13/02/2026
Microsoft Defender scanning a 4TB .vbk file is a great way to kill your backup performance. I got tired of manually adding the 50+ exclusions from KB1999 every time I built a server. So I scripted it. Smartly. buff.ly/LIl0mfN #VeeamCommunity #Veeam #MVPBuzz #PowerShell
bcthomas.com
Automating Veeam Defender Exclusions
A role-aware PowerShell script that automates Microsoft Defender exclusions for Veeam Backup & Replication infrastructure using KB1999 recommendations.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 28/01/2026
Veeam Data Cloud finally has dark mode. My eyes can finally stop burning during late-night config sessions. It is tucked under the appearance menu in the top right. 🌙 #VeeamCommunity #Sysadmin #DarkMode
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 23/01/2026
It’s the little things that win me over. In #Veeam v13, the #VBR console finally handles its own updates. No more digging for ISOs or manual installs after patching the server. Just connect, click update, and you're back in. Huge time saver for the lab. #VeeamCommunity #MVPBuzz
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 22/01/2026
Just knocked out a full #VBR appliance patch before my coffee even got cold. ☕️ Under 10 minutes to hit v13.0.1.1071. No RDP, no mounting ISOs, and zero Windows Update drama. It’s hard to justify sticking with the Windows install for the lab after seeing this. #VeeamCommunity #MVPBuzz #VSA #Veeam
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Reposted by Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas)
Legendary Prizes @legendaryprizes.bsky.social · 07/12/2025
🎧🎹 We have one Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 to give away! Entry is open to AU/NZ residents aged 16+. Competition ends 21/12/2025. 🎧🎹 www.legendaryprizes.com.au/tech #pixel #music #googlepixel
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 10/12/2025
Love the VDC Vault UI, but sometimes you just need raw data for Excel? I built a Chrome Extension to export tenant stats & storage usage directly to CSV. Handy for billing/chargeback workflows. Details on how it works here: buff.ly/Vv5qldX #VeeamCommunity #MVPBuzz #Veeam #VeeamDataCloud
bcthomas.com
Exporting Veeam Data Cloud Vault Data to CSV
How to export VDC Vault tenant usage, subscription limits, and storage statistics using a custom Chrome Extension.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 03/12/2025
My mate Andre is attempting the impossible: a Veeam blog Advent Calendar. 🎄 He's publishing a new technical post every day until Christmas, covering automation, security and hidden features. Check out the first few posts and follow along here: buff.ly/gOzhHWS #Veeam100 #VeeamCommunity
linkedin.com
Veeam Blog Advent Calendar 2025: Unwrapping 24 Days of Backup Magic
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 02/11/2025
Quickly building a VM back in my homelab in NZ for a demo as Im on a train from Florence to Pisa 😂😂😂
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 18/09/2025
To avoid this, make sure you configure the jobs to use existing Azure resources (storage accounts, NSGs) instead of creating new ones for every VM. Veeam's new KB 4764 shows you how. Definitely a best practice to set up from the start. buff.ly/1wymu6l #VeeamCommunity #MVPBuzz #PowerShell
veeam.com
KB4764: Guidelines for Mass Instant Recovery to Azure
This article provides advice and guidelines for mass bulk recovery to Microsoft Azure via Veeam Backup & Replication's Instant Recovery restore functionality.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 18/09/2025
Getting ready to test the new mass Instant Recovery to #Azure in #Veeam V13? Here's a quick tip. The default settings can cause restores to fail at scale by hitting Azure API throttling limits. 1/2
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Reposted by Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas)
Veeam Software @veeam.com · 04/09/2025
“Veeam is removing complexity, giving partners and customers the ability to protect data quickly without the heavy lift of specialized expertise or ongoing management." Read more about the Veeam Software Appliance on @virtreview.bsky.social bit.ly/4nhLOAE
bit.ly
Data Resilience Skills Lacking? Veeam Launches First Software Appliance -- Virtualization Review
Veeam introduced its first software-only, hardware-agnostic appliance for backup and recovery, delivering a hardened Linux deployment with built-in immutability, automated patching, and Instant Recove...
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Reposted by Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas)
Veeam Software @veeam.com · 05/09/2025
ICYMI this week we unveiled the Veeam Software Appliance, and it’s front and center in our latest Veeam Community Recap! 👏 Join @rickatron.bsky.social and Safiya Mohamed as they break down all the highlights and updates you might have missed. ➡️ Watch now: vee.am/VqxIHwq
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 20/08/2025
Kicking things off at the #VeeamOn Tour in Perth! The agenda looks solid, and honestly, I'm also here for the swag. ​Looking forward to catching up with everyone. Say hi if you're around! #VeeamCommunity #Veeam #Perth
A close-up of several printed VeeamOn Tour agendas fanned out on a glossy black table. The agenda lists session times and topics for the event, with a white vase in the background. A tall, black VeeamOn Tour 2025 pull-up banner standing in a modern building lobby. The banner reads "Unwavering protection. Unparalleled recovery. Unlimited potential." and shows a map of Australia and New Zealand.An event attendee stands at the VeeamOn Tour "Swag" station, which is decorated with colorful geometric patterns. Veeam-branded tote bags and beanies are visible on the counter.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 13/08/2025
You know people are excited to attend when extra rows of chairs had to be put out to fit everyone!
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 13/08/2025
The room is filling up and we're ready to go! Great to be at #VeeamOnTour Melbourne this morning. Looking forward to a packed day of backup and recovery talk. If you see me, come and say hi! What's the one feature or update you're hoping to hear about from Veeam this year?
A wide shot of a modern conference hall during the VeeamOn Tour event in Melbourne. The room is filled with attendees seated in rows facing a stage, which has a large screen that reads "VeeamOn Tour". The room is lit with colorful pink and green architectural lighting.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 11/08/2025
Early flight this morning. On my way to Melbourne for the VeeamON Tour! Looking forward to catching up with the ANZ tech community. Who am I going to see there? #VeeamCommunity #VeeamOn
A view from an airplane seat looking forward at the in-flight entertainment screen. The dark cabin is illuminated by purple mood lighting.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 31/07/2025
Made a classic mistake, deleted a LHR VM before I removed it from Veeam. Left me with an entry that wouldn't clean up from VBR. The fix from Rhys Hammond was brilliant in its simplicity: just deploy a temp Linux VM with the same IP address. buff.ly/nCZrbOU #VeeamCommunity #Veeam100 #VeeamVanguard
buff.ly
Infra item delete failed Error: A connection attempted failed | rhyshammond.com
I recently deployed a Veeam Hardened Repository (VHR) ISO which involved removing the old Ubuntu based VHR server. Unfortunately I was a little too eager and deleted the VM before I had removed it…
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 15/07/2025
A new patch (8.0.0.376) for #Veeam Backup for #Azure addresses critical bugs, including data corruption risks and failed infrastructure rescans, while enhancing API handling to reduce Azure costs. More details: buff.ly/HzzqemR #VeeamVanguard #Veeam100 #VeeamCommunity #MVPBuzz
buff.ly
KB4749: Release Information for Veeam Backup for Microsoft Azure 8 Cumulative Patches
Release Information for Veeam Backup for Microsoft Azure 8 Cumulative Patches
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 10/07/2025
Happy to share I've been renewed as a Microsoft MVP for Hyper-V & Azure Hybrid & Migration. My drive is always solving problems & sharing insights. This is a cool recognition of that work, and I appreciate it! #MVPBuzz #MicrosoftMVP
This image displays a certificate or award recognizing Ben Thomas as a "Most Valuable Professional" (MVP) by Microsoft. The design features a dark blue background with lighter blue accents and a large white diamond shape in the center containing the "MVP" acronym. The award is specifically for "Cloud and Datacenter Management" & "Microsoft Azure," dated July 10, 2025, and includes a stylized signature that appears to be "Satya N." with "Satya Nadella, Chief Executive Officer" printed next to it. A Microsoft MVP logo is in the bottom left, and a congratulatory message about contributions to technical communities worldwide is in the bottom center, with the Microsoft logo in the bottom right.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 26/06/2025
Finally! The @veeam.bsky.social User Group is back in Christchurch, NZ! First meetup in a while. Jason and I are kicking things off with "Beer for Engineer". Come hang out, talk tech, and grab a cold one. #VeeamVanguard #VeeamCommunity #Christchurch
A promotional banner for "Veeam User Group New Zealand" stands next to a fireplace with a TV displaying "Beer for Engineer By Jason & Ben".
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 23/06/2025
My internet felt slow tonight. Turns out I was just maxing it out pushing backups to Veeam Data Cloud Vault! 😂 Always fun when you're the bottleneck. Anyone else ever do this? #VeeamVanguard #VeeamCommunity #Networking #homelab #Veeam100
Three graphs show real-time internet usage. Top left: Inbound bandwidth peaking at 300 Mbps, currently 13.67 Mbps. Top right: Outbound bandwidth frequently over 400 Mbps, currently 482.30 Mbps. Bottom: Session rate showing fluctuations, currently 33/s. Displays high network traffic.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 23/06/2025
Quick reminder for Christchurch! This Thursday, June 26th, is our "Beers with Engineers" event. I'll be there talking Veeam, and yes, we'll have some cool Veeam NZ User Group stickers for attendees! Don't miss out. Register: buff.ly/Xho2F5L #VeeamVanguard #VeeamCommunity #Christchurch #VUG #Veeam100
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 17/06/2025
Veeam has released a critical patch for Backup & Replication (12.3.2) that addresses a 9.9 severity vulnerability! Don't wait on this one! Patching your backup infrastructure should be a priority. buff.ly/lZ1pfeb #Veeam #VeeamVanguard #Veeam100 #VeeamCommunity #CyberSecurity #ITPro
veeam.com
KB4696: Release Information for Veeam Backup & Replication 12.3
Release Information for Veeam Backup & Replication 12.3
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Reposted by Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas)
Rick Vanover @rickatron.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
New Rickatron Blog: Recap of VeeamON 2025 announcements and previews: www.veeam.com/blog/veeamon...
veeam.com
VeeamON 2025 Highlights: Key Announcements & Innovations
Explore the top announcements from VeeamON 2025, including new data resilience models, ransomware insights, and exciting partnerships for 2025.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 25/04/2025
Post-#VeeamON airport wait. What else to do but deploy the new #Veeam Software Appliance v13 to the homelab? Excited for this! #VeeamVanguard #Veeam100 #VeeamCommunity #HomeLab #ITPro
Screenshot of a virtual machine console displaying the Veeam Backup & Replication 13.0.0.126 installation progress screen, showing "Preparing to install". The screen includes the Rocky Linux and Veeam logos.Screenshot of a virtual machine console showing the GRUB boot menu for Veeam Backup & Replication version 13.0.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 23/04/2025
Getting ready for the last session with @rickatron.bsky.social and Hannes on Veeam Hardened Repo updates! #VeeamOn #VeeamVanguard #Veeam100 #VeeamCommunity
Two speakers are on a stage at a conference, presenting in front of a screen that displays "VeeamON: Veeam Hardened Repository Updates and Deeper Dives" and their names and titles. An audience is visible in the foreground.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 23/04/2025
Great to see @rickatron.bsky.social using Hyper-v in the Veeam Data Platform v13 Deep Dive session! 😁 #VeeamVanguard #Veeam100 #VeeamCommunity #VeeamOn
A projector displays the Veeam Backup & Replication console with a Host Configuration Wizard open, showing settings for time synchronization including current time and NTP servers.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 22/04/2025
Veeam knows that any good conference needs an afternoon sugar hit to keep up with all the content 😂 #VeeamVanguard #Veeam100 #VeeamCommunity #VeeamOn
A table is filled with plates of desserts, including chocolate brownies with white sprinkles and stacks of cookies, with serving tongs on the plates.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 22/04/2025
After an awesome keynote at #VeeamOn, now off to the partner exclusive kick off! Can't wait to hear what's next for the partner community! #VeeamVanguard #Veeam100
A screen displays "veeamon Welcome to Partner Kickoff" with colorful abstract shapes in the background.A screen displays "veeamon Welcome to Partner Kickoff" with colorful abstract shapes in the background.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 22/04/2025
Anton announcing timelines for the new #VBR V13 release, including the new software appliance! #VeeamVanguard #Veeam100 #VeeamCommunity #VeeamOn
A speaker on stage at a conference points to a large screen displaying "V13: What This Means for You" and details about software availability and "OPPORTUNITY". An audience is visible in the foreground.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 22/04/2025
Anton talking new UIs at #VeeamOn #VeeamVanguard #Veeam100 #VeeamCommunity
Dark mode veeam Web uiLight mode Web uiNew VBR console ui
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 22/04/2025
Check out the stats
A screen displays several statistics and achievements, including "$1.75B+ Total ARR", "550K+ Total Customers", and multiple "#1" rankings in market share and industry recognition.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 22/04/2025
Here we go!
A speaker on a brightly lit stage at a conference, addressing an audience in front of a large screen displaying "veeamon WELCOME".
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 22/04/2025
Found a seat and getting ready for the #VeeamOn keynote to start! #VeeamVanguard #Veeam100 #VeeamCommunity
A view from the back of a large conference room filled with people watching presentations on multiple screens on a stage at a VeeamON event.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 19/04/2025
Enjoying a flat white before starting the trip to #VeeamOn in San Diego while my accent doesn't prevent people spelling Ben correctly 🤣 Looking forward to catching up with all the other #Veeam100 attending!
A close-up of a flat white coffee with latte art, sitting on a table next to a label showing the name Ben and details of the coffee order.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 09/04/2025
A fresh update, v8.1.1.159, for Veeam Backup for M365 v8.1 is out, boosting performance and reliability. Review the release notes and consider updating if you're on v8.x today. buff.ly/cA1savv #VeeamVanguard #Veeam100 #Veeam
veeam.com
KB4711: Release Information for Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 8.1 and Cumulative Patches
Release Information for Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 8.1 and Cumulative Patches
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 05/04/2025
Anyone ever wish there was a restapi endpoint for Hyper-v? Would you use one of it existed? What sort of functionality would you need it to have? Read only? Just VM info? VM switch info? Should it be able to modify things? #MVPBuzz #HyperV
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 05/04/2025
I might be a little behind on this one, but spending some time today in @vscode.dev playing with github copilot agent mode to see if as a non-dev I can get a side project up and running... code.visualstudio.com/blogs/2025/0...
code.visualstudio.com
Introducing GitHub Copilot agent mode (preview)
Announcing the GitHub Copilot agent mode in Visual Studio Code.
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Ben Thomas (@NZ_BenThomas) @ben.hybridby.design · 04/04/2025
Great to catch up with friends and make new connections at #MVPSummit last week! From insightful chats to fun events like minigolf at Flatstick and even a slightly controversial Whirlyball tourney (thanks CloudAssert!), the community is what makes it special. #MVPBuzz
Collage of four images from the Microsoft MVP Summit, including group photos, a badge pickup sign, and the Microsoft logo.
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