Azure Beginner to Hero

If you’re in IT, cloud architecture, or make decisions about your organization’s technology roadmap, finding ways to modernize infrastructure while controlling cloud costs is likely high on your agenda. The latest episode of the Azure Essentials Show, featuring Thomas Maurer and Shreya Baheti, dives into just that—exploring how the Azure Hybrid Benefit for Linux enables … The post Unlock Cloud Savings for Linux VMs with the Azure Hybrid Benefit appeared first on Thomas Maurer . อ้างอิงค์ : https://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2025/09/unlock-cloud-savings-for-linux-vms-with-the-azure-hybrid-benefit/

In this episode I sit down with Thomas Bryant from Commvault to explore one of the most critical topics in modern cybersecurity: identity protection and recovery in Active Directory and Microsoft Entra. 💡Links: 🔐 What We Cover: 💡 Whether you’re an IT leader, security architect, or just passionate about protecting digital identities, this episode is … The post Protecting Identity in Active Directory & Microsoft Entra appeared first on Thomas Maurer . อ้างอิงค์ : https://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2025/09/protecting-identity-in-active-directory-microsoft-entra/

Azure has officially launched the Generally Available feature of same-region replica clusters for Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB (vCore) , enhancing high availability and disaster recovery capabilities within the same Azure region. This capability allows continuous data streaming between a primary cluster and one or more read-only replica clusters in the same region, providing improved read scalability and resilience without needing a multi-region setup. Key points about this launch include: Same-region replica clusters enable disaster recovery and read scalability by maintaining real-time data replication within a single Azure region. These replica clusters store full copies of the MongoDB data—databases, collections, and documents—and provide a separate endpoint for read operations. They can be promoted to handle write operations in case the primary cluster becomes unavailable. The feature complements existing cross-region replication, which duplicates data across geographically ...

I’m excited to share that I recently passed the AI-900 exam and earned the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals certification! This certification validates a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) concepts and how they are implemented in Microsoft Azure. It covers key areas such as: For me, this journey was not only about achieving a … The post Passed the Microsoft AI-900 exam for Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals! 🎉 appeared first on Thomas Maurer . อ้างอิงค์ : https://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2025/08/passed-the-microsoft-ai-900-exam-for-microsoft-certified-azure-ai-fundamentals-%f0%9f%8e%89/

In this episode of the Azure Essentials Show, Thomas is joined by Ben Brauer from Azure Marketing to explore how organizations can build and scale a Generative AI Center of Excellence (CoE). As AI adoption accelerates, a dedicated CoE helps teams govern, operationalize, and continuously improve their AI initiatives across the enterprise. Watch the Episode … The post Implementing a Center of Excellence for Generative AI appeared first on Thomas Maurer . อ้างอิงค์ : https://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2025/08/implementing-a-center-of-excellence-for-generative-ai/

Are you eager to harness the power of AI while ensuring your solutions are secure, reliable, and efficient? The latest episode of the Azure Essentials Show, “Design AI Workloads with the Azure Well-Architected Framework,” is your must-watch resource. Hosted by industry expert Thomas Maurer and featuring guest Clayton Siemens, this episode dives deep into applying … The post Design AI Workloads with the Azure Well-Architected Framework appeared first on Thomas Maurer . อ้างอิงค์ : https://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2025/07/design-ai-workloads-with-the-azure-well-architected-framework/

In this episode of the Azure Essentials Show, Thomas Maurer is joined by Sergio Navar and John Downs for a discussion on the application of the Microsoft Well-Architected Framework to building Software as a Service (SaaS) solution. They explain the five pillars of the framework—Security, Cost Optimization, Reliability, Operational Excellence, and Performance Efficiency—and how these … The post Video: Build a Well-Architected SaaS Solution on Microsoft Azure appeared first on Thomas Maurer . อ้างอิงค์ : https://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2025/05/video-build-a-well-architected-saas-solution-on-microsoft-azure/

I’m incredibly excited to announce that I’ll be speaking at this year’s Windows Server Summit 2025, a free online event for all to join on April 29-30, 2025. This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone passionate about server management, connectivity, and the future of technology to learn and connect. In my session, “Modernize server management … The post Speaking at the Windows Server Summit 2025 appeared first on Thomas Maurer . อ้างอิงค์ : https://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2025/04/speaking-at-the-windows-server-summit-2025/

Azure Monitor Log Analytics has launched significant enhancements to Search Jobs , making large-scale data exploration faster, easier, and more efficient[1]. A Search Job runs asynchronous queries on large datasets in your Log Analytics workspace, including long-term retention data, splitting queries into smaller time-based segments processed in parallel for scalability over petabyte-scale data[1]. Key improvements include: A more intuitive and streamlined UI for quicker and simpler job setup. A cost estimation preview before running a job to help manage expenses. Removed limits that previously restricted result sizes and concurrency; now supporting up to 100 million records and allowing more parallel jobs. Lifted the date-range limit , so queries can cover any time span within the data retention period, with no upper bound[1]. Usage involves running a search job query in the Log Analytics workspace via the Azure portal, which creates a new "search results" tabl...

The Public Preview of Cosmos DB in Microsoft Fabric was announced in mid-2025, introducing significant new capabilities that integrate operational database workloads with Microsoft Fabric’s analytics ecosystem. Key Features and Capabilities Seamless Integration with OneLake via Automatic Mirroring Cosmos DB in Fabric automatically mirrors your operational NoSQL data to OneLake in near real-time, using the open-source Delta format. This replication is continuous—covering inserts, updates, and deletes—and requires no manual setup. It enables your OLTP data to be accessible for analytics, reporting, and data science workflows within the broader Fabric ecosystem. You can query this data with T-SQL, Spark, notebooks, and leverage Copilot-powered Power BI for real-time insights[1][3]. Advanced Vector and Full-Text Search The service supports efficient vector indexing and search, enabling similarity searches based on the semantic meaning of data through vector embeddings. It offers mu...

I had the chance to discuss network load balancing in the cloud with Kurt Jung. Join me, Thomas Maurer, as I sit down with Kurt Jung from Progress to discuss load balancing in Azure with KEMP LoadMaster. In this insightful conversation, we explore the intricacies of load balancing in Microsoft Azure, on-premises, and hybrid environments. … The post Video: Load balancing in Azure appeared first on Thomas Maurer . อ้างอิงค์ : https://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2025/04/video-load-balancing-in-azure/

Retirement of DCsv2-series Azure Virtual Machines The DCsv2-series Azure Virtual Machines are scheduled for retirement on June 30, 2026 [1][2][3]. This means that after this date, these virtual machines will no longer be available for use. Here is a summary of key points related to this retirement: Key Points Retirement Date : June 30, 2026[1][2][3]. Impact : This retirement affects anyone using DCsv2-series virtual machines, including those on Azure Kubernetes Service and Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets[1]. Migration Recommendation : Users are advised to migrate their workloads to DCdsv3-series virtual machines or consider alternatives like DCasv5/DCadsv5/ECasv5/ECadsv5 VMs, DCasv6/ECasv6 series , or Azure Confidential Container Instances (C-ACI) [1]. New Sign-Ups : Starting from July 1, 2025 , no new subscriptions will be allowed for DCsv2-series virtual machines due to capacity restrictions[1]. Ongoing Support Microsoft will continue to provide support, including SLA as...

Azure Site Recovery (ASR) has officially launched general availability support for Azure Trusted Launch virtual machines (VMs) running Linux operating systems. This means that Azure customers can now use ASR to provide disaster recovery and replication capabilities for Linux VMs secured with Trusted Launch, a feature that enhances VM security through mechanisms like Secure Boot and measured boot. Key details include: Supported Linux distributions: ASR supports Trusted Launch VMs running major Linux distributions such as Ubuntu (18.04, 20.04, 22.04, 24.04), Red Hat Enterprise Linux (various 8.x and 9.x versions), SUSE (15 SP3 to SP6 with specific kernel versions), Alma Linux (8.10, 9.4, 9.5), and Debian 12[1]. Support status: Previously, ASR support for Trusted Launch was generally available for Windows VMs, while Linux support was only in private preview. As of now, Linux Trusted Launch VM support has transitioned out of preview to general availability, providing full disaster r...

Overview of Azure Command Launcher for Java The Azure Command Launcher for Java, referred to as jaz , is a new utility designed to simplify running Java applications on Azure. It aims to optimize Java Virtual Machine (JVM) configurations specifically for cloud environments, ensuring better resource utilization and efficiency from the outset[1][2]. Key Features and Benefits Optimized JVM Configurations : jaz provides default configurations tailored for Azure deployments, addressing the common issue of suboptimal resource usage when relying on default JVM settings[2]. Advanced JVM Features : It leverages features like AppCDS and plans to support Project Leyden in the future, enhancing performance and startup times for Java applications[2]. Support for Containers and VMs : Designed to work seamlessly with containers and virtual machines, making it suitable for modern cloud-native applications[2]. Current Status As of June 2025, the Azure Command Launcher for Java is in a private...

Azure Virtual Network Manager in Azure China Azure Virtual Network Manager has reached general availability in Azure China, marking a significant milestone in enhancing network connectivity and management capabilities for customers in the region. This update was announced on June 10, 2025, and it includes features related to connectivity, security administration, and routing configuration[1]. Key Features and Benefits Connectivity Management : The Azure Virtual Network Manager allows for centralized management of network architecture, simplifying the organization and administration of virtual networks. Security Administration : Enhanced security features help protect network resources by providing better control over network security policies. Routing Configuration : Customers can configure routing settings more efficiently, ensuring optimal network performance and reliability. Availability and Impact This general availability in Azure China aligns with Microsoft's broade...

Overview of Persistent Graph Semantics in Azure Data Explorer Azure Data Explorer has introduced a new feature in public preview: Persistent Graph Semantics, also known as Persistent Graphs. This feature allows users to work with durable graph data structures that persist beyond individual queries, enhancing performance and efficiency in complex relationship-based analyses[1][3]. Key Features of Persistent Graphs Graph Models : These are stored representations of labeled property graphs (LPGs) that consist of nodes (vertices) and edges (relationships), both of which can have properties. Unlike transient graphs, graph models do not require rebuilding for each query, significantly improving performance[3]. Metadata Persistence : Graph specifications are stored in database metadata, ensuring durability and reusability[3]. Materialized Snapshots : These eliminate the need to rebuild graphs for each query, dramatically improving query performance[3]. Schema Definition : Graph models...

ใน EP นี้ของ Azure Talk – 3 Minutes คุณจะได้เรียนรู้ว่า การย้ายระบบองค์กรขึ้น Azure ให้สำเร็จ ไม่ใช่แค่ "โยน VM ขึ้นคลาวด์" เท่านั้น! Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF) แนะนำแนวทาง “Adopt” ด้วย 3 เสาหลัก: Migrate ระบบแบบเดิม (Lift-and-Shift) Modernize ปรับโครงสร้างให้คลาวด์เนทีฟ Innovate สร้างแอป/บริการใหม่โดยใช้ AI, Serverless หรือ Analytics คุณจะได้เข้าใจ: ขั้นตอน 4 Step ใน CAF Migrate การเลือกใช้ทั้ง 3 แนวทางควบคู่ ตัวอย่างจริงที่ช่วยให้ระบบเสถียร ปลอดภัย และพัฒนาต่อได้เร็วขึ้น เหมาะกับทั้ง IT Admin, Architect, และคนวางแผนระบบระดับองค์กร

Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Azure Data Factory Managed Identity The Azure Database for PostgreSQL now supports managed identity for integration with Azure Data Factory , enhancing secure data integration processes. This integration leverages managed identities to authenticate connections, eliminating the need for hardcoded credentials. Key Features of Managed Identity Integration Authentication Methods : Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server supports various authentication methods for Azure Data Factory, including basic authentication, service principal, system-assigned managed identity, and user-assigned managed identity[2]. Managed Identity Benefits : Managed identities are automatically managed by Azure, reducing the complexity of credential management. They allow applications to access resources without explicitly handling credentials[1][4]. Azure Data Factory Capabilities : Azure Data Factory is a fully managed service designed for data integration tasks like E...

PostgreSQL 17 In-Place Upgrade on Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server Overview Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server now supports an in-place major version upgrade to PostgreSQL 17, currently available in public preview. This upgrade allows users to move from PostgreSQL versions 14, 15, or 16 to PostgreSQL 17 without data migration or changes to connection strings, simplifying the process for users and applications[1][3]. Key Features of the Upgrade No Data Migration Required : The upgrade process does not require moving data, which reduces complexity and downtime[4]. No Changes to Connection Strings : Applications can continue to use existing connection strings, ensuring minimal disruption[3]. In-Place Upgrade Capability : This feature is designed to minimize user and application disruption by retaining server settings and name post-upgrade[4]. How to Upgrade Users can upgrade their PostgreSQL versions using either the Azure Portal or the Azure CLI : Azu...

Summary of Azure Update and Private Endpoint Configurations Overview of Azure Update As of June 3, 2025, Microsoft Azure has made a required role assignment for private endpoint approvals generally available in Azure Machine Learning (AzureML) workspaces and/or AI Foundry hubs with managed networks[1]. This update emphasizes the need for explicit role assignments for securing private endpoint connections. Details on Private Endpoint Configurations To configure private endpoints in Azure Machine Learning, users must follow specific steps to ensure secure connections: Role Assignment : The Azure Machine Learning workspace's managed identity must have permissions to approve Private Endpoint connections on target resources. This is typically done by assigning the Azure AI Enterprise Network Connection Approver role or a custom role with similar permissions[3]. Target Resources : The Azure AI Enterprise Network Connection Approver role covers a wide range of Azure resources, in...