Azure Cloud Platform and Services

Microsoft Azure is a comprehensive cloud platform providing infrastructure, platform, and software services for building modern applications. This collection covers Azure services, deployment patterns, cost optimization, and practical cloud architecture decisions for organizations adopting Azure.

Azure Services and Strategic Use

Azure encompasses hundreds of services spanning compute, storage, networking, databases, AI/ML, integration, and analytics. Effective cloud architects understand not just what services exist, but when to use them and when alternatives are more appropriate.

Compute Services range from virtual machines for lift-and-shift migrations, to App Service for web applications, to container services and serverless options. The choice depends on workload characteristics, team expertise, and operational requirements.

Data Services include relational databases, NoSQL options, data warehousing, and analytics platforms. Each makes specific trade-offs about consistency, scalability, query patterns, and operational complexity.

Integration and Messaging services connect applications, enable asynchronous workflows, and support event-driven architectures.

Cloud Adoption and Operations

Articles in this section cover Azure service selection, infrastructure as code with Bicep and Terraform, cost management strategies, security and compliance, and operational patterns for production Azure workloads. Topics include migration strategies, hybrid scenarios, and designing for Azure’s specific capabilities.

The emphasis remains practical: understanding Azure options, making informed architectural choices, and avoiding vendor lock-in decisions made without deliberation.

AKS Network Policies: The Security Layer Your Cluster Is Missing

Network segmentation is a fundamental security control for modern Kubernetes environments. AKS supports multiple networking models such as kubenet, Azure CNI, and overlay CNIs. The networking model matters, but the decisive factor for enforcing isolation and compliance is the consistent application of network policies.

This article describes how network policies work in AKS, the available engines, practical examples, and recommended practices for enforcing a zero-trust posture within a cluster.

AKS Networking Clash: kubenet vs. CNI vs. CNI Overlay

Selecting the right network model is arguably one of the most critical architectural decisions you will make when deploying a Kubernetes cluster on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). This choice ripples through nearly every aspect of your cluster’s lifecycle, influencing how pods communicate, how efficiently you use your IP address space, which Azure services integrate seamlessly with your workloads, and ultimately, how well your infrastructure scales to meet future demands. It affects scalability, security posture, operational cost, performance characteristics, available integration options, and your long-term operational flexibility.

Reimagining the Microsoft Certification Exam UI Experience

Embark on a journey through Microsoft’s redesigned certification exam UI. Discover streamlined navigation, enhanced accessibility, and personalized experiences, revolutionizing the exam-taking experience.

When Can I Finally Renew My Microsoft Certification

When can I finally renew my Microsoft certification? - I’m certainly not alone with this or similar questions and the associated uncertainty. Okay, a certain impatience certainly resonates as well. After all, I would also like to schedule it into my daily routine. But how?

How to Prepare for Microsoft Certification

How do I best prepare for a Microsoft certification? - this or a similar question is asked by everyone who wants to deal with the topics Microsoft, Azure, Microsoft 365, Power Platform or Dynamics 365. In this article, I would like to go into the possibilities that Microsoft offers us for preparation.