Final Episode of the Azure Podcast: A Journey of 12 Years

In this special final episode of the Azure Podcast, hosts Cale, Evan, Sujit, Russell, Cynthia, and Kendall come together to reflect on the incredible journey of the podcast over the past 12 years. They share personal anecdotes, discuss the evolution of Azure services, and reminisce about the early days of podcasting. Key highlights include:

Origins and Growth: Cale and Sujit recount how the podcast started in 2013 to keep up with the rapidly expanding Azure services.

Technical Challenges: The hosts discuss the technical challenges faced in the early days, including using Skype for recording and the evolution of podcasting platforms.

Guest Contributions: Evan and Sujit highlight the transition from hosts discussing topics to inviting guests, starting with Ryan Barry in episode 18.

Personal Reflections: Russell shares his experience joining the podcast in episode 113 and his upcoming departure from Microsoft.

Impact on Careers: Cynthia and Kendall reflect on how the podcast helped them grow in their careers and build valuable connections.

Technical Reliability: Sujit emphasizes the reliability of Azure services that have hosted the podcast platform for 13 years without major issues.

Community Engagement: The hosts share stories of meeting listeners and the impact of the podcast on the Azure community.

Join us in celebrating the legacy of the Azure Podcast and the contributions of its hosts and guests. Thank you for being part of this journey!

Media file: https://azpodcast.blob.core.windows.net/episodes/Episode521.mp3

YouTube: https://youtu.be/EJGvLLA4lpY

Azure OpenAI-based app to look through the transcripts of all 520 episodes: https://chat.azpodcast.com

Note: All 520 episodes will remain online.

Evan and Russell host David Stamen and Vaclav Jirovsky from Pure Storage, diving into how they've integrated their Pure Storage solution as an Azure native service.

Media file: https://azpodcast.blob.core.windows.net/episodes/Episode520.mp3

YouTube:  https://youtu.be/rok60ox6oDc

Resources:

• Azure Marketplace – Pure Storage Cloud Contact Me : A fully managed, Azure-native block storage-as-a-service offering from Pure Storage designed to simplify and optimize VMware migrations to Azure.
• YouTube Playlist – Pure Storage Cloud for Azure VMware Solution : A video series showcasing technical overviews, deployment guides, and use cases for Pure Storage Cloud integrated with Azure VMware Solution.
• Pure Storage Blog – Pure Storage Cloud for Azure VMware Solution : A deep dive into the architecture, benefits, and deployment of the Azure-native Pure Storage Cloud service for VMware workloads.
• Microsoft Tech Community – Public Preview Announcement : Announcement of the public preview of Pure Storage Cloud for Azure VMware, highlighting its native integration, scalability, and enterprise-grade storage capabilities.
• Microsoft Tech Community – Azure Storage Blog : Overview of Pure Storage Cloud’s public preview, emphasizing its VMware vVols support, native Azure experience, and simplified storage management.
• Microsoft Learn – Configuration Guide : Step-by-step guidance on configuring Azure Native Pure Storage Cloud for Azure VMware Solution, including deployment and integration details.

Other updates:

• General Availability: Instance Mix for Virtual Machine Scale Sets : Azure now supports deploying up to five VM sizes in a single scale set using Flexible Orchestration Mode, improving capacity, cost-efficiency, and deployment simplicity.
• Azure SQL Trigger for Azure Functions : This documentation explains how to use Azure SQL triggers in Functions to respond to database changes using change tracking and managed identities for secure integration.
• O3 and O4 Mini Unlock Enterprise Agent Workflows : Microsoft introduces O3 and O4 Mini models to enhance enterprise agent workflows with advanced reasoning via Azure AI Foundry and GitHub integration.
• Public Preview - Azure Logic Apps now available as Agent tool in Azure AI Foundry
• Generally Available: Azure Storage Actions – Serverless storage data management

In this episode of the Azure Podcast, hosts Evan Baslik and Sujit D'Mello are joined by special guests Adam Sandor, Travis Maier, and Leslie Chou to discuss the VM Repair extension. They delve into its capabilities, recent updates, and how it enhances supportability for Azure VMs. The conversation covers practical applications, security considerations, and future improvements, providing valuable insights for Azure users. Tune in to learn how the VM Repair extension can help you efficiently troubleshoot and resolve VM issues.

Episode Highlights:

• Overview of the VM Repair extension and its benefits
• Recent updates and new supported scenarios
• Security and customization options
• Future improvements and AI integration
• Practical tips for using the extension effectively

Don't miss this informative episode to stay updated on the latest Azure support tools and enhancements!

Media file: https://azpodcast.blob.core.windows.net/episodes/Episode519.mp3

YouTube: https://youtu.be/IcSAN_BJXWk

Resources:

Starting point for VM Repair and summary: Repair a Windows VM by using the Azure Virtual Machine repair commands - Virtual Machines | Microsoft Learn

Specific VM Repair examples, showcasing how to use the new functionality I called out: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cli/azure/vm/repair?view=azure-cli-latest#az-vm-repair-create-examples

Repair Script Open Source Repo: Open Source repair scripts 

Official VM Repair docs: az vm repair | Microsoft Learn 

Linux repair script ALAR for some linux love: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/azure/virtual-machines/linux/repair-linux-vm-using-alar

Other updates:

New ExpressRoute Metro locations Azure updates | Microsoft Azure

Azure Container Instances now supports larger container size instances in public preview https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/?id=490690

Virtual network TAP https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/?id=490830

CAPTCHA for Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) with Azure Front Door https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/?id=490854

Multitenant managed logging in Container Insights  https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/?id=488110

MCP with server-sent events (SSE) with Azure Functions https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/?id=489433

Join Cale and Sujit in this exciting episode as they dive into the world of Azure Confidential Ledger with special guests Shubhra Sinha Kamath and Yagnesh Setti Subramanian from the Azure Product Team. Discover the latest updates and features of this auditable, tamper-proof ledger service, and learn how it integrates with Azure SQL and BLOB storage to ensure data integrity and confidentiality. Explore real-world applications in financial services, healthcare, AI, and more. Don't miss out on insights into server-side programming, multi-party capabilities, and upcoming previews. Tune in for a comprehensive look at how Azure Confidential Ledger is revolutionizing data security and compliance.

Media file: https://azpodcast.blob.core.windows.net/episodes/Episode518.mp3

YouTube: https://youtu.be/scWpKSKLsGs

Resources:

https://aka.ms/ACL-Docs

https://aka.ms/ACL2025Preview 

Othwr updates:

Creating better healthcare outcomes with Azure OpenAI Service and Azure AI Foundry

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/creating-better-healthcare-outcomes-with-azure-openai-service-and-azure-ai-foundry/

Learn more about what’s new with Microsoft Azure Storage at KubeCon Europe 2025

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/learn-more-about-whats-new-with-microsoft-azure-storage-at-kubecon-europe-2025/

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/app/kubernetes-codeless

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/copilo

In this episode of the Azure Podcast, host Evan Basalik dives into the world of Azure ExpressRoute with special guest Duong Au. They discuss the benefits of ExpressRoute, its resiliency features, and the new validation tools available to ensure robust connectivity. Tune in to learn about the latest updates, practical applications, and how to optimize your network setup for maximum reliability.

Media file: https://azpodcast.blob.core.windows.net/episodes/Episode517.mp3

YouTube: https://youtu.be/o_-NfWnYtxg

Resources:

Email to sign up for preview of the resiliency validation: [email protected]

Resiliency Validation: Azure ExpressRoute Gateway Resiliency Validation (preview) | Microsoft Learn

Resiliency Insights: Resiliency Insights for ExpressRoute virtual network gateway (preview) | Microsoft Learn

Other updates:

SQL Server on Azure VM I/O Performance Analysis - Azure updates | Microsoft Azure

Enhancements to Carbon Optimization APIs - Azure updates | Microsoft Azure 

In this episode, Sujit D'Mello and Cynthia Kreng are joined by special guest Mike Becker, an Azure Architect at Microsoft, to discuss how various Azure services can be combined to create a complex solution. Sujit covers the latest enhancements in AKS, including Azure CNI, load balancer support, network isolated clusters, cost recommendations, and GPU driver options. Mike shares insights into a comprehensive Azure cloud solution for collecting and analyzing economic data and media feedback about companies, highlighting the use of Azure Data Factory, Databricks, Power BI, and OpenAI for sentiment analysis. The discussion delves into the architectural decisions, technical challenges, and practical applications of these technologies in delivering robust and secure solutions.

Media file: https://azpodcast.blob.core.windows.net/episodes/Episode516.mp3

YouTube: https://youtu.be/wG12eJymh54

Resources:

ADF how it works
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/data-factory/introduction#how-does-it-work
Azure Data Factory- Best Practices
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1283307/azure-data-factory-best-practices
Azure Data Bricks Medallion architecture
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/databricks/lakehouse/medallion
Azure Data Bricks Best Practices
https://dzone.com/articles/azure-databricks-best-practices-for-a-developer
Sentiment Analysis with Azure AI services
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/synapse-analytics/machine-learning/tutorial-cognitive-services-sentiment
Power BI recommendations
https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Desktop/Power-BI-Development-and-Best-Practices/m-p/4632985/highlight/true#M1386307
Improve Power BI model's performance
https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/best-practice-rules-to-improve-your-models-performance/
GitLab best practices - if you cannot use Azure DevOps
https://about.gitlab.com/topics/version-control/what-are-gitlab-flow-best-practices/

In this episode of the Azure podcast, Sujit and the team, including Cale, Russell, and Cynthia, are joined by special guest Matteo Pagani, a Cloud Solutions Architect in the Tech Strategy team at Microsoft. Matteo provides insights into the agentic world of Co-pilot, explaining how agents can enhance business processes and improve efficiency. Tune in to learn about the practical applications of these technologies and how they can be integrated into existing workflows.

Media file: https://azpodcast.blob.core.windows.net/episodes/Episode515.mp3

YouTube: https://youtu.be/qMJ88BLbTVo

Resources:

• Overview of Microsoft 365 Copilot extensibility: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/extensibility/
• Building declarative agents with Visual Studio Code, Copilot Studio and Agent Builder: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/extensibility/overview-declarative-agent
• Building custom engine agents with Visual Studio Code and Copilot Studio: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/extensibility/overview-custom-engine-agent
• My blog with some fun experiments with multi-agents scenarios: https://www.developerscantina.com/

Other updates:

Announcing GA for Azure Container Apps Serverless GPUs | Microsoft Community Hub

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/introducing-deep-reasoning-agent-flows-copilot-studio-charles-lamanna-n1zxc/

Let's try GitHub Copilot Agent mode in VS Code to build a FULL app!

In this episode of the Azure Podcast, Sujit D'Mello and the team, including Cynthia, Evan, and Cale, are joined by special guest Mario Hewardt, an engineering manager on the Sysinternals team. Mario shares insights into the evolution of Sysinternals tools, their cross-platform journey, and their integration with Azure services. The discussion covers the development process, challenges faced, and the innovative features being added to these essential diagnostic tools. Tune in to learn about the latest updates and how Sysinternals continues to support both Windows and Linux environments.

Media file: https://azpodcast.blob.core.windows.net/episodes/Episode514.mp3

YouTube: https://youtu.be/6TAJfqnScuI

Resources:

Sysinternals (/Windows)

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/

Email: [email protected]

ZoomIt is open source as part of PowerToys - https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys

Sysinternals (/Linux)

ProcDump for Linux - https://github.com/microsoft/ProcDump-for-Linux

Procmon for Linux - https://github.com/microsoft/ProcMon-for-Linux

Sysmon for Linux - https://github.com/microsoft/SysmonForLinux

For help with Linux tools, please file issues/discussions on GitHub.

Social media

Bluesky: @sysinternals

Evan, Kendal and Sujit dive into the details of Azure Container Apps sharing thier own experiences designing, supporting and using the service. They share tips and tricks for utilizing the correct ACA options for your workloads. 

Media file: https://azpodcast.blob.core.windows.net/episodes/Episode513.mp3

YouTube: https://youtu.be/nuxBz8O05LU

Resources: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/container-apps/overview

Other updates:

Next generation Azure Databox - Azure updates | Microsoft Azure

Azure HDInsight deprecates TLS1.1 - Azure updates | Microsoft Azure

MySQL Virtual Canary program - Scheduled Maintenance - Azure Database for MySQL - Flexible Server | Microsoft Learn

SQL MI Modernization Assistant - Modernization Advisor (Preview) - SQL Server on Azure VMs | Microsoft Learn

Private DNS Zones Internet fallback - Azure updates | Microsoft Azure

Modern Data Movement library - Azure updates | Microsoft Azure

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/load-testing/how-to-schedule-tests

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure-data-studio/whats-happening-azure-data-studio

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/logs/log-analytics-simple-mode

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/databricks/clean-rooms/

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/api-center/synchronize-aws-gateway-apis?tabs=portal

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/container-apps/sessions-tutorial-nodejs

Senthuran Sivananthan comes on the show to talk about the Well-Architected Framework (WAF) and Well Architected Resiliency Review (WARA).

Media file: https://azpodcast.blob.core.windows.net/episodes/Episode512.mp3

YouTube: https://youtu.be/xTxG7X9RoWQ

Resources:

• Azure Pricing Calculator
• Azure Architecture Review
• Web Application Firewall

Other Updates:

• Retirement of Azure Automation's Powershell runbooks using AzureRM modules
• TLS1.0/1.1 retirement for Azure Automation
• Customer Managed Unplanned Failover for ADLS and Storage+SFTP

Cale and Sujit discuss their current projects in Azure as 2024 comes to a close. They also cover a ton of AKS updates.

Semantic Kernel makes it easier for developers to build Azure Open AI applications that can also include SLMs like Phi-4. 

Azure has many options to use File Shares and Volumes, and we walk through the process of figuring out which one is right for your needs.

Media file: https://azpodcast.blob.core.windows.net/episodes/Episode511.mp3

YouTube: https://youtu.be/dLfCJ6btKng

Resources:

Semantic Kernel - https://github.com/microsoft/semantic-kernel

• Journey with SK on OpenAI and AzureOpenAI
• Ollama (running SLM local) - https://github.com/ollama/ollama
• Ollamazure (running SLM that looks like Azure OpenAI) - https://github.com/sinedied/ollamazure
• PhiSilica - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ai/apis/phi-silica

File Shares: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-introduction 

Other updates:

Lots of AKS updates!

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/concepts-network-isolated

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/azure/azure-kubernetes/availability-performance/container-image-pull-performance

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/imds-restriction

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/use-windows-gpu

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/?id=471295

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/tutorial-restore-aks-backups-across-regions

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/app-routing-nginx-configuration?tabs=azurecli#control-the-default-nginx-ingress-controller-configuration-preview

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/automated-deployments

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/aks/aks-extension-ghcopilot-plugins

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/containers/container-insights-logs-schema#kubernetes-metadata-and-logs-filtering