Microsoft’s new Azure Skills Plugin closes the gap between AI-written code and production deployments by packaging expert Azure knowledge as executable skills, backed by MCP servers for real infrastructure actions and AI workflows—bringing guardrails, consistency, and speed to DevOps and platform teams.
Why You Need a Multi-Cloud and Multi-Region Deployment Strategy
As I began writing this article, I encountered some technical challenges in my attempt to provision three cloud providers in three separate regions to simulate multi-cloud and multi-region deployments. I couldn’t get one of the regions to behave as I expected when provisioning the environment. As it turned out, the region (and by association, cloud) […]
Reducing Cloud Infrastructure Complexity
The impact of the cloud and its role in mainstream IT is undeniable. According to IDC, global cloud IT infrastructure spending is projected to reach US$92 billion (SG$126 billion) in 2023. Notably, cloud spending is exceeding the spending on non-cloud IT infrastructure, underscoring the influence of the cloud in modern IT deployments. Fast Forward to […]
Considering Hybrid Cloud? Focus on the Why
So much of business—and life in general—comes down to semantics. We articulate goals and measure success using a variety of terms. Some serve to clarify; others confuse. Consider the term “hybrid cloud”—a Google search yields 5.96 million results. So, yes, hybrid cloud is a hot topic, but what exactly do we mean by it? The […]
Identifying Cloud Migraines Before Cloud Migration: 6 Tips
Migrating to the cloud isn’t as simple as signing up for a SaaS application or deploying applications on a cloud infrastructure or platform; there are other factors at play. And the move to cloud shows no signs of slowing, with Gartner predicting the worldwide public cloud services market to grow 17.3 percent in 2019. Getting […]
DevOps: The (Absolutely Critical) Cloud Enabler
A couple weeks ago, I gave a talk titled, “DevOps: The Cloud Enabler” at a conference. As I was putting together some requisite materials previewing my session, I made a few mistakes. (Yes, I’ll readily admit it.) I used the words “should” and “can” and “consider.” Instead, the words “must” or “not optional” or “operationally […]
It’s Time to Slay the Universal Installer Unicorn
While many people want a universal “easy button installer,” they also want it to work on their unique snowflake of infrastructures, tools, networks and operating systems. I call them snowflakes because their small differences expand combinatorially. That divergence turns the idea of a prescriptive reference architecture into a destructive myth that limits community and ecosystem […]
Best Practices for Cloud Deployment
When it comes to deploying apps in the cloud, the conventional wisdom is that DevOps is not required if you’re a small or midsized company. The cloud is designed to enable virtually anyone to set up the infrastructure they need, quickly and easily, without a lot of experience in the intricacies of managing data center […]