Getting Private Endpoints To WORK In The Real World

The drive for more regulatory compliance and security means that we have to use Private Endpoints with PaaS services. Many people have tried Private Endpoint and it didn't work when they rolled it out to production. Private Endpoint enables PaaS resources to be deployed with secure access via Azure networks. All too often, developers & operators tell the story that "Private Endpoint didn't work for us". Attendees of this session will learn how Private Endpoints work, learn about some of the common resource types, and discover the solution to successful adoption: DNS.

Your Azure Migration Project Is Doomed To FAIL!

This session will explain the difference between "cloud adoption" and "cloud migration". Too many organisations mix up the two and jump straight to migration. As a result, they forget to make the necessary changes to people, processes, and tools. The migration might succeed - but adoption is doomed to fail. Once we get over the doom and gloom we'll talk about how to succeed, focusing on what is necessary to drive adoption and innovation with The Cloud in your organisation.

Azure Firewall: The Legacy Firewall Killer

I'm a fan of Azure Firewall. Having something that runs in the platform, focuses my attention on the security features and rules, enables DevSecOps by being 100% manageable as code, and being really simple to learn, makes it quite interesting. It's also why I am undefeated when putting up Azure Firewall against the legacy vendors in this space. Come to this session to learn why Azure Firewall should be at the heart of your security design and digital transformation.

Avoiding Sticker Shock in Azure

Cost management becomes one of the biggest concerns of cloud customers after they have completed their deployment/migration. "How much does thing cost now, why does the price keep changing, and what will it cost me?".

A critical component that should be dealt with early is "FinOps", the merge of Finance and Operations. This post will explain what you should do in your Cloud Adoption Framework journey and how to minimise those dreaded calls from Accounting.

Azure Route Server Is My Best Buddy

Have you met Azure Route Server? This session will introduce you to this often overlooked but impactful feature in Azure networking. You'll learn what Azure Route Server can do, how to set it up, and see some fun ways to architect it to solve challenging issues.

Preventing A Tsunami With Azure DDoS Protection

Distributed Denial of Service attacks are not limited to angry teens targeting some media organisation. DDoS attacks can be professional, be a form of ransom attack, target organisations of all sizes, and even be used as a distraction for something else.

In this session, you will learn about DoS attacks and what Azure can do to help you. You will learn about the different solutions that Azure offers, compare and contrast their features, and learn how to implement them.

Azure Virtual Network Manager - Building & Managing Your Networks

Have you ever wondered how to manage Azure virtual networks at scale? Do you struggle with the concepts of landing zones and self-service? In this session, you will see how to use Azure Virtual Network Manager (AVNM) to enable self-service deployment of workloads within your governed networking scope. You can configure routing for security, enforce security rules at the subnet/NIC, and automatically connect networks ... all based on centrally defined policies. Come to this session to see this technology be built from scratch and in action.

This demo-heavy session focuses on the practical aspects of building a governed/managed hub-and-spoke network for a mid-large-sized organisation.

Pre-Con: Routing - The Virtual Cabling of Secure Azure Networking

Routing is an essential skill in connecting resources and data in Microsoft Azure. It is also the key to designing a secure network in Azure. Routing in Azure can be complicated. Attendees can expect to learn how 2 basic rules work in many situations. Combined with troubleshooting methodologies, they should expect to be prepared for dealing with routing in many kinds of scenarios.

This is a demo-based session.

Pre-Con: Azure Firewall Deep Dive

This all-day class will teach attendees all about Azure Firewall. Everything from installation through the advanced features of the Premium SKU is covered, giving attendees a very full and educational day. Attendees should expect to leave the room knowing how what Azure Firewall is capable of, how to deploy Azure Firewall, what the features are, how to use/configure those features, how to monitor/troubleshoot Azure Firewall, and how to do related architectural tasks.

This is a demo-based session.

Designing Secure Azure Networks

Azure's software-defined networks and PaaS/IaaS resources differ greatly from those of on-premises cable-oriented networks and physical appliances. Therefore, the designs and architectures should be very different - especially if one intends to defend against modern attacks such as advanced persistent threats (APTs). This class session will teach attendees how Azure networks work, how to combine components to create secure access to and integrations between services and data, and how to architect networks that best use the features of Azure.

This session is based on real-world customer engagements, including design, deployment, troubleshooting, and audits.

Routing - The Virtual Cabling of Secure Azure Networking

Few people understand how important a role routing plays in a secure Azure network. And fewer still understand how routing works in Azure. In this session, I will explain the 3 types of routing and how they work - not just user-defined routes. I will share how you can take control of routing to control the flow of traffic through your firewalls. And you will also learn how to troubleshoot when things don't work as expected.

Azure ExpressRoute - Can Someone Please Explain It?!?!

Have you been told that Azure ExpressRoute could be could for your organisation? Have you then browsed Microsoft's documentation or watched videos and felt like you had more questions than answers? You are not alone! In this session, I will introduce you to Azure ExpressRoute, explain the terminology, and walk you through the confusing array of tiers, performance options, features, and connectivity choices.

This is a level 200-300 session. You do not need to be a networking guru to understand the content delivered in this session.

Using Azure Image Builder To Automate VM Builds

Are you preparing a virtual machine disk? Maybe it's for Citrix, Azure Virtual Desktop, a VM Scale Set or HPC? Or maybe it's some stateless app server that needs a regular update? Azure Image Builder takes Packer and makes it a part of the platform. You can turn the traditionally painful process of OS disk (including software and settings) preparation and turn it into an automated factory process, use Shared Image Gallery to share that disk in necessary regions, and build your VMs from the image. Updates are easy to integrate and you can just sit back and let Azure do all the work ... in the platform! Come to this session to learn how to prepare Azure Image Builder, use the tools, and get some real-world tricks to smooth out the learning curve.

Delivering Better Technical Presentations

Whether you are wondering if you can deliver a presentation to an audience or if you are already presenting, this session is for you. Delivering presentations can literally change your career path so this is something that you should consider. And even if you are a veteran, everyone can use a little tune-up. This session will talk about what to speak about, how to prepare, the process of presenting, and dealing with scenarios based on real-world experience.