Most Active Speaker

Esther Barthel

Esther Barthel

Solutions Architect at cognition IT

Lemmer, The Netherlands

Esther Barthel has worked in different roles and functions as an IT consultant after she finished her Master’s degree in Computer Science in 1997. She soon discovered that End User Computing combined servers, desktops, and user experience technologies into one and specialized in virtualization solutions, like Microsoft Remote Desktop Services, Citrix Virtual Apps & Desktops and Azure Virtual Desktops

Esther works as a Solutions Architect at cognition IT, where she combines her passion for designing and implementing End User Computing (EUC) solutions with her newfound love for DevOps automation, using Infrastructure-as-Code, Image-as-Code and DSC-as-Code templates PowerShell scripting, REST APIs and JSON payloads for process automation and the automated deployments of infrastructure focused resources for both on-premises and Cloud.

Ever since she hosted introduction days for technical female student candidates Esther has shared her passion and knowledge for IT. She also is a strong advocate of diversity and inclusion as one of the founders of the CUGC Women in Tech mentorship program.

In addition to her Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award, Esther is also awarded as a Citrix Technology Professional (CTP), and Parallels VIPP.

Awards

Area of Expertise

  • Information & Communications Technology

Topics

  • Azure Bicep
  • ARM Templates
  • REST API
  • JSON
  • PowerShell
  • Azure Virtual Desktops
  • Citrix ADC
  • Women in Tech mentorship program
  • Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops
  • NetScaler
  • Infrastructure-as-Code
  • Image-as-Code
  • DSC-as-Code
  • Software-as-Code

The Graph API StarterKit for AVD and W365 Automation

This session delves into the realm of Graph API, offering a comprehensive guide on leveraging its capabilities across Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, and Intune.

It commences with an introduction to the Graph API, the unified programmatic interface for accessing Microsoft 365 services. Participants will gain insights into the underlying architecture and learn how Graph API extends Infrastructure-as-Code deployments with Virtual Desktop management automation.

After the introduction, this session will focus on Azure Virtual Desktop and demo the potential of the Graph API in automating provisioning tasks, managing user sessions, and monitoring virtual desktop environments. Real-world use cases and best practices will be discussed, empowering administrators to enhance scalability and responsiveness in their virtual desktop infrastructures.

Windows 365 support of the Graph API demonstrates how it empowers organizations to orchestrate the deployment and management of cloud PCs. Attendees will discover strategies for automating user onboarding, configuring virtual machines, and optimizing resource utilization, ensuring a smooth and flexible Windows experience for end-users.

And last but not least, the session concludes with an in-depth examination of Graph API's role in Microsoft Intune, emphasizing its contribution to device management, policy enforcement, and security measures. Providing practical insights into automating Intune workflows, securing endpoints, and ensuring compliance across diverse device landscapes.

By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to embark on their journey of Modern IT management, using the Graph API.

Stop ARM wrestling, flex your muscles with Bicep Infrastructure as Code! – part 2

Bicep is the abstraction layer on top or Azure Resource Manager templates that allows you to abstract away the common complexity issues with ARM Templates and significantly empowers your coding experience. This session is part 2, focusing on more advanced scenarios to maximize reusability of your code leveraging features like loops, modules, registries and much more. Join this fun and interactive session, walk away with the knowledge on how to get the most out of Bicep, and have a chance to win a copy of the Bicep book!

Stop ARM wrestling, flex your muscles with Bicep Infrastructure as Code! -part 1

Bicep is the abstraction layer on top or Azure Resource Manager templates that allows you to abstract away the common complexity issues with ARM Templates, and significantly empowers your coding experience. This session is part 1, providing an introduction to Bicep focusing on how to use VSCode and Visual Studio to enrich your Infrastructure as Code experience. We’ll provide experiences from the field. Join this fun and interactive session, walk away with the knowledge on how to get started with Bicep, and have a chance to win a copy of the Bicep book!

Using Bicep for your Infrastructure-as-Code deployments - StarterKit

In this session you will learn everything you need to know to get started with Bicep for your Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) deployments in Azure.
This is the first part of a two session strong masterclass to share our Bicep lessons learned and give you practical examples to automate the deployment of your Azure infrastructure resources.

The StarterKit edition focuses on getting started with Bicep by demoing the power of Visual Studio Code and the Bicep extension. This includes topics like scaffolding, snippets, parameters and the many linter rules to help you build your first Bicep templates for Azure Compute resources, like storage, networking, virtual machines and a full Azure Virtual Desktops deployment.

co-presenting with Freek Berson

Using Bicep for your Infrastructure-as-Code deployments - Masterclass

In this session we will extend the shared knowledge from our StarterKit session to help you master the advanced Bicep topics.
We’ll cover features like modules, dependencies, loops, conditions, decompiling, module registries, decompiling and much more! We’ll also share and demonstrate how to use Bicep in your DevOps strategy using Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions and Az CLI. Join us as we flex our muscles, walk away with all source code used in the session and if you’re lucky, win a paperback copy of the “Getting started with Bicep” book as we will give away a couple of them!

co-presenting with Freek Berson

Twelve features of Bicep – Christmas edition

On the First day of Christmas
Microsoft gave to me
A brand-new DSL for free…

In this Christmas-themed and demo-heavy session, Esther and Freek will demo twelve great features of Bicep to empower your Infrastructure as Code deployments on Azure. We’ll touch base on the fundamentals of ARM and Bicep and continue with covering great features like Modules, Registries, Snippets, Scaffolding, Linter, the visualizer, and much more! Join us as we flex our muscles with Bicep Templates during this fun and festive session!

Infrastructure-as-Code, like a Boss!

In this session you will learn what Infrastructure-as-Code is all about and which types of code you can use to automate infrastructure deployments.
In addition I will also share my personal experience and tips & tricks on how I use workflows to easily gather functional requirements and translate the different process steps into a Azure DevOps Pipeline workflow.
And last but not least I'll share how collaborating in an Agile team resulted in the GO-EUC Framework and how it can help you jumpstart your own Infra-as-Code adventures!

Flexing your Infrastructure as Code muscles with Bicep Templates!

If you’re into infrastructure as code on Azure, this is a session you do not want to miss! Bicep is currently at release 0.4 with some great new features! In this demo-heavy session we’ll touch base on the fundamentals of ARM and the architecture of Bicep. We’ll perform a deep dive into the latest Bicep features like loops, conditions, decompiling, snippets, scaffolding, Linter, the visualizer and much more! Join us as we flex our muscles with Bicep Templates!

Branching strategies speeddating

A five minute speed date to explain the concept of branching strategies

Bicep – Infrastructure as Code Masterclass – part I

If you’re into Infrastructure as Code on Azure, this is a masterclass you do not want to miss! Join this fun, interactive, demo-heavy, 2-part masterclass and learn how to empower your Infrastructure as Code approach for Azure with Bicep! In this part 1 we’ll start with the basics and focus on what Bicep is, how to get started with developing your first Bicep Templates and how VSCode improves your authoring experience. Join us as we flex our muscles, walk away with all source code used in the session and if you’re lucky, win a paperback copy of the “Getting started with Bicep” book as we will give away a couple of them!

Bicep – Infrastructure as Code Masterclass – part II

If you’re into Infrastructure as Code on Azure, this is a masterclass you do not want to miss! Join this fun, interactive and demo-heavy masterclass and learn how to empower your Infrastructure as Code approach with Bicep! In this part 2, we’ll focus on more advanced scenarios. We’ll cover features like modules, dependencies, loops, conditions, decompiling, module registries, decompiling and much more! We’ll also share and demonstrate how to use Bicep in your DevOps strategy using Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions and Az CLI. Join us as we flex our muscles, walk away with all source code used in the session and if you’re lucky, win a paperback copy of the “Getting started with Bicep” book as we will give away a couple of them!

Transitioning Ops to the Cloud, adding Dev skills to the mix

This session offers tips and tricks to add core Developer skills to your skillset, so you can transition from (on-premises) Operations to a Cloud DevOps role. This session will zoom in on some basic knowledge and terminology that will make it easier to understand the shift in work and competences for DevOps engineers.

Keep in mind that this session is not a technical deep dive that helps you pick the right tool for the job at hand, but it focuses on some basic knowledge of DevOps processes that will help you to plan the next steps in your career and pick those DevOps competences that will put the fun back into your work.

Empowering AVD deployments with Bicep - Roadshow

Throughout the pandemic, Esther and Freek delivered over a dozen of sessions on Bicep, Infrastructure as Code on Azure. Join the party, as it is now time for a first physical edition of their roadshow! This session focuses on advanced AVD deployment scenarios using Bicep! They will touch on topics like modules, registries, VSCode integrations, pipelines and much more! Join this demo-heavy session to jump start your AVD deployments using Bicep, walk away with all the source code used in the session, and have a change of winning a book on Bicep!

Roundtable: Community

Join us in a roundtable discussion focusing on community leadership.

Roundtable DevOps

Join us for a roundtable focusing on DevOps.

Infrastructure as Code with Bicep on tour!

If you’re into Infrastructure as Code on Azure, this is a session you do not want to miss! Join this fun, and demo-heavy session and learn how to empower your Infrastructure as Code approach with Bicep! We'll touch base on the fundamentals of ARM and Bicep, and continue with advanced scenarios. We’ll cover features like modules, registries, loops, Snippets, Scaffolding, Linter, decompiling, the visualizer, and much more! Join us as we flex our muscles! We will also draw a winner amongst the attendees who will receive a paperback copy of the “Getting started with Bicep”! We hope to see you there!

How to pick a good Branching Strategy for your DevOps team

This session does not just explain the most common Branching Strategies, like GitHub Flow and Git Flow and the differences between them. It also zooms in on specific requirements Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) focused DevOps teams have in regards to collaborating on the same code base.

Key takeways:
- Understanding the differences between the most common Branching Strategies
- How to selecting a Branching Strategy for your DevOps team
- Getting excited about using a good Branching Strategy for your DevOps projects

Constant Call for Speakers - MC2MC events User group Sessionize Event

April 2024

CloudBrew 2023 - A two-day Microsoft Azure event Sessionize Event

December 2023 Mechelen, Belgium

Workplace Ninja Summit 2023 Sessionize Event

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AVD Tech Fest 2023 - Live in Edinburgh Sessionize Event

September 2023 Edinburgh, United Kingdom

DevOpsDays Birmingham (UK) 2023 Sessionize Event

June 2023 Birmingham, United Kingdom

Virtual Azure Community Day Sessionize Event

January 2023

Azure User Group Sweden User group Sessionize Event

January 2023

Devopsdays Eindhoven 2022 Sessionize Event

October 2022 Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Experts Live Netherlands 2022 Sessionize Event

September 2022 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands

WorkPlace Ninja Summit 2022 Sessionize Event

September 2022 Luzern, Switzerland

Azure Lowlands 2022 Sessionize Event

June 2022 Utrecht, The Netherlands

Devopsdays Amsterdam 2022 Sessionize Event

June 2022 Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Scottish Summit 2022 Sessionize Event

June 2022 Glasgow, United Kingdom

Global Azure 2022 Sessionize Event

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Azure Developer Community Day 2021 (hybrid Edition) Sessionize Event

December 2021 Munich, Germany

Festive Tech Calendar 2021 Sessionize Event

December 2021

AVD Tech Fest Winter Edition 2021 Sessionize Event

November 2021

Ignite Viewing Party Sessionize Event

November 2021 Utrecht, The Netherlands

Azure Lowlands Sessionize Event

January 2021

Azure User Group Norway Meetups 2021 Sessionize Event

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Virtual Azure Community Day Sessionize Event

December 2020

Virtual Azure Community Day Sessionize Event

July 2020

EXPERTS LIVE NETHERLANDS 2019 Sessionize Event

June 2019

Esther Barthel

Solutions Architect at cognition IT

Lemmer, The Netherlands

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