The Azure Podcast

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