Shawn Weisfeld on DevOps Certifications - Episode 86

Ryan Riley is a Principal Software Engineer at Wise Rock in Houston, TX. He enjoys learning and collaborating on simple, creative solutions to problems, and implementing those solutions with others through teamwork, training, and mentoring. He has worked as a Solution Architect and Team Lead for local and remote teams, focusing on front-end UX and back-end, distributed applications and APIs to delight customers across many industries. Topics of Discussion: [:36] Intro to Ryan and his experience in software engineering leadership. [4:10] Ryan's early career journey and transition from the .com bubble to software development. [6:17] How Ryan stepped into leadership roles through initiative and team collaboration. [8:40] Balancing hands-on coding with team leadership in a long-term software engineering career. [12:10] The importance of experience and technical knowledge for effective leadership in development teams. [14:27] Empowering team members to lead projects and grow their skill sets. [18:15] Key non-negotiables for young developers, including pull requests, testing, and small commits. [21:28] Architectural patterns Ryan favors, like JSON APIs and balancing between monoliths and microservices. [28:55] Key strategies for supporting software in production and ensuring stability. [34:41] Challenges of cloud costs and performance and the importance of managing resources efficiently. Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo — Available on Amazon! Jeffrey Palermo's Twitter — Follow to stay informed about future events! Panes of Glass Wizards of Smart James Riley Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

23 Sep 202439min

Erik Darling makes your database faster in exchange for money. He is a DBA, developer, and architect with a track record of tackling even the most challenging technical issues. He runs a SQL Server Consulting and Coaching practice. In addition to his consulting services, he is also passionate about blogging, training, and contributing to open-source projects that help with SQL Server troubleshooting. He's given many public speaking engagements on the topic at conferences and events around the world, like PASS Summit and SQLBits. Topics of Discussion: [2:57] Eric's journey into SQL Server and database performance tuning. [4:25] Challenges faced in early SQL Server work and evolving technical debt. [7:47] The standard problems with databases over time. [11:14] How technical debt shows up in SQL Server databases. [15:20] How abstraction layers like ORMs contribute to technical debt. [22:38] Performance issues as a result of technical debt in databases. [25:19] Key advice on database schema design to improve performance. [30:46] Key differences between Azure SQL DB and managed instances. [37:23] Staffing challenges and solutions for managing SQL Server environments. Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo — Available on Amazon! Jeffrey Palermo's Twitter — Follow to stay informed about future events! Darling Data Darling Data on X Erik Darling Darling Data on LinkedIn Darling Data on TikTok Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

16 Sep 202446min

Kent Beck is an original signer of the Agile Manifesto, author of the Extreme Programming book series, rediscoverer of Test-Driven Development, and an inspiring Keynote Speaker. I read his TDD book 20 years ago. Topics of Discussion: [3:46] What led Kent to extreme programming? [7:52] What critical practices have stood the test of time? [10:58] The role of software design in Agile Development. [13:11] The inspiration behind Tidy First? [16:16] Why software design is both a critical skill and an exercise in human relationships. [22:05] What is "normalizing symmetry"? [25:04] Empirical design. [28:09] Design changes tend to be reversible. [30:41] Experimentation with the GPT phase of AI on publications. [35:13] Advice for young developers and programmers. Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo — Available on Amazon! Jeffrey Palermo's Twitter — Follow to stay informed about future events! KentBeck.com Tidy First? Test-Driven Development Extreme Programming Explained Implementation Patterns Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

9 Sep 202439min

Matt is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and has worked with SQL Server since 2000. He is the leader of the Lexington, KY Data Technology Group and a frequent domestic and international community speaker. He's an IDERA ACE alumnus and Redgate Community Ambassador. His original data professional role was in database development, which quickly evolved into query tuning work that further evolved into being a DBA in the healthcare realm. He has supported several critical systems utilizing SQL Server and managed dozens of live site SQL Server implementations. As a Microsoft Lead Data Architect at Centric Consulting, he works with customers large, medium, and small to migrate to the cloud, make their data estate operate efficiently, and find the right tools and solutions within the Microsoft Data Platform. Topics of Discussion: [3:08] Matt's career journey and overcoming a fear of public speaking. [5:42] Changes and consistencies in working with SQL Server over the years. [7:18] Advice on the process and tools for database change management and DevOps. [12:29] Recommendations for database monitoring and observability. [19:30] Specific monitoring tool recommendations and their pros and cons. [24:04] The role of ORMs and their impact on database performance. [30:59] Thoughts on the evolution of microservices and database architecture patterns. [36:55] Considerations for working with small versus large database sizes. Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo — Available on Amazon! Jeffrey Palermo's Twitter — Follow to stay informed about future events! SQLBITS Author Matt Gordon Matt Gordon Microsoft Page Matt Gordon on LinkedIn Racing FivecoRacing IG Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

2 Sep 202440min

Henry Quillin is a student in the Canfield computer science and business honors program (CSB) at UT Austin and a software engineer intern at Bank of America. He likes building things. He is interested in software development, entrepreneurship, and blockchain/crypto. He has completed several internships and other contracts and has earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. He always has several software projects going, and when not buried in VSCode or books, he enjoys weightlifting, cooking, and listening to podcasts. He's currently helping artists monetize their scrapped music as the CTO of Scraps. You can check out his website at henry henryquillin.me. Topics of Discussion: [3:49] Henry's college experience and mindset shift. [5:00] Realizing the value of college. [6:48] Henry describes the computer science courses he took in his freshman year, including data structures, discrete math, and operating systems. [11:16] The computer programming classes Henry took in his freshman year. [12:54] The importance of practical experience and the value of hands-on learning in computer science. [20:27] Living arrangements and the social dynamics of college. [23:27] Advice for aspiring computer scientists. [28:07] Why internships are great, and how to make the most out of them. [33:12] Henry's Bank of America internship experience. [35:24] Learning to be comfortable with new and emerging technologies. Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo — Available on Amazon! Jeffrey Palermo's Twitter — Follow to stay informed about future events! Ep 183 with Henry Quillin LeetCode Claude OpenAI xAI Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

26 Aug 202437min

David Starr is a Principal Solutions Architect at Microsoft, focusing on Azure and cloud marketplaces. With over 20 years of experience, he has led software development initiatives, held architectural responsibilities, built high-performance teams, and fostered technical learning. He is passionate about delivering great software, designing cloud-scale solutions, and quality-focused engineering practices. He has contributed to or led several team initiatives that enable and accelerate the Azure Marketplace, such as the Marketplace FastTrack Copilot using Azure Open AI, the SaaS Accelerator, the Data Sales Accelerator, and the .NET and Java SaaS fulfillment libraries. Additionally, he is the program owner for Mastering the Marketplace, a comprehensive learning platform for Microsoft partners and customers. Topics of Discussion: [6:09] Agile methodologies, Scrum, and software development leadership. [6:38] Working with Agile Alliance and Scrum.org. [7:50] What David learned working for several years at GoDaddy. [9:49] Using Azure Marketplace to sell software and services, with examples of successful partners and their experiences. [15:20] Who has full admin rights on MongoDB? [17:49] Pricing models for AI models in Azure Marketplace. [21:56] AI cost estimation and model selection. [29:40] Azure Cloud Marketplace and AI advancements, with insights on how to get started with product development. Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo — Available on Amazon! Jeffrey Palermo's Twitter — Follow to stay informed about future events! Ep 149 with David Starr David Starr LinkedIn "Making HIPAA and HiTRUST Compliance Easier" Azure for Executives ElegantCode ElegantCode on X David Starr on PluralSight AgileTeam Practices with Scrum Mastering the Marketplace Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

19 Aug 202439min

Brian A. Randell is a Staff Developer Advocate at GitHub where he works to help tell the good word about GitHub and how it can help you deliver solutions faster and more securely. For more than 30 years, he has been building software solutions. As a Partner at MCW Technologies, he educated teams on Microsoft technologies via writing and training — both in-person and on-demand. He's been a consultant for companies small and large, worldwide, including Fortune 100 companies like Microsoft. Brian is a passionate software craftsman who still enjoys coding as he helps teams to improve their processes from idea to release. He was a Microsoft MVP for 18 years and has co-authored books, written magazine articles, and more. When not working, Brian enjoys spending time with his wife, two children, dog, and extended family. Topics of Discussion: [3:01] Brian's career journey from software development to education and consulting. [8:20] Brian's role as a developer advocate at GitHub. [11:57] GitHub's CoPilot feature and its benefits for developers. [12:04] The impact of GitHub on software delivery and security. [18:22] How CoPilot can save you time and energy to spend more on innovation. [20:36] CoPilot Workspace. [24:11] Best setup for .NET development teams between Azure DevOps and GitHub. [32:21] Prioritizing developer experience and value delivery in software development. [40:09] Leading with a developer-first mindset. [41:15] Using GitHub for code storage and collaboration. [43:32] More info on the upcoming Essential DevOps book and San Francisco event. [46:31] What is platform engineering? Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo — Available on Amazon! Jeffrey Palermo's Twitter — Follow to stay informed about future events! Brian Randell Brian Randell on LinkedIn Professional Application Lifecycle Management Brian Randell Github GitHub and .NET Conf Deployment Protection Rules octobrian What is DevOps? Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

12 Aug 202450min

Jason Haley is a Full Stack Solution Architect at Jason Haley Consulting, LLC, where he provides custom Azure and .NET application development solutions for a variety of clients. With over 20 years of experience using Microsoft technologies, he has earned the title of Microsoft Azure MVP and holds numerous certifications. His expertise lies in developing Web Applications and Single Page Applications (SPA) using Blazor, Angular, jQuery, ASP.Net Core, Entity Framework Core, Redis, SQL Server, and Windows Azure Active Directory. In addition, he customizes build processes for Azure DevOps pipelines and creates courseware for .NET and Azure topics. He is deeply passionate about learning and sharing his knowledge with the local Azure and .NET community, and he leads two user groups in the Boston area. Topics of Discussion: [3:40] The two things that have stuck out in Jason's career. [5:36] When Jason started paying attention to GenAI. [9:12] Looking at GenAI from a solution perspective. [10:52] Where to start as a .NET developer. [16:49] Why aren't there more examples in C#? [18:02] What is Graph RAG? [19:11] Using language models for natural language processing tasks, including prompt engineering and token limits. [20:56] The importance of prompt engineering, and how to optimize prompts. [25:04] Cost and mechanics of using OpenAI's language model in Azure. [32:12] Using Azure AI services for business problems and thinking about AI as an intern. [34:48] Recommendations for .NET developers to get started with Azure Open AI and semantic search. Mentioned in this Episode: Clear Measure Way Architect Forum Software Engineer Forum Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net. Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor) .NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo — Available on Amazon! Jeffrey Palermo's Twitter — Follow to stay informed about future events! Jason Haley website Generative AI for Beginners Azure OpenAI RAG Pattern using a SQL Vector Database Want to Learn More? Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

5 Aug 202437min