General – Cloud Marathoner's Journey

Running Azure Like a Pro: Monitoring, Policy, and Cost Optimization with Copilot

Greetings to my dear Cloud Marathoner friends!

Every year, Azure Spring Clean reminds us of an important truth:
running Azure well isn’t about adding more services—it’s about operating smarter. As environments grow, so do the challenges:

Visibility becomes fragmented
Governance drifts over time
Costs quietly creep up

That’s exactly why I’m excited to be part of Azure Spring Clean 2026 with my session and thank you for reading this blog.

In this session, my focus it turned to all about practical, real‑world cloud operations. And how Azure Copilot can help cloud professionals cut through noise and make better decisions, faster.

Why Azure Spring Clean?

Azure Spring Clean is more than an event—it’s a mindset. It’s about:

Cleaning up technical debt
Improving operational habits
Sharing real lessons from the field

Thank you to all organizers, including Joe and Thomas for running this community event this year. Your leadership is appreciated 🙌🙌🙌

I’m proud to contribute a session that focuses on operational excellence, not just shiny new features.

Why “Running Azure Like a Pro” Matters

Anyone can deploy resources.
Professionals know how to operate them—day after day, at scale.

In real Azure environments, teams struggle with questions like:

Why did this workload suddenly spike in cost?
Which resources are out of compliance—and why?
Where should I look first when something breaks?

These aren’t design‑time questions.
They’re daily operational challenges.

Azure Copilot introduces a new way to approach them—by turning raw data into actionable insights, using natural language and context across your Azure environment.

What This Session Covers

This isn’t theory. It’s hands‑on, scenario‑driven learning—the Cloud Marathoner way.

🔍 Monitoring with Confidence

We’ll explore how Copilot helps you:

Navigate Azure Monitor signals faster
Ask questions in plain language instead of digging through dashboards
Identify issues before they become incidents

Monitoring isn’t about staring at charts—it’s about knowing where to look and why.

🛡️ Governance That Actually Works

Policies are only useful if people understand and act on them. Thus, in this session, you’ll see how Copilot can:

Explain policy compliance issues in human terms
Help investigate non‑compliant resources
Support better governance conversations with teams and stakeholders

Governance shouldn’t slow teams down—it should guide them forward.

💰 Cost Optimization Without Guesswork

Cost management is often reactive. Copilot helps make it proactive. We’ll walk through scenarios where Copilot assists with:

Identifying cost anomalies
Understanding spending patterns
Supporting confident optimization decisions

No spreadsheets. No guesswork. Just clear insights you can act on.

WHY Should Attend and watch demo?🤔

This session is ideal for:

Cloud engineers managing day‑to‑day Azure operations
Architects responsible for governance and optimization
Anyone who wants to spend less time searching and more time solving problems

Whether you’re early in your cloud journey or running complex environments, this session will help you level up your operational mindset.

Demo

Please, check this section in a few days, the demo is being re-recorded for better quality. In-Progress …

Final Thought 🏃‍♂️

Running Azure is a marathon, not a sprint.

With the right visibility, strong governance, smart cost controls—and now Copilot as your operational assistant—you can move faster without losing control.

If you want to run Azure like a pro, I hope you’ll join me at Azure Spring Clean 2026.

Let’s clean up, optimize, and keep moving forward—together.

🏅 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹. 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱. 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝐚𝐬 𝐌𝐂𝐓 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝!

Greetings to all #CloudMarathoner friends!

I’m honored to be re-selected as 𝗠𝗖𝗧 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 for the 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗿𝗼𝘄 — and this one feels extra special: it marks my 𝟭𝟵𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿.

What began as a small feather in my cap has grown into a cornerstone of my career. From Windows, .NET Developer to Microsoft Azure, the journey has been all about always learning, always teaching, and blending lessons from real customer projects into practical, hands-on guidance for the community.

To everyone who’s paced with me—mentees, peers, customers, and fellow Cloud Marathoners — 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 for the miles we’ve logged together.

The next chapter is calling (I might have to ask my agent(!) which one it is 😉), but the mission remains the same: 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.

Let’s keep training, sharing, and lifting each other — 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

Onward to the next leg!
#CloudMarathoner #MVPBuzz #MCTBuzz

📌 Learn about 𝗠𝗖𝗧 (𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿) program 👉 https://lnkd.in/dmHBrBnj

Learning about Touchless Order-to-Cash in SAP S/4HANA with Cloud-Driven AI and RPA Automat

Hello my dear friends!

This week we had an informative Cloud Lunch and Learn session on SAP S/4HANA. Our speaker was Siva Pulluru. He has been working in SAP systems for almost 15 years, and specifically for the version of 4HANA he has been working on it in the last 5 years. Our speaker joined from the sunny Austin, TX.

Details of the session

The focus of the session is on how to enable touchless Order-to-Cash in SAP S/4HANA using AI, RPA, and cloud integration. This session covers real-time order ingestion via APIs and EDI, automated credit checks, pricing, and inventory with AI, and RPA-driven task automation. it outlines, actionable strategies for SAP BTP integration, exception handling, and innovations like blockchain and predictive analytics to boost accuracy, speed, and cash flow.

What IS covered?

Our speaker covered the steps when you are considering capturing the customer journey of transforming Order-to-Cash (O2C) into touchless experience. This involved understanding of Traditional O2C challenges and benefits, followed by architecture, real-time order ingestion, intelligent risk assessment with AI, and many other aspects.

📌 LinkedIn announcement > Ready to transform your SAP processes?

watch full EPISODE

If you are into building or designing a use case for the touchless O2C experience in SAP S/4HANA then check the following recording below:

Who are the Microsoft MVPs 🌟 and how to become one?

Becoming a Microsoft MVP isn’t about chasing a title—it’s about embracing a mission.

As the community lead of Cloud Marathoner, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside cloud engineers, architects, and passionate tech enthusiasts who are building, sharing, and growing together. Many of them ask me: “How do I become a Microsoft MVP?”

The answer is both simple and profound: do what you love and give back.

🧭 What Is a Microsoft MVP?

The Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award recognizes exceptional community leaders who share their expertise, uplift others, and contribute meaningfully to the tech ecosystem. It’s not a certification—it’s a celebration of consistent, authentic impact.

According to the official Microsoft MVP site, the MVPs are selected for their contributions across blogs, talks, open-source projects, user groups, and more. They are the spark that keeps the community thriving.

🛤️ My Journey: From Passion to Purpose

When I started Cloud Marathoner, it was just a blog. But it quickly became a movement—a space where cloud professionals could learn, share, and grow together. I didn’t set out to become an MVP. I set out to help others to succeed in their unique Cloud journey. And that’s the secret.

As Betsy Weber, Microsoft Program Manager beautifully put it:

“Don’t follow the crowd—find your gap and fill it with passion, creativity, and community.”

🎉 Celebrating Microsoft AWARD

This year, I’m incredibly honored to celebrate my 4th consecutive Microsoft MVP award recognition from Microsoft. It’s a meaningful milestone that reflects the many community events, sessions, and contributions I’ve wholeheartedly delivered over the last year. My focus remains strong on Infrastructure as Code and Cloud Optimization, while I continue to explore and share innovations in AI and GitHub Copilot to empower and uplift our community of cloud engineers, architects, and tech enthusiasts.

🧩 Find Your Gap, Fill It with Passion

You don’t need to be the loudest voice. You need to be the most authentic one.

🎨 Like MVP Luise Freese, who turned technical content into sketchnotes that even Satya Nadella noticed.
🌍 Like Sharon Weaver, who kept her user group alive through the pandemic.
🎤 Like Lee Englestone, who built a Visual Studio tips site that led to talks and a book.

Each of them found a unique way to give back. So can you.

🧱 actionable Steps to Becoming a Microsoft MVP

Be an Expert
Master your craft. Stay current. Share what you learn.
Be a Leader
Start a user group. Mentor others. Create inclusive spaces.
Be an Advocate
Provide feedback to Microsoft. Champion tools that help others.
Be Consistent
MVP is a marathon, not a sprint. Keep showing up.
Be Visible
Blog, speak, stream, post—whatever suits your style. Just share.

💬 Final Thoughts: Your Spark ✨ Matters

You don’t need permission to start. You don’t need a title to lead. You just need to care enough to contribute.

Whether you’re streaming your learning journey, launching a user group, or writing your first blog post—you’re already on the path.

So go ahead. Share your knowledge. Be helpful. Look for gaps to fill.
The community is waiting for your spark. ✨

Building a Data Mesh Architecture for Dynamics 365 Sales with Rodrigue

Greetings my dear Cloud Marathoners !!!

Last week, we had an interesting session with Rodrigue Yengo on how you could transform data management in Dynamics 365 Sales through Data Mesh architecture!

This session was different as Cloud Lunch and Learn welcomed our #CloudMarathoner friend Martin Dimovski into studio to drive session as we did the discussions together by asking questions to our speaker from France.

In this session, Rodrigue will walk us through:
🔹 How to decentralize data ownership
🔹 Strategies to improve data accessibility across teams
🔹 Seamless integration of new Business Units (BUs)
🔹 Maintaining governance and data quality at scale
🔹 Data Fabric vs Dynamics 365 for Sales?

what we covered as well?

💡 A practical use case will bring these concepts to life and show how Data Mesh principles can be effectively applied in a Dynamics 365 environment.

In addition, we sparked discussion around Data Fabric and how it is related or different from the Dynamics 365. Which tool is for what and how to navigate those questions.

When and Where

📅 Date: June 4th, 2025
🕒 Time: 5 PM UTC
📍 Recorded session URL

check the recording

Whether you’re a data architect, Dynamics 365 professional, or just passionate about modern data strategies, this session is for you!

Cloud Meets Blockchain: The Role of Cloud Platforms in Decentralized Infrastructure session with Samuel Arogbonl

Greetings to all #CloudMarathoner friends!

In the rapidly evolving world of technology, blockchain stands out as a revolutionary force reshaping industries across the globe. As cloud engineers and architects, understanding how to leverage the cloud for blockchain solutions is crucial for staying ahead in this dynamic landscape.

Last week, we had a session with a Blockchain researcher, DevOps and SRE professional – Samule. Our speaker is an experienced engineer with hands-on skills in operating blockchain nodes within cloud environments. This session is aiming to be a deep dive into the intersection of blockchain and cloud technology, offering valuable insights and practical strategies.

The Power of the Cloud in Blockchain

Blockchain technology, with its decentralized nature, demands robust infrastructure to ensure high availability, scalability, and security. The cloud emerges as a critical enabler, providing the necessary resources to support these requirements. Samuel will share his experiences and knowledge on how cloud platforms can effectively power decentralized systems, making them more resilient and efficient.

Real-World Challenges and Solutions

One of the highlights of Samuel’s session will be his exploration of real-world challenges faced when integrating blockchain with cloud environments. From managing the complexities of decentralization to ensuring seamless scalability, Samuel will discuss practical solutions that bridge the gap between centralization and decentralization. His insights will be invaluable for anyone looking to build and deploy blockchain solutions in the cloud.

Building the Next Generation of Web3 Applications

As we move towards a more decentralized web, often referred to as Web3, the role of cloud technology becomes even more significant. Samuel’s session will provide actionable strategies for cloud engineers and architects to design and implement the next generation of Web3 applications. By leveraging the cloud, we can create more robust, scalable, and secure blockchain solutions that drive innovation and transformation.

Feel free to check the recorded session with Samuel and gain the knowledge and tools needed to excel in the world of blockchain and cloud technology. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your journey, this session is sure to provide valuable insights and inspire you to push the boundaries of what’s possible with blockchain in the cloud.

Recorded Session

If you are intrigued to watch the entire session, then please visit the following YouTube link below on our Cloud Lunch and Learn channel.

Recognized by Sessionize.com as a top 3% active speaker for 2024 🎉

Hello dear #CloudMarathoner family and community members!

I’m thrilled to share that Sessionize.com has recognized me as one of the top 3% most active speakers for 2024 🎉

This is my second time receiving this honor in the past few years, thanks to 42 international speaking events over the years.

Thank you for support

Huge Thank You to everyone for your incredible support, including our awesome #CloudMarathoner community and Sessionize.com for this recognition🙏

I also want to extend my gratitude to T-Rex Solutions, LLC for their unwavering support in my Microsoft MVP and speaker journey. Your encouragement has been invaluable!

My Sessionize.com presentations

If you never checked it before, then please feel free to check my speaker profile 👉 https://lnkd.in/eUcQ2tWS

You should be able to see my bio, past and upcoming events, and the topics I love discussing in my online and in-person sessions.

Let’s keep pushing the boundaries of cloud engineering and learning together 🚀

Starting 2025 with an exciting renewal announcement 🌟 🎉

Greetings to all #CloudMarathoner friends!

I am trilled and honored to share this great news with all of you. As of the beginning of January, I have been notified and recognized as Microsoft Certified Trainer (#MCT) Community Lead for the #USA region for 2025!

What is MCT Community Lead?

This role represents an incredible opportunity to continue empowering our vibrant training and learning community, fostering collaboration, and supporting MCTs in their mission to deliver impactful training experiences.

As your MCT Community Lead (previously known as, MCT Regional Lead), my focus will remain on sharing knowledge, nurturing connections, and elevating the presence of #Microsoft technologies across regions while helping new #MCT colleagues to excel!

Honored to serve you as MCT Community Lead in 2025

I am excited to continue working alongside my high-caliber trainer friends, driving meaningful initiatives, and building on the strong foundation of innovation and mentorship that makes our #community thrive in helping customers with #Microsoft technologies.

Thanks to the Microsoft team members, which includes Sarah Kong, Linda Larkan, MS, MEd, MCT, and previously Tracey Carisch have done an amazing job in reinvigorating this program 🙏🙏🙏

Do you have questions about MCT program?

Please, check my following post on LinkedIn platform and let me know if you need any help with MCT program.

Again, and again – please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions to the MCT program and I will bring your voice and concern to MCT leadership and try to address it asap. Here is the URL for the post 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/elkhanyusubov_mct-usa-microsoft-activity-7280810348616531968-ia1t/

Check the Modern Data Architecture – Gen AI empowered session with Sanchit Srivastava

Hello my dear #Cloudmarathoners!

This week, we had another interesting session to explore the Modern Data Architecture – Gen AI empowered solutions with a guest speaker Sanchit.

SESSIOn agenda details

Our guest speaker, Sanchit, started with introduction into the Modern Analytics Data Architecture, aka MADA, followed by diving into the core components of MADA. Then our session followed with identifying the best practices of MADA Core Components and how to enable Gen Ai within this architecture.

In addition, he deep dive into common questions on where to start with Gen AI, some products and services to consider, and what pitfalls to avoid.

Thank you, Sanchit!

Sanchit Srivastava is a seasoned data strategist with a distinguished career spanning over 18 years. With a deep understanding of advanced Data Analytics, Data Engineering, Generative AI, Data Observability and modern Data Architecture, he has successfully delivered transformative data solutions across diverse industries, including consumer packaged goods, manufacturing, pharmacy, and retail. His motto, “make data easier, faster and more reliable” encapsulates his belief in the transformative power of data.

Thus, feel free to connect with him on LinkedIn if you have any inquiries.

what is next?

If you would like further to explore this topic then you are encouraged to check with Sanchit on his LinkedIn page.

Recorded Session

If you are intrigued to watch the entire session, then please visit the following YouTube link below on our Cloud Lunch and Learn channel.

Our #CloudMarathoner community is growing!!!

Hello dear Cloud Marathoners!

I would like to “Thank You” ALL the community members in the #cloudmarathoner for their support and continued contributions in 2024 🙌 🎉 🎈

Your continued dedication to learning, sharing, and excelling at cloud knowledge has a great impact on everyone.

Our community is growing

Thank you again for your continued feedback and support!
Our community has grown to 1935+ members and we can reach and empower more people now than ever before 💪.

Again and again, “HUGE THANK YOU!” to everyone who has #shared and contributed to the #CloudMarathoner posts on social media.

We are having “GREAT” progress that will continue to provide the power of #knowledge to empower and elevate the people.

IN SUMMARY

Thank you for being a true “trailblazer of the cloud” by being the #cloudmarathoner!

Please, actively check our #CloudMarathoner #tag on LinkedIn. Share and tag information with the community.