Privileged Identity Management (PIM) in Azure AD: Why It Matters

Introduction Permanent admin rights might feel convenient, but they’re also one of the biggest security risks in any organization. If an attacker compromises a Global Admin account in Azure AD (now Entra ID), they instantly gain unrestricted access. That’s why more and more organizations are adopting Privileged Identity Management (PIM). PIM reduces risk by ensuring … Read more

Azure Networking 101: VNets, Subnets, and Firewalls Explained

Introduction Networking is one of those things you don’t notice when it’s working but immediately hear about when it’s not. In Azure, the foundation of networking is built on Virtual Networks (VNets), subnets, and firewalls. These three pieces work together to organize, connect, and secure resources. For system administrators, understanding how they fit together is … Read more

Cloud Governance Essentials: RBAC, Tags, and Policy Management in Azure

Introduction Moving to the cloud is like moving into a new house: it’s exciting, but without rules, labeling, and structure, it doesn’t take long before things get messy. Suddenly, you’ve got mystery VMs running, storage accounts nobody owns, and invoices that make finance wonder if you’re secretly mining Bitcoin. That’s where cloud governance comes in. … Read more

Monitoring Beyond Azure: Integrating Logs with Microsoft Sentinel

Introduction Cloud platforms generate logs like email spam: constant, noisy, and often ignored until there’s a problem. Azure Monitor is excellent for tracking resource performance, but modern IT environments are rarely just “all Azure.” Most organizations run hybrid and multi-cloud environments with dozens of SaaS apps, on-prem firewalls, and legacy systems still humming in the … Read more

Azure Storage Account Migration: Dehydration, Tools, and Best Practices

Introduction Data migration is one of the most frequent yet high-stakes responsibilities for cloud administrators. Whether you are moving from on-premises file servers, consolidating workloads across Azure subscriptions, or re-architecting storage for cost efficiency, migrations must be handled with precision. Poorly executed migrations can lead to data loss, downtime, unexpected costs, or even compliance violations. … Read more

Disaster Recovery vs High Availability: Clearing Up the Confusion in Azure

Introduction In tech conversations, “disaster recovery” (DR) and “high availability” (HA) often get used like they’re synonyms. Spoiler alert: they’re not. One is about making sure a hiccup doesn’t cause downtime. The other is about surviving a worst-case scenario without turning your IT department into a panic room. For system and cloud administrators, the difference … Read more

Azure Cost Optimization 101: How to Right-Size VMs and Storage

Introduction When organizations first migrate to Azure, there’s a natural tendency to go big. Bigger VMs, faster disks, extra storage. After all, the cloud is infinite, right? The problem is, your budget isn’t infinite, and without discipline, Azure bills can balloon faster than a lawyer billing by the hour. As a cloud administrator, cost optimization … Read more

Top 5 Azure Admin Tasks You Should Automate with PowerShell

Azure PowerShell automation tasks are one of the fastest ways for administrators to improve efficiency in cloud management. As environments grow, repeating the same manual steps across dozens or hundreds of resources becomes unsustainable. That’s where automation shines. For Azure administrators, PowerShell is one of the most powerful tools for streamlining operations. It reduces human … Read more

DNS, DHCP, and VPN: The Hidden Heroes of Cloud Administration

When most people think about cloud administration, they picture shiny dashboards in Azure, spinning up virtual machines, or managing identities in Entra ID. That’s the glamorous side. But if you’ve been in IT long enough, you know the real story: none of those services mean anything if DNS, DHCP, or VPN aren’t doing their jobs. … Read more