Connecting Clouds – Azure Networking with Mike Bender | The SysAdmin DOJO Podcast

We welcome back Mike Bender for an episode entirely focused on cloud networking! Many IT Pros charge headfirst into cloud networking with the same assumptions and fundamentals in mind from traditional on-prem networking. It often comes as a surprise to many that this isn’t the best route to take when it comes to connecting workloads in the cloud. Most sysadmins have only had to worry about the four walls of their organization, so cloud networking in Azure, AWS, and other cloud can pose some unique challenges.

Azure vWAN can help address some of those challenges. That said, Azure vWAN is a highly complex service that requires quite a bit of skill in order to leverage effectively. In this episode Mike and Andy talk through these challenges and even provide some resources that IT Pros can use to get a leg up on the steep learning curve!

In this episode on Azure Networking

• Why are Cloud networking skills important? – 3:11
• What is Azure vWAN? – 15:05
• What some good resources to help getting skilled up on Azure Networking? – 22:59
• A discussion around different certification options – 34:42
• Does Azure networking knowledge “transfer” to other clouds? – 38:48

Episode quotes

• In a lot of shops the only people that touch the network, are the networking people
• Azure AD is NOT just Active Directory running in the cloud
• Networking is a HUGE part of security in the cloud
• Historically IT Pros have only had to worry about the four walls of their organizations
• Oh… networking? It’s just ones and zeroes right? Laughs
• I can tell you from experience that you DO NOT keep RDP turned on in Azure VMs all the time…
• The cloud is like a cab. As soon as you get in, they start the meter.

Resources for networking in Azure

• SysAdmin DOJO Podcast PowerShell episode with Mike
• Azure vWAN on the Altaro DOJO
• Azure vWAN on Microsoft Docs
• IT Pro Resources at the DOJO
• Microsoft Learn
• AZ-700 Course at Pluralsight
• Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework

Have a question? Want to feedback? Get in touch!

• Andy Syrewicze on Twitter
• Andy Syrewicze on Github
• Mike Bender on Twitter
• Altaro Software on Twitter
• Hornetsecurity on Twitter