Masterclass Description

In this 2-Day LIVE In-Person Training, you will learn about core Azure concepts, Azure services, Azure security, and Azure Management tools, including automation via PowerShell.  While the focus for this class is providing a solid Azure infrastructure foundation based on real-world implementations, the course will also prepare you for the Microsoft AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals exam.

This LIVE In-Person Masterclass is taught by David O'Brien from ARGOS.  David has more than a decade of experience designing and implementing cloud architectures from small to very large.  The class material will cover far beyond the information vendor documentation will give you.  After these two days of Live Training, you will be ready to accelerate your cloud journey with a rock-solid foundation.  More than that, you'll have the opportunity to enjoy the sights and amenities of Melbourne, Australia!

This LIVE In-Person Masterclass is for YOU if you want to:

  • Master Cloud and Azure Infrastructure
  • Effectively Implement Azure Core Solutions and Management Tools
  • Understand Azure Defender, Azure Key Vault, Azure Sentinel, and Azure DDoS Protection
  • Achieve Compliance and Identity/Privacy Management
  • Reduce and Manage Azure Costs

...and so much more!

This Live Masterclass runs for two full days and includes:

  • Real-World Content Presented by Microsoft MVP and Leading Industry Expert David O'Brien
  • LOTS of Hands-On-Labs and Exercises
  • A Private Facebook Group with Other Participants for Sharing Reflections, etc.
  • The Chance to Meet and Ask David O’Brien Questions Directly in a Live, In-Person Training Environment


Masterclass Schedule

Date and Time for Live Presentations

Date and start time for the next in-person Masterclass TBD:

Masterclass Outline

Module 1: Introducing Cloud and Azure Infrastructure

  • Understanding Cloud Types: Public vs. Private vs. Hybrid
  • Understanding the Benefits of Cloud
  • Introducing High Availability, Scalability, Elasticity, and Agility
  • Selecting the Right Cloud Service for the Right Job: IaaS vs. PaaS vs. FaaS vs. SaaS
  • Our Showcase: Following a Company’s Journey to Azure
  • Taking Control of Costs: Pay Only for What You Use
  • Lab: Creating a Free Azure Subscription

Module 2: Core Azure Services

  • Introducing the Microsoft Cloud Global Design
  • Choosing the Right Azure Region
  • Understanding Azure ExpressRoute
  • Using Availability Zones in the Real World
  • Azure Tenant vs. Azure Subscription vs. Azure Management Groups
  • Group Lab: Creating Azure Resource Groups via the Portal and Azure Cloud Shell (PowerShell)
  • Working with Resource Groups and Role-based Access Control (RBAC)
  • Using Azure Resource Manager
  • Core Azure Services and Their Use Cases: Compute, Network, and Storage
  • Lab: Creating Virtual Networks Using PowerShell
  • Lab: Establishing a Remote Connection to a VM without a Public IP Address

Module 3: Azure Core Solutions and Management Tools

  • Introduction to Serverless Services, Functions, and Logic Apps
  • Lab: Creating Logic Apps 
  • Introduction to Azure DevOps, GitHub, and GitHub Actions
  • Lab: Working with the Azure Cloud Shell
  • Using Azure Advisor, Azure Monitor, and Azure Service Health
  • Understanding Azure “Infrastructure as Code” Tools
  • Lab: Deploying Azure Resources Using the Bicep Language


Module 4: Azure and Network Security

  • Understanding Azure Defender for Cloud (formerly Security Center)
  • Lab: Working with Policy Compliance, Secure Score, and Alerts
  • Introduction to Azure Key Vault and Secrets Management (Includes a Lab)
  • Understanding Azure Sentinel
  • Understanding Defense in Depth on Azure
  • Lab: Network Security Groups and Azure Firewalls
  • Understanding Azure DDoS Protection
  • Lab: Protecting against Ransomware Using Azure Backup
  • Lab: Establishing Secure Connectivity to Resources via VPN


Module 5: Identity, Governance, Privacy, and Compliance Features 

  • Understanding Authentication: AuthN vs. AuthZ
  • Comparing Azure Active Directory, Active Directory Domain Services, and Azure Active Directory Domain Services
  • Lab: Creating Conditional Access Policies that Will Save Your Bacon
  • Lab: Working with Azure RBAC and Applying the Least Privilege Principle
  • Lab: Using Azure Policy and Blueprint
  • Introduction to the Cloud Adoption Framework
  • Understanding Security vs. Privacy vs. Compliance: How They Are All Different but Related
  • Understanding the Microsoft Trust Center and Azure Compliance Documentation


Module 6: Azure Cost Management and Service Level Agreements

  • Reducing Costs in Azure
  • Lab: Saving up to 70 percent of Your VM Cost with This Simple Trick
  • Demo: Cost and TCO Calculator
  • Lab: Introduction to Azure Advisor
  • Azure Cost Management
  • Lab: Analyzing Resource Metrics
  • Understanding Azure SLAs
  • Understanding Service Lifecycle
  • Our Showcase: A Review of Azure Design

Instructor(s)

Instructor Bio:

David is the founder of ARGOS Cloud Security, a contextual cloud security SaaS that helps you keep your cloud platforms protected and secure. His fields of interest are mainly everything about cloud security, automation, and architecture. David has been a Microsoft Azure MVP for eight years and a Microsoft Certified Trainer for two years. When he isn’t working (and outside of a pandemic), he tries to spend as much time as possible with his family traveling the world or up in the air flying above it. If you would like to get in touch with David, just send him a tweet @david_obrien.

David O'Brien

Founder of ARGOS Cloud Security