Andrew Lock: Testing Frameworks - Episode 376
Azure & DevOps Podcast
Andrew Lock is a staff software engineer at Datadog and educator whose contributions to the .NET ecosystem have shaped how developers approach modern web applications. Located in the UK, Andrew is a Microsoft MVP, Author of , and has an active blog all about his experience working with .NET and ASP.NET Core. Topics of Discussion: [2:56] Andrew talks about appreciating the joy of coding and the minutiae of figuring out the correct way to do things. [3:28] Andrew discusses the various testing frameworks available for .NET, including MS Test, NUnit, XUnit, and TUnit. He explains the...
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Ben Day: SlideSpeaker.AI - Episode 375
Azure & DevOps Podcast
Ben Day is a seasoned software consultant and fractional CTO. With over two decades of experience, he brings a blend of hands-on coding expertise, strategic clarity, and people-focused coaching to help companies — from startups to Fortune 500s — deliver high-quality software faster and with less friction. As the founder of Benjamin Day Consulting, Inc., Ben offers training, coaching, and architectural guidance rooted in Agile, Scrum, Azure DevOps, and GitHub best practices. He’s a Microsoft MVP, a certified Professional Scrum Trainer for over 15 years, and a sought-after speaker...
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Josh Arzt: 23 Years of .NET - Episode 374
Azure & DevOps Podcast
Josh Arzt is a Senior Solutions Architect with 25+ years of experience modernizing systems, solving complex problems, and delivering scalable cloud solutions. He is an expert in software engineering, DevSecOps, serverless architectures, and cloud migrations. He is a certified professional with a strong publication record in IT and applied mathematics. His professional career began in the early 2000s, when he discovered .NET and all it had to offer in its early days. Using that framework, paired with his maturation in software architecture, helped shape how he approaches challenges —...
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Lee Brownhill: The Data Community - Episode 373
Azure & DevOps Podcast
Lee Brownhill is a Principal Cloud DBA at Cloud Rede with deep expertise in SQL Server performance tuning and automation. With years of experience across Azure and AWS, Lee helps clients optimize their cloud data platforms. His journey began in IT support, quickly evolving into a passion for SQL Server that led him through roles as a Production and Developer DBA. Now, he’s a trusted consultant, known for making systems run faster and smarter. Lee is a Redgate Community Ambassador, a regular at SQLBits and Data Relay, and once spent a transformative week learning from...
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Aaron Palermo: Cyber Security and Systems Engineering with AI-Driven Development - Episode 372
Azure & DevOps Podcast
Aaron Palermo is a Senior Solutions Architect, DevOps engineer, and all-around cybersecurity expert. He works for a global cybersecurity services company, Appgate. Aaron was last on the show in episode 196, sharing about Zero Trust Networking. Topics of Discussion: [3:20] Aaron shares his excitement for learning new things and solving innovative challenges, which keep him engaged in the field. [3:30] Aaron explains his current role at Appgate, a zero-trust network access company. [4:25] The importance of direct-routed solutions for federal customers who want to own and manage their...
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Software Leadership with Jonathan “J.” Tower - Episode 371
Azure & DevOps Podcast
Jonathan Tower is known to friends and colleagues simply as “J.” J. is a Microsoft MVP, Telerik Developer Expert, and the founder of Trailhead Technology Partners, a global custom software consultancy. With nearly 25 years of experience in the industry, J. has held roles ranging from senior architect to director of development, and now leads a team building high-quality, large-scale applications across a wide range of technologies. J.’s technical expertise spans C#, .NET, MVC, and modern JavaScript frameworks, along with mobile app development. But what truly sets him apart is...
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Peter Ritchie: .NET Foundation - Episode 370
Azure & DevOps Podcast
Peter Ritchie is a veteran software architect and consultant with over 35 years of experience in the tech industry. Peter is renowned for his deep expertise in .NET development, distributed systems, and agile methodologies. He’s an accomplished author of several technical books, a former Microsoft MVP, and a sought-after international speaker. Peter is also actively involved in the .NET community and was a candidate for the .NET Foundation Board of Directors, reflecting his commitment to open-source and developer advocacy. Through his consulting work, he helps teams elevate their...
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Greg Leonardo: Azure and AI - Episode 369
Azure & DevOps Podcast
Greg Leonardo is a Principal Cloud Architect, Certified Azure Solution Architect Expert, and Microsoft Azure MVP with over two decades of experience driving high-impact cloud transformations for global enterprises. Greg’s work sits at the crossroads of architecture, innovation, and mentorship, where he crafts scalable, cost-efficient, and future-ready solutions that align technology with business strategy. He’s a recognized authority in Azure-native architecture, FinOps optimization, and AI integration, known for delivering measurable results—from reducing cloud spend to accelerating...
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John Bristowe: The Latest from Octopus Deploy - Episode 368
Azure & DevOps Podcast
John Bristowe brings over 20 years of experience in technology to his role as Community Director at Octopus Deploy. His career includes time at Progress and Microsoft, where he developed his skills in management and technology. Known for a straightforward and engaging style, John often speaks at industry conferences, sharing practical tips and insights. John is a HashiCorp Ambassador and part of the Progress Champions program. He enjoys creating content such as articles, webinars, and podcasts, aiming to help others in the tech community. In his free time, John likes to stay informed...
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Mads Kristensen: Visual Studio 2026 - Episode 367
Azure & DevOps Podcast
Mads is a Principal Product Manager on the Visual Studio team at Microsoft, where he champions developer productivity, performance, and extensibility. With a deep passion for streamlining the development experience, Mads has created dozens of widely used Visual Studio extensions — including Web Essentials, File Nesting, and Markdown Editor v2 — and maintains the Extensibility Essentials toolkit to empower other developers to build better tools. Mads brings over a decade of experience in web development on the Microsoft platform. He is also the founder of SchemaStore.org and a home...
info_outlineSteven Smith, also known in the developer community as Ardalis, is an entrepreneur, author, and software architect with a deep passion for building effective, maintainable software. Through his company, NimblePros, Steve helps organizations — ranging from household names like Microsoft and Quicken Loans to growing teams across industries — maximize their development potential. His clients frequently describe him as a “force multiplier,” amplifying the productivity and impact of the teams he supports.
Steve has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for over two decades and continues to lead through education and mentorship. He’s published numerous courses on Pluralsight and Dometrain, focusing on topics like domain-driven design, software architecture, and design patterns. He also empowers developers through his mentorship platform, DevBetter.com, helping the next generation of professionals grow their careers with intention and clarity.
Topics of Discussion:
[2:28] What keeps Steve excited about computer programming and software architecture?
[4:42] What is software architecture?
[6:18] The importance of understanding the logical components of a software system and how they interact.
[7:06] Artifacts for architecture decisions.
[8:52] How lightweight documentation and diagrams, like those in the C4 Model, can clarify system design without overburdening the team.
[10:53] The modern architecture books that have caught Steve’s eye.
[12:57] The KISS principle and keeping software architecture simple.
[19:38] Clean architecture and domain-driven design principles.
[22:52] Managing out-of-process dependencies and service integrations.
[26:07] Adapter pattern and interface abstractions.
[28:33] Decorator pattern for adding functionality.
[33:14] Pipeline Architecture.
[40:35] What Steve thinks the future holds for AI-driven development, what he uses it for, and the challenges of AI currently.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at programming@palermo.net.
Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor)
“Steve Smith: .NET 8 and Architecture” - Episode 276
Architect Modern Web Applications with ASP.NET Core and Azure
“Simon Brown on Architecture for Developers - Episode 96”
Fundamentals of Software Architecture, by Mark Richards & Neal Ford, summarized as a platform-agnostic, principle-driven guide
.NET Rocks! “Architecture vs. Code with Steve Smith”
.NET Rocks! “Vertical Slice Architecture with Jeremy Miller”
Decorator pattern
Bus Vs. Pipeline patterns
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