John Savill's Technical Training presents a comprehensive overview of Azure in 2026, highlighting resource management, compute options, governance, security, and best practices for cloud deployments.

Azure State of the Union 2026

Introduction

Join John Savill for a comprehensive look at the current landscape of Microsoft Azure in 2026. This video covers critical topics for both new and experienced Azure practitioners.

Key Topics Covered

Capacity & Resource Management

• Understand Azure's resource allocation, how to manage capacity, and optimize deployments for cost and efficiency.

Types of Service

• Overview of available Azure compute options, including VM types, scaling choices, consumption models, and specialized services.

Scaling and Consumption

• Best practices for scaling workloads, using Azure environments, and strategies for effective scaling in multi-region scenarios.

Geographic Regions & Availability

• Insights into Azure's global regions, Availability Zones, proximity placement groups, and how to ensure high availability and resiliency.

Governance

• Deep dive into governance practices:
  • Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) for identity and access management
  • Management and resource groups
  • RBAC (Role-Based Access Control)
  • Azure Policy and budget controls
  • Scopes and deployment stacks for resource organization

Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

• Using deployment stacks and IaC approaches for automation, repeatability, and versioned infrastructure.

VM Types & Core Compute

• Detailed analysis of VM types, burstable and spot instances, generations, pricing, and cost-saving options like reserved instances and savings plans.
• Introduction to confidential computing and security features.

Storage and Security

• Managed disks and encryption (disk encryption sets, Key Vault integration)
• Managed identities for secure application authentication

Networking and App Services

• Azure networking fundamentals
• Managing and deploying Azure App Services

Technical Resources & Further Learning

• Whiteboard: Azure SOU 2026
• Azure Regions List
• VM Sizes Documentation
• Azure Pricing Calculator

Conclusion

This session compiles the latest technical insight on Azure's compute and management landscape, equipping viewers with the details necessary for architecture planning and operational excellence in 2026.

For more learning resources and weekly updates, check John's channel and curated playlists.