

Let's Talk Azure!
Alan Armstrong & Sam Foot
Listen with Alan Armstrong and Sam Foot as we talk about all things Microsoft Azure!
We are both technical consultants working with Azure day in, day out. Alan focuses on Identity and Security automation while Sam is a .NET developer deploying PaaS and SaaS solutions on Azure.
Each episode we have a topic we cover and we highlight some key news that we are interested in. No fluff, sales or products here, just two technical people having a light hearted chat.
We are both technical consultants working with Azure day in, day out. Alan focuses on Identity and Security automation while Sam is a .NET developer deploying PaaS and SaaS solutions on Azure.
Each episode we have a topic we cover and we highlight some key news that we are interested in. No fluff, sales or products here, just two technical people having a light hearted chat.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 14, 2025 • 32min
S6E28 - Automate Your Security Baseline with Microsoft’s Open-Source Assessment Tool
In this episode, we dive into Microsoft’s Zero Trust Assessment - an open-source, automated tool that scans hundreds of Entra ID and Intune settings against NIST, CISA, CIS, and Microsoft’s own internal baselines. Discover how it aligns with the Secure Future Initiative, delivers actionable remediation, and turns Zero Trust from theory into measurable reality. Perfect for CISOs, SecOps teams, and anyone tired of spreadsheet audits.
Key Takeaways:
The Pain of Manual Zero Trust Audits
What the Zero Trust Assessment Actually Does
Why automate your security assessments
What did you think of this episode? Give us some feedback via our contact form, Or leave us a voice message in the bottom right corner of our site.Read transcript

17 snips
Nov 7, 2025 • 46min
S6E27 - Microsoft updates October- new products and features released
This week, Alan and Sam talk about new features and services that have gone into Public Preview or General Available status in the last month. We dive into a couple of these updates that peaked our interest.
Some of the Microsoft product features and update we covered:
Key Microsoft Entra, Intune and Defender features and updates
Lots of Azure changes and new features
What did you think of this episode? Give us some feedback via our contact form, Or leave us a voice message in the bottom right corner of our site.Read transcript

9 snips
Oct 31, 2025 • 40min
S6E26 - Classify and protect your data using Purview sensitivity labels
Discover the vital role of data classification in organizations and how it can streamline information handling. Learn how Purview integrates sensitivity labels into popular Office apps, adding essential context to files. Explore advanced features like dynamic watermarks, encryption options, and rights management to protect sensitive information. Alan shares tips on user adoption, starting with simple taxonomies and phased rollouts. Get insights on licensing and maximizing these tools for effective data protection across platforms.

Oct 24, 2025 • 57min
S6E25 - Securing Azure's Core: Microsoft Defender for Resource Manager, Key Vault, and APIs
In this episode, we dive into three key Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP) offerings within Microsoft Defender for Cloud: Defender for Resource Manager, Defender for Key Vault, and Defender for APIs. Our Q&A format explores how these tools safeguard Azure environments against sophisticated threats, from management layer exploits to API vulnerabilities.
Key Takeaways:
Defender for Resource Manager monitors and protects against suspicious operations in Azure's management layer.
Defender for Key Vault adds native threat protection to detect anomalous access to secrets and credentials.
Defender for APIs provides full lifecycle security for APIs in Azure API Management, including inventory, posture recommendations, and runtime threat detection.
These plans integrate seamlessly into Defender for Cloud's broader CNAPP framework for multi-cloud and hybrid protection.
What did you think of this episode? Give us some feedback via our contact form, Or leave us a voice message in the bottom right corner of our site.Read transcript

Oct 3, 2025 • 38min
S6E24 - Microsoft updates September - new products and features released
This week, Alan and Sam talk about new features and services that have gone into Public Preview or General Available status in the last month. We dive into a couple of these updates that peaked our interest.
Some of the Microsoft product features and update we covered:
Key Microsoft Entra, Intune and Defender features and updates
Lots of Azure changes and new features
What did you think of this episode? Give us some feedback via our contact form, Or leave us a voice message in the bottom right corner of our site.Read transcript

Sep 19, 2025 • 48min
S6E23 - Unified DLP Platform - Monitor, alert and protect data using Purview DLP
Dive into Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and discover its crucial role in safeguarding sensitive information. Alan and Sam unravel the impressive capabilities of Microsoft Purview DLP, including its ability to monitor data across diverse environments. From practical tips on getting started with DLP to insights on licensing options, they cover it all. Learn about endpoint controls and how to detect rogue data flows while ensuring your organization stays secure against accidental or malicious data exfiltration.

Sep 12, 2025 • 44min
S6E22 - Microsoft updates August - new products and features released
This week, Alan and Sam talk about new features and services that have gone into Public Preview or General Available status in the last month. We dive into a couple of these updates that peaked our interest.
Some of the Microsoft product features and update we covered:
Key Microsoft Entra, Intune and Defender features and updates
Lots of Azure changes and new features
What did you think of this episode? Give us some feedback via our contact form, Or leave us a voice message in the bottom right corner of our site.Read transcript

6 snips
Aug 29, 2025 • 45min
S6E21 - Protecting Data within Storage Accounts with Microsoft Defender for Storage
In this episode, we dive into Microsoft Defender for Storage, a key component of Microsoft Defender for Cloud. We break down its features for threat detection and malware scanning, discuss real-world benefits, and touch on pricing considerations.
We cover:
Introduction to Defender for Storage: Overview of its role in Microsoft Defender for Cloud and its importance for securing Azure storage workloads.
The Threat Landscape: Discussion of current threats to cloud storage, including malware uploads, unauthorized access, and data breaches.
Core Features of Defender for Storage:
Activity Monitoring: Analyzing access patterns to detect suspicious activities without performance impact.
Malware Scanning: Real-time file scanning using Microsoft Defender Antivirus.
Sensitive Data Threat Detection: Using Microsoft Purview to identify and protect sensitive information.
What did you think of this episode? Give us some feedback via our contact form, Or leave us a voice message in the bottom right corner of our site.Read transcript

Aug 22, 2025 • 47min
S6E20 - Unified SecOps Platform - Sentinel integration
Alan and Sam discuss the integration of Microsoft Sentinel into the Defender XDR portal. Alan goes through the benefits of the integration and thing to watch out for when starting the migration. Here are a few things we covered:
What is Microsoft’s Unified SecOps Platform?
What are the announcements around Microsoft Sentinel’s interface moving?
What are the benefits of the integration of Microsoft Sentinel?
What did you think of this episode? Give us some feedback via our contact form, or leave us a voice message in the bottom right corner of our site.Read transcript

Aug 8, 2025 • 38min
S6E19 - Microsoft updates July - new products and features released
This week, Alan and Sam talk about new features and services that have gone into Public Preview or General Available status in the last month. We dive into a couple of these updates that peaked our interest.
Some of the Microsoft product features and update we covered:
Key Microsoft Entra, Intune and Defender features and updates
Lots of Azure changes and new features
What did you think of this episode? Give us some feedback via our contact form, or leave us a voice message in the bottom right corner of our site.Read transcript


