Two zones or three? A design framework for zone-resilient Azure workloads

By Dustin Ward

Takeaway: Zone resiliency isn’t a single number you apply to a whole workload. The useful question isn’t “how many zones?” but “how many zones does each component need to survive the loss of one?” Decide zone patterns component by component, use service-managed zone redundancy wherever it fits, and reserve three-zone designs for the components that…

How Microsoft’s Physical Security Engineering Team scaled hybrid operations with Azure Arc and Azure Virtual Desktop

By Dustin Ward

When a physical security operator begins a shift supporting Microsoft’s global datacenter operations, they depend on a collection of applications and systems that help monitor access activity, review video feeds, investigate alerts, and coordinate physical security operations across a complex global environment. Those tools must be available, responsive, and reliable from the moment a shift…

Managed PostgreSQL vs. self-hosted PostgreSQL: Key benefits and trade-offs

By Dustin Ward

Summary This post is for technical decision makers evaluating where to run production PostgreSQL workloads. It compares two valid operating models—self-managed PostgreSQL and a managed database service—through business and operational outcomes: control, engineering capacity, resilience, security, cost predictability, risk tolerance, and access to specialist expertise. The right choice depends on which responsibilities the organization needs…