The performance dividend: Optimizing PostgreSQL on Azure directly in Visual Studio Code

By Dustin Ward

Poor database performance is never just a database problem. In enterprise teams, it shows up as missed service-level agreements (SLAs), delayed releases, frustrated development teams, and rising operational risk. The performance problem compounds further in business impact, often resulting in frustrated customers, retention and conversion risk, and lost revenue. I have seen this repeatedly while…

3 things leaders need to know from Microsoft Build 2026

By Dustin Ward

In this article 1. Your AI is only as good as what it knows about your business 2. Tools don’t transform organizations. Systems do. 3. The bar has moved. AI is expected to deliver real business outcomes. Your next step to build an AI-powered business Related Build headlines I’ve had a front-row seat to a…

New Azure Cobalt 200 VMs deliver 50% performance improvement, fully optimized for modern agentic AI workloads

By Dustin Ward

In this article Building on the success of Cobalt 100 VMs What’s new in Cobalt 200 Arm-based VMs Industry partners and customer adoption Developer ecosystem and Arm compatibility Microsoft services powered by Cobalt 200 VMs VM families and specifications The next chapter in Azure’s custom silicon journey Additional resources As organizations increasingly embrace the agentic…

From commit to cloud: Powering what’s next for PostgreSQL

By Dustin Ward

PostgreSQL has become foundational to how modern applications are built. It powers everything from early‑stage startups to some of the most demanding production systems in the world. Its longevity isn’t accidental, it’s the result of decades of engineering discipline, community collaboration, and a relentless focus on correctness and extensibility. As application architectures evolve, and as…

Build AI apps with Azure Cosmos DB: Key trends from Cosmos Conf 2026

By Dustin Ward

Every year, Azure Cosmos DB Conf offers a window into how modern applications are built—not in theory, but in production at global scale. This year, the key theme from Cosmos Conf was clear: AI is not just another workload. It is fundamentally reshaping how applications—and data platforms—are built. In the opening keynote, VP of Azure…