It was the day of our Welsh Azure User Group #WAUG June 2025 meet up and we had yet another two amazing speakers join us. We were joined by another two brilliant community speakers, firstly Wolfgang Ofner joined us to talk ‘From VM’s to Managed DevOps Pools: Navigating Azure DevOps Hosting, then Segnes Schonken came to discuss Practical data strategies for an AI future. Two fantastic talks that you really need to watch if you missed it live.
It was a great evening with some brilliant learnings!
Huge thank you to both our guests this month as always!
6.30pm – Welcome and House Keeping
6.45pm – Wolfgang Ofner – From VM’s to Managed DevOps Pools: Navigating Azure DevOps Hosting
7.30pm – Segnes Schonken – Practical data strategies for an AI future.
8.15pm – Quiz time!
8.30pm – Approximate Close!
Session 1: From VMs to Managed DevOps Pools with Wolfgang Ofner
Wolfgang Ofner, a Senior Cloud Architect, kicked off the event with an in-depth look at Azure DevOps agents. He explained the differences between Microsoft-hosted and self-hosted agents, highlighting the advantages and limitations of each. Wolfgang then introduced Managed DevOps Pools, a powerful solution for optimizing DevOps pipelines. He shared practical examples and tips for integrating these pools into your Azure environment, making it easier to manage and scale your DevOps infrastructure. 1
Session 2: Practical Data Strategies for an AI Future with Segnes Schonken
In the second session, Segnes Schonken from Qumulo explored the challenges of managing unstructured data in Azure. He discussed the importance of building semantic indexes and integrating AI tools to enhance data accessibility and performance. Segnes provided a comprehensive overview of the Azure ecosystem, including Azure Blob Storage, Azure AI Search, and Qumulo in Azure. He also shared valuable strategies for preparing data for generative and agentic AI, ensuring that your data is always ready for AI workloads. 2
Key Takeaways
- Azure DevOps Agents: Understanding the differences between Microsoft-hosted and self-hosted agents, and the benefits of Managed DevOps Pools.
- Data Strategies for AI: Techniques for managing unstructured data, building semantic indexes, and integrating AI tools in Azure.
- Practical Insights: Real-world examples and tips for optimizing DevOps pipelines and preparing data for AI workloads.
This event was packed with valuable information and practical advice for anyone working with Azure DevOps and AI. Stay tuned for more events and updates from the Welsh Azure User Group!
#AzureDevOps #AI #DataStrategies #Azure #TechCommunity #WAUG
The evening went superbly and we had great engagement thank you to all that attended!
A recording can be found on my YouTube Channel – CloudTalk with Jonnychipz
Thanks to all the speakers and to all the attendees!
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