AI DevOps Podcast

Steven Smith, also known in the developer community as Ardalis, is an entrepreneur, author, and software architect with a deep passion for building effective, maintainable software. Through his company, NimblePros, Steve helps organizations — ranging from household names like Microsoft and Quicken Loans to growing teams across industries — maximize their development potential. His clients frequently describe him as a "force multiplier," amplifying the productivity and impact of the teams he supports.

Steve has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for over two decades and continues to lead through education and mentorship. He's published numerous courses on Pluralsight and Dometrain, focusing on topics like domain-driven design, software architecture, and design patterns. He also empowers developers through his mentorship platform, DevBetter.com, helping the next generation of professionals grow their careers with intention and clarity.

Topics of Discussion:

[2:28] What keeps Steve excited about computer programming and software architecture?

[4:42] What is software architecture?

[6:18] The importance of understanding the logical components of a software system and how they interact.

[7:06] Artifacts for architecture decisions.

[8:52] How lightweight documentation and diagrams, like those in the C4 Model, can clarify system design without overburdening the team.

[10:53] The modern architecture books that have caught Steve's eye.

[12:57] The KISS principle and keeping software architecture simple.

[19:38] Clean architecture and domain-driven design principles.

[22:52] Managing out-of-process dependencies and service integrations.

[26:07] Adapter pattern and interface abstractions.

[28:33] Decorator pattern for adding functionality.

[33:14] Pipeline Architecture.

[40:35] What Steve thinks the future holds for AI-driven development, what he uses it for, and the challenges of AI currently.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Clear Measure Way

Architect Forum

Software Engineer Forum

Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected].

Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor)

"Steve Smith: .NET 8 and Architecture" - Episode 276

NimblePros

Architect Modern Web Applications with ASP.NET Core and Azure

C4 Model

"Simon Brown on Architecture for Developers - Episode 96"

Fundamentals of Software Architecture, by Mark Richards & Neal Ford, summarized as a platform-agnostic, principle-driven guide

.NET Rocks! "Architecture vs. Code with Steve Smith"

.NET Rocks! "Vertical Slice Architecture with Jeremy Miller"

GoF Adapter pattern

.NET API interface estimate

Decorator patternBus Vs. Pipeline patterns

Want to Learn More?

Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Steven Smith, also known in the developer community as Ardalis, is an entrepreneur, author, and software architect with a deep passion for building effective, maintainable software. Through his company, NimblePros, Steve helps organizations — ranging from household names like Microsoft and Quicken Loans to growing teams across industries — maximize their development potential. His clients frequently describe him as a "force multiplier," amplifying the productivity and impact of the teams he supports.

Steve has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for over two decades and continues to lead through education and mentorship. He's published numerous courses on Pluralsight and Dometrain, focusing on topics like domain-driven design, software architecture, and design patterns. He also empowers developers through his mentorship platform, DevBetter.com, helping the next generation of professionals grow their careers with intention and clarity.

Topics of Discussion:

[2:28] What keeps Steve excited about computer programming and software architecture?

[4:42] What is software architecture?

[6:18] The importance of understanding the logical components of a software system and how they interact.

[7:06] Artifacts for architecture decisions.

[8:52] How lightweight documentation and diagrams, like those in the C4 Model, can clarify system design without overburdening the team.

[10:53] The modern architecture books that have caught Steve's eye.

[12:57] The KISS principle and keeping software architecture simple.

[19:38] Clean architecture and domain-driven design principles.

[22:52] Managing out-of-process dependencies and service integrations.

[26:07] Adapter pattern and interface abstractions.

[28:33] Decorator pattern for adding functionality.

[33:14] Pipeline Architecture.

[40:35] What Steve thinks the future holds for AI-driven development, what he uses it for, and the challenges of AI currently.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Clear Measure Way

Architect Forum

Software Engineer Forum

Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected].

Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor)

"Steve Smith: .NET 8 and Architecture" - Episode 276

NimblePros 

Architect Modern Web Applications with ASP.NET Core and Azure 

C4 Model 

"Simon Brown on Architecture for Developers - Episode 96"

Fundamentals of Software Architecture, by Mark Richards & Neal Ford, summarized as a platform-agnostic, principle-driven guide  

.NET Rocks! "Architecture vs. Code with Steve Smith" 

.NET Rocks! "Vertical Slice Architecture with Jeremy Miller" 

GoF Adapter pattern

.NET API interface estimate 

Decorator patternBus Vs. Pipeline patterns

Want to Learn More?

Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Bob Ward is a Principal Architect for the Microsoft Azure Data team, which owns the development for Microsoft SQL Edge to Cloud. Bob has worked for Microsoft for 31-plus years on every version of SQL Server shipped, from OS/2 1.1 to SQL Server 2025, including Azure SQL. Bob is a well-known speaker on SQL Server, Azure SQL, AI, and Microsoft Fabric, often presenting talks on new releases, internals, and specialized topics at events such as SQLBits, Microsoft Build, Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit, DevIntersection, and VS Live. You can also learn Azure SQL from him on the popular series https://aka.ms/azuresql4beginners. You can follow him on X at @bobwardms or linkedin.com/in/bobwardms. Bob is the author of the books Pro SQL Server on Linux, SQL Server 2019 Revealed, Azure SQL Revealed with a 2nd edition, and SQL Server 2022 Revealed available from Apress Media.

Topics of Discussion:

[1:38] Bob reflects on nearly 30 years at Microsoft, growing alongside SQL Server since 1993. [4:16] Transitioning from engineering to advocacy: why Bob now focuses on helping developers unlock the power of SQL Server. [6:12] Debunking myths about SQL Server — yes, it's cloud-ready, developer-friendly, and supports containers and Linux. [10:15] Key tools and features for developers using SQL: containers, Bicep templates, SQLCMD, and DevOps pipelines. [16:23] SQL projects and source control: how modern database DevOps practices improve reliability and testing. [19:32] Common challenges in database development: fear of breaking production, limited test data, and cultural silos.

[22:55] Bob's perspective on responsible database change management and the importance of a good rollback plan. [26:02] The evolution of developer tooling in SQL Server, and how Microsoft is making the CLI and APIs first-class citizens. [30:47] Advice for new developers: SQL isn't going anywhere, and it's easier than ever to get started. [34:00] Resources and community support: Bob highlights docs, GitHub samples, training courses, and his book.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Clear Measure Way

Architect Forum

Software Engineer Forum

Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected].

Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor)

Bob Ward: SQL Server - Episode 321

Bob Ward LinkedIn

Bob Ward MBob Ward — Microsoft | LinkedInicrosoft

Azure SQL Revealed: The Next-Generation Cloud Database with AI and Microsoft Fabric

Want to Learn More?

Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Bob Ward is a Principal Architect for the Microsoft Azure Data team, which owns the development for Microsoft SQL Edge to Cloud. Bob has worked for Microsoft for 31-plus years on every version of SQL Server shipped, from OS/2 1.1 to SQL Server 2025, including Azure SQL. Bob is a well-known speaker on SQL Server, Azure SQL, AI, and Microsoft Fabric, often presenting talks on new releases, internals, and specialized topics at events such as SQLBits, Microsoft Build, Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit, DevIntersection, and VS Live. You can also learn Azure SQL from him on the popular series https://aka.ms/azuresql4beginners. You can follow him on X at @bobwardms or linkedin.com/in/bobwardms. Bob is the author of the books Pro SQL Server on Linux, SQL Server 2019 Revealed, Azure SQL Revealed with a 2nd edition, and SQL Server 2022 Revealed available from Apress Media.

Topics of Discussion:

[1:38] Bob reflects on nearly 30 years at Microsoft, growing alongside SQL Server since 1993. [4:16] Transitioning from engineering to advocacy: why Bob now focuses on helping developers unlock the power of SQL Server. [6:12] Debunking myths about SQL Server — yes, it's cloud-ready, developer-friendly, and supports containers and Linux. [10:15] Key tools and features for developers using SQL: containers, Bicep templates, SQLCMD, and DevOps pipelines. [16:23] SQL projects and source control: how modern database DevOps practices improve reliability and testing. [19:32] Common challenges in database development: fear of breaking production, limited test data, and cultural silos.

[22:55] Bob's perspective on responsible database change management and the importance of a good rollback plan. [26:02] The evolution of developer tooling in SQL Server, and how Microsoft is making the CLI and APIs first-class citizens. [30:47] Advice for new developers: SQL isn't going anywhere, and it's easier than ever to get started. [34:00] Resources and community support: Bob highlights docs, GitHub samples, training courses, and his book.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Clear Measure Way

Architect Forum

Software Engineer Forum

Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected].

Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor)

Bob Ward: SQL Server - Episode 321

Bob Ward LinkedIn

Bob Ward MBob Ward — Microsoft | LinkedInicrosoft

Azure SQL Revealed: The Next-Generation Cloud Database with AI and Microsoft Fabric

Want to Learn More?

Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Michael is an ASP.NET and C# programmer who has extensive knowledge in process improvement, AI and Large Language Models, and student information systems. He is also the founder of the following websites, BlazorData.net, AIStoryBuilders.com, and BlazorHelpWebsite.com — fantastic resources that help empower developers. Michael resides in Los Angeles, California, with his son Zachary and wife, Valerie.

Topics of Discussion:

[2:09] Michael shares his background, starting with his first applications created for his uncle's company using Access 2.0.

[3:08] Michael mentions his new project, Personal Data Warehouse, which is an open-source, free tool for managing data.

[5:20] He explains the inspiration behind the Personal Data Warehouse, focusing on the importance of data for making human decisions.

[7:48] Michael's finding: the reason we collect data is so that a human being can use that data to make decisions.

[9:42] The three phases of data: collection, transformation, and reporting, and the significance of the transformation phase, where data is processed to make it useful for decision-making.

[12:45] Data warehousing techniques and tools, and the use of Parquet files.

[13:14] Michael talks about the use of SQL Server Reporting Services for generating reports, which can be accessed through the application. He encourages developers to explore the Personal Data Warehouse and its open-source code on GitHub.

[22:33] Scenarios and use cases for Personal Data Warehouse.

[32:09] AI and Language Models in Data Management.

[36:17] The need to be responsible with AI and not use it to harm people.

[37:07] Michael shares his experience with various AI tools, including CoPilot, OpenAI, and Google Notebooks.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Clear Measure Way

Architect Forum

Software Engineer Forum

Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected].

Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor)

.NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo

Ep 286 with Michael Washington

[email protected]

AI Snake Oil

AIStoryBuilders

Blazor — Blogs

Blazor Help Website

BlazorData-Net / PersonalDataWarehouse

GitHub Copilot

Google NotebooksLM

Want to Learn More?

Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Michael is an ASP.NET and C# programmer who has extensive knowledge in process improvement, AI and Large Language Models, and student information systems. He is also the founder of the following websites, BlazorData.net, AIStoryBuilders.com, and BlazorHelpWebsite.com — fantastic resources that help empower developers. Michael resides in Los Angeles, California, with his son Zachary and wife, Valerie.

Topics of Discussion:

[2:09] Michael shares his background, starting with his first applications created for his uncle's company using Access 2.0.

[3:08] Michael mentions his new project, Personal Data Warehouse, which is an open-source, free tool for managing data.

[5:20] He explains the inspiration behind the Personal Data Warehouse, focusing on the importance of data for making human decisions.

[7:48] Michael's finding: the reason we collect data is so that a human being can use that data to make decisions.

[9:42] The three phases of data: collection, transformation, and reporting, and the significance of the transformation phase, where data is processed to make it useful for decision-making.

[12:45] Data warehousing techniques and tools, and the use of Parquet files.

[13:14] Michael talks about the use of SQL Server Reporting Services for generating reports, which can be accessed through the application. He encourages developers to explore the Personal Data Warehouse and its open-source code on GitHub.

[22:33] Scenarios and use cases for Personal Data Warehouse.

[32:09] AI and Language Models in Data Management.

[36:17] The need to be responsible with AI and not use it to harm people.

[37:07] Michael shares his experience with various AI tools, including CoPilot, OpenAI, and Google Notebooks.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Clear Measure Way

Architect Forum

Software Engineer Forum

Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected].

Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor)

.NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo

Ep 286 with Michael Washington

[email protected]

AI Snake Oil

AIStoryBuilders

Blazor — Blogs

Blazor Help Website

BlazorData-Net / PersonalDataWarehouse

GitHub Copilot

Google NotebooksLM

Want to Learn More?

Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

As the Vice President of Strategy at Xebia Microsoft Services, Rocky leads the vision and direction of the company's software development solutions and services. He brings extensive expertise in framework design and implementation, distributed systems architecture, and cloud and container technologies, helping clients achieve their business goals and deliver value to their customers.

He is also the creator of CSLA .NET, an open-source development framework that enables developers to build scalable, maintainable, and secure object-oriented applications. As an accomplished author, he has written multiple books on the subject and frequently shares his insights at major conferences worldwide. He is honored to be a member of the Microsoft Regional Director and MVP programs and serves as co-chair of Visual Studio Live! as well as chair of the Cloud & Containers Live conferences. His passion lies in advancing the software industry and empowering developers to create better software.

Topics of Discussion:

[3:30] Rockford shares his first job experience at an independent software vendor (ISV) building software to dispatch and manage the delivery of ready-mix concrete trucks.

[8:30] The evolution of software and its connection to real-world processes.

[9:53] The impact of technology advancements, such as miniaturization and material science, on modern software applications.

[12:40] The influence of AI on software architecture and decision making.

[19:15] Rockford about the importance of open-source libraries and personal projects in software development.

[21:35] How does one become aware of what's available these days?

[23:14] Rockford suggests using RSS readers, curated feeds, and platforms like Feedly and Mastodon to stay informed about industry developments.

[27:06] The upside to blogging and microblogging.

[28:25] Importance of sharing knowledge and expertise.

[29:19] Expertise through teaching and sharing.

[32:19] Impact of Large Language Models (LLMs) on Coding.

[38:22] Infrastructure challenges with AI.

[40:21] Legacy software modernization.

[40:52] Career advice for leaders and recognizing it as its own career path.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Clear Measure Way

Architect Forum

Software Engineer Forum

Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected].

Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor)

.NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo

Azure & DevOps Podcast: Rocky Lhotka: CSLA - Episode 210

CSLA.NET

Rockford on LinkedIn

Rockford Lhotka

Rockford's Blog

Feedly

Morning Dew — Alvin Ashcroft

Drive by Daniel Pink

Visual Studio Live!

Tunisia DevDays

Want to Learn More?

Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

As the Vice President of Strategy at Xebia Microsoft Services, Rocky leads the vision and direction of the company's software development solutions and services. He brings extensive expertise in framework design and implementation, distributed systems architecture, and cloud and container technologies, helping clients achieve their business goals and deliver value to their customers.

He is also the creator of CSLA .NET, an open-source development framework that enables developers to build scalable, maintainable, and secure object-oriented applications. As an accomplished author, he has written multiple books on the subject and frequently shares his insights at major conferences worldwide. He is honored to be a member of the Microsoft Regional Director and MVP programs and serves as co-chair of Visual Studio Live! as well as chair of the Cloud & Containers Live conferences. His passion lies in advancing the software industry and empowering developers to create better software.

Topics of Discussion:

[3:30] Rockford shares his first job experience at an independent software vendor (ISV) building software to dispatch and manage the delivery of ready-mix concrete trucks.

[8:30] The evolution of software and its connection to real-world processes.

[9:53] The impact of technology advancements, such as miniaturization and material science, on modern software applications.

[12:40] The influence of AI on software architecture and decision making.

[19:15] Rockford about the importance of open-source libraries and personal projects in software development.

[21:35] How does one become aware of what's available these days?

[23:14] Rockford suggests using RSS readers, curated feeds, and platforms like Feedly and Mastodon to stay informed about industry developments.

[27:06] The upside to blogging and microblogging.

[28:25] Importance of sharing knowledge and expertise.

[29:19] Expertise through teaching and sharing.

[32:19] Impact of Large Language Models (LLMs) on Coding.

[38:22] Infrastructure challenges with AI.

[40:21] Legacy software modernization.

[40:52] Career advice for leaders and recognizing it as its own career path.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Clear Measure Way

Architect Forum

Software Engineer Forum

Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected].

Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor)

.NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo

Azure & DevOps Podcast: Rocky Lhotka: CSLA - Episode 210

CSLA.NET

Rockford on LinkedIn

Rockford Lhotka

Rockford's Blog

Feedly

Morning Dew — Alvin Ashcroft

Drive by Daniel Pink 

Visual Studio Live!

Tunisia DevDays

Want to Learn More?

Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Scott is the Vice President of Product for Azure Developer Experience. He builds all the .NET tools for Azure.

Topics of Discussion:

[1:49] Scott's Microsoft journey and .NET evolution.

[3:39] AI's transformative impact on software development.

[6:08] Using ChatGPT and Deep Research.

[8:41] Software Engineering Agent (Padawan).

[11:20] Model Context Protocol (MCP).

[11:51] GitHub workflow for agent-driven development.

[15:53] Handling repetitive or non-fun development tasks.

[19:41] How AI will bring back the tech for us.

[21:15] Azure Spring Apps and modernization tools.

[23:39] The Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) Agent, which helps monitor and manage cloud applications, reducing pager hits and automating common tasks.

[29:02] Reducing developer toil so there's more time to do what they want to do.

[31:22] The future organizational philosophy shift that may happen, while Scott reminds us that for the time being, you are still the operator and still in control.

[33:37] The development of prompt libraries in tools like Visual Studio Code and Visual Studio to help developers create detailed prompts.

[38:18] Scott emphasizes the importance of continuous feedback from developers to improve AI tools and make them more effective.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Clear Measure Way

Architect Forum

Software Engineer Forum

Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected].

Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor)

.NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo

Scott Hunter: Microsoft's Azure & .NET Strategy- Episode 211

Scott Hunter: .NET8 - Episode 272

[email protected]

Want to Learn More?

Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.

Scott is the Vice President of Product for Azure Developer Experience. He builds all the .NET tools for Azure.

Topics of Discussion:

[1:49] Scott's Microsoft journey and .NET evolution.

[3:39] AI's transformative impact on software development.

[6:08] Using ChatGPT and Deep Research.

[8:41] Software Engineering Agent (Padawan).

[11:20] Model Context Protocol (MCP).

[11:51] GitHub workflow for agent-driven development.

[15:53] Handling repetitive or non-fun development tasks.

[19:41] How AI will bring back the tech for us.

[21:15] Azure Spring Apps and modernization tools.

[23:39] The Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) Agent, which helps monitor and manage cloud applications, reducing pager hits and automating common tasks.

[29:02] Reducing developer toil so there's more time to do what they want to do.

[31:22] The future organizational philosophy shift that may happen, while Scott reminds us that for the time being, you are still the operator and still in control.

[33:37] The development of prompt libraries in tools like Visual Studio Code and Visual Studio to help developers create detailed prompts.

[38:18] Scott emphasizes the importance of continuous feedback from developers to improve AI tools and make them more effective.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Clear Measure Way

Architect Forum

Software Engineer Forum

Programming with Palermo — New Video Podcast! Email us at [email protected].

Clear Measure, Inc. (Sponsor)

.NET DevOps for Azure: A Developer's Guide to DevOps Architecture the Right Way, by Jeffrey Palermo

Scott Hunter: Microsoft's Azure & .NET Strategy- Episode 211

Scott Hunter: .NET8 - Episode 272

[email protected]

Want to Learn More?

Visit AzureDevOps.Show for show notes and additional episodes.