The 2026 Agent Confidence Index: Where 300 builders see real momentum

By Dustin Ward

A couple of months ago, I sat across from my nine-year-old daughter’s teachers at a parent-teacher conference. They were kind but concerned. She takes her time on assignments, they said—often deep in thought. How would she do on timed tests next year? I told them I wasn’t worried. What they described as a problem is, to me,…

Accelerate modern Linux workloads with Azure Files

By Dustin Ward

In this article Speed up AI and data-intensive workloads Scale cloud-native applications with shared storage Modernize enterprise applications with less disruption Build more with partners and ISVs Azure Files Linux workloads are evolving quickly as organizations modernize on-premises Linux applications, adopt cloud-native architectures, and build new AI and data-intensive pipelines in the cloud. As this…

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…

From insight to action: The next phase of agentic cloud operations

By Dustin Ward

In this article Governance connects insight to action Observability is the intelligence layer From signals to resolution Optimization becomes continuous From dashboards to connected workflows Optimization intelligence across tools and environments Bringing it all together in a closed loop system Get started with Azure Azure Copilot What if your cloud environment could help you move…

Modernize your data with Azure Storage: Plan and migrate with confidence

By Dustin Ward

Enterprise storage migrations are rarely just about copying data. They are about protecting business continuity, maintaining performance, managing cost, and giving teams confidence when terabytes or petabytes of data sit at the heart of critical applications. That confidence is difficult to build when migration planning is fragmented. Many organizations still rely on a patchwork of scripts, third-party tools, and…

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…