Stop hardcoding secrets! Now what?!
Yeah, we all know this right “STOP DOING THIS”, “STOP DOING THAT!” Yeah… that’s nice, but now what?! When you are already in the PowerShell field for some time and have created some scripts you might have been running into this topic; ‘How to deal with secrets’. There are of course solutions like KeyVault, SecureString and secret providers with API’s which help you to store the secrets you have in a secure environment. Things like this might look familiar; $password = "P@ssw0rd123!" $apiKey = "sk-1234567890abcdef" $connectionString = "Server=myserver;Database=mydb;User=admin;Password=SuperSecret123;" But what if I told you there’s a better way? A way that’s: Secure by default Cross-platform (Windows, Linux, macOS) Works with multiple backends (local, Azure Key Vault, HashiCorp Vault) Standardized across your entire team Built right into PowerShell 7+ (with some extra module support) That way forward is called ‘PowerShell SecretManagement”! What is SecretManagement? Think of PowerShell SecretManagement as the universal remote control for your secrets. With this remote control you can handle credentials for different systems while you just get one unified interface. It doesn’t matter if that secret is stored: In your local machine In an Azure KeyVault In HashiCorp Vault In KeePass, LastPass etc. The mindset remains the same ‘One remote control, to control them all’. The architecture behind it looks a bit like below; Explaination: SecretManagement “The interface where you code against” SecretStore “The default storage where your secrets live” Getting Started Let’s get started! Start PowerShell 7+ and run the code below Install-Module Microsoft.PowerShell.SecretManagement -Repository PSGallery -Force Install-Module Microsoft.PowerShell.SecretStore -Repository PSGallery -Force Now we have the required modules installed form the PowerShell Gallery it’s time to create our first vault. Register-SecretVault -name "LocalTestVault" It will ask you for the module. Enter the name “Microsoft.PowerShell.SecretStore”. (If you want you can also specify this value directly in the CMDLet by specifying the -ModuleName parameter. You should end up with something like below: First secrets Now we have the vault set-up it’s time to add some content to it. Follow the steps below to create the first secret in the vault Run the command below to create the first secret Set-Secret -Name "TestSecret" -Secret "SuperDuperSecureSecretString" If you haven’t specified the password it will now ask for one! You should end up with something like below; Cool right? On my personal blog I have the full post where I also show how to change, delete, and store complex objects. You can find it here: https://bartpasmans.tech/powershell-stop-hardcoding-secrets-now-what/ Happy scripting!When Words Matter Noise-Free, Domain-Specific Voice Recognition with Azure Custom Speech
As voice-driven technologies continue to transform how users interact with applications, delivering accurate, natural, and noise-resilient speech recognition has become essential. From virtual assistants and customer service bots to voice-controlled industrial systems, users expect speech interfaces that just work — even in noisy environments or when complex technical terms are spoken. That’s where Azure Custom Speech comes in. It allows you to tailor Azure’s Speech-to-Text service for your specific domain by training it to handle background noise, unique terminology, and diverse accents — enabling seamless and reliable voice experiences across industries. https://dellenny.com/when-words-matter-noise-free-domain-specific-voice-recognition-with-azure-custom-speech/
Replicate workload from VMWare to Azure using Azure Site Recovery(ASR)
Hello, I am working on a project to replicate worklooad hosted on a VMWare to Azure Site Recovery for disaster recovery purpose. Current Environment: More than 80 VMs hosted on VMWare managed by VMWare Sphere running both Linux and Windows OS.. Databases: Oracle DB, Microsoft SQL and MySQL Requirements: seamless failover and disaster recovery requirements. scalable setup No down-time integrate identity and access mgt. integration with Microsoft Entra ID. RTO < 2 hrs and RPO > 15 minutes Backup: critical database backup every 3 hours App servers: Daily*incremental) and weekly (full) Transaction Logs: every 10 mins backup config. should be Daily Questions I have confirmed ASR supports fail back from Azure- on premise(VMWare specifically). Hence ASR(Azure site recovery) will be used for the project. However, what is the seamless method to replicate the databases(Oracle, Microsoft SQL and MySQL). https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/site-recovery/vmware-azure-failback What is the best approach to replicate the Application Servers? integrating existing on-premise 3rd party network security tool for firewall etc instead of the azure cloud native security tool. recommendation?? cost optimization techniques/recommendations Best practices for conducting non-destructive DR drills.Partner Blog | What's new for Microsoft partners: October 2025 edition
Your voice is instrumental in shaping the future of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program. In our latest quarterly update, we share key enhancements driven by partner feedback, along with expert insights, new skilling resources, and the latest benefits to help you grow, innovate, and lead in the AI era. Continue reading here!September 2025 Recap: What’s New with Azure Database for PostgreSQL
September 2025 Recap for Azure Database for PostgreSQL September was a big month for Azure Postgres! From the public preview of PostgreSQL 18 (launched same day as the community!) to the GA of Azure Confidential Computing and Near Zero Downtime scaling for HA, this update is packed with new capabilities that make PostgreSQL on Azure more secure, performant, and developer-friendly. 💡 Here’s a quick peek at what’s inside: PostgreSQL 18 (Preview) – early access to the latest community release on Azure Near Zero Downtime Scaling (GA) – compute scaling in under 30 seconds for HA servers Azure Confidential Computing (GA) – hardware-backed data-in-use protection PostgreSQL Discovery & Assessment in Azure Migrate (Preview) – plan your migration smarter LlamaIndex Integration – build AI apps and vector search using Azure Postgres VS Code Extension Enhancements – new Server Dashboard + Copilot Chat integration Catch all the highlights and hands-on guides in the full recap 👉 #PostgreSQL #AzureDatabase #AzurePostgres #CloudDatabases #AI #OpenSource #MicrosoftUnlocking the Power of Conversational AI with Azure Bot Service
In today’s digital landscape, chatbots and conversational AI have become an integral part of modern business strategies. From automating customer support to enabling seamless self-service experiences, chatbots are transforming how organizations engage with users. One of the most powerful platforms to build, deploy, and manage such intelligent bots is Microsoft’s Azure Bot Service. In this blog, we’ll explore what Azure Bot Service is, why it’s a game-changer, and how you can get started with it. https://dellenny.com/unlocking-the-power-of-conversational-ai-with-azure-bot-service/
