Josh Arzt is a Senior Solutions Architect with 25+ years of experience modernizing systems, solving complex problems, and delivering scalable cloud solutions. He is an expert in software engineering, DevSecOps, serverless architectures, and cloud migrations. He is a certified professional with a strong publication record in IT and applied mathematics.

His professional career began in the early 2000s, when he discovered .NET and all it had to offer in its early days. Using that framework, paired with his maturation in software architecture, helped shape how he approaches challenges — with curiosity, precision, and a focus on making technology practical and reliable. Along the way, he's led teams, modernized systems, written his own software in performance metrics, and helped organizations adapt to change, but what he values most is working with people: mentoring engineers, collaborating across disciplines, and finding ways to connect technical work to real human impact. He brings both experience and perspective — the ability to see the big picture while never losing sight of the craft that drew him to this field in the first place.

Josh is also a 2025-2026 board election candidate for .NET Foundation.

Topics of Discussion:

[2:40] Josh talks about the .NET Foundation and its importance.

[7:08] A self-described dorky child, Josh recounts his early days in IT, starting with building computers as a child.

[9:33] Josh describes his transition from IT support to software development, driven by his interest in problem-solving.

[15:55] Josh discusses the evolution of .NET, from its early days to the current state.

[30:40] The importance of choosing the right tool for the job, regardless of the programming language.

[32:42] The challenges of managing tech debt and the importance of sustainability in software development.

[37:28] Josh shares his positive experiences with the .NET community and the support they provide.

[38:08] How thoughtful and consistent feedback shapes the evolution of the .NET ecosystem.

[40:02] Continuous learning and adaptation in the field of software development.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Clear Measure Way

Architect Forum

Software Engineer Forum

Joshua Arzt LinkedIn

Technical Babble — XCalibur Systems

Xcalibur37 GitHub

User Xcalibur Stack Overflow

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Lee Brownhill is a Principal Cloud DBA at Cloud Rede with deep expertise in SQL Server performance tuning and automation. With years of experience across Azure and AWS, Lee helps clients optimize their cloud data platforms.

His journey began in IT support, quickly evolving into a passion for SQL Server that led him through roles as a Production and Developer DBA. Now, he's a trusted consultant, known for making systems run faster and smarter.

Lee is a Redgate Community Ambassador, a regular at SQLBits and Data Relay, and once spent a transformative week learning from T-SQL legend Itzik Ben-Gan. Whether on-prem or in the cloud, Lee's mission is simple: make SQL Server shine.

Topics of Discussion:

[2:33] Lee shares his career journey, starting in general IT support and transitioning to a role involving Microsoft Dynamics NAV, which introduced him to SQL Server.

[5:48] Jeffrey discusses the challenges faced by young programmers who work with databases but lack deep experience.

[7:05] Lee highlights common anti-patterns in SQL Server.

[8:04] The concept of "row by agonizing row."

[8:46] Lee shares his thought process when addressing performance problems in SQL Server.

[9:12] Categorizing issues based on their severity and urgency using a tried-and-true checklist.

[10:36] Taking a step back to look at the issue holistically before diving into specific details.

[16:04] An optimal database structure and segmentation in 2025, and the importance of normalization to avoid redundant data and ensure data integrity.

[20:00] The different ways to host SQL Server in Azure and the benefits of each.

[23:02] Metrics for determining if an Azure SQL instance is over- or under-provisioned.

[25:02] The value of Azure's costing tools in helping to optimize resource usage and reduce costs.

[26:07] The work of site reliability engineers who use KQL to analyze logs and identify issues.

[30:09] Lee's blog is a repository of technical topics, including SQL Server, performance tuning, and unit testing.

[32:10] SQL Server 2025 features and the importance of learning and understanding new technologies.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Clear Measure Way

Architect Forum

Software Engineer Forum

Lee Brownhill's Blog

Lee Brownhill LinkedIn

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Aaron Palermo is a Senior Solutions Architect, DevOps engineer, and all-around cybersecurity expert. He works for a global cybersecurity services company, Appgate. Aaron was last on the show in episode 196, sharing about Zero Trust Networking.

Topics of Discussion:

[3:20] Aaron shares his excitement for learning new things and solving innovative challenges, which keep him engaged in the field.

[3:30] Aaron explains his current role at Appgate, a zero-trust network access company.

[4:25] The importance of direct-routed solutions for federal customers who want to own and manage their infrastructure.

[6:27] Aaron recounts how he applied insights from previous ADP guests Scott Hunter, Burke Holland, and Greg Leonardo.

[7:56] He explains the process of querying the Appgate API with natural language and the insights gained from the AI agent's code generation.

[8:24] Testing an Integration in the Lab.

[11:05] Jeffrey and Aaron discuss the benefits of using open-source tools and the flexibility of Proxmox for network testing.

[14:47] VS Code and Copilot Integration, and what's next.

[19:39] Aaron introduces n8n.io as a low or no-code automation platform that integrates with AI agents and APIs for workflow orchestration.

[21:15] Integrating simple automation examples, such as weather-based watering systems and data-driven decisions without sensors.

[28:09] OpenWRT's flexibility and customization.

[30:01] What are some of the scenarios where a software-defined network might be the right tool?

[33:26] Know what you want, and write from a purpose.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Clear Measure Way

Architect Forum

Software Engineer Forum

Ep 196 with Aaron Palermo

n8n

AppGate

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