“Building a REST API in JavaScript with Express” – my 18th Pluralsight Course Published

Another exciting announcement for the new year. I have published my 18th course with Pluralsight. This one is a JavaScript course. It is titled “Building a REST API in JavaScript with Express“. This is my first course in 2023. This course will teach you how to utilize JavaScript and Express to build a REST API for your web app.

Most business apps need to communicate with other internal or external apps and APIs are the most common way to do this. Knowing how to build a REST API is a much-needed skill. And JavaScript is typically in the top 5 programming languages year after year according to StatisticsTimes Top Computer Languages report, so it makes sense that knowing how to build a REST API in JavaScript is even better. This course is suitable for Web Developers, Developers, Project Managers, DevOps Engineers, programming students, cloud professionals, and anyone who needs to build a REST API or learn more about JavaScript.

In this course, Building a REST API in JavaScript with Express, you’ll learn to build a REST API. First, exploring REST APIs, JavaScript, and Express. Next, you’ll learn about JavaScript-based REST API project structures. Finally, you’ll learn how to build REST APIs with JavaScript and Express and test with Postman/curl.

Some of the major topics that are covered in this course include:

  1. A journey into the REST API Tech Stack.
  2. How to set up a REST API Project including how to plan, design, & structure your REST API in JavaScript.
  3. A walk-through on building the REST API, including the REST API code so you can practice.
  4. Guidance and demos on how to test your REST API using Postman and Curl.

When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have a better understanding of REST APIs, JavaScript, Express, REST API project structures, and how to actually build the REST API with JavaScript and test it using CRUD operations.

Check out the “REST API JavaScript“ course here:

https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/javascript-express-building-rest-api

This will be my 1st JavaScript course in a new JavaScript path on Pluralsight. The JavaScript path will be full of additional courses taking you from zero knowledge in JavaScript to an expert. This path has a variety of Pluralsight authors building courses with some of the most well-known authors. I will post a link to the path when it is live. In addition to this REST API course, I will also be authoring a course on how to build a web app with JavaScript and enhance the performance of your JavaScript web app. Keep an eye out for those in the new future.

Also keep an eye out for me utilizing JavaScript and Python apps in my work with Kubernetes and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) in the form of talks, demos, blogs, articles, and more.

I hope you find value in this new Building a REST API in JavaScript with Express course. Be sure to follow my profile on Pluralsight so you will be notified as I release new courses

Here is the link to my Pluralsight profile to follow me:

https://www.pluralsight.com/authors/steve-buchanan

Read more

17th Pluralsight Course Published – “Python for Linux System Administration”

I am excited to announce that I published a Python course on Pluralsight! This course is titled “Python for Linux System Administration“. This is my 17th course with Pluralsight overall and 6th for 2022. It will teach you how to utilize Python to administer Linux servers. This course is suitable for system administrators, DevOps engineers, and anyone working with servers running on cloud.

In this course, Python for Linux System Administration, you’ll learn the core of the Python language, various Python admin modules, & how to combine python scripts with other Linux tools for administration.

Here are some of the major topics that are covered in this course:

  1. Gaining an understanding of the many benefits of using Python for systems administration.
  2. What goes into setting up a Python environment and what IDE’s are the best options to assist you with your Python scripting.
  3. How to install and use Python to Interact with the Linux System.
  4. How to utilize Python modules such as the OS module & psutil to perform various administrative functions.

When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge about the core of Python, how it can be used for administration, why you would use it for administration, how to get setup for Python scripting, insight into Python administrative modules & scripts, as well as some real-world examples of administering Linux servers with Python.

Check out the “Python“ course here: https://app.pluralsight.com/library/courses/python-linux-system-administration

I hope you find value in this new Python for Linux System Administration course. Be sure to follow my profile on Pluralsight so you will be notified as I release new courses

Here is the link to my Pluralsight profile to follow mehttps://app.pluralsight.com/profile/author/steve-buchanan

Read more

16th Pluralsight course – “Laravel The Big Picture” a web framework for modern PHP based web apps

I am excited to announce that I published a Laravel course on Pluralsight! This course is titled “Laravel 9: The Big Picture“. This is my 16th course with Pluralsight. I have been working with PHP based websites, Content Management Systems, Frameworks, and the language off and on for many years. When the opportunity came to author a course on Laravel I jumped on it.

Laravel is a full-stack web framework for modern PHP based web applications. PHP is a language that has been around for a long time used to power most of the web site and web apps on the internet today. And some of the best web development teams in the world build their products with Laravel.

Many don’t know this but Laravel can be used for front-end and back-end development, as well as developing a REST API. Some of the largest companies and most popular websites have been built using Laravel such as Disney, Apple, Pfizer, BBC, Twitch, Mastercard, and more.

In this course, Laravel 9: The Big Picture, you’ll learn about the Laravel full-stack framework. First, you’ll explore Laravel’s core components such as: routing, middleware, controllers, requests, responses, views, blade templates, and more. Next, you’ll discover how to install Laravel, configure it, how it handles security, works with databases, about its APIs and more. Finally, you’ll learn what it is like to develop, build, and deploy an app with Laravel.

When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge of Laravel needed to decide if it is the right PHP web framework for you and where to go next on your journey with Laravel.

Check out the new Laravel course here: https://app.pluralsight.com/library/courses/laravel-9-big-picture

I hope you find value in this new Laravel 9: The Big Picture course. Be sure to follow my profile on Pluralsight so you will be notified as I release new courses

Here is the link to my Pluralsight profile to follow mehttps://app.pluralsight.com/profile/author/steve-buchanan

Read more

15th Pluralsight Course Published – Ember JS

I am excited to announce that I published an Ember.js course on Pluralsight! This course is titled “Ember 4: The Big Picture“. This is my 15th course with Pluralsight. Ember.js is a JavaScript framework used for developing web apps. Some of the best web development teams in the world build their products with Ember.

This course will give an overview of Ember’s components and architecture and a guide to the next steps you can take to get started with Ember. In this course, Ember 4: The Big Picture, you’ll learn about the Ember front-end framework. First, you’ll explore Ember’s core parts: Ember.js, Ember Data, Ember CLI, and Ember Inspector.

Next, you’ll discover Ember’s core concepts: routing, services, and Components. Finally, you’ll learn how to what it is like to develop, build, and deploy an app with Ember.

When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge of Ember JS needed to decide if it is the right JavaScript framework for you and where to go next on your journey with Ember.

Check out the new Ember JS course here: https://app.pluralsight.com/library/courses/ember-4-big-picture

I hope you find value in this new Ember 4: The Big Picture course. Be sure to follow my profile on Pluralsight so you will be notified as I release new courses

Here is the link to my Pluralsight profile to follow mehttps://app.pluralsight.com/profile/author/steve-buchanan

Read more

Published new course on MuleSoft

Today my 13th course was published on Pluralsight! This course covers MuleSoft. API’s are everywhere today where technology is used. API’s are the glue behind the technologies we all use. The app you use on your phone, those videos you stream from home, the software you use at work all have API’s powering them connecting across many systems. With the increased amount of applications needed to run enterprises today the need for API integrations has increased along with the complexity.

MuleSoft has been a leader for some time in the API space. For anyone in technology, it is a good idea to gain an understanding of API’s and learning MuleSoft is one way to do that. Check out my course MuleSoft 4: The Big Picture.

This course will teach you how MuleSoft and the Anypoint platform can be utilized as a key part of your enterprise API strategy. You’ll learn about MuleSoft and the Anypoint platform as an end-to-end API solution. First, you’ll explore what MuleSoft and Anypoint are. Next, you’ll discover the various Anypoint platform components. Finally, you’ll learn how to build APIs & Integrations. When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge of MuleSoft needed to recommend and architect a solution for your API needs.

Check out the new MuleSoft course here: https://app.pluralsight.com/library/courses/mulesoft4-big-picture

I hope you find value in this new MuleSoft 4: The Big Picture course. Be sure to follow my profile on Pluralsight so you will be notified as I release new courses

Here is the link to my Pluralsight profile to follow mehttps://app.pluralsight.com/profile/author/steve-buchanan

Read more

End of Year (2021) Review

This year was another abnormal year with ups and downs for many. Salute to everyone that kept pushing through any and all hardships you experienced. For me, my focus continued to be family and seizing all presented opportunities while blocking out as much unnecessary noise as possible.

Highlights:

I consider 2021 a spectacular year with several milestones and firsts for me. This year kicked off with me being featured in the Star Tribune (the 5th largest newspaper in the United States) in Superbowl Sunday’s paper! Other major highlights included being renewed as a Microsoft MVP for the 10th year, being promoted to an Azure Platform Offering Lead at work, developing 6 new courses for Pluralsight, publishing my 7th and 8th book one of them being my 1st book with O’Reilly, appearing on 5 podcasts/webinars, & speaking at 7 conferences/user groups of them being DevOpsDays MPLS! I also continued my virtual world tour speaking at events in Africa and even Jamaica!

Here is the full list of activities from 2021:

February 2021: Featured as a technology leader in Minnesota’s largest newspaper Star Tribune. Was a full page story. Bonus this was the super bowl Sunday newspaper.  https://m.startribune.com/twin-cities-technologist-steve-buchanan-sees-a-more-inclusive-expanding-future-for-young-minorities/600019839

February 2021: Published GitOps course on Pluralsight showcasing knowledge in AKS, Azure Arc, Kubernetes and GitOps.

February 2021: Presented at Omaha Azure User group on Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes & GitOps. 

February 2021: Presented on Containers in Azure for Lago’s (Nigeria) LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY (LASU) TECHX CONFERENCE. 

Read more

“Azure Arc enabled Servers” Course on Pluralsight

Today my 11th course on Pluralsight was published! This course is “Azure Arc Enabled Servers: Getting Started“. In this course, Azure Arc-enabled Servers: Getting Started, you’ll learn how to manage external servers with Azure Arc.

Managing Windows and Linux servers across on-premises and multiple clouds can be disjointed and overly complicated. Many organizations today are choosing to adopt a multi-cloud strategy driving the boom in having servers across many clouds. After viewing this course, you’ll have knowledge of Azure Arc enabled Servers and how to use it to manage Windows and Linux servers across on-premises and multiple clouds.

Check out the course here: https://app.pluralsight.com/library/courses/azure-arc-enabled-servers-getted-started

This is my 2nd course in the Azure Arc path titled “Managing Environments with Azure Arc” on Pluralsight. There are other courses in the path already such as Azure Arc: The Big Picture, Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes: Getting Started (by me), Azure Arc-enabled Data Services: The Big Picture, and Azure Arc & Azure Lighthouse: First Look, and many more Azure Arc courses on the way.

Here is a link to check out the new Azure Arc path: https://app.pluralsight.com/paths/skills/managing-environments-with-azure-arc

I hope you find value in this new Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes: Getting Started course. Be sure to follow my profile on Pluralsight so you will be notified as I release new courses including my second Azure Arc related course! 

Here is the link to my Pluralsight profile to follow mehttps://app.pluralsight.com/profile/author/steve-buchanan

Read more

Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes: Getting Started – Pluralsight Course

Today Pluralsight published 1 of 2 Azure Arc courses I am building. This marks my 10th course on Pluralsight! This first course is Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes: Getting Started. Azure Arc is a key service in the Azure story extending Azure to the on-premises data center and or multiple clouds outside of Azure.

This course is just under 2 hours and packed full of information & demos to help you get started with the topic. I go into a deeper understanding of the multi-cloud market, Kubernetes in the enterprise, and Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes architecture. Setting up and using Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes. And using GitOps with Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes.

NEW 
RELEASES 
(-18 _ 
Google Cloud 
Understanding Google Cloud 
Security and Operations 
Google Cloud 
lh 17m 
Beginner 
Jun 2021 
Azure Arc Enabled 
Kubernetes: Getting Started 
Steve Buchanan 
Intermediate 
lh 57m 
Jun 2021 
Using the Xamarin.Forms 
Shell 
Christopher Miller 
Intermediate 
Jun 2021 
(30) 
lh 33m 
Demystifying the AWS 
Certified Developer: Associ... 
Ryan Lewis 
Intermediate 
Jun 2021 
57m 
(32)

I am excited about releasing this course for several reasons: #1 Azure Arc is a newer technology from Microsoft and I am happy to share my knowledge about it, #2 This one is a combination of Azure Arc, Kubernetes, & GitOps all technologies I have been working with regularly, #3 Azure is growing, Kubernetes is growing, and multi-cloud is growing all in the enterprise and this course covers all three of these.

Azure Arc Enabled Kubernetes: Getting Started 
by 
w i u how end A«

Here is the description of the course:

Managing Kubernetes clusters across on-premises and multiple clouds can be disjointed and overly complicated. In this course, Azure Arc Enabled Kubernetes: Getting Started, you’ll learn to how to manage external Kubernetes clusters with Azure Arc. First, you’ll explore what Azure Arc k8s is and how to use it. Next, you’ll discover the features of Azure Arc K8s and how to use them. Finally, you’ll learn how to how to use Azure Arc K8s and GitOps to deploy applications. When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge of Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes needed to manage Kubernetes clusters across on-premises and multiple clouds.

Here are the areas and topics of the course:

Understanding Azure Arc Enabled Kubernetes                

Intro and Topics                

Understanding Azure Arc Enabled Kubernetes                

Understanding Azure Arc Enabled Kubernetes Use Cases                

Understanding Azure Arc Enabled Kubernetes Architecture                

Summary

 

Working with Kubernetes Clusters Using Azure Arc                

Intro and Topics                

Connecting Kubernetes Clusters to Azure Arc                

Demo: Connecting a Kubernetes Cluster to Azure Arc                

Monitoring projected Kubernetes Clusters with Azure Monitor and Azure Arc                

Demo: Setup Azure Monitor of Projected Kubernetes Cluster in Azure Arc                

Defining Authorization on Azure Arc Projected Kubernetes with Azure RBAC                

Protecting Azure Arc Projected Kubernetes Clusters with the Azure Defender                

Administering Projected Kubernetes Clusters with Azure Policy and Azure Arc                

Summary

 

Deploying Applications to Projected Kubernetes Clusters Using Azure Arc and GitOps                

Intro and Topics                

Understanding How GitOps Works with Azure Arc Enabled Kubernetes                

Deploying Applications and Configurations to Projected Kubernetes Clusters with Azure Arc and GitOps                

Demo: Deployment of an Application to a Projected Kubernetes Cluster via GitOps and Azure Arc K8s                

Deploying Helm Charts to Projected Kubernetes Clusters with Azure Arc and GitOps                

Deploying IoT Workloads with Azure Arc and GitOps                

Understanding the Future of Azure Arc Enabled Kubernetes                

Summary               

Here is a preview of the Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes course:

Here is a link to the full Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes course on Pluralsight: https://app.pluralsight.com/library/courses/azure-arc-enabled-kubernetes-getting-started

This course is also a part of the all new Azure Arc path titled “Managing Environments with Azure Arc” on Pluralsight. There are other courses in the path already such as Azure Arc: The Big Picture, Azure Arc-enabled Data Services: The Big Picture, and Azure Arc and Azure Lighthouse: First Look and many more Azure Arc courses on the way.

Managing Environments with Azure Arc 
This learning path introduces you to Microsoft's latest Azure offering: 
Anne Arc. With able to and 
deployed within of Azwe through the same 
control plane. As pu watch the courses in this path, first gain a 
of Arc and its befMe rm•mg 
to leaming product's specific including 
Azure Arc-enabled servers, Azure Arc-enabled data services, Azure Arc- 
«labled SOL 
leaming. Azure Arc and Amre At end of 
this learning path, you'll have a good foundation of knowledge to get 
started with Anne 
Related Topics 
Azure. SOL Server. Kubernetes. Machine Learning. Azure 
Light o 
Prerequisites 
Learners interested in path have experience With Azure administration and be familiar With the 
fund—Ital coruepts of data SOL 
What You Will Learn 
F u nd—-vtal Äpts 
AA' re with 
AA' re Arc's vah_æ and off«ings 
HOW Azure Arc enabled Se•rvetS work 
How Azure Arc enabled SOL Server works 
HOW Azure Arc enabled machine learning works 
How Azure Arc and Azure 
Authors 
Add ed to channel 
New questions are jn_theworks. 
with the courses below. 
Ben a Data MVP. with SOL siQ SOL 
Sewer mainly in the al/Datawarehousing held, Besides his muralsi9ht courses, Ben is_ 
Steve Buchanan is a Director, & Midwest Containers Services Lead on a Cloud 
Trarßfotmati•M/DevOps team with a large He is a 9-time '&rOSOft 
Niraj is a AWS/Azure Specialist with over a decade of work experience "Ito 
Data Modeling with Databases like Cassarudra, M0090Da, SparkSG•L ElasticSearch and SOL

Here is a link to check out the new Azure Arc path: https://app.pluralsight.com/paths/skills/managing-environments-with-azure-arc

I hope you find value in this new Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes: Getting Started course. Be sure to follow my profile on Pluralsight so you will be notified as I release new courses including my second Azure Arc related course! 

Here is the link to my Pluralsight profile to follow mehttps://app.pluralsight.com/profile/author/steve-buchanan

Read more

9 Pluralsight Courses

I recently published 2 new courses bringing my total Pluralsight courses to 9! These two new courses wrap up my time authoring courses for the SAP on Azure path. These 2 new courses are Migrating SAP Workloads to Azure and Designing an Azure Solution to Support SAP Workloads.

This brand new path is Planning and Administering Microsoft Azure for SAP Workloads (AZ-120). This path also has a course by Tim Warner as well as two more being developed right now! Also, I should mention this path also contains my SAP on Azure: The Big Picture course.

This new path will help you prepare to take the AZ-120 exam to earn your Microsoft Certified: Azure for SAP Workloads Specialty certification and ramp up on SAP on Azure in general.

Check out the path here: https://app.pluralsight.com/paths/certificate/planning-and-administering-microsoft-azure-for-sap-workloads-az-120

I hope you find value in this new SAP on Azure learning path on Pluralsight. Again these two new courses bring me to a total of 9 courses now published on the Pluralsight platform! Next up I will start working on some Azure courses. These new courses will cover managing servers and Kubernetes with Azure Arc. I am very excited about my next courses. Be sure to follow my profile on Pluralsight so you will be notified as I release these new courses! 

Here is the link to my Pluralsight profile to follow mehttps://app.pluralsight.com/profile/author/steve-buchanan

Read more

CloudSkills.fm Podcast: Cloud Native, Azure Arc, DevOps, GitOps, Kubernetes, and Azure

Recently I had the honor to be a guest on my friend and fellow Microsoft MVP Mike Pfeiffer’s Cloudskills.fm podcast again! This was episode is “106: Steve Buchanan on Cloud Native, DevOps, GitOps, Kubernetes, and Azure“. I was excited to be a guest again on the CloudSkills podcast and catch up with Mike.

On this new episode, we had a chance to talk about a variety of topics like leveling up your career, what I have been up to, diversity and inclusion in the tech, of course Azure, Azure Arc, DevOps, Kubernetes, GitOps, we even touched on SAP on Azure, among other insights.

You can listen to the podcast episode 106 right here on my blog:

Or you can listen to episode #106 here: https://cloudskills.fm/episodes/106.

Back in 2019 I was a guest on the Cloudskills.fm podcast on episode # 15. The past episode was a lot of fun with more of a focus on your career in the world of IT. If you want to check that out here.

Read more