azure

If you are looking for a faster way to verify download speeds without relying on browser-based tools, this post details how I built a custom command-line utility using Microsoft Azure. I explain the process of provisioning a Storage Account with pre-sized test files and using .NET’s HttpClient to automate speed measurements with real-time progress tracking.

I share how I leverage Azure Application Insights to create a simple yet powerful monitoring solution for my hosted WordPress blog, ensuring I’m alerted to potential outages or certificate expirations. I detail the process of provisioning the service via Azure CLI for automation readiness and configuring URL ping tests through the portal to track availability.

If you are looking to connect your home network to the cloud, this post walks you through establishing a site-to-site VPN between Ubiquiti Unifi hardware and Microsoft Azure. I detail the straightforward Azure configuration using the Basic SKU and share my experience troubleshooting the Unifi side to get the connection running smoothly.

If you’re looking to centralize security monitoring for your home network, this guide shows how I leveraged a new Microsoft preview solution to connect Unifi hardware logs to Azure Sentinel. I walk you through provisioning a Linux syslog server in Azure and configuring your Unifi controller to ship data, effectively offloading the heavy lifting of integration to Microsoft.

I discovered that while existing tools like Tautulli could handle my Plex notification needs, I decided to build a custom integration using Azure API Management and Logic Apps to deepen my understanding of Azure services. This post details how I leveraged Plex’s webhook capabilities to trigger notifications for my family whenever new episodes are added to our media server.