Reflecting on a Year of Growth: 2023 in Review

Hello, wonderful readers! As we bid farewell to 2023, let’s take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve had together. It’s been a year filled with hard work, personal and professional growth, and exciting new experiences.

Professional Achievements

Mentoring Journey
One of the highlights of the year as MCT has been the opportunity to mentor aspiring professionals on their journey . The ability to connect with others, share experiences, and collaboratively troubleshoot challenges has truly been one of the most rewarding aspects of my year.

Diverse Content Creation
Diversifying my content creation has been a significant shift this year. I’ve expanded beyond my usual blog posts to submit articles and videos to various platforms, offering insights into topics like Azure cost management and application registrations in Microsoft Azure. You can find some of the new content at https://serverless360.com and sfeir.dev .

Here’s a glimpse of what I’ve been up to:

Blogs on other websites:
– Why DevOps Should Care About Azure Cost? (serverless360.com)
– Comprendre les inscriptions d’application et les applications d’entreprise dans Microsoft Azure (sfeir.dev)
– 8 Azure Cost Factors: What causes Azure Costs to increase? (serverless360.com)

Blog :

Videos on other channels :
Festive Tech Video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMWVa544J_E

Continuous Learning
This year marked a resurgence in my commitment to learning. I delved into several insightful books, covering topics from practical Ansible usage to modernizing legacy applications in Microsoft Azure. Additionally, renewing certifications and acquiring new applied skills has been a key focus.

Books I read

Practical Ansible
Azure Architecture Explained
Modernizing Legacy Applications to Microsoft Azure
50 Kubernetes Concepts Every DevOps Engineer Should Know
Cloud Native Software Security Handbook
A Developer’s Guide to Building Resilient Cloud Applications with Azure

Certification and Applied skills :

this year i have renewed all my 9 azure certifications and obtained two new azure applied skills :

Applied skills: Implementing Security through a Pipeline using Azure DevOps
Applied skills: securing storage for both Azure Files and Azure Blob Storage

YouTube Comeback
Returning to YouTube with more than 14 videos on Azure container apps, GitHub advanced security, and IPAM has been both challenging and immensely rewarding. If you haven’t already, check out my YouTube channel : (https://www.youtube.com/@AchrafBenAlaya/videos) for a wealth of technical content.

Notable Events
Attending Microsoft Ignite in Paris was a standout moment, providing fresh perspectives, insights, and networking opportunities. My participation in the Festive Tech Calendar event, with a pre-submitted session, opened doors to share my experiences globally. You can read about my Microsoft Ignite experience here : (https://achrafbenalaya-ekgvbjdjgta4b4hz.francecentral-01.azurewebsites.net/2023/12/18/exploring-the-future-microsoft-ignite-paris-highlights-copilot-innovations-and-advanced-security-solutions/).

Collaborations
Collaborating with fellow enthusiasts is always fulfilling. One collaboration worth mentioning is the creation of the Microsoft Acronyms website https://himhelloworld.com/ with my friend Fares hentati.

Looking Ahead to 2024

Community Goals
Looking forward, my community goals for 2024 include renewing my MCT and certifications, contributing more articles, blog posts, and videos, and actively participating in conferences and user groups. I’m open to collaboration and eager to share knowledge with the community.

Content Creation
For the blog, this marks my 22nd post this year, and the growing number of visitors underscores the responsibility I feel towards my community. In the coming year, expect more diverse and insightful content. On YouTube, the plan is to create an even richer array of videos covering various aspects of technology.

Learning Goals

Embracing AI and Beyond
As technology evolves, so do our learning goals. In the next 12 months, I’m keen to delve deeper into AI, explore Microsoft Copilot, and enhance my knowledge of monitoring, logging in Azure, and networking.

Personal Goals

Balance and Well-being
Beyond the professional realm, my personal goals include maintaining a balance between technical and leisure reading. A comeback to the gym and a focus on fitness are also on the agenda. Most importantly, making time for family remains a top priority, as they are an invaluable anchor amidst the demands of work and community involvement.

As we step into 2024, I want to express my gratitude for your continued support. Wishing you all a fantastic New Year filled with growth, success, and joy! Cheers to new adventures and learning opportunities!

Happy New Year!