Until recently, the terms “Microsoft”, “open source” and “Microsoft” were rarely used together, unless it was a criticism or complaint. The tech giant was not known for its openness, community engagement, or other open-source software development principles, at the least not in comparison to other organizations.
However, things have changed over the years. According to GitHub data, Microsoft is the largest corporate contributor to open-source. You may be a Microsoft expert, but you might be confused by the new “Microsoft went open source” philosophy. Here’s a list of open source skills that you will need to keep up with Microsoft’s new way.
DevOps
DevOps skills are highly sought after in the market. They allow you to achieve the perfect balance between software development and operations. You will need to be familiar with common DevOps practices in order to support heterogeneous environments, as a growing number applications include both Microsoft and Linux components. You should brush up on Azure training to ensure that you are able to develop, implement and monitor resilient and scalable solutions.
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Start trainingSystem Administration
Microsoft has made open-source options for admins more flexible and accessible in recent years. Open source tools are available for everything, from security to performance analysis. You should be familiar with the resources available on Microsoft’s open-source repository for administrators. It is important to understand the basics of open-source so that you can choose the right tools for your system. Businesses that rely on open-source solutions are also in high demand for sysadmins skilled in cloud computing, security, configuration management, and network security.
Storage
Storage solutions are becoming more distributed and heterogeneous, even in Microsoft-based environments. This is to meet today’s workplace preferences. Open source storage solutions have become more mainstream because multiple users need to access the same data from different locations. It’s not surprising that distributed open-source storage skills are required to keep up.
Docker
Docker is the best open source tool for Microsoft virtualization. Docker, the most popular open-source application engine that uses containers for automated application deployments, integrates with Microsoft Azure with increasing capabilities. Docker can be used natively in Windows 10 with HyperV Containers. It has been integrated into Windows Server from 2014.
Linux
Today’s cloud-powered environments are flooded with Linux-based solutions. Even Microsoft has accepted this new normal. Microsoft joined the Linux foundation in recent years and created Azure Cloud Switch, a cross-platform Linux-based platform. A new Microsoft certification is available for Linux on Azure. Ubuntu is available on Windows 10, while SQL Server 2017 is available on Windows, Linux and Docker containers. If you have avoided Linux, the de facto open-source OS with a rich history, now is the time for you to change your mind — Microsoft has.
Cloud Infrastructure
Open source platforms such as CloudStack and OpenStack may appear to be competing with Microsoft Azure or at the very least, being mutually exclusive. Open source cloud infrastructure skills are in high demand as organizations embrace heterogeneous environments, and the hybrid cloud model. Your Linux skills will be a great fit.
All the skills in this list are related and complement each other; such is the nature, open-source, cloud-first world Microsoft has created.
Many companies today see open source solutions as a way to improve their organizational and financial performance. Open source skills can also be beneficial for your job performance as well as your career development.
