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Vladimir Chavkov

Azure Pipelines Advanced Patterns

Take your Azure Pipelines skills to the next level with this intensive 3-day training on advanced patterns and enterprise-scale techniques. Master multi-stage YAML architectures, build reusable template libraries, configure self-hosted and scale set agents, implement pipeline security hardening, optimize builds with matrix strategies and caching, and establish pipeline-as-code patterns used by high-performing engineering organizations.

Training Details

Section titled “Training Details”
Duration3 days (24 hours)
LevelAdvanced
DeliveryIn-person, Live online, Hybrid

Who Is This For?

Section titled “Who Is This For?”
  • DevOps engineers scaling Azure Pipelines across teams
  • Platform engineers building shared pipeline infrastructure
  • CI/CD architects designing enterprise pipeline strategies
  • Release engineers optimizing build and deployment performance
  • Senior developers authoring and maintaining complex YAML pipelines

Learning Outcomes

Section titled “Learning Outcomes”

After completing this training, you’ll be able to:

  • Design multi-stage YAML pipelines with conditional logic and dependencies
  • Build reusable template libraries shared across repositories
  • Configure and manage self-hosted agents and scale set agents
  • Implement pipeline security with service connections, approvals, and checks
  • Optimize pipeline performance with matrix strategies, caching, and parallelism
  • Set up deployment environments with gates, approvals, and exclusive locks
  • Establish pipeline-as-code patterns with versioning and governance
  • Troubleshoot complex pipeline failures and performance bottlenecks

Detailed Agenda

Section titled “Detailed Agenda”

Day 1: YAML Templates and Multi-Stage Architecture

Section titled “Day 1: YAML Templates and Multi-Stage Architecture”

Module 1: YAML Template Libraries

  • Template types: step, job, stage, and variable templates
  • Template parameters, expressions, and conditional insertion
  • Shared template repositories and resource references
  • Template versioning and breaking change management
  • Hands-on: Build a reusable template library across repositories

Module 2: Multi-Stage Pipeline Architecture

  • Stage dependencies, conditions, and ordering
  • Pipeline artifacts and stage-to-stage data passing
  • Environment-based deployment stages (dev, staging, production)
  • Conditional execution with runtime parameters and variables
  • Hands-on: Design a multi-stage pipeline with promotion gates

Module 3: Pipeline Expressions and Runtime Logic

  • Compile-time vs. runtime expressions
  • Custom conditions and status functions
  • Variable groups, templates, and dynamic variables
  • Each-expression loops and matrix generation
  • Hands-on: Implement dynamic pipeline behavior with expressions

Day 2: Agents, Security, and Performance

Section titled “Day 2: Agents, Security, and Performance”

Module 4: Self-Hosted and Scale Set Agents

  • Self-hosted agent setup and maintenance
  • Scale set agents with Azure VM Scale Sets
  • Container-based agents and Docker-in-Docker
  • Agent pool management and capabilities matching
  • Hands-on: Deploy and configure scale set agents

Module 5: Pipeline Security and Service Connections

  • Service connection types and federated credentials
  • Pipeline permissions and resource authorization
  • Secret management with variable groups and Key Vault
  • Branch control policies and protected resources
  • Secure files and secure pipeline execution
  • Hands-on: Harden pipeline security with approvals and checks

Module 6: Matrix and Parallel Strategies

  • Matrix strategy for multi-configuration builds
  • Parallel job execution and fan-out/fan-in patterns
  • Test slicing and parallel test execution
  • Pipeline caching for dependencies and build artifacts
  • Incremental builds and artifact reuse
  • Hands-on: Optimize a pipeline with matrix builds and caching

Day 3: Environments, Enterprise Patterns, and Optimization

Section titled “Day 3: Environments, Enterprise Patterns, and Optimization”

Module 7: Deployment Environments and Approvals

  • Environment creation and resource targeting
  • Approval gates, checks, and exclusive locks
  • Kubernetes and VM resource environments
  • Deployment history and traceability
  • Hands-on: Configure production environments with approval workflows

Module 8: Pipeline as Code Patterns

  • Monorepo pipeline strategies with path triggers
  • Pipeline triggers: CI, PR, scheduled, and pipeline-completion
  • Cross-repository pipeline orchestration
  • Pipeline decorators and organization-wide injection
  • Hands-on: Implement monorepo and cross-repo pipeline patterns

Module 9: Pipeline Troubleshooting and Optimization

  • Pipeline run diagnostics and logging
  • Common failure patterns and resolution strategies
  • Performance profiling and bottleneck identification
  • Cost optimization with agent pool sizing
  • Hands-on: Diagnose and resolve complex pipeline issues

Prerequisites

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  • Hands-on experience with Azure Pipelines (YAML and classic)
  • CI/CD experience with Azure DevOps
  • Knowledge of Git branching strategies
  • Basic scripting with Bash or PowerShell

Delivery Formats

Section titled “Delivery Formats”
FormatDescription
In-PersonOn-site at your company’s location, hands-on with direct interaction
Live OnlineInteractive virtual sessions with screen sharing and real-time labs
HybridCombination of on-site and remote sessions, flexible scheduling

All formats include hands-on labs, course materials, and post-training support.