Southampton Microsoft Data Platform and Cloud user group

Link to the Teams Meeting:
TBD

Agenda

18:00 Welcome and Intros

18:10
🎦Another Brick in the Firewall: How to Secure your Azure Data Platform
🗣️Grace O'Halloran
These days, most people want their Azure Data Platforms to be deployed in a secure a network topology. As Data Engineers, we are often the ones that have the make this happen. The cloud has made it easy for us to deploy a virtual network here and a private endpoint there, but what does a good, networked data platform actually look like, and how does it work? Simple things become complex: how will Fabric or ADF talk to my data sources? How do I securely access my resources to do development?
In this session we will look at some of the core network components which can be used to secure your data platform; what they are, and how to use them effectively. We will also look at some of the decisions that need to be made when moving your data platform inside a private network, which weren't a consideration previously. Some basic knowledge of what a virtual network is is required.
By the end of this session you should feel more confident in working with network components in Azure and how you can use them to secure your Data Platform.

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A massive thanks to our sponsor Spectrum IT. Without them, we could not host this event for free. Spectrum IT kindly provided funding for the room and pizza for in-person attendees.
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Link to the Teams Meeting:
TBD

Agenda

18:00 Welcome and Intros

18:10
🎦Azure Databricks Data Intelligence Platform
🗣️ Bilal Bobat

Introduction to the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform. A platform that provides one of the best tools to ingest, transform, and orchestrate data, helping you tackle the challenges of processing streaming data and ensuring high data quality, reliability, and scale. This session is the perfect starting point for data enthusiasts looking to better understand the data engineering capabilities of the Data Intelligence Platform

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A massive thanks to our sponsor Spectrum IT. Without them, we could not host this event for free. Spectrum IT kindly provided funding for the room and pizza for in-person attendees.
***

Link to the Teams Meeting:
TBD

Agenda

18:00 Welcome and Intros

18:10
🎦Implementing alternative accessible colours in Power BI reports
🗣️ Juliana Smith

When designing visuals and reports, it’s extremely important to consider those who are not able to see the difference between certain colours. For those who are colour-blind, the ability to differentiate certain hues depends on the colour contrast ratio.
Approximately 350 million people around the world experience some form of colour-blindness ( inability to see the difference between certain colours).
Ideally, we should always try to use accessible colours when designing reports but often this is not possible due to existing branding guidelines and colour conventions like RAG (red, amber, green) used to report on performance and progress. The absence of easily accessible options for toggling between various themes and colour schemes in Power BI often results in reports that lack accessibility.
In this session, we will explore the built-in accessibility features of Power BI and discuss WCAG guidelines for colour usage. I will also demonstrate how to choose accessible colours and share a practical solution I have previously implemented, which enables users to switch between standard and accessible views. This approach not only enhances flexibility but also ensures inclusivity for all users. Additionally, this initiative has significantly raised awareness about digital accessibility among both users and stakeholders.
Optimising reports for people affected by vision impairment ensure equitable opportunities for all users. Taking diversity, inclusion and equity into account when designing visualisations and reports is a good way to express care and concern for all colleagues and stakeholders. It increases trust, collaboration and even innovation.

***
A massive thanks to our sponsor Spectrum IT. Without them, we could not host this event for free. Spectrum IT kindly provided funding for the room and pizza for in-person attendees.
***