Name: What's New in Azure: 2026 Edition
Start: 2026-01-20T18:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-01-20T20:00:00-05:00
Location: Improving

6PM - 7PM: Social Hour
7PM - 8PM: Presentation
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Join us this month as we start the 2026 Azure in the ATL meetup season with an informational and interactive look at the most impactful Azure service and feature releases from 2025 as well as a preview of what is on the horizon for 2026. We will share our top picks — and we want to hear yours. Bring your insights, your hot takes, and your favorite new features for a lively discussion.

John Garland

Jared Rhodes

Azure in the ATL

Azure Tech Groups

Thank you to Improving for the meeting space for our monthly meetups!

Improving

Technology

Big Data

High Scalability Computing

DevOps

Microsoft

.NET

Cloud Computing

ASP.NET

SaaS (Software as a Service)

Microsoft Azure

PaaS (Platform as a Service)

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)

**Jared Rhodes**
Jared Rhodes is a Principal Consultant at Epam Systems with over 15 years of expertise in cloud architecture and IoT. Known for his strategic guidance on large-scale cloud migrations and digital transformations, Jared has led projects for Fortune 100 clients across industries such as insurance, retail, automotive, and life sciences, while fostering innovative solutions aligned with Microsoft cloud platforms.

He organizes the Atlanta Developers Conference and the Atlanta Cloud Conference, along with user groups including the Atlanta .NET, Azure in the ATL, and the Atlanta Hardware Builders. A Microsoft MVP and community leader, Jared also has a robust library of video courses on Pluralsight covering Azure AI, IoT, and Xamarin mobile development. His contributions to the tech community reflect a commitment to advancing industry knowledge in cloud and IoT technologies.

**John Garland**
John Garland is a Principal Software Engineer working in Microsoft's Xbox Game Studio Services Engineering organization. He has been developing software professionally for over 25 years and his clients have ranged from small businesses to Fortune-500 companies. His work has been featured at Microsoft conference keynotes and sessions, and he has presented at conferences in North America, South America, and Europe. John lives in Cumming, GA and is a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelors’ degree in Computer Engineering. He is the author of the book “Windows Store Apps Succinctly” and co-author of the book "Programming the Windows Runtime by Example." John has been a Microsoft Azure Cloud Solution Architect, a member of the Microsoft Azure Insiders, a Microsoft Azure MVP, a Microsoft Certified Trainer, and currently holds several Microsoft Azure developer and security certifications.

John Garland / Jared Rhodes