Best Storage Management Software Podcasts (2025)

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What Windows Wants for Christmas with Paul Thurrott 42:48

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1d ago42:48

42:48

So what does Windows want for Christmas? Paul Thurrott is back to talk about everything that happened to Windows in 2025, and what that might hold for 2026. Paul talks about Pavan Davuluri being promoted to President of Windows & Devices - and reunifying the Windows Client and Windows Core teams. That sets up an opportunity to make some significant…

1
Zero Trust in 2026 with Michele Bustamante 41:09

9d ago41:09

41:09

How is zero-trust security evolving? Michele Leroux Bustamante discusses the challenges CISOs face today in controlling access to infrastructure, authenticating and authorizing users, and managing the ongoing evolution of an organization's dependencies. The conversation digs into the variety of stacks available to address various elements of an org…

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Incident Management and the Crowdstrike Event with Liam Westley 41:02

16d ago41:02

41:02

On July 19, 2024, a misconfigured file sent as part of an update to the Falcon Sensor suite by CrowdStrike caused service outages worldwide. Liam Westley talks about his experiences executing the incident management plan at his company that day—even though his company did not use the software! Liam talks about dealing with the regulatory requiremen…

1
Power and Responsibility: Staying Compliant in the Self-Storage Lien Process with Luke Shardlow and Scott Zucker 39:33

23d ago39:33

39:33

Self-storage attorney Scott Zucker and Luke Shardlow, CEO of AI Lean, join host Matt Engfer for a deep dive into one of the most critical—and risky—parts of operating a storage facility: the lien process. Together, they discuss the legal responsibilities operators carry when enforcing tenant liens, why accuracy and documentation matter more than ev…

51
The M365 Copilot Data Readiness Checklist with Nikki Chapple 40:31

23d ago40:31

40:31

What does it take to be ready to deploy M365 Copilot in your organization? Richard talks to Nikki Chapple about her latest incarnation of the M365 Copilot Readiness Checklist, working step-by-step to bring M365 Copilot into the organization without causing data leak issues. Nikki discusses utilizing existing tools to accurately identify sensitive d…

51
Christmas Gifts for SysAdmins with Joey Snow and Rick Claus 36:57

30d ago36:57

36:57

The seasonal gift show is back - Joey Snow and Rick Claus bring their lists of great gifts for sysadmins. You know they're impossible to buy for, so we are making it easier for you with a range of prices and seriousness for your favorite sysadmin. Useful gadgets, upgrades to older devices, and some fun stuff that reminds the sysadmins in your life …

51
Azure SRE Agents with Deepthi Chelupati 34:18

1M ago34:18

34:18

How can Azure Site Reliability Engineering Agents help your Azure infrastructure? While at Techorama in Utrecht, Richard chatted with Deepthi Chelupati about the LLM service that helps you build and maintain more reliable applications and infrastructure in Azure. Deepthi talks about monitoring deployment problems, handling errors in production, and…

101
Azure Resiliency with Chris Ayers 38:45

1M ago38:45

38:45

How resilient are your Azure deployments? Richard chats with Chris Ayers about his work on Azure reliability - not only for customers using Azure, but for Azure itself! Chris focuses on the Well-Architected Framework as a guideline for thinking through all the elements of resiliency in Azure. As with all things, there are trade-offs of cost and rel…

1
Taking the Guesswork Out Of Marketing: Data, Partnerships, and Performance with Gabe Thayn 45:22

2M ago45:22

45:22

Gabe Thayn, Co-Founder of Marketing.Storage, joins Matt Engfer to share how data, transparency, and true partnership—not vendor relationships—drive marketing success for self-storage operators. With nearly 20 years of experience leading digital marketing at companies like Extra Space Storage and Adigma, Gabe has helped shape how the industry approa…

101
Managing Updates using Autopatch with Aria Hanson 31:54

2M ago31:54

31:54

The future of updating Windows is here! Richard talks to Aria Hanson about Windows Autopatch, the consolidation of Microsoft's various update mechanisms to keep your managed Windows devices current. Aria discusses the deprecation of Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) and the move to always-on cloud updates. The conversation turns to the various …

151
AI for DBAs with Grant Fritchey 38:30

2M ago38:30

38:30

How can the new AI tools help DBAs? Richard chats with Grant Fritchey about his experiences using various types of LLMs to help with his work as a DBA. Grant discusses having an LLM open as a side window to pass questions by, such as ideas for tuning, query optimization, scripts, and so on. Not all LLMs are the same - it's worth experimenting with …

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Building Soldiers, Not Staff: Culture and Growth at The Storage Mall with Frank Certo 51:22

2M ago51:22

51:22

Frank Certo, COO of The Storage Mall, shares how leadership, consistency, and culture drive performance across one of the fastest-growing third-party management companies in self-storage. From hockey coach to sales trainer to operations leader, Frank brings decades of experience building high-performing teams that think like owners. He discusses th…

151
Becoming a Cybersecurity Expert with Paula Januszkiewicz 38:22

2M ago38:22

38:22

How do you become a cybersecurity expert? While at Cybersecurity Intersection in Orlando, Richard chatted with Paula Januszkiewicz about her career in cybersecurity. Paula talks about insatiable curiosity to understand how things work the way they do - why an exploit happens and following the twists and turns that lead to root cause and permanent s…

151
The End of NTLM with Steve Syfuhs 53:50

2M ago53:50

53:50

It's time to retire NTLM - but how? Richard chats with Steve Syfuhs about the need and challenge of retiring an ubiquitous authentication protocol first used in the 1990s. While guidance to move away from NTLM has been available since 2010, it has only become feasible in the past couple of years, and Microsoft is now providing tooling to make the t…

1
Welcome to the CompTIA Server+ Certification 2:08

2M ago2:08

2:08

By Jason Edwards

201
Managing for Failure with Amy Norris 30:46

3M ago30:46

30:46

By Amy Norris, Richard Campbell

201
HaveIBeenPwned with Troy Hunt 41:01

3M ago41:01

41:01

How do you know if one of your accounts has been part of a security breach? Richard chats with Troy Hunt about HaveIBeenPwned, a free service that allows individuals to receive notifications when their accounts appear in a security breach. Troy discusses other services available alongside HaveIBeenPwned for sysadmins, including password checking, i…

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From 32 to 600: How SAM Grew With Marketing at the Core with Melissa Stiles 31:10

3M ago31:10

31:10

Melissa Stiles, Chief Marketing Officer of Storage Asset Management (SAM), shares her journey from answering a blind ad to leading one of the largest third-party management companies in self-storage. Overseeing marketing, revenue management, business development, and communications, Melissa has helped SAM grow from 32 stores to nearly 600. In this …

251
Managing Vendor Incidents with Mandi Walls 31:45

3M ago31:45

31:45

You're down - is it your servers, or someone else's? While at the Kansas City Developers Conference, Richard sits down with Mandi Walls from Pager Duty about her experiences dealing with incidents involving vendor services. It might be your cloud provider, or some other SaaS element of a pipeline, or even an open-source library dependency in an imp…

251
Certificate Automation with Todd Gardner 35:02

3M ago35:02

35:02

The days of the one-year SSL certificate are coming to an end - are you ready? Richard chats with Todd Gardner about the upcoming requirement from the Certification Authority Browser Forum to limit SSL certs to 200 days starting March 2026 - and they keep getting shorter until by 2029, certificates will last no longer than 47 days! If you haven't a…

251
Training for AI with Stephanie Donahue 40:34

4M ago40:34

40:34

How do you get your organization trained up to use AI tools? Richard talks to Stephanie Donahue about her work implementing AI tools at Avanade and with Avanade's customers. Stephanie discusses how many workers are bringing their own AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to work and the risks that represent to the organization. Having an approved set of tools…

301
Episode 1000! 1:14:01

4M ago1:14:01

1:14:01

Episode 1000! Richard Campbell invites Paul Thurrott to join him to celebrate the milestone episode and answer questions from listeners. From the creation of the podcast to the role of Windows in the modern world, the impact of ARM, Cloud, and many other technologies - all addressed in this super-sized episode. And yes, artificial intelligence is p…

301
Common Azure Mistakes with Scott Sauber 34:06

4M ago34:06

34:06

What are common mistakes folks are making with their Azure tenant(s)? While at the Kansas City Developers Conference, Richard chatted with Scott Sauber to run down his top ten list of issues he checks on for all his customers using Azure. From tenant ownership to naming conventions, policies, identities, and cost controls - there are a lot of thing…

1
Episode 124 — Misconfigured NICs and VLANs — Interface Troubleshooting Tactics 11:17

4M ago11:17

11:17

This episode explains how misconfigured network interface cards (NICs) and VLAN settings can disrupt server connectivity. We cover issues such as incorrect VLAN tagging, mismatched speed and duplex settings, and disabled interfaces. The discussion includes how multi-NIC configurations require careful planning for load balancing, redundancy, or VLAN…

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Episode 123 — Network Connectivity Issues — DHCP, DNS, and Route Problems 11:23

4M ago11:23

11:23

This episode focuses on diagnosing network connectivity failures by examining IP assignment, name resolution, and routing paths. We explain how DHCP misconfigurations can lead to incorrect or missing IP addresses, how DNS issues prevent hostname resolution, and how routing problems can block communication between subnets or external networks. We pr…

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Episode 122 — Configuration and Service Failures — Improper Setup and Missing Resources 10:24

4M ago10:24

10:24

This episode covers how incorrect configurations and missing dependencies can prevent services from starting or functioning correctly. We discuss common causes, such as incorrect file paths, insufficient permissions, or disabled services. Identifying these issues often requires checking configuration files, logs, and service dependencies. Practical…

1
Episode 121 — Dependency and Update Conflicts — Software Incompatibility Resolution 10:24

4M ago10:24

10:24

This episode explains how dependency issues and update conflicts can cause application or service failures. We discuss scenarios where software relies on specific versions of libraries, frameworks, or drivers, and how updates can inadvertently break functionality by replacing or removing required components. The importance of maintaining compatibil…

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Episode 120 — OS and Software Problems — Login Issues and Patch Failures 10:50

4M ago10:50

10:50

This episode addresses troubleshooting operating system and application problems, including failed logins, service outages, and patch installation errors. We explain how authentication misconfigurations, expired credentials, or corrupted profiles can block user access, while incomplete or incompatible patches can destabilize services. We connect th…

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Episode 119 — Partition and Filesystem Errors — Misalignment, Corruption, and Boot Failures 10:52

4M ago10:52

10:52

This episode examines how partition and file system errors can impact server operations. We explain problems such as partition misalignment reducing performance, corruption preventing access to data, and boot failures caused by damaged boot sectors or missing system files. The discussion includes how these issues can originate from improper setup, …

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Episode 118 — HBA and Controller Issues — Advanced Storage Adapter Failures 10:47

4M ago10:47

10:47

This episode focuses on diagnosing problems with host bus adapters (HBAs) and storage controllers, which are critical for connecting servers to storage devices. We discuss symptoms of adapter failure, such as intermittent connectivity, degraded performance, and device detection errors. Configuration mismatches, outdated firmware, and driver incompa…

1
Episode 117 — Storage Failures — Mount Errors, Slow Access, and File Corruption 10:56

4M ago10:56

10:56

This episode covers how to identify and resolve storage-related failures in server environments. We explain symptoms such as inability to mount volumes, significantly degraded read/write speeds, and corrupted files. Common causes include failing drives, controller faults, cabling issues, and file system corruption. Real-world and exam-relevant exam…

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Episode 116 — RAID Misconfigurations — Faulty Arrays, Rebuilds, and Bad Sectors 10:44

4M ago10:44

10:44

This episode explains how RAID misconfigurations can lead to degraded performance, data loss, or complete array failure. We discuss common causes such as incorrect drive order, mismatched drive sizes, incompatible RAID levels for the workload, and improper rebuild procedures. The importance of verifying configuration settings against vendor guideli…

1
Episode 115 — Visual and Auditory Cues — LED, LCD, and Unusual Sounds or Smells 10:26

4M ago10:26

10:26

This episode examines how to use visual and auditory indicators to troubleshoot hardware problems. We discuss interpreting status LEDs, reading LCD panel error codes, and recognizing abnormal sounds such as failing fans or clicking drives. The importance of detecting unusual smells, like burnt circuitry, as a sign of component failure is also cover…

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Episode 114 — CMOS Battery and Lockup Events — Diagnosing Time and Power Problems 10:00

4M ago10:00

10:00

This episode covers how a failing CMOS battery can cause time drift, loss of BIOS settings, and boot failures. We explain the function of the CMOS battery in maintaining system configuration when power is removed, and how to identify symptoms of failure. Lockup events related to power issues are also discussed, including those caused by unstable po…

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Episode 113 — POST Errors and Random Lockups — Identifying Hardware Start Failures 10:33

4M ago10:33

10:33

This episode explains how to diagnose Power-On Self-Test (POST) errors and intermittent system lockups that indicate potential hardware problems. We discuss common beep codes, LED indicators, and error messages displayed during startup, as well as how they map to specific hardware components. Lockups that occur after startup are also examined for p…

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Episode 112 — Memory-Related Issues — Dumps, Crashes, and RAM Errors 10:33

4M ago10:33

10:33

This episode focuses on troubleshooting server memory problems, from application crashes to full system halts. We explain how to interpret memory dumps, identify faulty DIMMs, and use diagnostic tools to confirm suspected issues. The discussion also includes how improper memory configurations, such as mismatched speeds or unsupported sizes, can lea…

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Episode 111 — Predictive Failures — Early Warning Signs and Indicators 10:45

4M ago10:45

10:45

This episode explains how predictive failure technologies and monitoring tools can identify hardware issues before they cause outages. We discuss using SMART data for drives, temperature and fan speed sensors for CPUs, and vendor-specific monitoring utilities for servers. These early warnings allow administrators to schedule maintenance or replacem…

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Episode 110 — Troubleshooting Documentation — Recording Actions and Outcomes 9:31

4M ago9:31

9:31

This episode focuses on documenting troubleshooting activities from the initial problem report to the final resolution. We discuss capturing details about symptoms, diagnostic steps, implemented changes, and verification results. Thorough documentation allows for faster resolution of similar issues in the future and provides a record for compliance…

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Episode 109 — Root Cause Analysis — Preventing Future Incidents 9:41

4M ago9:41

9:41

This episode covers how to conduct a root cause analysis (RCA) to determine why a problem occurred and how to prevent its recurrence. We explain how to gather evidence, map the sequence of events, and identify both technical and process-related contributing factors. Documenting the findings is essential for long-term operational improvement. We the…

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Episode 108 — Functional Verification — Ensuring System Stability Post-Fix 9:43

4M ago9:43

9:43

This episode explains the importance of verifying that a system is fully functional after implementing a fix. We discuss running validation tests, confirming service availability, and ensuring performance metrics are within acceptable ranges. Functional verification also involves checking related systems that may have been indirectly affected by th…

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Episode 107 — Change Implementation — Testing and Controlled Changes 9:36

4M ago9:36

9:36

This episode focuses on executing the planned solution in a controlled environment. We cover making one change at a time, monitoring for its effect, and ensuring each adjustment aligns with the overall remediation strategy. Implementing changes incrementally reduces the risk of introducing new problems and makes it easier to isolate the source of a…

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Episode 106 — Establishing a Plan of Action — Solution Planning and Notifications 10:12

4M ago10:12

10:12

This episode explains how to create a detailed plan of action once the root cause of a problem is identified. We discuss outlining step-by-step remediation tasks, sequencing changes to minimize downtime, and identifying potential risks before implementation. The plan should also include a rollback procedure in case the fix causes unexpected issues.…

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Episode 105 — Testing the Theory — Verification and Adjustment Techniques 9:47

4M ago9:47

9:47

This episode focuses on testing the theory of probable cause to confirm whether it explains the observed issue. We discuss performing controlled changes, using diagnostic tools, and monitoring system behavior for improvement or recurrence of the problem. If the theory is confirmed, the next step is implementing a permanent fix; if not, the theory m…

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Episode 104 — Theory of Probable Cause — Narrowing Down Server Failures 10:44

4M ago10:44

10:44

This episode discusses how to form a theory of probable cause after gathering information about a problem. We explain how to use evidence from logs, performance metrics, and user reports to eliminate unlikely factors and focus on the most probable source of the issue. This step ensures troubleshooting efforts are targeted and efficient. We then exp…

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Episode 103 — Replication and Documentation — Reproducing and Logging Issues 11:15

4M ago11:15

11:15

This episode explains how replicating an issue helps confirm the root cause and ensures that corrective measures address the actual problem. We discuss how to safely recreate issues in test environments, document exact steps and conditions, and capture relevant logs or screenshots for further analysis. Detailed documentation also aids in escalation…

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Episode 102 — Identifying Problems — Scoping and User Input Techniques 11:47

4M ago11:47

11:47

This episode focuses on the first step of the troubleshooting process: accurately identifying and scoping a problem. We discuss gathering user reports, reviewing monitoring data, and determining the affected systems or services. Scoping ensures the issue is clearly defined before any corrective action is taken, preventing wasted time on unrelated a…

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Episode 101 — Domain 4 Overview — Troubleshooting Methodologies and Practices 10:11

4M ago10:11

10:11

This episode introduces Domain 4 of the CompTIA Server+ exam, which focuses on structured troubleshooting processes and the tools needed to resolve hardware, software, network, and security issues. We outline the methodology steps—problem identification, theory development, testing, implementation, and documentation—and explain how they ensure cons…

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Episode 100 — Hardware Hardening — Physical Ports, BIOS, and Boot Order Settings 10:59

4M ago10:59

10:59

This episode covers hardware-level security measures that prevent unauthorized use or modification of server systems. We explain how to disable unused physical ports, set administrative BIOS passwords, and configure boot order to restrict booting from external media. These measures reduce the risk of unauthorized device access or operating system b…

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Episode 99 — Host and Application Hardening — Antivirus and Updates Explained 11:10

4M ago11:10

11:10

This episode explains how to secure individual server hosts and applications through targeted hardening measures. We discuss deploying antivirus and anti-malware tools, ensuring timely application of patches, and disabling unnecessary application features or services. Application configuration best practices, such as enforcing authentication and en…

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Episode 98 — Server OS Hardening — Patches, Ports, and Service Reduction 10:17

4M ago10:17

10:17

This episode focuses on securing a server operating system by applying hardening techniques that minimize vulnerabilities. We cover the importance of keeping systems fully patched, closing unused network ports, and disabling unneeded services. The discussion also includes reviewing startup processes, removing default accounts, and enforcing secure …