About Me
👋 Hi, I’m Maik van der Gaag – a technology leader, community builder, and passionate advocate for the Microsoft Cloud.
I currently work at Databalance as Microsoft Team Lead and Microsoft evangalist, where I help organizations succeed with modern cloud adoption and digital transformation. With more than 20 years of experience in architecture, software development, and DevOps, I specialize in bridging strategy with hands-on technology.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to work on a wide range of projects, from designing secure and scalable Azure environments to implementing Infrastructure as Code with Bicep and advancing DevOps practices.
Community & Recognition
- Microsoft Azure MVP – recognized for my ongoing contributions to the global tech community.
- Founder of Dutch Cloud Meetup – creating a space for cloud professionals to connect and share knowledge. Which was a compelling community group in the Netherlands that retired in 2024.
- Community Leader at the Azure Heroes community - A vibrant space for Azure enthusiasts to connect, share knowledge, and grow together!
- Public Speaker & Trainer – I regularly speak at international events, conferences, and user groups on various topics.
Sharing Knowledge
I believe knowledge should be shared, not kept. That’s why I founded Microsoft Playground in 2011 – a blog dedicated to Azure, DevOps, architecture, and hands-on guidance. I also contribute to open-source projects and publish reusable modules and extensions to help others build more effectively in the cloud.
If you find my content helpful, consider sponsoring me on GitHub. Your support helps me keep creating free content, open-source tools, and reusable modules for the community. 💙
Sponsor me on GitHubA small set of my certifications:
