Azure Commands

Azure deployment checks before and after a release

The calmest deployments are the ones that confirm the basics before a release and prove the basics immediately after. This checklist turns that instinct into a repeatable operator rhythm.

By Sean Findley Apr 10, 2026 7 min read Azure Commands

Before release

  • Confirm the correct subscription, resource group, app, and slot.
  • Review app settings, connection strings, and environment-specific secrets.
  • Check whether health endpoints and telemetry ingestion are available.
  • Know which logs matter if the app starts failing immediately.

After release

  • Hit the health endpoint and compare response timing with your dashboard.
  • Tail logs for startup exceptions, config drift, or dependency failures.
  • Verify that the correct slot is serving traffic and that sticky settings behaved as expected.
  • Run a small set of real journeys: homepage, article page, resume download, telemetry admin login.

What I want to see in telemetry

Successful releases should show stable request timings, normal page views, predictable CTA behavior, and no sudden break in capture for newly added pages or articles. A release is not complete until the product proves it is still observable.