Azure and cloud Governance

Azure Governance is a framework that encompasses processes, policies, and guidelines to ensure efficient and compliant usage of Azure resources. It enables control and security and ensures that all resources meet defined standards. By implementing Azure Governance, organizations can effectively manage resources, optimize costs, enhance security, and streamline operations while providing comprehensive guidance for internal employees and external vendors when building or adding resources within the Azure environment.

I have been assisting companies since 2018 in creating successful Azure Governance for their environments, offering valuable expertise for both new (greenfield) and existing (brownfield) implementations, including legacy applications.

A good baseline includes:

• Clear governance strategy. Define goals, objectives, and principles that are aligned with organizational needs.
• Azure Policy implementation. Enforce compliance with organizational standards, including tagging, resource types, access controls, and public standards such as ISO27001.
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). Assign appropriate roles and permissions following the principle of least privilege. Azure provides all tools to achieve this.
• Azure Cost Management. Monitor and optimize costs using Azure Cost Management and budgets and implement cost-saving measures.
• Backup and disaster recovery strategies. Implement mechanisms to protect critical data and applications in Azure.
• Regular policy review and update. Continuously evaluate and update governance policies to adapt to changing business requirements and new Azure capabilities.
• Collaboration with the IT organization. Involve the current IT organization in order to leverage their knowledge and expertise for a successful implementation.