To have a comprehensive understanding of the functionality and scope of Azure Landing Zones, it is important to analyze the fundamental elements that form its architectural framework. These components serve as the fundamental elements that, when integrated, establish a comprehensive infrastructure suitable for implementing a diverse range of workloads.
Identity and access management (IAM)
A solid identity and access management (IAM) strategy is essential for ensuring the security of any cloud deployment. Azure Landing Zones leverage the utilization of Azure Active Directory (AD) for the purpose of user management and the provision of secure resource access. The process of IAM setup encompasses the establishment of roles, access policies, and multifactor authentication techniques, which serve to protect against illegal access and potential security breaches.
Services to consider:
- Azure Entra ID
- Azure PIM
- Entra permission management
- Azure AD DS
Resources hierarchy
The Azure Landing Zone is a structural framework that arranges resources in a hierarchical manner, commonly consisting of management groups, subscriptions, resource groups, and tags. The implementation of a hierarchical structure facilitates the establishment of advanced governance models, enabling the management of access, policies, and compliance at detailed levels. This ensures consistent adherence to corporate standards throughout the deployment process.
The resources hierarchy ensures how the security policies and IAM should be inherited.
Services to consider.
- Management groups
- Subscriptions
- Resources groups
- Tags
Networking
The network topology within an Azure Landing Zone is pivotal. It encompasses configuring virtual networks, connectivity services, and network security tools. The aim is to ensure secure and efficient communication between Azure resources, on-premises data centers, and other connected services.
Services to consider.
- Azure firewall
- Web application firewall (WAF)
- Load balancer
- vNET
- IPSec/Express route and vNet peering.
Governance and Compliance
Governance is implemented in Azure Landing Zones via blueprints and policies that establish the standards and regulations for the configuration and deployment of resources. The compliance modules guarantee that the environment conforms to both internal and external regulations and guidelines. To enforce policy adherence, the Azure Policy service automates compliance assessments.
Services to consider.
- Azure policies
- Azure initiative (CIS,NIST,ASB)
- Defender
- Tags, Locks etc.
Operations and Monitoring
Operational excellence within Azure Landing Zones is maintained by implementing monitoring and management tools like Azure Monitor and Azure Automation. These services enable the tracking of functional health, performance metrics, and log analytics, facilitating proactive management of the cloud environment.
Services to consider
- Azure monitoring
- Log analytics
- SIEM
- Azure automation
Backup and DR
Azure Landing Zones are constructed with disaster recovery and business continuity strategies in mind. This process entails the implementation of failover mechanisms, backup services, and replication to guarantee the availability of applications and the durability of data in the event of disruptions.
Each component is designed to be in accordance with the requirements and optimal methods for enterprise cloud deployments and is an essential element of the Landing Zone’s framework. Moving forward, we shall explore strategic planning, the refinement of these elements, and their integration in order to facilitate cloud operations that are scalable, secure, and efficient.
Services to consider.
- Azure backup
- Azure site recovery manager
