Azure policies & Blueprints

Azure Policy Overview

Azure Policy is a service in Microsoft Azure used for resource governance, security, compliance, and cost management. It helps organizations enforce rules and standards across their Azure environment by defining, assigning, and evaluating policies at different levels of Azure resources.

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1. Policy Definitions

A policy definition is a rule that enforces specific conditions on Azure resources. It consists of:

• Conditions: The criteria that determine compliance (e.g., resources must be in a specific region).

• Effect: The action taken when a condition is met (e.g., deny, audit, modify).

Example JSON Structure of a Policy Definition:

{
  "mode": "All",
  "policyRule": {
    "if": {
      "field": "location",
      "notIn": ["East US", "West Europe"]
    },
    "then": {
      "effect": "deny"
    }
  }
}

This policy denies the creation of resources outside East US or West Europe.

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2. Assigning Policies to Azure Scope

Azure Policy can be assigned at different scopes, including:

• Management Group (applies policies across multiple subscriptions)

• Subscription (affects all resources in the subscription)

• Resource Group (only applies to resources within the group)

• Individual Resources

Scope Hierarchy: Management Group > Subscription > Resource Group > Resource

Example: A policy assigned at the Subscription level applies to all resource groups and resources within it.

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3. Types of Policies

a) Single Policy

A single policy definition enforces a specific rule, like requiring tagging of resources or enforcing a naming convention.

b) Policy Initiatives (Policy Set)

A policy initiative is a collection of multiple policy definitions grouped together to enforce broader compliance requirements.

Example:

• Security Initiative: Ensures encryption, network security, and identity compliance.

• Cost Management Initiative: Restricts resource sizes and enforces tagging for cost tracking.

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Example: Location-Based Access Policy

A location-based access policy ensures that Azure resources can only be deployed in approved regions.

Use Case:

An organization wants to ensure that all resources are deployed only in East US and West Europe for compliance reasons.

Implementation Steps:

1. Create Policy Definition: Define the rule to allow only specific locations.

2. Assign Policy: Apply the policy at the Subscription or Resource Group level.

3. Monitor Compliance: View non-compliant resources in Azure Policy Compliance Dashboard.

Policy Definition Example:

{
  "properties": {
    "displayName": "Restrict resource location",
    "policyRule": {
      "if": {
        "field": "location",
        "notIn": ["East US", "West Europe"]
      },
      "then": {
        "effect": "deny"
      }
    }
  }
}

📌 Effect: Any resource deployment outside East US or West Europe will be denied.

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Azure Blueprints

Azure Blueprints is a governance and deployment framework that enables organizations to define and replicate Azure environments consistently. It acts as a package of pre-approved templates that streamline resource provisioning while maintaining compliance.

Key Concepts

1. Blueprint Definition

A Blueprint Definition is a reusable package that describes what should be deployed. It includes various artifacts such as:

• Resource Groups – Logical grouping of resources.

• ARM Templates – Infrastructure-as-Code for resource deployment.

• Policy Assignments – Enforce compliance and security standards.

• Role Assignments – Define access control for users and services.

2. Blueprint Assignment

A Blueprint Assignment deploys the defined blueprint to a specific Azure subscription, ensuring consistent resource provisioning and governance. This replicates an approved environment with minimal manual effort.

3. Key Benefits

✅ Standardized Deployments – Ensures consistent infrastructure across multiple environments. ✅ Governance & Compliance – Enforces security policies and access controls. ✅ Automation & Efficiency – Simplifies the provisioning of complex environments. ✅ Centralized Storage – Stores approved templates for organizational use.

Use Case

An enterprise can use Azure Blueprints to deploy a fully configured environment with predefined networks, security policies, and role-based access, ensuring compliance across all subscriptions.