Introduction to Azure Policy - Governance and Compliance

What is Azure Policy?

Azure Policy is a service provided by Microsoft Azure that allows you to enforce and implement governance and compliance standards within your Azure environment. It helps you achieve consistent management, security, and compliance across all your Azure resources.

Key Features of Azure Policy

Azure Policy offers a range of features and benefits, including:

• Policy Definitions: Define policies using JSON that specify the rules and requirements for your Azure resources.
• Enforcement: Enforce policies to ensure that resources in your Azure environment comply with the defined rules and requirements.
• Scopes: Apply policies at different scopes, including management groups, subscriptions, resource groups, and individual resources.
• Compliance Reporting: Get insights into the compliance status of your resources and identify non-compliant resources.
• Audit Logs: Access audit logs and track changes and compliance evaluations over time.

Getting Started

To get started with Azure Policy, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to your Azure Portal.
2. Create an Azure Policy assignment at the desired scope (e.g., subscription or resource group).
3. Select or create a policy definition that aligns with your governance and compliance requirements.
4. Monitor and remediate non-compliant resources as needed to maintain a compliant Azure environment.

Sample Policy Definition

Here's a simple example of an Azure Policy definition in JSON that enforces naming conventions for Azure resources:

{
    "if": {
        "not": {
            "field": "name",
            "in": ["example-resource-1", "example-resource-2"]
        }
    },
    "then": {
        "effect": "deny"
    }
}
    

Conclusion

Azure Policy is a critical component of governance and compliance in Azure. By defining and enforcing policies, you can ensure that your Azure environment adheres to your organization's standards and requirements, reducing risks and enhancing security.