Hey everyone! I just started a new role as a cloud architect at a company with a huge Azure environment that includes around 50 subscriptions used by different departments. I'm coming from a background where I managed smaller setups with clear teams and processes, but this is my first time handling such a sprawling and chaotic layout. I'm eager to take charge of our cloud infrastructure. If you've been in a similar situation and inherited a complex Azure environment, what would you recommend as the first steps to get a grasp on everything? I'd appreciate any advice on managing this transition!
3 Answers
Lol good luck with that!
When diving into a large Azure environment, remember to start with the fundamentals. Review your cloud costs and security first. Check out Azure Advisor for recommendations—it can help identify underutilized resources and unattached disks. For security, pay attention to any public IPs that aren't secured, as these can be vulnerabilities. Once you select a few areas to clean up, consider utilizing Cloud Defender for deeper security insights. Also, implementing a governance strategy for policies and access management will be crucial as you develop a long-term plan. Lastly, keep track of your findings and create a backlog for ongoing improvements, possibly using Azure DevOps to manage it all.
Totally agree, and make sure you implement Azure Policy for some basic security measures. Don't forget to check your identity access and permission management since they can get pretty messy. Establish encryption for your data both at rest and in motion, and set up logging to keep track of activities.
It sounds like quite an undertaking! Just having 50 subscriptions isn't the full picture—you'll want to dive deeper into how many resource groups and resources you have. Don't overlook policies, RBAC configurations, network setups, and logging processes. Each of these areas will dramatically affect your strategy moving forward, so take your time to understand them before jumping in.
Absolutely! Plus, try to set up an Infrastructure as Code template early on. This will pave the way for scalable growth later. If possible, import existing setups to start from a solid base, though it can get tricky.