Azure Policy

What Azure Policy is

Azure Policy is a web service for defining rules and applying them to Azure resources. Policies use JSON, and the listed infrastructure-as-code formats are ARM templates, Bicep, and Terraform. The service supports policy testing, admission control, and runtime enforcement, covering checks before changes are applied as well as enforcement during runtime. CI/CD integration allows policy checks to be included in delivery workflows, and policy reporting helps teams review policy results. Azure Policy has a free plan and is listed with a free pricing model. It is available on the web. Its capabilities span policy definition, testing, enforcement, pipeline integration, and reporting, giving teams tools to manage rules across infrastructure definitions and delivery processes. Organizations can use the listed formats with policy controls and reporting without a listed subscription charge.

Who it suits

Azure Policy suits teams defining rules for Azure resources through JSON and infrastructure-as-code formats such as ARM templates, Bicep, or Terraform. It is also relevant to teams that want policy testing, enforcement, CI/CD integration, and reporting in a free web service.

Getting started

1. Open the Azure Policy website.
2. Use the web service.
3. Define policies in JSON.
4. Work with ARM templates, Bicep, or Terraform.
5. Use policy testing, enforcement, CI/CD integration, and reporting as needed.

Verdict

Choose Azure Policy if you need a free web service to define, test, enforce, and report on policies across the listed infrastructure-as-code formats. Consider another option if you need a platform other than web or formats beyond those listed.