Define application infrastructure server management strategy
Implementation Effort: High – Establishing a comprehensive server management strategy requires significant planning, coordination across IT and security teams, and potential restructuring of existing infrastructure and policies.
User Impact: Low – These changes primarily affect backend infrastructure and administrative processes, with minimal direct impact on end-users.
Defining an application infrastructure server management strategy is crucial for organizations transitioning to a cloud-first model, particularly when integrating with Microsoft Entra ID. Traditional on-premises environments often rely on Active Directory, Group Policy Objects (GPOs), and tools like Microsoft Configuration Manager for server management. However, in a cloud-centric approach, these methods are supplemented or replaced by cloud based based solutions.
For instance, Azure Arc enables organizations to manage servers across on-premises, multicloud, and edge environments, providing a unified management experience. This approach aligns with the Zero Trust principle of "assume breach" by extending consistent security policies across diverse infrastructures. Additionally, Microsoft Entra Domain Services can be employed to domain-join servers in the cloud, facilitating scenarios where legacy protocols or applications require traditional domain join capabilities.
Defining an approach that does not rely exclusively on Active Directory and other on-premises tools allows you to better align to a zero trust in the following ways:
- Unified Security Posture: Cloud services offer centralized security management across diverse environments (on-premises, cloud, multi-cloud), enhancing the enforcement of consistent security policies.
- Advanced Threat Detection and Response: Integrated security features in cloud platforms, like automated threat detection and response, support the Zero Trust principle of assuming breach and maintaining strict surveillance.
- Automated Compliance: Cloud services automate compliance monitoring and remediation across all managed servers, ensuring continuous alignment with regulatory and organizational policies.
- Modern approaches: Cloud-native infrastructure can be more easily managed using DevOps, Infrastructure as Code, and CI/CD approaches. These approaches to infrastructure management enable more customer agility while also facilitating application modernization.