In Microsoft Azure, cloud services responsibilities are divided between the cloud service provider (Microsoft) and the customer.
This division of responsibilities is often described using the Shared Responsibility Model.
The model outlines what Azure is responsible for securing and managing, and what the customer is responsible for.
Here’s a breakdown of Azure’s cloud service responsibilities across different service models.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Azure's Responsibilities
Physical Infrastructure
Azure handles the management of the data centers, physical hardware, and networking.
Compute and Networking
Azure provides virtual machines (VMs), virtual networks, load balancers, and storage resources.
Host OS
Azure is responsible for maintaining the underlying host operating system of the VMs, ensuring security patches and updates are applied.
Network Security
Azure is responsible for the physical network infrastructure and implementing security controls to protect data from unauthorized access.
Customer's Responsibilities
Operating System
Customers must manage the guest OS within their VMs (patching, updates, security, etc.).
Applications
Customers are responsible for the installation, configuration, and management of the applications that run on the VMs.
Data
Customers control and are responsible for managing their data, including backup, encryption, and governance.
Identity and Access Management
Customers handle user access, authentication, and authorization for services running in the cloud.
Network Configuration
Customers configure their virtual networks, firewalls, and any other network-related security settings.
Monitoring and Compliance
Customers are responsible for monitoring their resources and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Azure's Responsibilities
Infrastructure Management
Azure manages the underlying infrastructure, including the hardware, networking, and virtualization layers.
Runtime and Middleware
Azure is responsible for managing and maintaining the operating system, runtime environments (such as Java, .NET, Python), and the middleware.
Security of the Platform
Azure ensures that platform services are secure, including the underlying OS and runtime environments.
Customer's Responsibilities
Applications
Customers are responsible for the development, deployment, and maintenance of their applications running on the platform.
Data
Customers control and are responsible for managing their application data, including encryption, backup, and data retention.
Identity and Access Management
Customers are responsible for managing user access and permissions to the applications.
Network Configuration
Customers can configure network settings for application traffic, but Azure manages the platform’s networking.
Compliance and Governance
Customers must ensure that the platform usage is compliant with any relevant regulations and corporate policies.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Azure's Responsibilities
Full Infrastructure Management
Azure fully manages all aspects of the infrastructure, including servers, networking, and physical hardware.
Application Maintenance
Azure handles application updates, patches, and maintenance tasks.
Security and Availability
Azure is responsible for the overall security of the SaaS application and ensuring service uptime.
Customer's Responsibilities
Data
Customers are responsible for their data within the application, including inputting, managing, and deleting their data.
User Access
Customers control and manage user access to the service, including authentication and permissions.
Application Configuration
Customers may configure some settings, such as user preferences, but they are not responsible for application management.
Compliance and Governance
Customers must ensure that their use of the service complies with legal and regulatory requirements.
Additional Key Areas of Responsibility
Security
Security is a shared responsibility.
While Azure provides a secure foundation for cloud services (physical data centers, network security, identity services, etc.), customers must implement specific security measures such as:
Encryption
Encrypt data in transit and at rest.
Identity and Access Management
Manage identities, authentication methods, and access controls.
Network Security
Configure firewalls, network security groups, and virtual private networks (VPNs).
Compliance
Azure provides tools to assist in maintaining compliance with industry standards (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.), but customers are responsible for ensuring they meet the specific requirements for their data and workloads.
Azure Services and Security Layers
Azure also provides a wide range of security and monitoring services, such as:
Azure Security Center
Provides unified security management and threat protection.
Azure Monitor
Enables monitoring of resources and applications.
Azure Active Directory
Provides identity and access management services.
Summary of Shared Responsibility Model
Azure
Handles the security of the cloud infrastructure, including physical hardware, networking, and certain security features.
For IaaS and PaaS, Azure is also responsible for the platform, runtime, and middleware.
Customer
Manages security of applications, data, identity, and network configuration.
Customers are responsible for implementing security measures like data encryption, access control, and compliance with regulations.
This model ensures that both the cloud provider and the customer play a role in maintaining the security, compliance, and operational effectiveness of the services used in the cloud environment.
Leave a Reply