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An Azure Landing Zone is a pre-configured Azure environment aligned to Microsoft's Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF). Platform team stands it up once; workload teams get vending pipeline access. Standard architecture: MG hierarchy (Tenant → Top-level → Platform + Landing Zones + Sandbox + Decommissioned), subscription vending automation, 6-category policy set, hub-spoke networking. EPC Group 4-8 week fixed-fee engagement includes CAF workshop + design + deployment + vending automation + 30-day platform team support.

Key Facts

  • CAF-aligned architecture: Tenant Root → Top-level → Platform + Landing Zones + Sandbox + Decommissioned management group hierarchy.
  • Subscription vending: automated workflow (ServiceNow / Power Automate → provision → MG placement → budgets → policies → hand-off) replaces ad-hoc sub creation.
  • 6-policy categories: resource type + region + cost + security + identity + networking. Assigned at MG level, inherit down.
  • Fixed-fee 4-8 weeks: Weeks 1-2 design (CAF workshop + MG + policy + networking) → Weeks 3-5 deploy (platform + first LZs + policies) → Weeks 6-8 vending automation + hand-off + 30-day support.
  • Enables workload team velocity while enforcing enterprise governance — replaces the 'every workload spins up its own Azure' pattern that creates governance debt.

Last updated by Errin O'Connor, Founder & Chief AI Architect, EPC Group

Azure Landing Zone Enterprise Deployment

The pre-configured Azure foundation your platform team stands up once, so every workload team can vend a subscription that inherits your governance posture.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Azure Landing Zone?

An Azure Landing Zone is a pre-configured Azure environment aligned to Microsoft's Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF) that provides the identity, governance, networking, security, and management foundation for enterprise workload deployment. Instead of every workload team building their own Azure environment from scratch, the platform team stands up a Landing Zone once; workload teams get a pre-scoped subscription that inherits the enterprise's governance, networking, and security posture.

What does the management-group hierarchy look like?

Standard CAF pattern. Tenant Root → Contoso (or your top-level MG) → Platform (Identity, Management, Connectivity subs) + Landing Zones (Corp for internal workloads, Online for internet-facing) + Sandbox (developer experimentation with strict cost caps) + Decommissioned (retiring subs before deletion). Each MG level has Azure Policy assignments that inherit down. This is the correct pattern for 90% of enterprise deployments.

What is subscription vending?

The automated workflow that stands up a new subscription for a workload team on-request. Team submits a request via ServiceNow / Power Automate form → workflow provisions the sub, applies the appropriate MG placement, assigns budgets, deploys baseline policies, and hands off to the workload team with a documented environment. Subscription vending replaces the ad-hoc "spin up a subscription and hope it inherits the right posture" pattern that creates governance debt.

What policies belong in the Landing Zone?

Six categories. (1) Resource type restrictions (only approved SKUs). (2) Region restrictions (compliance / data residency). (3) Cost management (budget alerts, autoscale rules). (4) Security (encrypt at rest, private endpoints, Defender for Cloud enabled). (5) Identity (Entra ID PIM for privileged access, Conditional Access requirements). (6) Networking (require deployment in hub-spoke topology, DNS resolution rules, private endpoint requirements). Deployed as Azure Policy assignments at the appropriate MG level.

How long does an Azure Landing Zone deployment take?

EPC Group's fixed-fee engagement: 4-8 weeks depending on scale. Weeks 1-2: CAF alignment workshop + MG hierarchy design + policy set design + networking topology design. Weeks 3-5: platform sub deployment (identity, management, connectivity) + first Landing Zone subs vended + policy assignments applied. Weeks 6-8: subscription vending automation deployment + workload team enablement + governance runbook + hand-off. Post-engagement: 30-day support window for platform team to run first 2-3 real workload deployments through the vending pipeline.

Talk to a senior architect

Email contact@epcgroup.net or call 888-381-9725.

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