ARC
Last Updated: 6th March 2025Azure Arc: Bridging Infrastructure Anywhere to Azure
Technical Overview
Imagine a world where your on-premises servers, virtual machines (VMs) running in other clouds, and even Kubernetes clusters scattered across multiple environments could all be managed as if they were native Azure resources. This is the promise of Azure Arc, a groundbreaking service that extends Azure’s management and governance capabilities to infrastructure and applications running anywhere. Whether you’re dealing with legacy systems in a private data centre, modern workloads on AWS or Google Cloud, or edge devices in remote locations, Azure Arc provides a unified control plane to simplify operations and accelerate innovation.
Architecture
At its core, Azure Arc operates as a bridge between your existing infrastructure and the Azure Resource Manager (ARM), the backbone of Azure’s management layer. By projecting non-Azure resources into ARM, Azure Arc enables you to apply Azure-native tools, policies, and services to your entire environment. This is achieved through lightweight agents or extensions installed on your resources, which communicate securely with Azure.
For example, consider a VMware environment running in your private data centre. By onboarding these VMs to Azure Arc, they become visible in the Azure portal, where you can apply policies, monitor performance, and even deploy updates using Azure-native tools like Azure Policy and Azure Monitor. Similarly, Kubernetes clusters running on AWS or Google Cloud can be Arc-enabled, allowing you to manage them alongside Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) clusters using a consistent set of tools.
Scalability
Azure Arc is designed to scale effortlessly across diverse environments. Whether you’re managing a handful of servers or thousands of resources across multiple geographies, Azure Arc provides the scalability and flexibility needed to meet enterprise demands. Key features like role-based access control (RBAC), tagging, and resource grouping ensure that you can organise and secure your resources effectively, regardless of their location.
For organisations with hybrid or multi-cloud strategies, Azure Arc’s ability to scale is a game-changer. You can onboard resources incrementally, starting with critical workloads, and expand as your needs evolve. This modular approach reduces complexity and minimises disruption, making it easier to adopt Azure Arc at your own pace.
Data Processing
One of the most compelling aspects of Azure Arc is its ability to bring Azure’s powerful data services to any infrastructure. For example, Azure Arc-enabled SQL Managed Instance allows you to run a fully managed SQL database on-premises or in other clouds, with the same features and capabilities as Azure SQL Database. This includes automated backups, high availability, and advanced security features like Always Encrypted.
Similarly, Azure Arc-enabled PostgreSQL Hyperscale brings the scalability and performance of Azure Database for PostgreSQL to your local environment. These capabilities are particularly valuable for organisations with strict data sovereignty requirements or latency-sensitive applications that need to remain close to the end user.
Integration Patterns
Azure Arc integrates seamlessly with a wide range of Azure services, enabling you to extend their capabilities to non-Azure environments. Key integration patterns include:
- Policy Enforcement: Use Azure Policy to enforce compliance across your entire environment, including on-premises servers and VMs running in other clouds.
- Monitoring and Insights: Leverage Azure Monitor and Log Analytics to gain visibility into the performance and health of your Arc-enabled resources.
- Security and Governance: Apply Azure Security Centre (now Microsoft Defender for Cloud) to detect and mitigate threats across your hybrid and multi-cloud environment.
- DevOps Integration: Use Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions to deploy and manage applications consistently across all your environments.
Advanced Use Cases
Azure Arc unlocks a wide range of advanced use cases that were previously difficult or impossible to achieve:
- Unified Management: Manage on-premises VMware VMs, AWS EC2 instances, and Azure VMs from a single control plane.
- Application Modernisation: Modernise legacy applications by deploying Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes and integrating with Azure App Services.
- Edge Computing: Extend Azure’s capabilities to edge devices, enabling real-time data processing and AI/ML workloads in remote locations.
- Disaster Recovery: Use Azure Arc to replicate critical workloads to Azure for disaster recovery and business continuity.
Business Relevance
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, organisations are increasingly adopting hybrid and multi-cloud strategies to meet their unique business needs. Azure Arc addresses the challenges of managing diverse environments by providing a consistent management and governance framework. This not only reduces operational complexity but also accelerates digital transformation by enabling organisations to leverage Azure’s advanced capabilities across their entire IT estate.
For example, a financial services company with strict regulatory requirements can use Azure Arc to enforce compliance policies across its on-premises and cloud environments. Similarly, a manufacturing company with operations in remote locations can use Azure Arc to manage edge devices and deploy AI/ML models for predictive maintenance.
Best Practices
To maximise the value of Azure Arc, consider the following best practices:
- Start Small: Begin by onboarding a subset of critical resources to Azure Arc and gradually expand as you gain confidence and experience.
- Leverage Azure Policy: Use Azure Policy to enforce compliance and standardisation across your entire environment.
- Integrate with DevOps: Incorporate Azure Arc into your DevOps workflows to streamline application deployment and management.
- Monitor Continuously: Use Azure Monitor and Log Analytics to gain real-time insights into the performance and health of your Arc-enabled resources.
- Secure Your Environment: Apply Microsoft Defender for Cloud to detect and mitigate threats across your hybrid and multi-cloud environment.
Relevant Industries
Azure Arc is a versatile solution that delivers value across a wide range of industries:
- Financial Services: Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements while managing a hybrid IT environment.
- Healthcare: Maintain data sovereignty and security while leveraging Azure’s advanced analytics and AI capabilities.
- Manufacturing: Manage edge devices and deploy AI/ML models for predictive maintenance and quality control.
- Retail: Optimise supply chain operations and enhance customer experiences with real-time data insights.
- Government: Meet strict security and compliance requirements while modernising legacy systems.
Adoption Insights
With an adoption rate of 46.58%, Azure Arc is rapidly gaining traction among organisations looking to simplify hybrid and multi-cloud management. By joining this growing community of adopters, you can stay ahead of the curve and unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth.
