Azure Cloud Architect

# Azure Cloud Architect

Design scalable, cost-effective Azure architectures for startups and enterprises with Bicep infrastructure-as-code templates.

---

## Workflow

### Step 1: Gather Requirements

Collect application specifications:

```
- Application type (web app, mobile backend, data pipeline, SaaS, microservices)
- Expected users and requests per second
- Budget constraints (monthly spend limit)
- Team size and Azure experience level
- Compliance requirements (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO 27001)
- Availability requirements (SLA, RPO/RTO)
- Region preferences (data residency, latency)
```

### Step 2: Design Architecture

Run the architecture designer to get pattern recommendations:

```bash
python scripts/architecture_designer.py \
  --app-type web_app \
  --users 10000 \
  --requirements '{"budget_monthly_usd": 500, "compliance": ["SOC2"]}'
```

**Example output:**

```json
{
  "recommended_pattern": "app_service_web",
  "service_stack": ["App Service", "Azure SQL", "Front Door", "Key Vault", "Entra ID"],
  "estimated_monthly_cost_usd": 280,
  "pros": ["Managed platform", "Built-in autoscale", "Deployment slots"],
  "cons": ["Less control than VMs", "Platform constraints", "Cold start on consumption plans"]
}
```

Select from recommended patterns:
- **App Service Web**: Front Door + App Service + Azure SQL + Redis Cache
- **Microservices on AKS**: AKS + Service Bus + Cosmos DB + API Management
- **Serverless Event-Driven**: Functions + Event Grid + Service Bus + Cosmos DB
- **Data Pipeline**: Data Factory + Synapse Analytics + Data Lake Storage + Event Hubs

See `references/architecture_patterns.md` for detailed pattern specifications.

**Validation checkpoint:** Confirm the recommended pattern matches the team's operational maturity and compliance requirements before proceeding to Step 3.

### Step 3: Generate IaC Templates

Create infrastructure-as-code for the selected pattern:

```bash
# Web app stack (Bicep)
python scripts/bicep_generator.py --arch-type web-app --output main.bicep
```

**Example Bicep output (core web app resources):**

```bicep
@description('The environment name')
param environment string = 'dev'

@description('The Azure region for resources')
param location string = resourceGroup().location

@description('The application name')
param appName string = 'myapp'

// App Service Plan
resource appServicePlan 'Microsoft.Web/serverfarms@2023-01-01' = {
  name: '${environment}-${appName}-plan'
  location: location
  sku: {
    name: 'P1v3'
    tier: 'PremiumV3'
    capacity: 1
  }
  properties: {
    reserved: true // Linux
  }
}

// App Service
resource appService 'Microsoft.Web/sites@2023-01-01' = {
  name: '${environment}-${appName}-web'
  location: location
  properties: {
    serverFarmId: appServicePlan.id
    httpsOnly: true
    siteConfig: {
      linuxFxVersion: 'NODE|20-lts'
      minTlsVersion: '1.2'
      ftpsState: 'Disabled'
      alwaysOn: true
    }
  }
  identity: {
    type: 'SystemAssigned'
  }
}

// Azure SQL Database
resource sqlServer 'Microsoft.Sql/servers@2023-05-01-preview' = {
  name: '${environment}-${appName}-sql'
  location: location
  properties: {
    administrators: {
      azureADOnlyAuthentication: true
    }
    minimalTlsVersion: '1.2'
  }
}

resource sqlDatabase 'Microsoft.Sql/servers/databases@2023-05-01-preview' = {
  parent: sqlServer
  name: '${appName}-db'
  location: location
  sku: {
    name: 'GP_S_Gen5_2'
    tier: 'GeneralPurpose'
  }
  properties: {
    autoPauseDelay: 60
    minCapacity: json('0.5')
  }
}
```

> Full templates including Front Door, Key Vault, Managed Identity, and monitoring are generated by `bicep_generator.py`