ICT-Governance-Framework-Application

Multi-Cloud Multi-Tenant ICT Governance Framework

See: Table of Contents 📁 Documentation Structure

🚀 Quick Start

Table of Contents

Overview

The Multi-Cloud Multi-Tenant ICT Governance Framework is a comprehensive solution designed to optimize governance across complex multi-tenant environments spanning multiple cloud platforms. Building upon the proven CBA Consult IT Management Framework, this enhanced framework addresses the unique challenges of managing diverse tenant communities with varying security, compliance, and service requirements across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and emerging cloud technologies.

Key Capabilities:

Last Updated: January 15, 2024 Original Creation: October 22, 2020, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Repository Structure

📁 Repository Root
├── 📖 docs/                          # Organized documentation structure
│   ├── 🎯 project-management/        # Project artifacts and planning
│   ├── 🏛️ governance-framework/      # Core governance documentation
│   ├── 📋 policies/                  # Governance and operational policies
│   ├── 🚀 implementation/            # Implementation guides and summaries
│   ├── 🏗️ architecture/             # Technical architecture documentation
│   ├── ✅ compliance/               # Compliance and audit documentation
│   ├── 📚 training/                 # Training and communication materials
│   └── 📄 templates/                # Reusable templates and methodologies
├── 🔧 azure-automation/             # Azure automation scripts and configs
├── 📋 blueprint-templates/          # Infrastructure and policy templates
├── 🌐 ict-governance-framework/     # Web application and APIs
├── 🤖 implementation-automation/    # Deployment automation scripts
├── ☁️ multi-cloud-governance/      # Multi-cloud specific documentation
├── 🔍 framework-evaluation/        # Framework assessment tools
└── 📊 generated-documents/         # Auto-generated documentation

Framework Components

The Multi-Cloud Multi-Tenant ICT Governance Framework consists of the following core components:

Core Framework Documents

  1. Multi-Cloud Multi-Tenant ICT Governance Framework - The comprehensive framework document defining multi-tenant governance structure, tenant lifecycle management, and cross-cloud operations.

  2. ICT Governance Framework - The foundational document defining the governance structure, roles, responsibilities, and operating model.

  3. Strategic and Tactical IT Governance Overview - Comprehensive overview of strategic vs tactical governance tasks and responsibilities with clear role definitions and escalation frameworks.

  4. Target Governance Framework - Enhanced governance framework with industry-leading practices from ISO/IEC 38500, ITIL 4, COBIT 2019, CMMI, and FAIR frameworks.

  5. ICT Governance Policies - Detailed policies covering technology selection, security, architecture, change management, asset lifecycle, and vendor management.

Multi-Tenant Infrastructure and Automation

  1. Multi-Tenant Infrastructure Blueprint - Comprehensive Bicep template for deploying tenant-isolated infrastructure with security and compliance controls.

  2. Tenant Lifecycle Management Automation - PowerShell automation for complete tenant lifecycle including onboarding, management, and secure offboarding.

  3. Multi-Tenant Configuration - Comprehensive configuration file defining tenant classifications, service tiers, compliance requirements, and operational parameters.

Integration and Monitoring

  1. IaC and Version Control Integration - Guidelines for integrating the governance framework with Infrastructure as Code and version control systems.

  2. Metrics and Reporting - Key performance indicators, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms for evaluating governance effectiveness.

  3. Zero Trust Maturity Model - Comprehensive framework for assessing and implementing Zero Trust architecture across six pillars with automated service release capabilities.

Key Features

Multi-Tenant Governance

Cross-Cloud Operations

Automated Lifecycle Management

Security and Compliance

Cost Management and Optimization

Getting Started

For New Users

  1. 📖 Start with Documentation: Review the organized documentation structure
  2. 🎯 Understand the Project: Read the project scope and objectives
  3. 🏛️ Learn the Framework: Study the core ICT governance framework
  4. 📋 Review Policies: Examine the governance policies

For Implementers

  1. 🚀 Implementation Guide: Follow the implementation summary
  2. 🏗️ Architecture Review: Understand the technical architecture
  3. 🔧 Automation Scripts: Explore Azure automation and implementation automation
  4. 📋 Use Templates: Leverage blueprint templates for deployment

For Administrators

  1. 👥 Team Setup: Review team management documentation
  2. 📊 Metrics: Implement governance metrics
  3. ✅ Compliance: Set up compliance monitoring
  4. 📚 Training: Deploy training materials

Documentation Structure

The repository uses a hierarchical documentation structure for optimal organization:

📁 Primary Documentation (docs/)

All core documentation is organized in the docs/ directory with logical categorization:

🔧 Technical Components

📊 Supporting Resources

Additional Resources

Implementation Approach

To implement this framework:

  1. Foundation: Establish the governance structure and core policies
  2. Integration: Connect governance with existing processes and tools
  3. Automation: Implement automated validation and compliance checking
  4. Measurement: Set up metrics and reporting
  5. Training: Develop awareness and capabilities

Continuous Improvement

The governance framework is designed as a living system that evolves with organizational needs and technology changes. Regular reviews and updates ensure it remains effective and aligned with business objectives.

Contribution Guidelines

We welcome contributions to enhance this framework. Please follow these steps:

  1. Create a feature branch from the main branch
  2. Make your changes following the established document structure
  3. Submit a pull request with a clear description of your changes
  4. Ensure all documentation is updated appropriately

License and Usage

Open Source License

This Multi-Cloud Multi-Tenant ICT Governance Framework is released under the MIT License, ensuring maximum flexibility for adoption, modification, and distribution. The framework is designed to be:

Usage Rights

Multi-Tenant Usage

Multi-Cloud Usage

Commercial Usage

Documentation

Compliance and Responsibility

While the framework provides comprehensive governance guidance, organizations implementing the framework are responsible for:

The framework supports but does not guarantee compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, SOX, ISO 27001, and other regulatory standards.

Background and Original Vision

The IT Governance framework has evolved drastically with the introduction of numerous cloud services. This framework builds on the original vision of optimizing governance in multi-cloud environments while adding structure and comprehensive coverage across all ICT domains.

Key aspects of the original vision include:

The framework extends these concepts into a comprehensive governance approach covering all aspects of information and communication technology.

Mobile Application Integration

Part of the application ecosystem is a mobile application for end-user assessment of compliance and security:

This mobile app provides end users with a clear overview of applications and web applications used together with their current compliance scores.

Infrastructure as code and the mandatory Bicep ARM templates being administered in a git repository to ensure any bicep arm templates written maintained by a main branch and only updated by a pull request.

Managing infrastructure as code (IaC) using Bicep and ARM templates in a Git repository is a best practice. Let’s break down the steps to achieve this:

Git Repository for Bicep Templates: Create a Git repository to store your Bicep templates. You can use platforms like GitHub, Azure DevOps, or any other Git provider. Organize your templates into folders based on their purpose (e.g., networking, compute, storage).

Branching Strategy: Use a branching strategy to manage your templates effectively. Consider the following branches: Main Branch: This branch contains production-ready templates. Feature Branches: Create feature branches for new templates or changes. Pull Requests (PRs): Developers create PRs from feature branches to the main branch.

Template Maintenance Workflow: Developers work on feature branches, creating or modifying templates. When ready, they create a PR to merge their changes into the main branch. The PR triggers automated validation (e.g., template linting, policy checks). Once approved, the changes are merged into the main branch.

Continuous Integration (CI): Set up CI pipelines to validate templates automatically. Use tools like GitHub Actions, Azure Pipelines, or GitLab CI/CD. Validate syntax, compliance, and best practices during CI.

Deployment Automation: Use Azure CLI or Azure PowerShell to deploy templates. Authenticate using az login. Set the correct Azure subscription using az account set -s .

Cleanup Resources: When deploying templates for testing, ensure you clean up resources afterward. Azure offers free subscriptions for testing purposes.

Regarding the ICT Governance Framework:

Integrate the approval process into your Git repository using pull requests. Document the governance framework alongside your templates. Regularly compare the governance framework with the production environment to identify any discrepancies. Remember, Bicep simplifies ARM template creation and provides a more concise syntax. It’s a great choice for managing your Azure infrastructure as code!

While Bicep and ARM templates are primarily used for defining and deploying infrastructure resources, they are not typically used to directly represent governance frameworks or documentation. However, you can achieve a comparison between the actual infrastructure and the approved governance framework by following these steps:

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) for Governance Framework:

Create a separate set of Bicep or ARM templates specifically for your governance framework. Define policies, naming conventions, resource tagging, access controls, and other governance rules within these templates. These templates act as a representation of your governance requirements.

Comparison Process:

Periodically compare the actual deployed resources (based on existing Bicep/ARM templates) with the governance framework templates. Use tools like Azure Policy, Azure Resource Graph, or custom scripts to identify discrepancies. Look for differences in resource names, tags, permissions, and configurations.

Automated Validation:

Set up automated validation during deployment or CI/CD pipelines. Validate that the deployed resources adhere to the governance rules defined in your framework. If any deviations are detected, trigger alerts or notifications.

Documentation Integration:

While the governance framework itself isn’t directly written in Bicep or ARM templates, you can integrate it with documentation. Document the governance rules, policies, and guidelines alongside the templates. Explain how each template aligns with specific governance requirements.

Reporting and Remediation:

Generate reports highlighting discrepancies between the actual infrastructure and the governance framework. Develop processes to remediate any non-compliance issues. Update the governance framework documentation as needed. Remember that Bicep and ARM templates are powerful tools for managing infrastructure, but they serve a different purpose than governance documentation.

By combining both approaches, you can maintain a consistent and compliant environment.

To automate the comparison between the actual infrastructure and the governance framework documentation, follow these steps:

  1. Infrastructure Scanning:
    • Use tools like Azure Policy, Azure Resource Graph, or custom scripts to scan your deployed resources.
    • Compare them against the governance rules defined in your framework.
  2. Automated Reporting:
    • Generate reports highlighting discrepancies.
    • Include details on non-compliant resources, naming conventions, tags, permissions, etc.
  3. Remediation Workflow:
    • Develop processes to address non-compliance.
    • Update the governance framework documentation based on findings.

Remember, automation streamlines governance and ensures consistency. If you need further assistance, feel free to ask! 😊

Infrastructure as Code Center (API Center) version control for your comparison current infrastructure and the Infrastructure as a Code in your Governance Framework

Establish your initial setup policies and configuration (Bsseline) and review to discover drift. See more at Sovereign Cloud

https://github.com/CBA-Consult/ICT-Governance-Framework-Application/wiki/Governance-Framework-Best-Practices-and-process-ownership-and-drift-within-the-governance-framework

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