Deployment Model
Northell utilise the Azure Public Cloud for all deployments:
Azure Public Cloud
Deployments are hosted on Microsoft's Azure infrastructure. This model offers scalability, high availability, and a wide range of services. Key considerations include:
- Scalability: Azure provides auto-scaling capabilities to handle varying loads.
- Data Residency: Ensures data is stored in regions that comply with regulatory requirements.
- Security: Utilises Azure's security features such as Azure Security Center, Azure Active Directory, and encryption services.
- Compliance: Azure complies with industry standards and regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).
- Cost Management: Azure Cost Management tools monitor and optimize spend.
- Disaster Recovery: Implement Azure Site Recovery for business continuity.
Key Components
- Azure App Service: For deploying web apps and APIs.
- Azure Container Service: For containerized applications.
- Azure Database for Postgresql: Managed relational database service.
- Azure Blob Storage: For storing unstructured data.
- Azure Virtual Network (VNet): For network isolation and security.
- Azure Key Vault: For managing secrets and certificates.
- Azure DevOps: For CI/CD pipelines and version control.
- Azure App Insights: For application performance management.
Example Architecture
- Web Tier: Hosted on Azure App Service with auto-scaling.
- Database Tier: Using Azure Database for Postgresql.
- Storage: Azure Blob Storage for storing files and backups.
- Networking: Azure VNet to isolate and secure network traffic.
- Security: Azure Entra Identity for identity management and Azure Key Vault for secrets management.
- Monitoring: Azure Application Insights for performance monitoring and diagnostics.