What is Architecture-as-a-Service?

Architecture-as-a-Service is a productized Azure delivery model with fixed scope, fixed pricing, and explicit deliverables instead of open-ended hourly billing.

How is the RedDogSME portfolio organized?

Services are organized into RECON (risk and cost diagnostics), FOUNDATIONS (landing zones and core platform), INTELLIGENCE (AI and data architecture), SPECIAL_OPS (advanced security and edge capabilities), and RETAINER (ongoing architecture support).

How quickly can we move from assessment to production?

Most standard deployments run in 2-4 weeks after scope approval. Delivery windows and milestones are confirmed in the statement of work before kickoff.

What is the best first step?

Start with the RECON Infrastructure Audit. You get a baseline of risk, compliance gaps, and prioritized remediation actions before implementation.

Decision-Ready Azure Architecture for Regulated Teams

Get a decision-ready Azure baseline in one week, then deploy with fixed scope.

RedDogSME helps platform and security leaders quantify risk, map control gaps, and execute a prioritized roadmap without open-ended consulting hours.

Start RECON Audit Book 30-Minute Strategy Call

No-obligation session. Leave with a concrete next-step recommendation.

2-4 weeks

Typical delivery window to production

Audit-first

Recommended entry model for blocked programs

98%+

First-time compliance pass rate (tracked engagements)

Delivery Snapshot

Cloud risk compounds fast when architecture ownership is unclear.

We baseline risk first, implement with guardrails, and transfer an operating model your team can run without long-term consultant dependence.

Week-one baseline of compliance exposure and cost leakage
Pre-validated deployment patterns for regulated workloads
Documented handover with runbook, evidence, and decision log

Azure Insights

What changed in Azure and why it matters

Get the updates that impact security, compliance, cost, and delivery timelines in one decision-ready stream.

Loading feedsRead This Week's Signals

Azure platform announcements with implementation implicationsAzure Insights · live Security and compliance advisories for regulated workloadsAzure Insights · live AI and Copilot updates tied to governance and delivery riskAzure Insights · live Azure platform announcements with implementation implicationsAzure Insights · live Security and compliance advisories for regulated workloadsAzure Insights · live AI and Copilot updates tied to governance and delivery riskAzure Insights · live

Control-ready architecture, not compliance theater

Controls are embedded in identity, network, logging, and change workflows before production cutover.

NIST 800-53
Control families mapped into architecture decisions and evidence artifacts
CMMC Level 2
Security baselines and delivery workflows aligned for assessment readiness
SOC 2 Type II
Access, logging, and policy controls mapped to trust-service criteria
HIPAA
Encryption, access, and audit-trail guardrails for protected workloads
FedRAMP-ready
Government-grade deployment patterns for stricter control environments
Microsoft Partner
Azure-native implementation depth backed by delivery experience

A productized path from architecture risk to operating confidence

Three engagement modes. One accountable architecture lead. Fixed deliverables and clear decision points at each stage.

assess

RECON: establish a decision-ready baseline before build spend

In a focused sprint, we quantify cost leakage, expose control gaps, and remove delivery blockers so leadership can approve a confident plan.

Executive risk baseline with mapped compliance controls
Cost leakage model with prioritized savings opportunities
90-day roadmap with owners, milestones, and budget ranges

Start RECON Intake

build

FOUNDATIONS + INTELLIGENCE: launch a secure Azure core faster

We implement landing zones, guardrails, and automation as fixed-scope programs your team can operate after handover.

Production landing zone with policy, identity, and network guardrails
CI/CD patterns for repeatable infrastructure change
Runbooks and enablement sessions for internal ownership

Scope Platform Build

partner

RETAINER: keep controls, spend, and delivery velocity aligned

After go-live, we stay accountable for architecture quality, drift prevention, and optimization priorities across quarterly cycles.

Quarterly architecture reviews with decision-ready recommendations
Drift detection and remediation priorities by business impact
On-demand senior architect guidance for critical changes

See Retainer Options

Measured outcomes, not architecture slideware

Every engagement includes baselines, weekly checkpoints, and decision-ready updates leadership can act on.

Review client outcomes

38%

Average cost reduction identified during RECON engagements

2-4 weeks

Typical production deployment window

98%+

First-time pass rate (tracked engagements)

Metrics sourced from tracked engagements as of 2026-02-18.

Week 1
Baseline risk, cost, and compliance exposure
Capture business constraints, map control gaps, and lock priorities with executive stakeholders.
Week 2-3
Build and validate the core platform
Deploy landing zone architecture, policy guardrails, and monitoring with weekly decision checkpoints.
Week 4
Transfer ownership with confidence
Deliver runbooks, evidence artifacts, and an operating cadence your team can execute independently.

Azure Insights + Delivery System

Azure-native implementation with an operating model your team can sustain

We prioritize maintainability from day one with explicit control ownership, repeatable deployment patterns, and operational handoff discipline.

Stack implemented

Azure Landing Zones
Azure Policy + RBAC
Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Azure Monitor + Workbooks
Key Vault + Managed Identity
Terraform or Bicep delivery pipelines

Cadence you inherit

One accountable lead architect from kickoff through handover
Weekly executive checkpoints focused on decisions, risks, and blockers
Risk register tied to business impact and owner accountability
Audit-ready evidence package for leadership and assessor reviews

Digital Garden

What We're Learning in Public

Our Digital Garden is a living library of field-tested architecture notes. Unlike static blog posts, these notes are updated as we learn what works in production.

Read how we make decisions on Azure governance, AI architecture, and compliance tradeoffs before they become expensive mistakes.

Read Field Notes

Seedling

6 min

Spec-First on Azure: How One Mid-Size Team Broke Through to Level 4 AI Coding

Most teams plateau at Level 2 AI coding not because their models are weak, but because their inputs are. A spec-first workflow on Azure changes that leverage ratio.