How to Use This Guide¶

Use this repository like a layered architecture workbook rather than a book that must be read cover to cover.

How sections connect¶

flowchart LR
    A[Start Here] --> B[Platform]
    B --> C[WAF]
    C --> D[Patterns]
    D --> E[Workload Guides]
    E --> F[Operations]
    F --> G[Design Labs]
    G --> H[Reference]
    F --> I[Architecture Reviews<br/>Phase 2 planned]

Interpret the connections this way:

[Documented] Platform describes Azure control boundaries and shared services.
[Documented] WAF describes the pillars used to evaluate architecture quality.
[Inferred] Patterns translate those principles into reusable decision shapes.
[Validated] Workload guides give a practical starting topology for common scenarios.
[Validated] Operations turns architecture into durable runtime ownership.
[Validated] Design labs provide the published hands-on validation path in Phase 1.
[Assumed] Architecture Reviews will add a dedicated review layer when the Phase 2 section is published.

How to use this guide with Microsoft documentation¶

This guide is not a replacement for Microsoft Learn.

Use both together:

Need	Start here	Then confirm in Microsoft Learn
Decide between two topology options	This guide	Architecture Center and service docs
Verify official service behavior	Microsoft Learn	Return here for trade-off context
Build or configure a service	Microsoft Learn or sibling service guide	Return here only if the configuration changes architecture
Prepare for a review	This guide	Use Microsoft Learn to validate disputed assumptions

Reading patterns that work well¶

Note

Read horizontally when making a single decision, and vertically when building a full baseline.

Horizontal reading example:

start in platform/network-topology-basics.md
compare with patterns/networking/hub-spoke-vs-virtual-wan.md
validate against waf/reliability.md

Vertical reading example:

start at platform/index.md
continue to one workload baseline
finish with a design lab today, then add an architecture review playbook when Phase 2 publishes

When to stop reading a page¶

Stop and switch sources when you hit one of these conditions:

[Inferred] you now know the decision, but need implementation detail
[Unknown] the claim depends on current service limits or SKU behavior
[Assumed] your organization has policy or compliance constraints not covered here

At that point, use Microsoft Learn for the product facts, then return to this guide if the new information changes the architecture trade-off.

Common misuse patterns¶

[Observed] treating workload guides as mandatory reference architectures instead of starting points
[Observed] using one WAF pillar in isolation and missing cross-pillar trade-offs
[Observed] copying service patterns without checking ownership and operational maturity

Microsoft Learn anchors¶

Takeaway¶

[Inferred] The best use of this guide is iterative.

Use it to frame a decision, move to Microsoft Learn for authoritative detail, then come back to assess trade-offs, ownership, and validation.

How to Use This Guide¶

Recommended reading order¶

If you are starting a new platform or workload¶

If you are reviewing an existing architecture¶

If you are migrating from ad hoc Azure usage to a managed platform¶