Infrastructure as a top-down approach versus bottom-up growth.

Centralized planning has many benefits for infrastructure as evidenced by parallels in construction industry and public transportation. The top-down approach in this context typically refers to a method where policy decisions and strategies are formulated at a higher, often governmental or organizational level, and then implemented down through various levels of the system. This approach contrasts with a bottom-up approach, where policies and strategies are developed based on input and feedback from lower levels, such as local communities or individual stakeholders.

Such a regulatory approach might involve:

Centralized Planning: High-level authorities set infrastructure policies and plans, which are then executed by regional or local agencies.

Regulation and Standards: Establishing uniform regulations and standards for cloud systems, which must be adhered to by all stakeholders.

Funding Allocation: Decisions on the allocation of funds for infrastructure projects are made at a higher level, often based on broader economic and policy goals.

This approach can ensure consistency and alignment with national or regional objectives, but it may also face challenges such as lack of local adaptability and slower response to specific local needs.

On the other hand, a bottom-up approach typically involves building and configuring resources starting from the lower levels of the infrastructure stack, often driven by the needs and inputs of individual teams or developers. This approach contrasts with a top-down approach, where decisions and designs are made at a higher organizational level and then implemented downwards.

Here are some key aspects of the bottom-up approach in Azure deployments:

Developer-Driven: Individual developers or teams have the autonomy to create and manage their own resources, such as virtual machines, databases, and networking components, based on their specific project requirements.

Incremental Development: Infrastructure is built incrementally, starting with basic components and gradually adding more complex services and configurations as needed. This allows for flexibility and adaptability.

Agility and Innovation: Teams can experiment with new services and technologies without waiting for centralized approval, fostering innovation and rapid iteration.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Tools like Terraform and Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates are often used to define and manage infrastructure programmatically. This allows for version control, repeatability, and collaboration.

Feedback Loops: Continuous feedback from the deployment and operation of resources helps teams to quickly identify and address issues, optimizing the infrastructure over time.

This approach can be particularly effective in dynamic environments where requirements change frequently, and rapid deployment and scaling are essential

The right approach depends on a blend of what suits the workloads demanded by the business in the most expedient manner with iterative improvements and what can be curated as patterns and best practices towards a system architecture that will best serve the organization in the long run across changes in business requirements and directions.