Published on July 2, 2024
Updated on July 9, 2024
2 min read
Arc as the control plane
Azure Arc lets you manage on-prem Kubernetes clusters like native Azure resources. Pair it with Azure AI services and you can push inference containers, monitor drift, and apply policy at the edge.
Core components
Arc-enabled AKS or Arc-enabled Kubernetes running on each site (factory, retail, branch).
Azure Container Registry hosting signed inference images.
Azure Monitor + Log Analytics forwarding metrics and logs back to the central SOC.
Azure Key Vault (or Managed HSM) linked via Arc to distribute model secrets securely.
Deployment workflow
Define infrastructure-as-code in Bicep/Terraform to register clusters with Arc and assign policy initiatives (allowed registries, baseline security).
Build AI inference containers (ONNX Runtime, OpenVINO, or NVIDIA Triton) and sign them with Notary.
Use GitOps (Flux or Argo CD) to sync manifests. Azure Policy can enforce specific versions and detect drift.
Stream telemetry via Azure Monitor Metrics and Azure Data Explorer for real-time dashboards.
Insert a walkthrough of Arc extensions, GitOps sync, or policy remediation.
Security guardrails
Enforce private link endpoints for all Arc agents.
Rotate Arc service principals with managed identities.
Use Microsoft Defender for Cloud to scan container images before deployment.
Business scenarios
Industrial vision: detect defects on the production line when connectivity is constrained.
Retail analytics: run queue detection and heat mapping in stores with privacy-sensitive models.
Logistics hubs: route autonomous robots and drones with low-latency inference.
Close with a call to pilot a single site, measure latency and accuracy improvements, then scale to additional factories.
