Article

Understanding the Differences Between Azure Government and Azure Commercial Cloud

by Jeff Christman
Senior Consultant, Cloud Security

In my current role supporting federal contractors, I frequently work with the Azure Government Cloud. With prior experience using Azure Commercial Cloud, I’ve had the opportunity to compare the two environments side by side. While they share core capabilities, there are several key differences, especially in terms of architecture, access, and compliance.

Security and Compliance

Azure Government is designed to meet stringent U.S. government security and compliance requirements. It is FedRAMP High authorized and compliant with additional regulations such as DoD SRG, ITAR, and CJIS. Unlike the Commercial cloud, every subscription must achieve an “Authority to Operate” (ATO) before it can be used in a production environment by a federal agency.

One of the first differences you'll encounter is how you log in. Azure Government uses a distinct portal—portal.azure.us, not the standard portal.azure.com—and authentication flows are different. Scripts, templates, and automation tools must account for this separation. In many cases, you’ll need to modify your tooling and endpoints accordingly.

Project Execution and Access Limitations

When working in Azure Government, you're likely to encounter tighter access controls and stricter change management. For instance, I use a government-issued laptop with limited permissions—I can’t run PowerShell as an administrator or use USB drives, and I have no local admin rights. This means tasks that are routine in Commercial environments often require additional approvals and coordination.

In one recent case, it took nearly a month to obtain read-only access to a government AWS tenant due to the layered approval process. This is common in federal environments, where even minor configuration changes may need to go through a formal Change Control Board to avoid jeopardizing FedRAMP authorization.

Technical Differences and Tooling Adjustments

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About Jeff Christman

Jeff Christman is a distinguished Navy Veteran boasting more than two decades of expertise in the Information Technology sector. He possesses a specialized focus on cloud migration projects, having contributed his skills to prestigious organizations including Raytheon, AT&T, and NASA. Presently, he holds the position of Senior Cloud Security Consultant at a prominent consulting firm. Beyond his professional endeavors, Jeff is an accomplished author and educator, developing and publishing content and courses for renowned platforms such as Pluralsight.com, Techsnips.io, and Adamtheautomator.com.

Outside of his professional pursuits, Jeff enjoys engaging in fantasy football, exploring advancements in technology, and playfully teasing his teenage daughters.

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