# ARC Policy as Code
> **π Enterprise-grade policy management for GitHub Actions Runner Controller**
>
> Transform ARC governance from manual processes to automated, code-driven policy enforcement with comprehensive compliance frameworks and AI-powered policy optimization.
## π― Overview
ARC Policy as Code enables organizations to define, validate, and enforce governance policies for GitHub Actions Runner Controller infrastructure through declarative configuration files. This approach ensures consistent security, compliance, and operational standards across all ARC deployments.
## ποΈ Policy Architecture
```
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β Policy Engine Architecture β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β π Policy Definition β YAML/JSON declarative config β
β π Policy Validation β Real-time compliance checks β
β π‘οΈ Policy Enforcement β Automated remediation β
β π Policy Reporting β Compliance dashboards β
β π€ Policy Optimization β AI-powered recommendations β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
```
## π Policy Categories
### π Security Policies
Enforce security best practices across all ARC components:
```yaml
# Security policy example
apiVersion: arc.policy/v1
kind: SecurityPolicy
metadata:
name: production-security
spec:
containerSecurity:
allowPrivileged: false
runAsNonRoot: true
readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
allowedCapabilities: []
networkSecurity:
networkPolicies: required
allowedCIDRs: ["10.0.0.0/8", "172.16.0.0/12"]
egressControl: strict
imageSecurity:
allowedRegistries:
- "ghcr.io/actions/*"
- "gcr.io/company-registry/*"
scanRequired: true
vulnerabilityThreshold: "medium"
secretManagement:
encryptionAtRest: required
rotationPolicy: "90d"
accessLogging: enabled
```
### π Compliance Policies
Meet regulatory and organizational compliance requirements:
```yaml
# SOC2 compliance policy
apiVersion: arc.policy/v1
kind: CompliancePolicy
metadata:
name: soc2-compliance
spec:
framework: "SOC2"
controls:
CC6.1: # Logical and Physical Access Controls
description: "The entity implements logical access security software"
requirements:
- rbacEnabled: true
- auditLogging: comprehensive
- accessReview: quarterly
CC6.7: # Data Transmission and Disposal
description: "The entity restricts the transmission of data"
requirements:
- tlsRequired: true
- dataEncryption: "AES-256"
- secureDelete: enabled
CC7.1: # System Monitoring
description: "The entity monitors system components"
requirements:
- monitoringEnabled: true
- alerting: configured
- incidentResponse: automated
```
### β‘ Performance Policies
Optimize resource utilization and performance characteristics:
```yaml
# Performance optimization policy
apiVersion: arc.policy/v1
kind: PerformancePolicy
metadata:
name: performance-optimization
spec:
resourceLimits:
cpu:
min: "100m"
max: "2000m"
default: "500m"
memory:
min: "256Mi"
max: "4Gi"
default: "1Gi"
scalingPolicy:
minReplicas: 1
maxReplicas: 20
targetUtilization: 70
scaleUpPeriod: "30s"
scaleDownPeriod: "300s"
performanceTargets:
startupTime: "60s"
jobCompletionTime: "300s"
resourceEfficiency: 85
```
### π° Cost Policies
Control and optimize infrastructure costs:
```yaml
# Cost optimization policy
apiVersion: arc.policy/v1
kind: CostPolicy
metadata:
name: cost-optimization
spec:
budgetLimits:
monthly: "$5000"
daily: "$200"
alertThreshold: 80
resourceOptimization:
idleTimeout: "15m"
weekendScaling: 0.3 # 30% of weekday capacity
nightScaling: 0.5 # 50% of day capacity
costAllocation:
tagging: required
chargeback: enabled
reportingFrequency: "weekly"
wasteDetection:
underutilizedThreshold: 20
oversizedThreshold: 90
autoRightsize: true
```
### π οΈ Operational Policies
Ensure operational excellence and reliability:
```yaml
# Operational excellence policy
apiVersion: arc.policy/v1
kind: OperationalPolicy
metadata:
name: ops-excellence
spec:
monitoring:
metricsCollection: required
loggingLevel: "info"
healthChecks: enabled
slaTargets:
availability: "99.9%"
responseTime: "2s"
backup:
configBackup: daily
retentionPeriod: "30d"
crossRegion: true
maintenance:
maintenanceWindow: "Sunday 02:00-04:00 UTC"
autoUpdates: security-only
rollbackStrategy: automatic
documentation:
changeLog: required
runbooks: current
architectureDiagrams: updated
```
## ποΈ Policy Configuration
### π Quick Start: Generate Your Policy Config
The easiest way to get started with policy configuration is using the **policy generator tool**:
```bash
# Generate a basic policy config
arc_generate_policy_config \
--organization "my-org" \
--environment "production" \
--requirements "Strict security, cost optimization"
# Generated: configs/policies/arc-policy-config.json
# Auto-discovered by arc_validate_policies!
```
**Benefits:**
- β
Intelligent defaults based on your requirements
- β
Environment-specific configurations
- β
Auto-discovered (no path specification needed)
- β
Git-friendly (configs/ folder structure)
**Learn more:** See [POLICY_VALIDATION.md](POLICY_VALIDATION.md#policy-configuration-generator-tool) for full documentation.
---
### Policy File Structure
```yaml
# Complete policy configuration example
apiVersion: arc.policy/v1
kind: PolicyConfiguration
metadata:
name: enterprise-arc-policy
namespace: arc-system
labels:
environment: production
compliance: soc2
spec:
# Global policy settings
enforementMode: "strict" # strict|advisory|monitoring
validationWebhook: enabled
policyViolationActions:
- alert
- block
- remediate
# Policy includes
includes:
- security-policy.yaml
- compliance-policy.yaml
- performance-policy.yaml
- cost-policy.yaml
- operational-policy.yaml
# Environment-specific overrides
environments:
development:
enforementMode: "advisory"
autoRemediation: false
staging:
enforementMode: "strict"
autoRemediation: true
production:
enforementMode: "strict"
autoRemediation: false # Manual approval required
# Exception handling
exceptions:
- policy: "security.privileged-containers"
reason: "Database initialization requires privileges"
approver: "security-team@company.com"
expiry: "2024-06-01"
```
### Policy Validation Rules
#### Security Validation
```yaml
# Security validation rules
securityRules:
- name: "no-privileged-containers"
description: "Containers must not run in privileged mode"
severity: "critical"
rule: |
spec.template.spec.containers[*].securityContext.privileged != true
- name: "required-security-context"
description: "All containers must have security context defined"
severity: "high"
rule: |
spec.template.spec.containers[*].securityContext != null
- name: "non-root-user"
description: "Containers must run as non-root user"
severity: "high"
rule: |
spec.template.spec.containers[*].securityContext.runAsNonRoot == true
```
#### Resource Validation
```yaml
# Resource validation rules
resourceRules:
- name: "cpu-limits-required"
description: "CPU limits must be specified"
severity: "medium"
rule: |
spec.template.spec.containers[*].resources.limits.cpu != null
- name: "memory-limits-required"
description: "Memory limits must be specified"
severity: "medium"
rule: |
spec.template.spec.containers[*].resources.limits.memory != null
- name: "resource-ratios"
description: "Resource requests should be reasonable relative to limits"
severity: "low"
rule: |
spec.template.spec.containers[*].resources.requests.cpu <=
spec.template.spec.containers[*].resources.limits.cpu * 0.8
```
## π€ AI-Powered Policy Management
### Intelligent Policy Generation
```yaml
# AI policy generation configuration
apiVersion: arc.policy/v1
kind: PolicyGeneration
metadata:
name: ai-policy-assistant
spec:
aiEngine:
provider: "openai"
model: "gpt-4"
analysisScope:
- existing-configurations
- security-vulnerabilities
- compliance-requirements
- performance-metrics
- cost-patterns
generationRules:
- analyzeWorkloadPatterns: true
- suggestOptimizations: true
- identifyGaps: true
- recommendBestPractices: true
outputFormat:
- yaml-policies
- markdown-documentation
- remediation-scripts
- compliance-reports
```
### Policy Optimization Engine
```yaml
# Policy optimization configuration
apiVersion: arc.policy/v1
kind: PolicyOptimization
metadata:
name: policy-optimizer
spec:
optimizationTargets:
- security-posture
- compliance-coverage
- operational-efficiency
- cost-effectiveness
learningData:
violationHistory: 90d
performanceMetrics: 30d
costData: 180d
incidentData: 365d
recommendations:
frequency: weekly
autoApply: false
confidenceThreshold: 0.85
feedback:
collectUserFeedback: true
trackEffectiveness: true
improveRecommendations: true
```
## π§ Policy Implementation
### MCP Tool Integration
Use ARC MCP tools to manage policies programmatically:
```typescript
// Generate policies using AI
const policyGeneration = await mcpClient.call("arc_generate_policies", {
organization: "my-company",
compliance_framework: "SOC2",
security_level: "strict",
environment: "production"
});
// Validate existing configuration
const validation = await mcpClient.call("arc_validate_policies", {
policy_file: "enterprise-arc-policy.yaml",
scope: "production",
severity_filter: "critical"
});
// Apply policy recommendations
const optimization = await mcpClient.call("arc_optimize_policies", {
analysis_period: "30d",
apply_recommendations: true,
confidence_threshold: 0.8
});
```
### GitOps Integration
Integrate policy management with GitOps workflows:
```yaml
# GitOps policy workflow
name: ARC Policy Management
on:
push:
paths: ['policies/**']
schedule:
- cron: '0 0 * * 0' # Weekly policy review
jobs:
validate-policies:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Validate Policy Syntax
uses: ./actions/validate-policies
with:
policy-directory: ./policies
- name: Security Scan
uses: ./actions/policy-security-scan
with:
policies: ./policies/**/*.yaml
- name: Compliance Check
uses: ./actions/compliance-validation
with:
framework: SOC2
policies: ./policies
apply-policies:
needs: validate-policies
if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- name: Deploy Policies
uses: ./actions/deploy-arc-policies
with:
cluster: production
policies: ./policies
dry-run: false
```
## π Policy Monitoring & Reporting
### Real-time Compliance Dashboard
Monitor policy compliance in real-time:
```yaml
# Compliance monitoring configuration
apiVersion: arc.policy/v1
kind: ComplianceMonitoring
metadata:
name: compliance-dashboard
spec:
monitoring:
realTimeValidation: true
alerting: enabled
reportingFrequency: daily
dashboards:
- name: "Security Posture"
metrics:
- policy-violations-by-severity
- security-scan-results
- access-control-effectiveness
- name: "Compliance Status"
metrics:
- soc2-control-compliance
- audit-readiness-score
- exception-tracking
- name: "Cost Optimization"
metrics:
- cost-policy-violations
- resource-optimization-opportunities
- budget-utilization
```
### Automated Reporting
Generate comprehensive compliance reports:
```typescript
// Generate compliance report
const complianceReport = await mcpClient.call("arc_generate_compliance_report", {
framework: "SOC2",
time_period: "monthly",
include_remediation: true,
format: "pdf",
recipients: ["compliance@company.com", "security@company.com"]
});
// Schedule automated reports
const reportSchedule = await mcpClient.call("arc_schedule_reports", {
reports: [
{
type: "security-posture",
frequency: "weekly",
recipients: ["security-team@company.com"]
},
{
type: "cost-optimization",
frequency: "monthly",
recipients: ["finops@company.com"]
}
]
});
```
## π οΈ Advanced Policy Features
### Dynamic Policy Adjustment
Automatically adjust policies based on environment and workload:
```yaml
# Dynamic policy configuration
apiVersion: arc.policy/v1
kind: DynamicPolicy
metadata:
name: adaptive-policies
spec:
triggers:
- name: "high-load-scaling"
condition: "cpu_utilization > 80%"
adjustments:
maxReplicas: "*2"
resourceLimits: "+50%"
- name: "security-incident"
condition: "security_alert == 'critical'"
adjustments:
enforementMode: "strict"
networkPolicies: "deny-all"
auditLogging: "verbose"
- name: "cost-optimization"
condition: "budget_utilization > 90%"
adjustments:
autoScaling: "aggressive"
idleTimeout: "5m"
weekendScaling: "0.1"
```
### Policy Testing Framework
Test policies before deployment:
```yaml
# Policy testing configuration
apiVersion: arc.policy/v1
kind: PolicyTest
metadata:
name: security-policy-tests
spec:
testSuites:
- name: "Security Compliance"
tests:
- name: "Privileged containers blocked"
input: "./test-data/privileged-pod.yaml"
expectedResult: "blocked"
- name: "Valid security context passes"
input: "./test-data/secure-pod.yaml"
expectedResult: "allowed"
- name: "Resource limits enforced"
input: "./test-data/unlimited-pod.yaml"
expectedResult: "blocked"
automation:
runOnPolicyChange: true
runOnSchedule: "0 2 * * *" # Daily at 2 AM
reportResults: true
```
## π Getting Started with Policy as Code
### 1. Initial Policy Setup
```bash
# Generate starter policies
arc_generate_policies \
--organization "my-company" \
--compliance "SOC2" \
--security-level "standard" \
--output "./policies/"
# Validate generated policies
arc_validate_policies \
--policy-directory "./policies/" \
--dry-run
# Apply policies to cluster
arc_apply_policies \
--policy-directory "./policies/" \
--cluster "production" \
--enforce
```
### 2. Continuous Policy Management
```bash
# Monitor policy compliance
arc_policy_status \
--dashboard \
--alerts-enabled
# Optimize policies based on usage
arc_optimize_policies \
--analysis-period "30d" \
--apply-recommendations \
--confidence-threshold 0.8
# Generate compliance report
arc_compliance_report \
--framework "SOC2" \
--format "pdf" \
--email "compliance@company.com"
```
## π Policy Examples & Templates
### Industry-Specific Templates
- **Financial Services**: FFIEC, PCI-DSS compliance
- **Healthcare**: HIPAA, HITECH requirements
- **Government**: FedRAMP, FISMA standards
- **Manufacturing**: ISO 27001, SOX compliance
### Environment Templates
- **Development**: Permissive policies for rapid iteration
- **Staging**: Production-like policies with some flexibility
- **Production**: Strict enforcement with minimal exceptions
### Workload Templates
- **CI/CD Pipelines**: Optimized for build performance
- **Web Applications**: Security-focused with performance balance
- **Data Processing**: Resource optimization with compliance
- **Machine Learning**: GPU resource management with security
---
<div align="center">
**π Ready to implement Policy as Code?**
[Quick Start Guide](./QUICKSTART.md) β’ [Policy Templates](../templates/) β’ [Compliance Frameworks](./COMPLIANCE_FRAMEWORKS.md)
*Transform ARC governance from manual processes to automated policy excellence* β¨
</div>