E4 – Enforce
Turn Guardrails Into Action
This is where policy becomes practice. By this phase, tagging is normalized — now, the rules must become active, automated, and respected.
Enforcement isn’t about control — it’s about safety. You’re not blocking innovation, you’re preventing chaos.
Key Actions
- Implement policy-as-code for tag validation and blocking
- Use AWS SCPs, Azure Policy, or GCP Constraints for mandatory tags
- Set exception workflows with defined expiration
- Ensure teams are supported, not surprised
Deliverables
- Live guardrails that prevent critical misconfigurations
- Dashboards tracking enforcement success and exceptions
- Approval workflows and documentation around override process
Good governance doesn’t punish — it protects. Enforce enables scaling without fear.