Staging Azure Deployments

• Azure applications typically have a life cycle in which they are moved across deployment stages from development through production.
• The staging process reduces the risk of problems during deployment by enabling application testing in controlled environments prior to going live in production. 
• Staging can be implemented in several ways with Azure native capabilities and services like GitHub.
• A common approach involves a source control system, build and deployment workflow automation, and landing zones.

Staging is a technique in which an application is deployed to controlled environments, such as development, test, and user acceptance, prior to going live in production. Staging may be used for application code, data, and configuration elements, and it can involve several organizational teams, tools, and automated processes. Customers must plan and configure processes to stage their Azure applications based on their deployment requirements.

Many Approaches, CI/CD Is Common

Azure applications can be staged in several ways. Manual processes in which administrators step through routines using tools such as the Azure portal may suffice for simple applications that are not updated frequently. However, more complex applications, especially mission critical ones, should be staged using a robust process that is less prone to error.