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Policy layer

As explained in Authorization in Action

A policy layer is a logically distinct scope of authorization policies governed and managed as a unit.

A policy layer is a distinct authorization scope managed as a unit. In a multi-tenant system, layers can align with system, application, and tenant boundaries so teams can clarify where policies run and who owns them. section 13.7

A coherent policy layer connects:

  • Identity models that represent principals, tenants, and resources consistently. section 13.7
  • Externalized policy evaluation, enforcement points, shared schemas, visibility queries, and auditable decisions. section 13.7
  • Governance that assigns owners, reviews changes, verifies signals, and maintains reliability as requirements change. section 13.7
Table 13.4 Integration checklist for adopting a policy engine

Step

What to establish

Why it matters

1. Map boundaries.

Identify system, application, and tenant scopes.

Clarifies which policies run where and who owns them

2. Define the identity model.

Standardize how principals, tenants, and resources are represented.

Ensures every PDP can reason over the same entities

3. Externalize decisions.

Move allow/deny logic from code to policy evaluation.

Enables consistency and auditability

4. Place enforcement points.

Insert PEPs at gateways, services, and (optionally) the UI.

Keeps policy evaluation close to data while preserving performance

5. Establish the schema.

Create a shared Cedar schema for all policy layers.

Guarantees type safety and cross-layer compatibility

6. Support partial evaluation.

Precompute scopes for fast UI search and discovery.

Improves responsiveness without compromising correctness

7. Implement logging and versioning.

Record every decision, and track policy versions.

Enables rollback, audit, and long-term governance

Use the integration checklist to map boundaries, standardize identities and schemas, place enforcement points, externalize decisions, and support partial evaluation. section 13.7

How Authorization in Action covers it

How deep it goes
Connects layers to identity, schemas, enforcement points, visibility queries, and auditability, but defers detailed lifecycle management.
Examples
Uses ACME’s migration from an internal tool to a multi-tenant cloud platform and a policy-engine integration checklist.
What it assumes
Assumes an existing system and teaches teams to establish identity, tenancy, enforcement, schema, and audit foundations.
What you can do after
Operate/configure policy layers by mapping boundaries, assigning ownership, standardizing schemas, and auditing decisions.
How it connects
Connects authorization with identity models, multi-tenancy, policy engines, policy evaluation, enforcement points, schemas, and governance.
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