Azure VNets

Explanation

Azure Virtual Networks (VNets) is a networking service that allows organizations to securely connect their Azure resources to one another, to on-premises networks, and to the internet. VNets provide isolation and segmentation of network traffic, which can help in optimizing and securing network communications. They can be used to deploy virtual machines, configure load balancers, and manage Azure services such as Azure App Service and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).

Steps

1. Create a VNet: In the Azure portal, select "Create a resource" and search for "Virtual network". Choose the appropriate subscription and resource group, and specify a name, address space, and subnet configuration for the VNet.

2. Add subnets: After creating the VNet, add one or more subnets by navigating to the "Subnets" section and clicking "Add subnet". Specify a subnet name and address prefix, and choose whether to enable network security groups (NSGs) for the subnet.

3. Configure network security: Network security can be configured at the subnet level using NSGs or at the VNet level using Azure Firewall or third-party firewall solutions.

4. Connect to on-premises networks: VNets can be connected to on-premises networks using either a VPN gateway or Azure ExpressRoute.

Examples and Use Cases

• A company may use VNets to deploy a multi-tier web application with separate subnets for web servers, application servers, and databases.
• A healthcare organization may use VNets to ensure secure connectivity between different healthcare applications and data systems, while segregating data according to privacy regulations
• A financial services firm may use VNets to create isolated subnets for each department to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Important Points

• Each Azure region can have multiple VNets, but each VNet can only exist in a single region.
• The IP address space for a VNet cannot be changed after the VNet is created.
• Subnets within a VNet can communicate with each other by default, but communication between VNets requires explicit configuration.
• NSGs can be used to filter network traffic based on source and destination IP addresses, ports, and protocols.

Summary

Azure VNets provide a powerful and flexible networking solution for deploying and managing Azure resources. By creating isolated and segmented network environments, VNets can help to optimize network performance and improve security for enterprise workloads. With a range of configuration options, VNets are highly adaptable to the needs of different organizations and scenarios.