Azure VPN and ExpressRoute

Azure VPN and ExpressRoute are two different networking services offered by Microsoft Azure that allow secure and reliable connectivity between on-premises infrastructure and the Azure Cloud.

Azure VPN

Azure VPN is a virtual private network service that enables secure connectivity between Azure resources and on-premises infrastructure or other remote networks over the public internet. Azure VPN supports two types of VPN gateways - VPN Gateway and ExpressRoute Gateway.

Steps for setting up Azure VPN

1. Create a virtual network in Azure
2. Create a VPN gateway in Azure
3. Configure the on-premises VPN device
4. Create a connection between the on-premises VPN device and the Azure VPN gateway

Examples and Use Cases

Some common scenarios where Azure VPN is used are:

• Hybrid cloud deployments: Azure VPN is widely used for connecting on-premises resources to Azure Virtual Networks for a hybrid cloud deployment.
• Remote access: Azure VPN can be configured to allow remote access to Azure resources securely.
• Site-to-site connectivity: Azure VPN can be used to establish secure connectivity between multiple branch offices and Azure Virtual Networks.

Important Points

• Azure VPN uses the industry-standard Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) protocol to establish a secure connection between Azure resources and the on-premises VPN device.
• Azure VPN supports both policy-based and route-based VPN configurations.
• Azure VPN supports up to 1000 site-to-site VPN connections and up to 128 point-to-site VPN connections.

ExpressRoute

ExpressRoute is a dedicated and private connectivity service that is provided by Microsoft Azure to establish a high-throughput, low-latency and secure connection between on-premises infrastructure and Azure resources.

Steps for setting up ExpressRoute

1. Choose a connectivity provider and plan
2. Configure the cross-connection
3. Configure the virtual network and Gateway
4. Connect to the Microsoft Peering and Public Peering services

Examples and Use Cases

Some common scenarios where ExpressRoute is used are:

• Data migration: ExpressRoute can be used to migrate large amounts of data to Azure quickly and securely.
• High performance computing: ExpressRoute can be used for high-performance computing scenarios that require low-latency and high-bandwidth connectivity.
• SaaS connectivity: ExpressRoute can be used to establish a secure and private connection between on-premises infrastructure and SaaS providers like Microsoft Office 365 or Dynamics 365.

Important Points

• ExpressRoute supports both Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity.
• ExpressRoute can be used to connect to Azure services like Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Storage, Azure App Service, and more.
• ExpressRoute supports up to 100 Gbps bandwidth.

Summary

Azure VPN and ExpressRoute are two important networking services provided by Microsoft Azure that enable secure and reliable connectivity between on-premises infrastructure and Azure resources. While Azure VPN uses the public internet for connectivity, ExpressRoute provides a dedicated and private connection that is more secure and reliable. Both services have their unique advantages and are designed to meet varying networking requirements of different scenarios.