AZ-104 Exam EP 21: Azure VPN Gateway

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through setting up an Azure VPN Gateway, which is essential for establishing secure connections between your on-premises networks and Azure. It covers the necessary steps to create a site-to-site VPN connection, configure the VPN gateway, and ensure high availability.

Step 1: Understand VPN Gateways

• VPN Gateways facilitate secure communication between Azure and on-premises networks.
• They support various configurations, including point-to-site and site-to-site connections.
• Familiarize yourself with the different types of VPN Gateways offered by Azure.

Step 2: Implement Site-to-Site VPN Connections

• Site-to-site connections allow you to connect your on-premises network to Azure.
• Ensure you have the following:
  • A public IP address for your on-premises VPN device.
  • A local network address space that does not overlap with Azure's address space.

Step 3: Create The Gateway Subnet

• Navigate to the Azure portal and create a new virtual network.
• Define a subnet specifically for the VPN gateway:
  • Go to the "Subnets" section.
  • Create a new subnet named "GatewaySubnet".
  • Allocate an IP address range (e.g., 10.0.1.0/24).

Step 4: Configure the VPN Gateway

• In the Azure portal, select "Create a resource" and choose "Networking".
• Select "VPN Gateway" and fill in the configuration details:
  • Choose the virtual network created earlier.
  • Specify the gateway SKU based on your performance needs.
• Click "Create" to provision the VPN Gateway.

Step 5: Explore VPN Gateway Types

• Understand the different types of VPN Gateways:
  • Route-based: Supports dynamic routing and is more flexible.
  • Policy-based: Uses static routing and is less common.
• Choose the type that best fits your needs.

Step 6: Learn About VPN Gateway SKU and Generation

• Select an appropriate SKU based on your performance and availability requirements.
• Review Azure's documentation for the latest SKU options and their capabilities.
• Remember that SKUs can impact costs, so choose wisely.

Step 7: Create The Local Network Gateway

• In the Azure portal, create a "Local Network Gateway".
• Fill in the following:
  • Name and public IP address of your on-premises VPN device.
  • Address space of your on-premises network.
• Save the configuration.

Step 8: Configure The On-Premises VPN Device

• Access the configuration settings of your on-premises VPN device.
• Input the Azure VPN Gateway's public IP address and configure the appropriate tunneling protocols.
• Ensure that your firewall allows the necessary traffic through.

Step 9: Create The VPN Connection

• In the Azure portal, navigate to your VPN Gateway.
• Select "Connections" and click on "Add".
• Choose "Site-to-Site (IPSec)" as the connection type.
• Link it to the Local Network Gateway created earlier.

Step 10: Ensure High Availability Scenarios

• Consider implementing additional VPN Gateways in different regions for redundancy.
• Use Azure's built-in features for load balancing and failover to enhance availability.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you have learned how to set up an Azure VPN Gateway, create a site-to-site VPN connection, and configure the necessary components for secure communication between Azure and your on-premises network. For further learning, consider exploring additional Azure networking resources or best practices for optimizing VPN performance.