Azure Vnet Peering - azure

Can someone let me know when Microsoft Azure introduced Vnet Peering? I'm working with a company that has introduced a number of Vnets (8 Vnets) for security. I'm trying to suggest that creating that number of Vnets is unnecessary.
I just would like to know if there are any other benefits to Vnet peering and when it was first introduced by Azure?
Cheers
Carlton

I just would like to know if there are any other benefits to Vnet
peering and when it was first introduced by Azure?
Virtual network peering enables you to connect two virtual networks in the same region through the Azure backbone network. Once peered, the two virtual networks appear as one, for connectivity purposes. The two virtual networks are still managed as separate resources, but virtual machines in the peered virtual networks can communicate with each other directly, by using private IP addresses. More information about this please refer to this link.
I'm trying to suggest that creating that number of Vnets is
unnecessary.
It depends on your company's need. If you want to connect two Vnets, you must create a peering tunnel.
VNet peering is between two virtual networks, and there is no derived transitive relationship.
In others words, if you want 3 VNets to be both interconnected, you need create 3 peering tunnels. Please refer to the similar question.

We announced peering in September 2016. See our service update for reference: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/vnet-peering-ga/
VNet peering has many benefits: low latency, high bandwidth, direct VM to VM connectivity among others. You can see a comprehensive list here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-network-peering-overview
You can also suggest using subnets in the same virtual network: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/virtual-networks-create-vnet-arm-pportal
-- Anavi N [MSFT]

Related

Hub VNET in cloud-only environment approach

I was told recently that the Hub VNET is only used in case there is on-premise networking to/from considerations.
I am quite surprised as were many, at the table.
I was under the impression if I have, say, a AZURE Cloud only env. that I could still have a Hub Spoke approach. Or is this not so? What would be the preferred non-Hub Spoke approach if there is peering or inter-VNET access required?
I am aware of VNET Peering and other methods to access resources in other VNETs, API's and Private Link.
The hub-spoke approach works great in some scenarios in cloud-only environments - although in most of docs or architectural patterns Microsoft shows it together with on-prem connectivity.
I used it frequently when we shared some resources like ACR, Log Analytics or simply to host a jump host (with Bastion) to access resources in other networks.
One of the most common scenarios is also the Azure Monitor Private Link Scope, where the hub-spoke topology is recommended:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-monitor/logs/private-link-design#hub-and-spoke-networks
In an Azure Cloud only environment, you can still have a Hub-Spoke approach and this is the recommended one.
While you can cross-peer different spokes to form a Mesh for spokes to exchange data (in a non-Hub scenario), this will become complicated as the number of spokes increases. You will have to configure 1:n Peering in every VNet.
With Hub-Spoke model, you have to route spoke-spoke traffic via Hub Vnet, but the advantage here is that the Hub Vnet becomes the single point entry for the environment and you can deploy resources here that would be shared and used by all other VNets (such as custom DNS server, Firewall)

How to connect overlapping VNets in Azure?

I am working on an Azure-based networking solution.
We have a typical hub and spoke VNets topology. The Hub VNet connects to on-prem DC via ExpressRoute and spoke VNets peer to Hub VNet. There is an Azure Firewall in the Hub that filters traffic between Hub-spokes and hub-on-prem segments. GREEN in the diagram
We have a bizarre requirement of adding a new isolated VNet (RED in the diagram) that will have overlapping IPs with the existing network (GREEN). We want to allow workloads in this new VNet to access private apps deployed in Hub or on-prem.
I need help on how to achieve this connectivity.
Note: We don't want to set up any VPN between the new VNet and Hub
As you might appreciate, this is more of a general networking limitation moreso than an Azure limitation. If we want two different networks with overlapping IP addresses to communicate then we would need networking devices in between both networks that perform some form of network address translation so the IP addresses appear to be different to the communicating hosts. Below is an example from the Azure documentation
Logically you have two options here:
Create your own network devices and configure routes between these subnets to transit your virtual appliance that does the translation.
Use the managed service from Azure. In this case, it's the Azure VPN Gateway
I saw your note above for not wanting to use any VPN devices. Having said that, however, generally speaking it is usually a better option from an availability & supportability perspective to leverage the built-in offering vs. hand rolling your own virtual appliance using IP tables or a Windows NAT Router or something similar. Hope this clarifies.
It is not possible to peer Virtual Networks with overlapping IP addresses. This is documented here. You will have to move to a different address space and move/recreate resources under this new address space.
If it helps you can take a look at this Checklist before moving resources.

How to Create Network Connection between two existing VM in Azure Portal

I have Two Azure VMs which has been created for about 6 months now. The VMs are in use by different members of the same project teams, now I want to know how I can network the VMs together (for direct transfer of large files) without having to delete and recreate them.
#faruq bello If the VMs are in the same Virtual Network you should be able connect them without any additional configuration, if not please check the NSG rules or firewall on the VMs to see if it is blocking any connectivity.
If they are not in the same virtual network I think you can establish connectivity by using Virtual network peering in this scenario. If the VMs are in the same Azure region you can use Virtual network peering and across Azure region you can use Global virtual network peering. Please be aware of constraints for globally peered virtual networks.

Azure , connecting two virtual machines without using virtual network gateway?

How to connect two virtual machines without using virtual network gateway in azure??
(The two vm's have been created in two different virtual networks)
Well, This are different Connectivity scenarios for Vnet to Vnet in Azure, and then you can connect your VMs from each other:
VNets are in a same location: Create a virtual network peering. It can work on different deployment models and subscriptions, but except different locations. Peering doesn't need Vnet gateway.
VNets are in different locations:Create a VPN Gateway to connect different VNets. This work on all different Vnets from different deployment models , subscriptions, locations.This need to create VPN gateway.
VNets are in different locations:You can use VPN software on your VM to connect each other if your VMs are in different location. This also doesn't need Vnet gateway.
VNets are in different locations:You can also add IIS service on your VMs, and you can connect VMs from public traffic.
If your Vnets are in same location , creating Vnet peering is best choice.

How to connect 2 cross region azure vnet using express route

I have one vnet in Australia East and another in Australia southeast
I need minimum latency setup between these 2 regions.
I am looking at ER connection to both VNET but cant find any detailed guide on this. Traffic will be bidirectional.
Please suggest if someone carried out something similar
Thanks
There are three options to achieve connecting Vnet's in different regions:
Global VNET peering
VNET-to-VNET connection
Expressroute
As for the question,
How to connect 2 cross region azure Vnet using express route ?
Each VNET that is connected to an Expressroute circuit, becomes part of the same routing domain. This means that each VNET that is connected to Expressroute, regardless of whether it is in the same region or in a different region, will have connectivity to each other.
The connection between the two gateways would happen at the peering location, but would not go over the peered network. Meaning, the connection stays on the Microsoft network, but the hairpin happens at the peering location.
Reference: How to Link Vnet to ExpressRoute Circuit

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