Hybrid Networking in Azure: Step-by-Step Process

-

Hybrid Networking in Azure: Step-by-Step Process


Hybrid networking in Azure allows you to connect your on-premises infrastructure with Azure resources. This enables seamless communication between on-premises networks and Azure Virtual Networks (VNets). The common ways to establish hybrid networking are via VPN connections, Azure Virtual WAN, and other connectivity solutions like ExpressRoute.

In this module, we will cover the following learning objectives, with step-by-step guidance on how to implement each of them:

  1. Design and implement a site-to-site VPN connection.
  2. Design and implement a point-to-site VPN connection.
  3. Design and implement authentication for point-to-site VPN connections.
  4. Design and implement Azure Virtual WAN.

1. Design and Implement a Site-to-Site VPN Connection

A Site-to-Site VPN connection securely connects your on-premises network to an Azure Virtual Network (VNet) over the internet. This is typically used to extend your on-premises network to Azure.

Step-by-Step: Implementing a Site-to-Site VPN

  1. Prerequisites:

    • Azure VPN Gateway: You need an Azure VPN Gateway deployed in the VNet.
    • On-premises VPN Device: Your on-premises router or firewall must support VPN connections.

  2. Create a Virtual Network Gateway in Azure:

    1. Sign in to the Azure Portal.
    2. Navigate to Create a resource > Networking > VPN Gateway.
    3. Fill in the following:
      • Subscription: Select your subscription.
      • Resource Group: Choose an existing or new resource group.
      • Region: Select the region where your VNet exists.
      • Gateway type: Select VPN.
      • VPN type: Choose Route-based.
      • SKU: Choose an appropriate SKU, e.g., Standard or High Performance.
    4. Click Next and configure the Public IP address:
      • Select Create new for a new public IP.
    5. Review your configuration and click Create to deploy the gateway.

  3. Configure the On-premises VPN Device:

    • On your on-premises router/firewall, configure a VPN connection to the Azure VPN Gateway. This will include settings like:
      • Public IP address of the Azure VPN Gateway.
      • Shared secret key (a password used for the VPN connection).
      • IP ranges of your on-premises network and the Azure VNet.

  4. Configure the VPN Connection in Azure:

    1. Go to your VPN Gateway in the Azure portal.
    2. Under Settings, select Connections and click + Add.
    3. Enter a name for the connection.
    4. Select Site-to-site (IPSec) as the connection type.
    5. Enter the on-premises gateway’s IP address.
    6. Set the Shared secret key (must match the one used on your on-premises VPN device).
    7. Click OK to create the connection.

  5. Verify the Connection:

    • Once the connection is established, verify it by checking the Connection status in the VPN Gateway pane. It should show Connected.

2. Design and Implement a Point-to-Site VPN Connection

A Point-to-Site (P2S) VPN connection allows individual clients (like laptops or desktops) to securely connect to an Azure VNet. It is commonly used when you need secure access for remote users.

Step-by-Step: Implementing a Point-to-Site VPN

  1. Create a Virtual Network Gateway (if not done already): Follow the same steps as above to create a VPN Gateway in Azure.

  2. Configure the Point-to-Site VPN:

    1. In the Azure portal, navigate to your VPN Gateway.
    2. Under Settings, select Point-to-site configuration.
    3. Click + Configure Now.
    4. VPN Type: Choose Route-based.
    5. Address Pool: Define an IP address pool (e.g., 172.16.0.0/24). These IPs will be assigned to the remote users when they connect to the VPN.
    6. Tunnel Type: Choose either IKEv2 or OpenVPN (depending on the client requirements).
    7. Click Save.

  3. Generate and Download VPN Client Configuration:

    • After saving the configuration, click Download VPN client.
    • This package contains the configuration files necessary for remote users to connect to the Azure VPN.

  4. Install VPN Client on Remote Machines:

    • On the remote machine (e.g., a user's laptop), install the downloaded VPN client package.
    • The client will automatically configure the VPN connection.

  5. Test the VPN Connection:

    • After installation, users can connect to the Azure network by initiating the VPN connection.
    • Test the connection by pinging resources in the VNet or accessing internal applications.

3. Design and Implement Authentication for Point-to-Site VPN Connections

Authentication for Point-to-Site VPN connections ensures secure access to the Azure VNet by validating user credentials. There are different authentication methods available:

  • Azure Certificate Authentication (recommended).
  • RADIUS Authentication (optional).

Step-by-Step: Configuring Certificate-Based Authentication

  1. Generate Certificates:

    1. Generate a root certificate and client certificates.
    2. The root certificate is used to validate the client certificates.
    3. You can generate these certificates using PowerShell or OpenSSL.

  2. Upload the Root Certificate to Azure:

    1. In the Azure portal, go to your VPN Gateway.
    2. Under Settings, select Point-to-site configuration.
    3. Click + Upload under the Root certificate section.
    4. Upload the .cer file of your root certificate.

  3. Configure the VPN Client with the Client Certificate:

    • The client machine should be configured to use the client certificate when connecting to the VPN. This can be done by importing the client certificate into the Personal Certificate Store on the machine.

  4. Verify Authentication:

    • Once the certificates are in place, users will authenticate using the client certificate when initiating the VPN connection.

4. Design and Implement Azure Virtual WAN

Azure Virtual WAN (Wide Area Network) is a networking service that simplifies large-scale branch connectivity, providing optimized routing, security, and connectivity between Azure resources and remote locations.

Step-by-Step: Implementing Azure Virtual WAN

  1. Create an Azure Virtual WAN:

    1. In the Azure portal, search for Virtual WAN.
    2. Click + Create to create a new Virtual WAN.
    3. Fill in the following:
      • Subscription: Select your Azure subscription.
      • Resource Group: Choose an existing or new resource group.
      • Name: Provide a name for the Virtual WAN.
      • Region: Select the region where the Virtual WAN will be deployed.
    4. Click Review + Create, then click Create.

  2. Create a Virtual Hub:

    • A Virtual Hub is a central point in the Virtual WAN where branch offices, VPNs, and Azure VNets connect.
    1. Go to your newly created Virtual WAN.
    2. Under Hubs, click + Add Hub.
    3. Provide a name, region, and select the Virtual WAN to associate the hub with.
    4. Click Review + Create and then click Create.

  3. Connect a VPN Gateway to the Virtual Hub:

    • You can connect VPN gateways, branch offices, and remote users to the Virtual Hub.
    1. Go to your Virtual Hub.
    2. Under Settings, select VPN Connections.
    3. Click + Add and configure the VPN settings for site-to-site or point-to-site connections.

  4. Configure Branch-to-Cloud Connectivity:

    • You can connect your on-premises network to the Virtual WAN using site-to-site VPN, ExpressRoute, or Azure VPN Gateway.
    • This step will vary depending on the solution you choose (VPN or ExpressRoute).

  5. Monitoring and Troubleshooting:

    • Use Network Watcher and other Azure monitoring tools to monitor the health of the Virtual WAN and troubleshoot any connectivity issues.

Conclusion

In this module, you have learned how to:

  1. Design and implement a Site-to-Site VPN connection between an on-premises network and Azure.
  2. Design and implement a Point-to-Site VPN connection for individual client devices.
  3. Implement authentication for Point-to-Site VPN connections using certificate-based authentication.
  4. Design and implement Azure Virtual WAN for optimized networking and seamless connectivity across multiple locations.

By following these steps, you will have successfully set up a hybrid network connecting on-premises resources and Azure Virtual Networks, enabling secure and reliable communication between your environments.

Comments

Post a Comment

Thank You for Sharing your feedback, We hope article was helpful in some way to you.

Popular posts from this blog

Everything You Need to Know About Online Archive in Office 365

-
Image
Everything You Need to Know About Online Archive in Office 365 Office 365 (O365), now referred to as Microsoft 365 , is a cloud-based suite that offers a range of applications designed to boost productivity and collaboration. One key feature of Microsoft 365 is the Online Archive , a service designed to help users manage large email mailboxes by offloading older items to a secondary storage. This blog post will dive into what Online Archive in Office 365 is, how it works, the different licensing requirements, and why it's an essential feature for users managing vast amounts of emails. What is Online Archive in Office 365? 🔍 What is Online Archive in Office 365? (Detailed Step-by-Step Explanation) Microsoft 365 Online Archive, also known as In-Place Archive, is a mailbox feature in Microsoft Exchange Online (part of Office 365) that provides users with an additional mailbox storage space when their primary mailbox gets full. This is especially useful for organizations with stri...
Read more

How to Add a Custom Domain in Office 365 and Set Up Users with Business Standard License

-
Image
How to Add a Custom Domain in Office 365 and Set Up Users with Business Standard License Introduction Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) allows businesses to use their own domain for email and collaboration services. In this guide, we will walk through adding a custom domain in Office 365, creating users, assigning licenses, logging into webmail, and configuring Outlook for desktop and laptop. Step 1: Adding a Custom Domain in Office 365 Sign in to Microsoft 365 Admin Center Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center Log in with your administrator credentials. Add Your Domain Navigate to Settings > Domains Click Add Domain and enter your custom domain (e.g., yourcompany.com). Verify Domain Ownership Microsoft will provide TXT, MX, and CNAME records. Add these records to your domain registrar's DNS settings. Click Verify after adding the records. Update DNS Records Configure MX records for email and CNAME records for Autodiscover. Save changes and wait for pr...
Read more

Migrating from an on-premise system to Office 365 over view

-
Image
Migrating from an on-premise system to Office 365 requires careful planning and execution to ensure minimal disruption and to maximize the benefits of the cloud environment. Below is a step-by-step guide to help your team through the migration process: Step 1: Assessment and Planning Understand the Current Environment Assess the existing on-premise system. Identify which services are in use (email, file storage, collaboration tools, etc.). Analyze the size of the data, number of users, and system configurations. Define Migration Goals Set clear objectives for migration. Are you moving all services to Office 365, or just specific ones (e.g., Exchange Online, SharePoint Online)? Determine the timeline for migration. Evaluate Office 365 Licensing Needs Determine which Office 365 plans (e.g., Business Basic, Business Standard, Enterprise E3, E5) meet the organization’s needs. Ensure the appropriate licenses are purchased for all users. Create a Migration Strategy ...
Read more