Archives September 2023

Azure ExpressRoute allows you to create private connections between your on-premises networks and the Microsoft cloud, bypassing the public internet. This results in better performance, reliability, and security.

1. Plan and Design:

• Determine the bandwidth requirement for your connection.
• Choose a connectivity provider and location.
• Plan your network, including IP addressing and routing.

2. Set Up:

• Create an Azure ExpressRoute circuit. This can be done in the Azure portal by navigating to the ‘ExpressRoute circuits’ tab and adding a new circuit.
• Configure your network, including the required IP addresses, routes, and VLANs.

3. Connect:

• Establish a connection to your ExpressRoute circuit. This usually involves configuring your connectivity provider’s edge routers and your on-premises network equipment.
• Configure BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) sessions to exchange routing information with Microsoft.

4. Verify:

• Check that the connections are up and the BGP sessions are established.
• Test the connection by sending traffic to and from your Azure virtual networks.

Azure Front Door Setup: Azure Front Door is a global, scalable entry-point that uses the Microsoft global network to aggregate, accelerate, and secure the delivery of your web applications.

1. Create a Front Door:

• Go to the Azure portal, navigate to ‘Create a resource’ > ‘Networking’ > ‘See all’ > ‘Front Door’.
• On the ‘Basics’ tab, enter a name for your Front Door, select the resource group, and the resource group location.

2. Configure Frontend Hosts:

• In the ‘Frontend hosts’ tab, add a new frontend host by entering a name and enabling or disabling session affinity and Web Application Firewall (WAF).

3. Configure Backend Pools:

• In the ‘Backend pools’ tab, add a new backend pool by entering a name, and then add backends to the pool, specifying the backend host, HTTP port, and HTTPS port.

4. Configure Routing Rules:

• In the ‘Routing rules’ tab, add a new routing rule by entering a name, selecting the frontend host, and specifying the accepted protocol, pattern to match, and forwarding details.

5. Configure Health Probes:

• In the ‘Health probes’ tab, add a new health probe by entering a name, and specifying the protocol, path, and interval.

6. Configure Load Balancing:

• In the ‘Load balancing’ tab, add a new load balancing setting by entering a name, and specifying the sample size, successful samples required, and additional latency.

7. Review and Create:

• Review your configuration and then create the Front Door.

8. Configure your application:

• Update your application to use the Front Door URL.

Differences and Benefits:

Azure ExpressRoute:

• Creates a private, dedicated connection between your on-premises network and the Azure cloud.
• Bypasses the public internet, resulting in better performance, reliability, and security.
• Suitable for scenarios where data privacy and low-latency are critical.

Azure Front Door:

• Provides a global, scalable entry-point for the delivery of your web applications.
• Uses the Microsoft global network to aggregate, accelerate, and secure the delivery of your applications.
• Suitable for scenarios where global reach, application acceleration, and security are critical.

Note: Azure Front Door and Azure ExpressRoute serve different purposes and can be used together to provide secure, high-performance access to your applications and data.