Azure networking essentials

Understanding the fundamentals of Azure networking is critical when it comes to using Azure for your cloud computing needs. In this blog post, We’ll stick our toes into Azure networking and look at some of the key concepts and features you should be aware of.

Let’s begin with a look at Azure virtual networks. An Azure virtual network (VNet) is a cloud-based logical representation of your own network. It’s a critical component of your Azure environment, providing the networking infrastructure required to deploy your resources. You can use an Azure VNet to create a private and secure cloud network that is isolated from other networks. An Azure VNet allows you to connect your resources to the Internet, your on-premises network, or other Azure VNets.

Depending on your requirements, you can use a variety of Azure VNets. These are some examples:

• Basic VNets: The simplest and most cost-effective type of VNet is the basic VNet. They are best suited for straightforward scenarios and do not support advanced networking features such as load balancers or VPN gateways.
• Standard VNets have more features than basic VNets and can support advanced networking features such as load balancers and VPN gateways. They are ideal for scenarios that necessitate more sophisticated networking capabilities.
• Hub and spoke VNets: A type of VNet design that is commonly used in enterprise environments and is the hub and spoke VNet. A central VNet (the “hub”) is linked to multiple spoke VNets in a hub and spoke VNet design. With this design, you can centralize your networking infrastructure and build a more efficient and scalable network.

In addition to VNets, you should be familiar with a number of other networking concepts and features when working with Azure. These are some examples:

• Virtual private clouds (VPCs): A virtual private cloud (VPC) is a dedicated network for your account. VPCs enable you to create a logically isolated section of the Azure Cloud from which you can launch resources in a virtual network of your choosing.
• Virtual network peering: This is a feature that allows you to connect two Azure VNets together. You can use virtual network peering to establish a private, secure connection between two VNets and allow resources in each VNet to communicate as if they were on the same network.
• Network security groups (NSGs): An NSG is a firewall that regulates inbound and outbound traffic to and from your Azure resources. NSGs enable you to create rules that specify which traffic is permitted and which is not.
• Azure ExpressRoute is a private network connection to Azure that is dedicated. You can use Azure ExpressRoute to create a high-bandwidth, low-latency connection to Azure that avoids the Internet. This is ideal for scenarios where a more reliable and secure connection to Azure is required.

As you can see, when working with Azure networking, there are numerous concepts and features to consider. Understanding these concepts and features is critical for constructing and managing a secure and dependable network in Azure.

The Azure virtual machine is another important aspect of Azure networking (VM) because you often need to have a server to run network-related applications somewhere in your network. An Azure virtual machine (VM) is a cloud-based computing resource that can be used to run your applications and workloads. You can choose from a variety of operating systems and software with Azure VMs, and you can customize your VM to meet your specific needs. You can also use Azure VMs to build a network of VMs that can communicate with one another, resulting in a virtual environment suitable for testing, development, and production.

When working with Azure VMs, it’s critical to understand the various types of VMs available. These are some examples:

• Standard VMs: The most common type of VM, standard VMs are suitable for a wide range of workloads. Standard virtual machines provide a balance of performance, scalability, and cost.
• Premium VMs: Premium VMs are designed for high-performance workloads and are ideal for scenarios requiring maximum performance. Premium virtual machines are more expensive than standard virtual machines, but they have faster processors, more memory, and larger disk drives.
• Custom VMs: With custom VMs, you can create a VM with the exact configuration that you require. Custom VMs allow you to select the operating system, the number of CPUs, the amount of memory, and the disk size.

In addition to VMs, you should be familiar with several other networking services and features when working with Azure. These are some examples:

• Load balancers are networking devices that distribute incoming traffic across multiple virtual machines or servers. By distributing incoming traffic across multiple VMs, a load balancer can improve the availability and performance of your applications.
• VPN gateways: A VPN gateway is a networking device that allows you to connect your on-premises network to your Azure VNet securely. You can connect your on-premises network to Azure using a VPN gateway to create a hybrid cloud environment.
• Azure Private Link is a networking service that enables you to access Azure PaaS services through a private network connection. You can create a private and secure connection to Azure PaaS services using Azure Private Link, bypassing the Internet and improving security and compliance.

Overall, Azure networking is a complex and multifaceted topic that necessitates a thorough understanding of the various concepts in networking. Whether you are new to Azure or an experienced user, understanding Azure networking is critical for building and managing a secure and reliable Azure instance.

In this blog post, we’ve dipped our toes into the various types of Azure virtual networks, such as basic VNets, standard VNets, and hub and spoke VNets. We’ve also looked at virtual private clouds, virtual network peering, network security groups, Azure ExpressRoute, and other key concepts and features in Azure networking.

Furthermore, we investigated the various types of Azure VMs. We’ve also looked at some of Azure’s other networking services and features, such as load balancers, VPN gateways, and Azure Private Link.

I will post more about the individual components in the near future.