Azure Networking Advanced
Azure provides advanced networking services that enhance traffic management, security, and connectivity for your cloud applications and infrastructure.
1. Azure Application Gateway & Web Application Firewall (WAF)
Azure Application Gateway is a web traffic load balancer designed for managing and routing traffic to web applications, with built-in protection via the Web Application Firewall.
Key Features:
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Load Balancing: Distributes incoming HTTP/HTTPS traffic across multiple backend servers to prevent overload.
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SSL Termination: Offloads SSL decryption/encryption to the gateway, improving backend server efficiency.
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Web Application Firewall (WAF): Protects applications from common web vulnerabilities like SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and other OWASP threats.
2. Azure Load Balancer
Azure Load Balancer handles distributing network traffic to ensure availability and responsiveness for your services.
Key Features:
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Load Balancing Algorithms: Supports round-robin, least connections, and other algorithms to efficiently distribute traffic.
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Integration with Availability Sets: Works with availability sets to ensure high availability of applications.
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Inbound and Outbound Traffic: Balances both incoming and outgoing network traffic.
3. Azure DNS
Azure DNS is a scalable and reliable DNS hosting service that uses Azure’s global infrastructure.
Key Features:
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Domain Hosting: Hosts domain names and resolves DNS queries within Azure.
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Seamless Integration: Works easily with other Azure services such as App Service and Traffic Manager.
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Global Reach: Provides low-latency DNS responses worldwide due to Microsoft’s global network.
4. Azure Firewall
Azure Firewall is a fully managed, stateful firewall service designed to secure your Azure Virtual Network.
Key Features:
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Stateful Inspection: Monitors and filters traffic based on established connections and rule sets.
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Application FQDN Filtering: Allows filtering based on fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) for enhanced control.
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Threat Intelligence: Integrates threat intelligence feeds to detect and block traffic from known malicious IP addresses and domains.
5. Virtual Network Peering & VNet Gateway
Virtual Network Peering
Virtual Network Peering connects two Azure VNets, allowing them to communicate as if on the same network.
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Global VNet Peering: Supports peering across Azure regions.
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Low Latency: Traffic flows directly between VNets without routing over the internet.
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No Bandwidth Bottlenecks: Uses Azure backbone for fast, secure connectivity.
VNet Gateway
VNet Gateway enables secure communication between Azure VNets and on-premises networks.
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Site-to-Site VPN: Establishes an encrypted VPN tunnel for connecting on-premises networks to Azure.
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Point-to-Site VPN: Allows individual clients to securely connect to Azure resources remotely.
6. Azure VPN Gateway
Azure VPN Gateway provides secure, scalable VPN connectivity between on-premises networks and Azure.
Key Features:
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IPsec/IKE Protocols: Ensures encrypted and secure communication over the internet.
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High Availability: Supports active-active and active-passive gateway configurations.
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BGP Routing: Supports Border Gateway Protocol for dynamic routing between networks.
Summary Table
| Service | Purpose | Key Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Application Gateway & WAF | Web traffic load balancing + protection | SSL offload, WAF protection |
| Azure Load Balancer | Network traffic load balancing | High availability, multiple algorithms |
| Azure DNS | Domain hosting and DNS resolution | Global reach, integration with Azure |
| Azure Firewall | Managed network security | Stateful filtering, threat intelligence |
| Virtual Network Peering | Connects VNets for seamless communication | Low latency, global peering |
| VNet Gateway | Secure connectivity between Azure and on-premises networks | Site-to-site and point-to-site VPN |
| Azure VPN Gateway | VPN connectivity with encryption and dynamic routing | Secure IPsec tunnels, BGP support |
