If you’re looking to use a VPN with Azure, you’ll be glad to know that there are a few different types supported. In this blog post, we’ll go over the different VPN types supported by Azure so that you can choose the right one for your needs.
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Introduction
Windows Azure supports several types of VPN technologies. These include:
-Point-to-Site VPNs
-Site-to-Site VPNs
-Multi-Site VPNs
Point-to-site VPNs are used to connect individual clients to an Azure virtual network. Site-to-site VPNs are used to connect on premises networks to an Azure virtual network. Multi-site VPNs are used to connect multiple on premises networks to an Azure virtual network.
What is a VPN?
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a private network that extends across a public network or the Internet. A VPN lets you send and receive data across shared or public networks as if your computing device was directly connected to the private network. This adds an extra layer of security to your data transmissions. Azure supports the following VPN types: Point-to-Site, Site-to-Site, and VNet-to-VNet.
Types of VPN
There are three types of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) that can be created in Azure: Point-to-Site, Site-to-Site, and VNet-to-VNet. You can also create an ExpressRoute circuit for a private connection between Azure and your on-premises or co-location infrastructure without going over the public Internet.
Point-To-Site VPNs
A Point-To-Site (P2S) VPN connection lets you create a secure connection to your virtual network from an individual client computer. P2S connections are typically used by remote workers who need to connect to a VNET to access resources like files, applications, and other services.
Site-To-Site VPNs
A Site-To-Site (S2S) VPN gateway connection is a connection over IPsec/IKE (IKEv1 or IKEv2) VPN tunnel. S2S connections can be used with legacy software that may not support modern authentication standards like Azure AD. They are also useful when you need to connect two on premises networks together over the Internet, such as telecommuters who need access to resources on your internal network. You could also use S2S connections if you have multiple Azure subscriptions, and you want them all to communicate with each other securely without using a public gateway.
VNet To VNet Connections
If you have more than one Azure Virtual Network, you can connect them together using a VNet-to-VNet (V2V) connection. This type of connection uses IPsec/IKE site to site tunnels also, similar to S2S connections. The biggest advantage of using V2V instead of S2S is that traffic doesn’t have to traverse the public Internet in order to get from one virtual network location to another. This cuts down on potential latency and increases security because the traffic stays within the Microsoft backbone network. It’s also possible to connect VNets that reside in different Azure subscriptions or different Azure regions together using this method.
What is Azure?
Azure is Microsoft’s cloud computing platform. It offers a range of cloud services, including those for compute, analytics, storage and networking. Users can deploy and manage virtual machines andscale web applications through Azure Portal.
Azure VPN Support
Azure supports several types of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), each providing its own benefits. Point-to-Site VPNs provide secure connections between an Azure virtual network and your on-premises network. Site-to-Site VPNs provide secure connections between Azure virtual networks and your on-premises locations. Azure also supports VNET Peering, which lets you securely connect Azure virtual networks.
Point-to-Site VPN
Point-to-Site (P2S) creates a secure connection to an Azure virtual network from individual computer. P2S is a Client VPN connection where clients connect to Azure VPN gateways. This type of connection requires only a client application and does not need an on-premises public-facing IP address or a VPN device. You can use P2S for remote user access, site-to-site connectivity, or multi-site deployment for hybrid cloudMention the advantages of using this type of VPN.
Advantages of using Point-to-Site VPN:
• P2S provides secure connectivity from virtually anywhere. All you need is an Internet connection and a client application installed on your computer.
• You can use P2S for remote user access, site-to-site connectivity, or multi-site deployment for hybrid cloud architectures.
• P2S is easy to set up and does not require an on-premises public IP address or a VPN device.
Site-to-Site VPN
Site-to-Site VPN is the most common type of VPN used by businesses. It allows you to connect your network to Azure so that your resources can communicate with each other as if they were on the same local network. You can use Site-to-Site VPN with any type of Azure gateway.
ExpressRoute
ExpressRoute is a direct, private connection between your on-premises network and your Azure virtual network (VNet). ExpressRoute connections are available in public and private peering configurations. With public peering, you can connect your on-premises network to Azure, Office 365, or Dynamics 365 without going over the public Internet. With private peering, you can connect your on-premises network to a VNet in Azure. You can use both public and private peering in the same ExpressRoute circuit.
You might choose ExpressRoute over a Site-to-Site VPN connection for one or more of the following reasons:
– To meet compliance requirements that prohibit the use of the public Internet, such as those for certain government agencies or companies in the health care or financial services industries.
– You need low latency or ultra-high throughput for performance-sensitive applications, such as video streaming or large file transfers.
– You need more reliable connectivity for mission critical applications than you would get with a VPN connection over the public Internet.
Conclusion
Azure supports several types of VPN, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. For most users, the best option is to use an IKEv2 VPN with AES-256 encryption. This provides the best balance of security and speed. However, depending on your needs, you may want to consider other options such as SSTP or PPTP.