Azure ExpressRoute Overview

Azure ExpressRoute allows you to create private connections between Microsoft Azure data centers and infrastructure that resides on your premises or in a co-location environment. ExpressRoute connections do not go over the public Internet, and offer higher reliability, faster speeds, lower latencies, and greater security than typical Internet connections.

What is ExpressRoute?

ExpressRoute is a service that extends your on-premises networks into the Microsoft cloud. It provides a dedicated, high-bandwidth, low-latency connection that bypasses the public internet. This ensures a more reliable and predictable network experience, essential for mission-critical workloads and large-scale data transfers.

Key Benefits

• Increased Reliability: Dedicated connections offer greater stability and uptime compared to internet-based connections.
• Faster Speeds: Achieve higher throughput with dedicated bandwidth options, from 50 Mbps to 10 Gbps.
• Lower Latency: Predictable network performance with significantly reduced latency for a better user experience.
• Enhanced Security: Data travels privately between your network and Azure, without traversing the public internet.
• Global Reach: Connect to Azure regions worldwide through a network of global network partners.
• Simplified Network Management: Integrate your on-premises network with Azure seamlessly.

How it Works

ExpressRoute uses a network of global telecommunication partners to establish a Layer 2 or Layer 3 connection between your network and Microsoft's network. You work with an ExpressRoute partner to provision a circuit that connects your facility to a Microsoft global edge location.

Connection Types:

• Partner Co-location: Connect from your existing co-location facility.
• Direct Co-location: Connect directly to a Microsoft peering location.
• Any-to-Any (IP VPN): Connect via an existing IP VPN WAN service from a supported network service provider.

Use Cases

ExpressRoute is ideal for scenarios such as:

• Moving large amounts of data to Azure.
• Applications requiring predictable latency and bandwidth.
• Hybrid cloud deployments.
• Disaster recovery solutions.
• Connecting to Microsoft 365 services.

Getting Started

To get started with ExpressRoute, you'll need to:

1. Choose an ExpressRoute connectivity partner.
2. Plan your network topology and bandwidth requirements.
3. Order an ExpressRoute circuit.
4. Configure your on-premises network and Azure virtual network for connectivity.

For detailed configuration steps and advanced features, please refer to the Table of Contents for more specific documentation.

# Example: Conceptual configuration snippet
# This is not actual executable code, but illustrates the concept of peering.

resource "azurerm_express_route_circuit" "example" {
  name                = "my-expressroute-circuit"
  location            = "West US"
  resource_group_name = "my-resource-group"
  sku {
    tier   = "Standard"
    family = "Metered"
  }
  bandwidth_in_mbps = 200
}

resource "azurerm_virtual_network_gateway" "example" {
  name     = "my-vnet-gateway"
  location = "West US"
  resource_group_name = "my-resource-group"
  type = "Vpn"
  vpn_gateway_sku = "VpnGw2"
  // ... other configurations
}

# Note: Actual ExpressRoute setup involves more complex configurations with peering and connections.