Create a Virtual Network (VNet) in Azure

This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to create a new Azure Virtual Network (VNet) using the Azure portal, Azure CLI, and Azure PowerShell.

Important:

A VNet is a fundamental building block for your private network in Azure. It allows Azure resources to communicate with each other, with the internet, and with your on-premises networks. Properly planning your VNet address space and subnets is crucial for scalability and security.

Method 1: Using the Azure Portal

The Azure portal offers a user-friendly graphical interface for creating VNets.

Step 1: Sign in to the Azure portal

Open your web browser and navigate to https://portal.azure.com/. Sign in with your Azure account credentials.

Step 1: Navigate to Virtual Networks

In the Azure portal, click on the + Create a resource button in the upper-left corner. Search for Virtual Network and select it. Then, click Create.

Step 3: Configure the Virtual Network basics

Subscription: Select your Azure subscription.
Resource group: Create a new resource group or select an existing one.
Name: Enter a unique name for your virtual network (e.g., myVNet).
Region: Choose the Azure region where you want to deploy your VNet.

Step 4: Configure IP Addresses

IPv4 address space: Define the address space for your VNet. For example, 10.0.0.0/16. Ensure this range does not overlap with your on-premises networks or other VNets.
Subnets: Click Add subnet to define your first subnet.
- Name: Enter a name for your subnet (e.g., default).
- Address range: Specify a smaller range within the VNet's address space (e.g., 10.0.0.0/24).
You can add more subnets later.

Tip:

It's a best practice to create multiple subnets for different workloads or security zones within your VNet.

Step 5: Configure Security (Optional)

You can configure options like Service endpoints, Firewall, or DDoS protection here, or configure them later.

Step 6: Tags (Optional)

Add tags to categorize your resources for better management.

Step 7: Review and Create

Click Review + create. Azure will validate your configuration. Once validation passes, click Create.

Method 2: Using Azure CLI

Use the Azure Command-Line Interface for scripting and automation.

First, ensure you have Azure CLI installed and are logged in:

az login

Create a resource group (if you don't have one):

az group create --name myResourceGroup --location eastus

Create the virtual network and a default subnet:

az network vnet create \
    --resource-group myResourceGroup \
    --name myVNet \
    --address-prefix 10.1.0.0/16 \
    --subnet-name subnet1 \
    --subnet-prefix 10.1.0.0/24

Method 3: Using Azure PowerShell

Use Azure PowerShell for managing Azure resources programmatically.

First, ensure you have Azure PowerShell installed and are logged in:

Connect-AzAccount