Virtual Network APIs

This document provides a comprehensive reference for the Azure Virtual Network (VNet) APIs. Azure Virtual Network enables Azure resources to securely communicate with each other, with users, and with on-premises resources. VNets are the fundamental building blocks for your private network in Azure.

Note: As of the latest API version, it is recommended to use the Azure Resource Manager (ARM) API for managing Virtual Networks. Older Service Management APIs are deprecated.

Core Concepts

Understanding the following core concepts is crucial before diving into the APIs:

Subnets: A range of IP addresses within a VNet.
Network Interfaces (NICs): Enable an Azure resource to communicate with a VNet.
IP Addresses: Public and Private IP address configuration.
Network Security Groups (NSGs): Filter network traffic to and from Azure resources in an Azure virtual network.
Route Tables: Define custom routes to forward traffic to specific destinations.
Gateways: VPN and ExpressRoute gateways for hybrid connectivity.

API Versions

The Azure Virtual Network APIs are versioned. Always specify the desired API version in your requests. Common versions include:

2020-11-01
2019-12-01
2018-08-01

Refer to the Azure documentation for the latest supported API versions.

Key API Operations

Virtual Networks

Create or Update a Virtual Network

PUT /subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/{virtualNetworkName}?api-version={api-version}

This operation creates a new virtual network or updates an existing one. It requires a JSON payload defining the network's address space, location, and other properties.

Request Body Example:

{
    "location": "eastus",
    "properties": {
        "addressSpace": {
            "addressPrefixes": [
                "10.0.0.0/16"
            ]
        },
        "subnets": [
            {
                "name": "default",
                "properties": {
                    "addressPrefix": "10.0.0.0/24"
                }
            }
        ]
    }
}

Get a Virtual Network

GET /subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/{virtualNetworkName}?api-version={api-version}

Retrieves the details of a specific virtual network.

List Virtual Networks in a Resource Group

GET /subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks?api-version={api-version}

Lists all virtual networks within a specified resource group.

Delete a Virtual Network

DELETE /subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/{virtualNetworkName}?api-version={api-version}

Deletes a virtual network. All associated resources (like subnets) will be removed.

Subnets

Create or Update a Subnet

PUT /subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/{virtualNetworkName}/subnets/{subnetName}?api-version={api-version}

Adds a new subnet to an existing virtual network or updates its properties.

Get a Subnet

GET /subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/{virtualNetworkName}/subnets/{subnetName}?api-version={api-version}

Retrieves details of a specific subnet.

List Subnets in a Virtual Network

GET /subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/{virtualNetworkName}/subnets?api-version={api-version}

Lists all subnets within a specified virtual network.

Network Security Groups (NSGs)

Create or Update an NSG

PUT /subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Network/networkSecurityGroups/{networkSecurityGroupName}?api-version={api-version}

Creates or updates a network security group.

Associate NSG with a Subnet

This is typically done by updating the subnet resource to include a reference to the NSG.

PUT /subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/{virtualNetworkName}/subnets/{subnetName}?api-version={api-version}

Request Body Snippet (for subnet update):

{
    "properties": {
        "addressPrefix": "10.0.1.0/24",
        "networkSecurityGroup": {
            "id": "/subscriptions/.../resourceGroups/.../providers/Microsoft.Network/networkSecurityGroups/myNsg"
        }
    }
}

SDKs and Tools

You can interact with the Azure Virtual Network APIs using various tools and SDKs:

Azure CLI: Use commands like az network vnet create, az network vnet subnet create.
Azure PowerShell: Cmdlets such as New-AzVirtualNetwork, Add-AzVirtualNetworkSubnetConfig.
Azure SDKs: Available for .NET, Java, Python, Node.js, Go, and more.
REST API: Direct interaction via HTTP requests.

Explore the Azure SDK documentation for detailed guidance.