Azure Virtual Network Gateway VPN Client Connection Cmdlets

This document provides a comprehensive reference for Azure PowerShell cmdlets used to manage VPN client connections for Azure Virtual Network Gateways. These cmdlets enable you to configure, monitor, and troubleshoot VPN client access to your Azure Virtual Network.

Azure Virtual Network Gateways facilitate secure connectivity between on-premises networks and Azure, or between different Azure Virtual Networks, using VPN connections. Managing VPN client connections allows remote users or devices to securely access resources within your Azure VNet.

• Get-AzVpnClientRootCertificate Retrieves the root certificates configured for a VPN client connection. Get-AzVpnClientRootCertificate -VirtualNetworkGatewayName <String> -ResourceGroupName <String>
• Add-AzVpnClientRootCertificate Adds a root certificate to the VPN client configuration for a virtual network gateway. Add-AzVpnClientRootCertificate -VirtualNetworkGatewayName <String> -ResourceGroupName <String> -VpnClientRootCertificates <PSObject[]>
• Remove-AzVpnClientRootCertificate Removes a root certificate from the VPN client configuration. Remove-AzVpnClientRootCertificate -VirtualNetworkGatewayName <String> -ResourceGroupName <String> -Thumbprint <String>
• Get-AzVpnClientConfiguration Retrieves the VPN client configuration for a virtual network gateway, including address pools and authentication details. Get-AzVpnClientConfiguration -VirtualNetworkGatewayName <String> -ResourceGroupName <String>
• Set-AzVpnClientConfiguration Configures VPN client settings, such as address pools and authentication methods. Set-AzVpnClientConfiguration -VirtualNetworkGatewayName <String> -ResourceGroupName <String> -VpnClientAddressPool <String[]> -RadiusServerAddress <String> -RadiusServerSecret <String>
• Get-AzVirtualNetworkGatewayVpnClientConnectionConfiguration Retrieves the VPN client connection configuration for a virtual network gateway. Get-AzVirtualNetworkGatewayVpnClientConnectionConfiguration -VirtualNetworkGatewayName <String> -ResourceGroupName <String>
• New-AzVirtualNetworkGatewayVpnClientConnectionConfiguration Creates a new VPN client connection configuration for a virtual network gateway. New-AzVirtualNetworkGatewayVpnClientConnectionConfiguration -Name <String> -VirtualNetworkGatewayName <String> -ResourceGroupName <String> -VpnClientRootCertificates <PSObject[]>
• Remove-AzVirtualNetworkGatewayVpnClientConnectionConfiguration Removes a VPN client connection configuration from a virtual network gateway. Remove-AzVirtualNetworkGatewayVpnClientConnectionConfiguration -Name <String> -VirtualNetworkGatewayName <String> -ResourceGroupName <String>

When managing VPN client connections, especially in large-scale deployments, consider the following scaling aspects:

• Concurrent Connections: The type and SKU of your Virtual Network Gateway determine the maximum number of concurrent VPN client connections supported. Ensure your gateway is adequately sized for your anticipated load.
• Throughput: The gateway's throughput capacity affects the overall performance for VPN clients. Monitor bandwidth usage and scale up the gateway SKU if necessary.
• Certificates: For certificate-based authentication, managing a large number of root certificates can be complex. Utilize a robust certificate management strategy.
• Address Pools: Ensure that the VPN client address pools do not overlap with your existing on-premises or Azure network address spaces to avoid routing conflicts.

Adding a Root Certificate for VPN Client Authentication

This example demonstrates how to add a root certificate to your Virtual Network Gateway. You'll need the content of your root certificate in Base64 format.

$gateway = Get-AzVirtualNetworkGateway -ResourceGroupName "MyResourceGroup" -Name "MyVpnGateway"
$certPath = "C:\path\to\your\RootCert.cer"
$certContent = [System.Convert]::ToBase64String([System.IO.File]::ReadAllBytes($certPath))

$rootCert = New-Object -TypeName Microsoft.Azure.Commands.Network.Models.PSVpnClientRootCertificate
$rootCert.Thumbprint = "YOUR_CERTIFICATE_THUMBPRINT" # Replace with your actual thumbprint
$rootCert.PublicCertData = $certContent

Add-AzVpnClientRootCertificate -VirtualNetworkGatewayName $gateway.Name -ResourceGroupName $gateway.ResourceGroupName -VpnClientRootCertificates $rootCert
        

Retrieving VPN Client Configuration

Get the current VPN client configuration details for a gateway.

$vpnConfig = Get-AzVpnClientConfiguration -VirtualNetworkGatewayName "MyVpnGateway" -ResourceGroupName "MyResourceGroup"
Write-Output "VPN Client Address Pool: $($vpnConfig.VpnClientAddressPool)"
Write-Output "VPN Client Protocol: $($vpnConfig.VpnClientProtocol)"
        

Here's a general overview of common parameters you might encounter with these cmdlets: