Cloud Computing Networking

Networking in cloud computing is a critical component that allows resources to communicate with each other, with users, and with on-premises environments. This section delves into the core networking principles and Azure services that facilitate these connections.

Understanding Cloud Networking

Cloud networking encompasses a wide range of technologies and strategies designed to create, manage, and secure network infrastructure in a cloud environment. Key considerations include connectivity, performance, scalability, and security.

Virtual Networks (VNet)

A Virtual Network (VNet) is the fundamental building block for your private network in Azure. It provides a logical isolation of the Azure cloud dedicated to your subscription. VNets allow you to extend your on-premises networks to the cloud and take advantage of Azure's infrastructure. They enable you to:

• Isolate your cloud resources from other customers.
• Connect Azure resources to each other.
• Connect Azure resources to the internet.
• Connect Azure resources to on-premises networks.

Subnets

Subnets are divisions of a VNet. Each subnet can contain Azure resources, and you can control traffic flow between subnets using Network Security Groups (NSGs) or Azure Firewall. This segmentation helps in organizing resources and enforcing security policies.

// Example of subnet configuration conceptualization
// In Azure CLI:
// az network vnet subnet create --resource-group MyResourceGroup --vnet-name MyVnet --name MySubnet --address-prefixes 10.0.1.0/24

IP Addressing

Azure supports both public and private IP addresses. Public IPs are used to communicate with resources over the internet, while private IPs are used for communication within a VNet or between connected networks. Understanding IP address allocation and management is crucial for network design.

Network Security Groups (NSGs)

NSGs are virtual firewalls that you can associate with subnets or individual network interfaces. They contain a list of security rules that allow or deny network traffic based on source and destination IP addresses, ports, and protocols. NSGs are essential for segmenting your network and controlling inbound and outbound traffic.

Load Balancing

Load balancing distributes incoming network traffic across multiple backend resources, such as virtual machines. This improves application availability and responsiveness. Azure offers several load balancing solutions, including Azure Load Balancer (Layer 4) and Azure Application Gateway (Layer 7).

VPN Gateway

Azure VPN Gateway allows you to send encrypted traffic between your on-premises networks and Azure over the public internet. It provides a secure and cost-effective way to establish hybrid cloud connectivity.

ExpressRoute

Azure ExpressRoute provides dedicated, private connections between your on-premises infrastructure and Azure. It offers higher bandwidth, lower latency, and increased reliability compared to VPN connections over the public internet.

DNS

Azure DNS is a hosting service for DNS domains that provides name resolution using Microsoft Azure. By hosting your DNS domains in Azure, you can manage your DNS records using the same credentials, APIs, and billing as your other Azure services.