Create an Azure Virtual Network

This tutorial will guide you through the process of creating your first Azure Virtual Network (VNet) using the Azure portal. A virtual network is a fundamental building block for your private network in Azure. It allows Azure resources to securely communicate with each other, the internet, and on-premises networks.

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 2: Navigate to Virtual Networks

In the Azure portal search bar at the top, type "Virtual networks" and select Virtual networks from the search results.
Click on + Create to start the creation process.

Step 3: Configure Basic Settings

On the "Create virtual network" page, you'll configure the following:

Subscription: Select the Azure subscription you want to use.
Resource group: Click Create new, enter a name (e.g., MyVNetResourceGroup), and click OK. Resource groups help you manage Azure resources.
Name: Enter a name for your virtual network (e.g., MyVNet).
Region: Choose the Azure region where you want to deploy your VNet. Select a region that is geographically close to your users or other Azure resources.

Step 4: Configure IP Addresses

This section defines the IP address space for your virtual network.

IPv4 address space: Click on the default address space (e.g., 10.0.0.0/16) to modify it. You can specify your own private IP address ranges here. For this tutorial, the default is fine.
Subnets: Click on the default subnet (e.g., default with address range 10.0.0.0/24) to configure it.
- Name: Keep the name or change it (e.g., FrontendSubnet).
- Address range: Ensure it's within your VNet's address space (e.g., 10.0.1.0/24).
You can add more subnets later by clicking + Add subnet. Subnets allow you to segment your VNet.

Step 5: Configure Security Settings (Optional)

For this basic tutorial, you can leave the security settings at their defaults:

Azure DDoS Protection: Typically disabled for basic VNets.
Firewall: Disabled by default.

Step 6: Configure Tags (Optional)

Tags are key-value pairs that help you organize and categorize your Azure resources. You can add tags like Environment: Development or Project: NetworkingDemo if needed.

Step 7: Review and Create

Click on the Review + create button. Azure will validate your configuration. Once validation passes, review the summary and click Create.

The deployment process will take a few minutes.

Important: A virtual network provides logical isolation. To enable communication between resources within the VNet, you'll typically deploy virtual machines or other services into subnets.

Next Steps

Once your virtual network is created, you can start deploying Azure resources into it. Consider the following:

Deploying a virtual machine into a subnet.
Configuring network security groups (NSGs) to control traffic flow.
Setting up user-defined routes (UDRs) for advanced routing.
Connecting your VNet to on-premises networks using VPN Gateway or ExpressRoute.

For more advanced networking scenarios, please refer to the Azure Networking Tutorials section.