Add an Azure ExpressRoute Connection to a Cloud Router

Process overview

The basic steps to adding an Azure connection to a PacketFabric Cloud Router are as follows:

  1. From the Microsoft side: Create an ExpressRoute circuit in the Azure Console.
  2. From the PacketFabric side: Create a Cloud Router connection.
  3. From both sides: Configure BGP.
  4. From the Microsoft side: Create a virtual network gateway for ExpressRoute.
  5. From the Microsoft side: Link a virtual network gateway to the ExpressRoute circuit.

Create an ExpressRoute circuit in the Azure Console

Create a PacketFabric Cloud Router connection

  1. Log in to the PacketFabric portal and select Network > Cloud Routers.

  2. Click the Cloud Router to open its side panel.

  3. Select Create Connection.

    screenshot of the cloud router actions menu

  4. Select Microsoft Azure.

Configure

Complete the following fields and then click Next.

Microsoft Azure On-Ramp Options and Capacity
Create a NAT-capable connection
Select this option if you want to be able to enable NAT for the connection. This ensures the connection will provision on a device that allows NAT.
Use public IP
Select this option to be assigned a public IP address to use with this connection. This is necessary if you are planning on using Microsoft peering, meaning that you will be connecting to public Microsoft services such as Microsoft 365.
Capacity
Select the same speed/capacity you set for your ExpressRoute circuit.
Connection Details
Service Key
Enter the Azure service key that you copied from the ExpressRoute circuit overview page.
Connection description
Enter a description for the connection.

Billing

Select a billing account and then click Place Order.

The connection should provision within a few minutes.

Next steps

  1. Set up private peering and configure BGP.
  2. Create a VNet gateway in the Azure portal.
  3. Connect your VNet gateway to your ExpressRoute circuit.

For information on completing these steps, see Configure BGP for Azure.

Create an Azure Connection on a Cloud Router - POST

Updated on 17 May 2022