AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Exam

Establish and Configure Virtual Network Peering

Virtual network peering in Azure is a technique used to connect two different virtual networks. This connection allows resources hosted in separate networks to communicate seamlessly with one another, just as if they were on the same network. This setup offers a secure and straightforward way to share resources across different network environments within Azure.

Steps to Create Virtual Network Peering

To establish a virtual network peering connection, you must follow a specific set of steps. First, access the Azure portal and search for virtual networks. Once located, select Virtual networks from the results. From there, choose the specific virtual network you wish to peer with another. Navigate under Settings, click on Peering, and then select Add to create a new peering connection. It’s crucial to configure the peering settings by specifying the remote virtual network and ensuring the address spaces do not overlap. Finally, save these configurations to successfully establish the peering connection.

Configuring Peering Settings

When setting up the peering, several settings require careful consideration. You will need to enable traffic between the virtual networks by selecting appropriate options for traffic forwarding. If you plan on using a VPN gateway for routing traffic between the networks, enable the allow gateway transit option. Moreover, adjust the DNS settings to guarantee accurate name resolution between the peered networks, which ensures that resources can communicate by name rather than just IP.

Verifying Connectivity and Performance

Once peering is configured, it's crucial to confirm connectivity and test performance. Start by testing network communication between resources in each network to ensure that they can interact as expected. Next, monitor network traffic carefully to identify any potential bottlenecks or issues that might arise. Additionally, periodically check for address space updates to ensure that any changes made to one network's address space are appropriately reflected in the peered network.

Best Practices

Implementing certain best practices can help maintain a reliable and secure network connection. Regularly syncing the peering connections after making address space changes is essential to keep all networks up-to-date. It’s advisable to avoid overlapping address spaces, which can lead to routing conflicts and communication errors between networks. Lastly, always monitor network performance and adjust settings to facilitate an optimal flow of traffic. These practices ensure efficient network communication while maintaining security across peered virtual networks.

In summary, establishing and configuring virtual network peering in Azure involves meticulous setup and testing procedures. By carefully following each step—from creating peering connections to verifying their performance—you can ensure effective and secure collaboration between virtual networks. These practices help maintain robust connectivity, which is crucial for deploying applications and services efficiently across different Azure environments.