Azure Express Route

In this article, we’ll learn about Azure Express Route and go through a step-by-step process to create an express route circuit in Azure.

Azure Express Route

Source: Microsoft

Using the connectivity provider for private connection, the Azure Express Route enables us to extend our networks on the on-premises to the Microsoft Cloud. The connection through Express Route is more reliable, faster, highly secure with consistent latency due to it not going over the public internet. This makes Express Route a better choice than a typical connection over the internet. The Express Route provides Layer 3 connectivity in order to exchange routes between the instances in Azure, the on-premises network and the public addresses of Microsoft. Add the feature of redundancy that the Azure Express Route offers, which makes the requirements for the SLA valid providing a more secure and reliable connection. Furthermore, with the Microsoft peering locations, the connectivity is global ranging over all the important geopolitical regions. Besides, the express route circuits also provide ranges of bandwidth options from 50Mbps to 10Gbps with dynamic scaling capability and flexible billing model.

Now, let us learn to create the express route circuit in Azure.  

Step 1 

First of all, visit the Azure Portal. The welcome page will look similar to the one below.  

Step 2 

Click on Create a resource.  

Step 3 

Under the search bar, search for “expressroute”. 

Note: Make sure it's not “express route” else the option will not be listed.

Step 4 

Now, Click on the Express Route option.  

Step 5 

On the express route page, under the ExpressRoute plan, click on Create.  

Step 6 

Now, we are taken to fill in the details to setup our service.  

First of all, select the Resource group and if you don’t already have one create one and select it.  

Next, choose your Region for the instance and the name of the express route circuit.  

Here, my Subscription is an Azure Sponsorship pass and the resource name is “ojashrg”. I’ve selected the West Central US for the region and name my express route - “OJExpressCircuit”. 

Step 7 

Now, select the Configuration. Under the port type, select Provider. Select Create new and for our test case, I’ve selected Equinix as provider.  

The peer location is set as Silicon Valley and bandwidth is selected for 10Gbps.  

The SKU is selected as Standard and the Billing Model is Unlimited.  

Once, you are done will the details setup, click on Review + Create.  

Step 8 

Now, the validation is passed and we are provided with the Create option. Click it.  

Step 9 

The template is submitted for deployment now.  

 

We can see the update of the deployment process.  

 

Once, the deployment is complete, we are provided with the link to check the resource through the “Go to resource” button. 

Step 10 

Here, we can see our Express Route Circuit has been successfully created. We can see the details of the Circuit Status, Location, Provider, Peering Location, Bandwidth and the Service Key. 

Step 11 

To check the express route that are running from our home page, just search for Express and select the ExpressRoute Circuits.  

You’ll see the running ExpressRoute circuits listed here.  

To check the settings, select the Configurations under the Settings.  

Here, we can change the provider, peering location, SKU and offering of the classic operation setup as per our need later on.  

Deletion of Service 

Step 12 

Finally, when we are done with the use of the resource, we can click on the Delete Button and reconfirm selecting “Yes” to delete the express route circuit.  

Conclusion 

Thus, in this article, we learned about Azure Express Route and then later when through a step-by-step process to create an express route circuit service in Azure. This will enable us extend our services from on-premises to Microsoft Cloud using private connection.