Azure Bicep Networking

Azure Virtual WAN with Bicep

Azure Bicep Creating and Deploying Azure Virtual WAN for scalible and simplified networking

Introduction

Azure Virtual WAN is a comprehensive networking service that brings together various networking, security, and routing functionalities into a single operational interface. It is designed to simplify and optimize the connectivity between branches, remote users, and cloud resources, leveraging Microsoft’s global network backbone. Key features include branch connectivity, site-to-site VPN, remote user VPN, private connectivity (ExpressRoute), and intra-cloud connectivity.

Implementation Guide

Step 1: Setting Up Azure Virtual WAN Using Bicep

  1. Create a Resource Group:

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    resource rg 'Microsoft.Resources/resourceGroups@2021-04-01' = {
  name: 'myResourceGroup'
  location: 'Australia East'
}

  2. Deploy Virtual WAN:

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    resource virtualWan 'Microsoft.Network/virtualWans@2023-11-01' = {
  name: 'myVirtualWAN'
  location: 'Australia East'
  properties: {
    allowBranchToBranchTraffic: true
    allowVnetToVnetTraffic: true
  }
}

  3. Create Virtual Hub:

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    resource virtualHub 'Microsoft.Network/virtualHubs@2021-02-01' = {
  name: 'myVirtualHub'
  location: 'Australia East'
  properties: {
    virtualWan: {
      id: virtualWan.id
    }
    addressPrefix: '10.0.0.0/24'
  }
}

Step 2: Configuring Virtual Network Connections

  1. Create a Virtual Network:

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    resource vnet 'Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks@2021-02-01' = {
  name: 'myVNet'
  location: 'Australia East'
  properties: {
    addressSpace: {
      addressPrefixes: ['10.1.0.0/16']
    }
  }
}

  2. Connect Virtual Network to Virtual Hub:

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    resource vnetConnection 'Microsoft.Network/virtualHubs/hubVirtualNetworkConnections@2021-02-01' = {
  name: 'myVNetConnection'
  parent: virtualHub
  properties: {
    remoteVirtualNetwork: {
      id: vnet.id
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Integrating with Azure DevOps

  1. Set Up Azure DevOps Pipeline:

    • Create a new pipeline in Azure DevOps.
    • Add tasks to run the Bicep deployment scripts.
    • Use Azure Key Vault to manage secrets and credentials.

  2. Continuous Integration and Delivery:

    • Configure the pipeline to trigger on code changes.
    • Validate changes in a staging environment before deploying to production.

Conclusion

Azure Virtual WAN simplifies network connectivity by providing a unified platform for managing various networking needs. By leveraging Bicep for infrastructure as code, organisations can achieve a streamlined and automated network management process. This approach not only enhances efficiency but also ensures consistency and compliance across the network.

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