Aviatrix CloudWAN Workflow for Azure Virtual WAN

This technical note provides a step-by-step instruction how to build CloudWAN Deployment on Azure Virtual WAN. In this note you learn how to:

  1. create a virtual WAN, a hub, VPN gateway, and a connection between VNet and a hub in Azure portal
  2. deploy a site and build a VPN connection between a site and a hub through Aviatrix Controller
  3. verify end-to-end traffic between a site and a VM in Azure VNet

For more information about CloudWAN, please check out the below documents:

Topology

cloudwan_azure_vwan_topology

In this testing example, the on-premise router is Cisco IOS with network loopback address 1.1.1.1/32.
Azure Virtual Hub private address space is 10.0.0.0/16. Azure Virtual network which connects to the Virtual Hub is 192.168.22.0/24 and the testing VM IP is 192.168.22.5/32.

Part 1. Workflow on Azure

Step 1. Login Azure Portal

  • Open a browser
  • Navigate to the Azure portal
  • Sign in with Azure account

Step 2. Create a Virtual WAN

  • Search for “Virtual WANs” on the search bar

  • Navigate to the page “Virtual WANs” by clicking the link “Virtual WANs” in the Services prompt list

  • Click the button “+Add” to go to the page “Create WAN”

  • Enter fields Subscription, Resource group, Resource group location, Name, and Type for Project details and Virtual WAN details:

    Field Value
    Subscription Select the subscription
    Resource group Create new or use existing (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-Virtual-WANS-Group)
    Resource group location Select a resource location (i.e. West US 2)
    Name Enter a name for Virtual WAN (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-Virtual-WAN-1-US-2)
    Type Basic or Standard (i.e. Standard)

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_create_vwan

  • Click the button “Review + create”

  • Click the button “Create”

  • Wait for a few minutes for Azure to create Virtual WAN

  • Go to the Resource group where the Azure Virtual WAN locates (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-Virtual-WANS-Group)

  • Confirm Virtual WAN is created (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-Virtual-WAN-1-US-2)

  • Navigate to the page “Virtual WAN” by clicking on the Virtual WAN link (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-Virtual-WAN-1-US-2)

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_confirm_vwan

  • Check whether the Status of Virtual WAN is Succeeded

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_check_status_vwan

Step 3. Create a Hub with VPN gateway

  • Navigate to the page “Hubs” by clicking the link “Hubs” under the section “Connectivity” on the page “Virtual WAN”

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_create_hub

  • Click the button “+ New Hub”

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_click_hub

  • Enter fields Region, Name, and Hub private address space for Virtual Hub Details

    Field Value
    Region Select a region for hub (i.e. West US 2)
    Name Enter a name for Hub (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-Virtual-WAN-1-US-2-Virtual-Hub-1)
    Hub private address space Hub private address space (i.e. 10.0.0.0/16)

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_example_hub

  • Click the button “Next: Site to site >” to create a VPN gateway

  • Toggle the button “Do you want to create a Site to site (VPN gateway)?” to “Yes” on under the tab “Site to site”

  • Copy the AS Number. Notes: the AS Number field here is not editabl at this moment.

  • Select the Gateway scale units based on your requirement (i.e 1 scale unit - 500 Mbps x 2)

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_example_site2site

  • Click the button “Review + create”

  • Click the button “Create”

  • Wait for at least 30 minutes for Azure to create Virtual Hub

  • Refresh or go back to the page “Hubs”

  • Check whether the Hub status is Succeeded

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_check_status_hub

[Optional] Step 4. Create a VPN gateway in the existing Hub

This step guide you how to create a VPN gateway in an existing Hub if you have not launched it.

  • Navigate to the page “Hubs” by clicking the link “Hubs” under the section “Connectivity” on the page “Virtual WAN”

  • Navigate to the page “Virual HUB” by clicking the link with your Hub name on the Hubs table (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-Virtual-WAN-1-US-2-Virtual-Hub-1)

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_link_hub

  • Search the panel “VPN (Site to site)”

  • Click the button “(Create)” to create a VPN gateway inside the Hub

  • Copy the AS Number. Notes: the AS Number field here is not editabl at this moment.

  • Select the Gateway scale units based on your requirement (i.e 1 scale unit - 500 Mbps x 2)

  • Click the button “Create”

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_example_vpngw

  • Wait for at least 30 minutes for Azure to create VPN gateway

  • Refresh the page

  • Check whether the VPN Gateway status is succeeded

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_check_status_vpngw

Step 5. Connect the VNet to the hub

  • Navigate back to the page “Virtual WAN” by clicking on the Virtual WAN link (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-Virtual-WAN-1-US-2) in the Resource Group (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-Virtual-WANS-Group)

  • Navigate to the page “Virtual network connections” by clicking the link “Virtual network connections” under the section “Connectivity” on the page “Virtual WAN”

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_link_virtual_network_connections

  • Click the button “+ Add connection”

  • Enter Connection name, Hubs, Subscription, Resource group, Virtual network, and Routing configuration.

    Field Value
    Connection name Enter a name for connection (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-WAN-to-VNET-192-168-22-connection)
    Hubs Select the hub you want to associate with this connection (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-Virtual-WAN-1-US-2-Virtual-Hub-1)
    Subscription Select the subscription
    Resource group Select the Resource group where has a Virtual network to associate with this connection (i.e. rg-av-Azure-West-US-2-192-168-22-881195)
    Virtual network Select the virtual network you want to connect to this hub (i.e. Azure-West-US-2-192-168-22)
    Associate Route Table Select Route Tables for this connection (i.e. Default)
    Propagate to Route Tables Select Propagate to Route Tables (i.e. Default)
    Static routes Customize routes to specify next hop as an IP address, for example a NVA IP address (i.e. leave it blank)

    Note

    The virtual network cannot have an already existing virtual network gateway.

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_example_virtual_network_connections

  • Wait for a few minutes for Azure to create Virtual network connection

  • Refresh and navigate back to the page “Virtual network connections” by clicking the link “Virtual network connections” under the section “Connectivity” on the page “Virtual WAN”

  • Check whether the field “Virtual network connection status” is displayed Succeeded

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_check_status_virtual_network_connections

Part 2. Workflow on Aviatrix

Prerequisite

  1. Upgrade Aviatrix Controller to at least version 6.0
  2. Create primary access account for Azure in Aviatrix Controller

Step 6. Login Aviatrix Contoller

  • Open a browser
  • Navigate to the Aviatrix Controller
  • Sign in with Aviatrix account

Step 7. Register a Branch Router

  • Navigate to the page “CLOUDWAN -> Register”

  • Find the panel 1) Register a Branch Router

  • Enter fields for Branch Name, Branch Router’s Management IP Address, Vendor / Device / OS, Router’s Console Access Authentication, Username, Private Key/Password, SSH Port, and Optional Information.

    Field Value
    Branch Name The name of the branch router (i.e. Aviatrix-Office-Cisco-ISR-1)
    Branch Router’s Management IP Address The public management IP of the branch router
    Vendor / Device / OS The operation system of the branch router (i.e. ios)
    Router’s Console Access Authentication Access authentication to public management IP (i.e. Password)
    Username Username to access branch router
    Private Key/Password Private Key/Password to access branch router
    SSH Port SSH port to access branch router
    Optional Information [optional] Address info for the branch router

  • Click the button “REGISTER”

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_avx_example_register_branch_router

  • Repeat the above steps for more branch routers

Step 8. Check whether Aviatrix controller connects to the public management IP of the branch router properly

  • Navigate to the page “CLOUDWAN -> List/Edit”

  • Check the state is displayed “registered” on the column “State”

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_avx_check_status_branch_router

Step 9. Prepare to Attach

  • Navigate to the page “CLOUDWAN -> Attach”

  • Find the panel 1) Prepare to Attach

  • Select the branch router which is created in the previous step

  • Click the button “DISCOVER WAN INTERFACES”

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_avx_click_discover_wan_interfaces_button

  • Select WAN interface in the drop-down menu

  • Update WAN primary interface and IP if needed

  • Click the button “APPLY”

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_avx_example_prepare_to_attach

Step 10. Attach the Branch Router to Azure Virtual WAN

  • Navigate to the page “CLOUDWAN -> Attach”

  • Find the panel 2) Attach Branch to Cloud

  • Select the radio button “Azure Virtual WAN”

  • Enter fields for Branch Name, Access Account Name, Resource Group, Hub Name, Connection Name, and Branch Router’s BGP ASN.

    Field Value
    Branch Name A registered branch router (i.e. Aviatrix-Office-Cisco-ISR-1)
    Access Account Name The Access Account for Azure subscription
    Resource Group The Resource Group where Azure Virtual WAN locates (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-Virtual-WANS-Group)
    Hub Name Azure Virtual Hub which is created on Azure portal (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-Virtual-WAN-1-US-2-Virtual-Hub-1)
    Connection Name A unique name for the connection (i.e. Aviatrix-Office-Cisco-ISR-1-to-Azure-Hub)
    Branch Router’s BGP ASN Only BGP is supported. Enter BGP ASN number on the branch router. (i.e. 65222)

  • Click the button “ATTACH”

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_avx_example_attach_branch_to_cloud

  • Repeat the above steps for more VPN connections

Step 11. Check whether the connection status is Up

  • Navigate to the page “SITE2CLOUD -> Setup”

  • Locate the connection which is created in the previous step (i.e. Aviatrix-Office-Cisco-ISR-1-to-Azure-Hub)

  • Check whether the connection status is Up as below example

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_avx_check_connection_status

Step 12. Check whether the VPN connection status is Up on Azure portal

  • Navigate to the page “Hubs” by clicking the link “Hubs” under the section “Connectivity” on the page “Virtual WAN”

  • Navigate to the page “Virual HUB” by clicking the link with your Hub name on the Hubs table (i.e. Aviatrix-Azure-Virtual-WAN-1-US-2-Virtual-Hub-1)

  • Navigate to the page “VPN (Site to site)” by clicking the link “VPN (Site to site)” under the section “Connectivity”

  • Check whether both connection status is Succeeded and Connectivity status is Connected as below example

    cloudwan_azure_vwan_azure_check_connection_status

Traffic Flow Verification

In this traffic verification example, the on-premise router is Cisco IOS with network loopback address 1.1.1.1/32. Azure Virtual Hub private address space is 10.0.0.0/16. Azure Virtual network which connects to the Virtual Hub is 192.168.22.0/24 and the private IP of the testing VM is 192.168.22.5/32.

  • Traffic from on-premise router Cisco IOS to cloud VM

    • Issue ICMP traffic from on-prem loopback interface to a Virtual IP of cloud instance

      cloudwan_azure_vwan_verification_on_prem_router_issue_icmp

    • Execute packet capture on the cloud instance

      cloudwan_azure_vwan_verification_cloud_vm_tcpdump_icmp

  • Traffic from cloud VM to on-premise router Cisco IOS

    • Issue ICMP traffic from cloud instance to on-prem loopback interface address

      cloudwan_azure_vwan_verification_cloud_vm_issue_icmp