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Creating a connection between two Microsoft Azure locations

Using Control Center, you can create a Colt® Dynamic Connections Ethernet connection between two Microsoft Azure locations. To create the connection, you'll need ExpressRoute service keys from Microsoft. Be sure to have that information handy to type in (or copy/paste). Microsoft Azure requires two EVCs to make the connection (which Control Center will create when you build the connection). You'll only be billed for one; the other is for redundancy.

 

Azure requires Q-in-Q style tagging (known as double-stacked tags or 802.1ad) at the NNI. This provides layer-2 flexibility by allowing multiple VLAN tags to be inserted into a single frame. Inner VLAN tags (C-Tags) that identify your traffic are inserted inside of the outer VLAN tags (S-Tags) provided by the service provider. The S-Tag becomes a single VLAN that carries multiple VLANs within it. A single VXC carries the bundled VLAN tags between the two network endpoints.

 

For Dynamic Connections to Microsoft Azure, your equipment must support 802.1ad (Q-in-Q). We recommend configuring your router for Q-in-Q before creating your Dynamic Connection in Control Center. Q-in-Q can be difficult to set up. Use the example below to help you set up Q-in-Q.

Here’s an example below with a Cisco router.

You’ll assign the outer tag in Control Center and the inner tag in the Azure portal (peering VLAN).

‘Primary EVC VLAN – 100 - Control Center
‘Secondary EVC VLAN – 200 - Control Center
‘Private Peering – VLAN 300 - Azure portal
‘MSFT Peering – VLAN 400 - Azure portal


interface GigabitEthernet0/1.100300
  encapsulation dot1Q 100 second-dot1q 300 ‘Azure Private primary peer
  description "Cloud Connect"
  ip address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 255.255.255.252


interface GigabitEthernet0/1.200300
  encapsulation dot1Q 200 second-dot1q 300 ‘Azure Private secondary peer
  description "Cloud Connect"
  ip address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 255.255.255.252


interface GigabitEthernet0/1.100400
  encapsulation dot1Q 100 second-dot1q 400 ‘MSFT primary peer
  description "Cloud Connect"
  ip address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 255.255.255.252


interface GigabitEthernet0/1.200400
  encapsulation dot1Q 200 second-dot1q 400 ‘MSFT secondary peer
  description "Cloud Connect"
  ip address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 255.255.255.252

Note: You can only use a service key that isn't assigned to an active connection. The ExpressRoute service key is a unique service key and is different from the service key for your cloud service from Azure.

To create a connection between two Microsoft Azure locations:

  1. Click Services.

    Control Center shows the Services console. Use the console to access an inventory of your services, check the status of orders, and manage your services.
Services console
  1. In the Service and Ordering Tools box, click Dynamic Connections - Ethernet.

    Control Center lists all your connections with a status and brief summary for each connection.
Dynamic Connections (showing Ethernet tab)
  1. Click Create Connection.
Ethernet Create Connection
  1. In the Connection Name field, type a name for the connection you're creating. (Be sure to use something memorable. This name will appear on your invoice.)
  1. In both the From Connection Type and To Connection Type fields, select Azure.
Ethernet Create Connection (showing a connection from Azure to Azure)
  1. Fill in the two ExpressRoute Service Key fields with the service keys provided by Microsoft. (Note: You can only use a service key that isn't assigned to an active connection. The ExpressRoute service key is a unique service key and is different from the service key for your cloud service from Azure.)

    Once you fill in the ExpressRoute service key, Control Center retrieves connection information from Microsoft.
  1. Use the Billing Method buttons to select whether you want monthly or hourly billing for the connection.
  1. In the Class of Service field, select whether you want Basic, Enhanced, or Dedicated. (Higher classes of service offer higher availability SLAs and allow you to increase traffic prioritization for your EVC.)

    • Basic (best effort): The service may be oversubscribed on the Colt network.

    • Enhanced (mid class): Enhanced EVCs (ethernet virtual circuits) can still be oversubscribed like Basic class of service EVCs; however, traffic is marked with an internal class of service marking which will prioritize your traffic over best-effort traffic during times of congestion. For EVCs with this class of service, bandwidth is not reserved on the Colt network and traffic will not take priority over real-time traffic in the network.

    • Dedicated (real time): The quality of service offering with highest priority on the Colt network. In addition, Colt reserves the bandwidth for this EVC across the network on each ring that the EVC touches. Once it is dedicated to you, that bandwidth (and the corresponding CE-VLANs) sits in reserve regardless of how much bandwidth you use.
  1. In the Bandwidth field, select the bandwidth for the connection. (You can't change the bandwidth once you create the connection. If you need to choose a different bandwidth after creating a connection, disconnect the connection and create a new one.)

    Control Center shows pricing for the bandwidth you selected.
  1. Review your connection information and then click the I agree with the terms and conditions checkbox. (To enable the checkbox, scroll to the bottom of the terms and conditions.)

  1. Click Submit.

    Control Center creates the request for the connection and places it in Pending Activation status. From here, you can view the status of the connection.