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Megaport Documentation
Azure MVE Connections

Creating an Azure Connection for an MVE with Aviatrix Secure Edge

You can create a network connection from an MVE (an Aviatrix Secure Edge) to Azure ExpressRoute with Virtual Cross Connects (VXCs). You can create either a private connection or a public (Microsoft) connection.

Important

Before you begin, create an MVE. For more information, see Creating an MVE with Aviatrix.

There are three parts to adding an ExpressRoute connection to your MVE and Aviatrix Secure Edge.

  1. Set up your ExpressRoute plan and deploy the ExpressRoute circuit in the Azure console. When deployed, you get a service key. For additional details, see the Microsoft ExpressRoute documentation.

  2. In the Megaport Portal, create a connection (VXC) from your MVE to your ExpressRoute location.

  3. In Aviatrix CoPilot, configure an interface and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).

Note

MVE for Aviatrix Secure Edge requires configuration steps in both CoPilot and the Megaport Portal for all cloud connections.

Adding the ExpressRoute connection in the Megaport Portal

To set up the ExpressRoute connection, you need to create the connection in the Megaport Portal.

To create a connection to ExpressRoute from the Megaport Portal

  1. In the Megaport Portal, go to the Services page and select the MVE you want to use.

  2. Click +Connection on the MVE.
    Add connection

  3. Click the Cloud tile.

  4. Select Azure ExpressRoute as the provider. Add a connection

  5. Add the ExpressRoute service key into the Microsoft Azure Service Key field on the right.
    The Portal verifies the key then displays the available port locations based on the ExpressRoute region. For example, if your ExpressRoute service is deployed in the Australia East region in Sydney, you can select the Sydney targets.

  6. Select the connection point for your first connection.
    To deploy a second connection (and this is recommended), you can create a second VXC - enter the same service key and select the other connection target.

    Some helpful links appear on the configuration screen to resources including the Azure Resource Manager console and some tutorial videos.

  7. Specify the connection details:

    • Connection Name – The name of your VXC to be shown in the Megaport Portal.

    • Service Level Reference (optional) – Specify a unique identifying number for the VXC to be used for billing purposes, such as a cost center number or a unique customer ID. The service level reference number appears for each service under the Product section of the invoice. You can also edit this field for an existing service.

      Note

      Partner-managed accounts can apply a Partner Deal to a service. For more information, see Associating a Deal With a Service.

    • Rate Limit – The speed of your connection in Mbps. The rate limit for the VXC will be capped at the maximum allowable based on the ExpressRoute service key.

    • VXC State – Select Enabled or Shut Down to define the initial state of the connection. For more information, see Shutting Down a VXC for Failover Testing.

      Note

      If you select Shut Down, traffic will not flow through this service and it will behave as if it was down on the Megaport network. Billing for this service will remain active and you will still be charged for this connection.

    • A-End vNIC – Select an A-End vNIC from the drop-down list. For more information about vNICs, see Creating an MVE with Aviatrix.

    • Preferred A-End VLAN (optional) – Specify an unused VLAN ID for this connection (for ExpressRoute this is the S-Tag). This must be a unique VLAN ID on this MVE and can range from 2 to 4093. If you specify a VLAN ID that is already in use, the system displays the next available VLAN number. The VLAN ID must be unique to proceed with the order. If you don’t specify a value, Megaport will assign one.

    • Minimum Term – Select No Minimum Term, 12 Months, 24 Months, or 36 Months. Longer terms result in a lower monthly rate. 12 Months is selected by default.
      Take note of the information on the screen to avoid early termination fees (ETF). For more information, see VXC Pricing and Contract Terms and VXC, Megaport Internet, and IX Billing.

    • Configure Single Azure Peering VLAN – By default, this option is enabled for MVE and we strongly recommend keeping it enabled with Aviatrix Secure Edge.
      This option provides a single tag VLAN solution. You configure peering in Azure with the MVE VLAN (A-End) and the peer VLAN set in Azure (B-End). Note, you can have only one peering type (Private or Microsoft) per VXC with this option.

      Important

      If you do not enable this option, the VXC appears active but it does not recognize traffic.

    • Azure Peering VLAN – This value needs to match the A-End VLAN for single tag VLAN peering. A different Azure peering VLAN can also be set, if required. Azure connection details

  8. Click Next and proceed through the ordering process.

When the VXC configuration completes, the VXC icon is green.

New VXC

In the Azure Resource Management console, the provider status will be Provisioned.

Azure Provider Status

When provisioned, you need to configure peerings. You can configure private and Microsoft peering. Click the peer to configure and provide these details:

  • Peer ASN – Enter the ASN for the MVE.
  • IPv4 Subnets – From each of these subnets, MVE uses the first usable IP address and Microsoft uses the second usable IP for its router.
  • VLAN ID – Enter the A-End VLAN from the MVE. (Note, the VLAN ID in the Azure console can be different from the A-End VLAN.)
  • Shared Key (optional) – Enter an MD5Sometimes known as an MD5 hash or BGP key. The message-digest (MD5) algorithm is a widely used cryptographic function producing a string of 32 hexadecimal digits. This is used as a password or key between routers exchanging BGP information.
     password for BGP.

Azure Peering Configuration

Adding the ExpressRoute connection to Aviatrix

After you create the connection from your MVE to Azure and set up the connection in the Azure console, you need to configure it in Aviatrix. This involves configuring an interface and BGP settings, ASNs, VLANs, and MD5 values.

To add the Azure Cloud connection in Aviatrix

  1. Azure Connection Details

    Collect the connection details from the Azure console for the connection you created.

    Note the values for the Peer ASN, Shared Key, VLAN ID, and IPv4 Primary Subnet.

  2. Megaport Connection Details

    Collect the A-End vNIC details associated with the Azure connection from the Megaport Portal. To display the details, click the gear icon for the Azure connection from your MVE then click the Details view.

    Note the A-End vNIC value associated with the Azure connection. Aviatrix orders vNICs in the same order they are created in the Megaport Portal. For example:

    • 0: eth0
    • 1: eth1
    • 2: eth2

    Collect the vNIC number associated with the connection, as this number will be used to associate the Aviatrix interface with the same number. For example, vNIC 0 in the Megaport Portal corresponds to eth0 in Aviatrix.

    Note

    Ensure all vNICs remain untagged as the Aviatrix MVE does not support VLAN tagging.

  3. Aviatrix CoPilot Configuration

    Log in to Aviatrix and configure Aviatrix CoPilot with the details you have copied.

    For more information, see the Aviatrix Documentation.

Validation

  • Use CoPilot’s diagnostic tools to review connection details and perform a ping test to check IP connectivity to Azure.
  • Verify that BGP is established using BGP diagnostics and relevant BGP CLI commands.