Creating an Azure ExpressRoute Connection for an MVE with VMware SD-WAN

You can create a network connection from an MVE (a VMware edge) to Azure ExpressRoute with Virtual Cross Connections (VXCs). You can create either a private connection or a public (Microsoft) connection.

Important

Before you begin, create an MVE in Orchestrator. For details, see Creating an MVE.

There are three parts to adding an ExpressRoute connection to your MVE and Orchestrator.

  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 VMware Orchestrator, create a new interface and add the details of the Azure connection.

The instructions in this topic step through the second and third parts.

Note

MVE for VMware SD-WAN requires configuration steps in both VMware Orchestrator 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 field in the right hand pane.
    The Portal verifies the key and 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 these connection details:

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

    • Invoice Reference – This is an optional field. It can be any text, such as a PO number or billing reference number.

    • Rate Limit – This is 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.

    • Preferred A-End VLAN – Optionally, 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.

    • Configure Single Azure Peering VLAN – By default, this option is enabled for MVE and we strongly recommend keeping it enabled.
      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.
      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 – Optionally, enter a MD5 password for BGP.

Azure Peering Configuration

Adding Azure connection details to Orchestrator

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 Orchestrator. This involves configuring BGP settings, ASNs, VLANs, and MD5 values.

To add the Azure Cloud connection in Orchestrator

  1. Collect the connection details from the Azure console.
    Display the details of the connection you created in Azure for this connection. Note the values for the Peer ASN, Shared Key, VLAN ID, and IPv4 Primary Subnet.

  2. Collect the connection details from the Megaport Portal.
    Click the gear icon for the Azure connection from your MVE and click the Details view. Note the value for the A-End VLAN.

  3. In Orchestrator, go to Configure > Edges and click the MVE device.
    Select the Edge

  4. Click the Device tab and scroll down to the Interface Settings.

  5. Click +Add Subinterface.
    Add Subinterface
    The Select Interface dialog box appears.

  6. From the Select Interface menu, choose GE3 and for the Subinterface ID enter the A-End VLAN ID configured for the connection in the Megaport Portal.
    Select Interface
    The subinterface settings appear.

  7. Change the Addressing Type to Static and provide the IP Address, CIDR value, and Gateway.
    These values are available in the Azure console. The IP addresses and CIDR appear in the IPv4 Primary Subnet field; MVE uses the first usable IP address and Azure uses the second usable IP for its router.
    Subinterface Settings

  8. Ensure Enable VLAN Tagging is enabled.
    The field is automatically populated with the VLAN ID you specified for the subinterface ID.

  9. Click Update GE3:vlan-id.

  10. In the upper-right corner of the Configure > Edges window, click Save Changes and then confirm.
    This configures the interface, VLAN tags, and IP addresses, which you can test with ping commands through the CLI. (BGP is not yet configured.)

    Note

    Adding the subinterface momentarily disrupts the connection.

To configure BGP for the Azure connection in Orchestrator

  1. In Orchestrator, go to Configure > Edges and click the MVE device.

  2. Click the Device tab and in the Configure Segments section click Enable Edge Override for BGP Settings.
    This override lets us define BGP values specific for this device beyond the profile definition.
    Enable BGP

  3. Click the toggle button to turn on BGP and click Edit.
    The BGP Editor appears.

  4. For Local ASN, add the Peer ASN from the Azure console.

  5. For the Neighbor IP, add the second usable IP address from the IPv4 Primary Subnet from the Azure console.

  6. Add the Azure ASN of 12076 to the ASN field for the neighbor.
    This is a fixed value from Azure.

  7. If you set an MD5 password in the Azure console, view all Additional Options and enable MD5 Auth and enter your MD5 Password (Shared Secret) from Azure.
    BGP Settings

  8. Click OK and then click Save Changes.

Validating your connection

Under Test & Troubleshoot > Remote Diagnostics, select the MVE and click Run for Troubleshoot BGP - Show BGP Summary to verify the BGP session.

You can also check connectivity and BGP status from the CLI of the edge device. For details, see Reviewing your VMware MVE connection settings.

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